What is indirect characterization?

Indirect Characterization

Indirect characterization is a method of revealing a character's personality through their actions, speech, appearance, thoughts, and interactions with other characters. Unlike direct characterization, where the narrator explicitly tells the audience what a character is like, indirect characterization requires the audience to infer what the character is like.

Here's a breakdown of the key elements:

• Show, Don't Tell: Instead of stating "John is generous," show John giving his lunch to someone in need.

• Actions: What a character does reveals a great deal about them. Are they brave, cowardly, selfish, or kind?

• Speech: The way a character speaks, including their vocabulary, tone, and dialect, can provide clues about their background, education, and personality.

• Thoughts: Revealing a character's inner thoughts allows the reader to understand their motivations, fears, and desires.

• Appearance: A character's physical appearance, including their clothing, grooming, and mannerisms, can suggest their social status, personality, and even their mood.

• Relationships: How a character interacts with other characters reveals their personality. Are they respected, feared, loved, or ignored? How do they treat others?

By paying attention to these details, readers can form their own conclusions about a character's true nature.