Characterization - Quiz 1 - Jill Rotton | Library

What is it?
Characterization is the way in which authors convey information about their characters. Characterization can be direct, as when an author tells readers what a character is like (e.g. "George was cunning and greedy.") or indirect, as when an author shows what a character is like by portraying his or her actions, speech, or thoughts (eg. "On the crowded subway, George slipped his hand into the man's coat pocket and withdrew the wallet, undetected."). Descriptions of a character's appearance, behavior, interests, way of speaking, and other mannerisms are all part of characterization. For stories written in the first-person point of view, the narrator's voice, or way of telling the story, is essential to his or her characterization.

Why is it important?
Characterization is a crucial part of making a story compelling. In order to interest and move readers, characters need to seem real. Authors achieve this by providing details that make characters individual and particular. Good characterization gives readers a strong sense of characters' personalities and complexities; it makes characters vivid, alive and believable. 

Ask yourself these questions when trying to understand characterization:
What does the character look like?
How does the character behave towards others? How do others behave toward the character?
What does the character seem to care about?
What adjectives does the author use to describe the character's personality?
What does the character think or say?
Characterization Tip:
Characterization never stops! Stay aware of how a character is described, how others react to the character, and how those things change throughout the text. Changes in characters are often crucial to the meaning of a story.

What character trait is revealed?
After pulling an all-nighter studying, Sarah moved through the dance routine sluggishly. She was off-beat and missed several moves.
a. passionate
b. nervous
c. tired
d. bored

What character trait is revealed here?
After glancing around to make sure she wasn't being watched, Marissa slid the candy bar into her pocket. She walked out of the store casually, not stopping to pay.
a. selfish
b. sneaky
c. thrifty
d. rude

How is the character's traits revealed?
Marcy sat in class, drumming her finger on her desk. Thinking back to that morning, she felt remorse over the way she had talked to her mom.
a. actions
b. thoughts
c. statements
d. interactions with other characters

What character trait is revealed in this passage?
Jonathan looked at the homeless dog walking down the street of his neighborhood. He approached the dog slowly, cautiously, with his hands stretched outward. After gaining his trust, Jonathan took the dog home, gave him a warm bath, and a big bowl of food.
a. impulsive
b. obsessed
c. humble
d. compassionate

What type of characterization is the following example?
Brandon leaned back in his chair during the lecture. He was bored with the classes discussion of rock formations.
a. direct characterization
b. indirect characterization

What type of character trait is the following example?
Tiffany loved when her teachers gave her creative projects. Her favorite things to do were paint, write music, play her guitar, and mold pottery.
a. direct characterization
b. indirect characterization

What type of character trait is the following example?
Jake walked around the lunchroom. For every new student he saw, he stopped and said hello and gave them a fist bump.
a. talented
b. friendly
c. adventurous
d. humorous

How type of character trait is revealed?
Sergeant Stone ran the tired boys around the wet field for the last lap. Even though the boys were exhausted, he had them drop and do 100 push-ups.
a. responsible
b. bossy
c. stubborn
d. tough

How is the character's traits revealed?
Mr. Timpelton walked through the airport in his crisp army uniform and duffel bag. After being deployed for a year in Iraq, he was anxious to see his family. He wiped his hands nervously on his pants, breathed a deep sigh, and begin to head to the airport welcoming area.
a. actions
b. thoughts
c. statements
d. interactions with other characters

What type of character trait is the following example?
Shelley worked hard on Saturday. She pulled weeds, planted flowers, and cut the grass.
a. direct characterization
b. indirect characterization

What type of character trait is the following example?
"His wife walked briskly in front of him in a faded sundress that hadn't fit her correctly since the birth of their second son."
a. direct characterization
b. indirect characterization
c. both

What type of character trait is the following example?
"She was short with dark, black hair that had pink sections on either side of her face. She wore dark skinny jeans tucked into military-style boots."
a. direct characterization
b. indirect characterization
c. both

Characterization - Quiz 1

Why is it important?

Characterization Tip:

What character trait is revealed? After pulling an all-nighter studying, Sarah moved through the dance routine sluggishly. She was off-beat and missed several moves. a. passionateb. nervousc. tiredd. bored

What character trait is revealed here? After glancing around to make sure she wasn't being watched, Marissa slid the candy bar into her pocket. She walked out of the store casually, not stopping to pay. a. selfishb. sneakyc. thriftyd. rude

How is the character's traits revealed? Marcy sat in class, drumming her finger on her desk. Thinking back to that morning, she felt remorse over the way she had talked to her mom. a. actionsb. thoughtsc. statementsd. interactions with other characters

What type of characterization is the following example? Brandon leaned back in his chair during the lecture. He was bored with the classes discussion of rock formations. a. direct characterizationb. indirect characterization

What type of character trait is the following example?Tiffany loved when her teachers gave her creative projects. Her favorite things to do were paint, write music, play her guitar, and mold pottery. a. direct characterizationb. indirect characterization

What type of character trait is the following example? Jake walked around the lunchroom. For every new student he saw, he stopped and said hello and gave them a fist bump.a. talentedb. friendlyc. adventurousd. humorous

How type of character trait is revealed?Sergeant Stone ran the tired boys around the wet field for the last lap. Even though the boys were exhausted, he had them drop and do 100 push-ups. a. responsibleb. bossyc. stubbornd. tough

What type of character trait is the following example? Shelley worked hard on Saturday. She pulled weeds, planted flowers, and cut the grass.a. direct characterizationb. indirect characterization

What type of character trait is the following example?"His wife walked briskly in front of him in a faded sundress that hadn't fit her correctly since the birth of their second son." a. direct characterizationb. indirect characterizationc. both

What type of character trait is the following example?"She was short with dark, black hair that had pink sections on either side of her face. She wore dark skinny jeans tucked into military-style boots."a. direct characterizationb. indirect characterizationc. both

What character trait is revealed?
After pulling an all-nighter studying, Sarah moved through the dance routine sluggishly. She was off-beat and missed several moves.
a. passionate
b. nervous
c. tired
d. bored

What character trait is revealed here?
After glancing around to make sure she wasn't being watched, Marissa slid the candy bar into her pocket. She walked out of the store casually, not stopping to pay.
a. selfish
b. sneaky
c. thrifty
d. rude

How is the character's traits revealed?
Marcy sat in class, drumming her finger on her desk. Thinking back to that morning, she felt remorse over the way she had talked to her mom.
a. actions
b. thoughts
c. statements
d. interactions with other characters

What type of characterization is the following example?
Brandon leaned back in his chair during the lecture. He was bored with the classes discussion of rock formations.
a. direct characterization
b. indirect characterization

What type of character trait is the following example?
Tiffany loved when her teachers gave her creative projects. Her favorite things to do were paint, write music, play her guitar, and mold pottery.
a. direct characterization
b. indirect characterization

What type of character trait is the following example?
Jake walked around the lunchroom. For every new student he saw, he stopped and said hello and gave them a fist bump.
a. talented
b. friendly
c. adventurous
d. humorous

How type of character trait is revealed?
Sergeant Stone ran the tired boys around the wet field for the last lap. Even though the boys were exhausted, he had them drop and do 100 push-ups.
a. responsible
b. bossy
c. stubborn
d. tough

What type of character trait is the following example?
Shelley worked hard on Saturday. She pulled weeds, planted flowers, and cut the grass.
a. direct characterization
b. indirect characterization

What type of character trait is the following example?
"His wife walked briskly in front of him in a faded sundress that hadn't fit her correctly since the birth of their second son."
a. direct characterization
b. indirect characterization
c. both

What type of character trait is the following example?
"She was short with dark, black hair that had pink sections on either side of her face. She wore dark skinny jeans tucked into military-style boots."
a. direct characterization
b. indirect characterization
c. both