Remember that reading should not be a passive act. Who cares how a jaguar feels?. When using indirect characterization, the authorshowsthe characters thoughts, actions, speech, and interactions to add depth to that character. Zaroff is also authoritative, and words like high, sharpcut, and dark lead us to believe Zaroff is both intelligent and possibly a nefarious man. Use indirect characterization so that your reader can discover a character on their own. Of course, youll want to use character behavior and indirect characterization to show these character details as the story progresses. You describe the details that make up your character with narration. Youre also going to rely on a characters behavior to demonstrate important aspects of that characters personality. Both direct characterization and indirect characterization have their place in a story, and neither one is preferable to the other. If youre writing a character who is a neat freak and borderline OCD, then they should dress in a pair of fitted, pressed, and clean slacks.if(typeof ez_ad_units != 'undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[250,250],'artofnarrative_com-box-4','ezslot_2',109,'0','0'])};if(typeof __ez_fad_position != 'undefined'){__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-artofnarrative_com-box-4-0')}; Use direct characterization when first introducing a character to your readers. Rainsfords first impression was that the man was singularly handsome; his second was that there was an original, almost bizarre quality about the generals face. Instead, both forms of description can perform specific tasks in your story for which they are well suited. But thats by no means all there is to say on the subject of writing characters. Plot twists are another way that writers give their readers a sense of discovery. It is the authors job to dole out enough clues so that a reader makes the correct assumptions about a character. Copy and paste this code to display the image on your site, How to Fix a Mary Sue Character - The Art of Narrative, Indirect Characterization || Explore Detailed Information News81. Ultimately, readers want to discover the details of your story on their own. Simple, right? Well also take a look at some expert examples of both indirect and direct characterization. Keeping your readers engaged with compelling, intriguing characters comes down to one critical skill- an authors ability to describe their characters through direct and indirect characterization.
The points you include can be anything you think is vital for the reader to know about your character. The author willtellthe reader details about the character. The world is made up of two classesthe hunters and the huntees. Connell describes Zaroff as having sharp and dark features. The great thing about fiction writing is that you can answer that question by giving readers a glimpse into a characters thoughts. Just right-click, then copy and paste the Html code. Youre a big-game hunter, not a philosopher. This hot weather is making you soft, Whitney. Master Class- Direct Characterization: Definition, Examples, and Direct vs. Luckily, you and I are hunters.. The details you choose to share about your character should give the reader an insight into the characters inner workings or the plot of your story. You need to save some characterization for the reader to discover on their own. The fear of pain and the fear of death., Nonsense, laughed Rainsford. Thats precisely what youre going to learn how to do today. If you introduce a character by saying that the character has a kind face, then use indirect characterization to show that character doing kind things. An often-used piece of advice given to fiction writers is toshow dont tell. Read more about plot twists here! Had the author described Zaroff as having a round face and bulbous nose, the character would cut a far less intimidating figure. Whitney, a minor character in the story, acts as a foil to Rainsford by disagreeing with Rainsfords worldview. More on that, when we talk about indirect characterization. Its not a surprise to the reader that Zaroff turns out to be the storys main antagonist because words like sharp and dark have a negative connotation. You can also use direct characterization to create a stark contrast between two characters, say two characters who are foils of each other. Indirect characterization will give your story depth and give your reader something to do. Suppose your antagonist is puppy-kicking awful. Keep reading to learn what direct and indirect characterization is, how and why authors use indirect and direct characterization, and how you can use both in your writing!
An author will describe physical traits like hair and eye color, or what a character is wearing. These details will include things like the characters physical appearance, personality, and what motivates the character. The reader will draw reasonable conclusions based on how the character behaves. Well also examine some classic literary examples of both types of characterization. Indirect Characterization. If your protagonist is cold and distant, but their best friend is kind and giving, then use narration to point out this contrast. Be a realist. When writing indirect characterization, one of your first tools will be dialogue. Direct characterization vs. indirect characterization. Maybe, your antagonist despises weakness because she fears returning to a time in life when she was weak. He believes the world is made of hunters and the hunted and that his prey deserves no pity or respect. Authors will also cover aspects of a characters personality, behavior, and motivation. Bah! The general is wealthy, and he has a military background. The interaction between Whitney and Rainsford tells us important information about our protagonist, Rainsford. Not for the jaguar., Dont talk rot, Whitney, said Rainsford. With indirect characterization, the reader must pay attention to a characters actions and do a little detective work to discover who that character is as a person. Ok, thats a wrap on direct and indirect characterization, for now. Take a look at the example above, where the author describes General Zaroffs face. Readers will grow bored when an author continues to tell them what a character is like. This post contains affiliate links to products. Learn about first-person point of view here! The author shows the characters thoughts, actions, and interactions to add depth to that character. Through discussion, characters can express their worldview, as Rainsford does in our example above. Characterization is when the author describes a character. if(typeof ez_ad_units != 'undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[300,250],'artofnarrative_com-large-leaderboard-2','ezslot_6',111,'0','0'])};if(typeof __ez_fad_position != 'undefined'){__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-artofnarrative_com-large-leaderboard-2-0')}; We learn that Rainsford, unlike Whitney, has no respect for the animals he hunts. if(typeof ez_ad_units != 'undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[250,250],'artofnarrative_com-medrectangle-4','ezslot_1',119,'0','0'])};if(typeof __ez_fad_position != 'undefined'){__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-artofnarrative_com-medrectangle-4-0')}; There are two techniques that storytellers use to illustrate engaging characters. Lets take a look at a dialogue between the characters of Rainsford and Whitney inThe Most Dangerous Game: The best sport in the world, agreed Rainsford. Through characterization, an author describes all the crucial details about that character. Do you want to write characters that are worth reading? As usual, at the bottom, you can find more resources on creating fantastic characters. Writing direct characterization is straightforward. These techniques are-. In this passage, the storys protagonist, Sanger Rainsford, describes his first encounter with General Zaroff, his antagonist. It doesnt get much worse than that. In that case, the people around him will keep their distance and be uneasy when interacting with him.if(typeof ez_ad_units != 'undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[300,250],'artofnarrative_com-leader-1','ezslot_8',112,'0','0'])};if(typeof __ez_fad_position != 'undefined'){__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-artofnarrative_com-leader-1-0')}; Finally, you can use a characters inner monologue to give your readers a deeper understanding of a characters motivation. Whats the difference? He had high cheekbones, a sharpcut nose, a spare, dark facethe face of a man used to giving orders, the face of an aristocrat.. When a new character enters your story arc, you can use direct characterization to give readers the most important details about that character. Readers want to figure things out on their own. if(typeof ez_ad_units != 'undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[250,250],'artofnarrative_com-banner-1','ezslot_5',121,'0','0'])};if(typeof __ez_fad_position != 'undefined'){__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-artofnarrative_com-banner-1-0')}; When writing direct characterization for your characters, be sure to add details that will give your reader clues into a characters personality. Direct Characterization is when the writer describes a character directly to the readerthrough narration. This rule means that you should establish a characters personality through their actions, dialogue, thoughts, and interactions rather than stating facts about your character through narration. Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. Use indirect characterization after youve introduced a character to reinforce your direct characterization. From the authors use of direct characterization, readers can tell a lot about the character of Zaroff. For instance, if you wanted readers to understand that your main antagonist is,really,terrible, you could have the character kick a puppy. Think about how characters react to each other when writing indirect characterization. This idea plays heavily into the theme of the story and Rainsfords ultimate fate. Or, check out below, where youll find more resources on writing characters from around the internet. Perhaps the jaguar does, observed Whitney. Lets define direct and indirect characterization, and talk about how and when to use each technique. if(typeof ez_ad_units != 'undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[250,250],'artofnarrative_com-large-mobile-banner-1','ezslot_7',113,'0','0'])};if(typeof __ez_fad_position != 'undefined'){__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-artofnarrative_com-large-mobile-banner-1-0')}; Whats your favorite method for characterization?