Characterisation in Literature

How do characters become real ?

The 8 Methods of Characterisation

8 different ways of looking at a character in a story

Characterisation

• is the process by which the writer reveals the personality of a character.

1. Physical Description

• The most common way of describing a character.

• Identifies anything physical about the character.

• Includes height, skin, hair and eye color, short/tall, skinny/fat, wear glasses?, how he/she walks/stands, anything physical about the character.

Example of physical description:

Crow stood like a block of granite. From the waist up the Magnon’s torso arched out like an inverted pyramid on top of which his neck-less head seemed in the process of being swallowed by his massive shoulders. His biceps were so huge that his arms stuck out at forty-five-degree angles from his sides. When he walked, his legs rubbed together and the muscles on his thighs clicked into fearsome bulges with every step. p.106

What is it about this physical description of character that makes it so effective?

2. Name Analysis

• Analyzing a character’s name is looking more closely to it’s meaning (if there is one) and describing it.

• Not all characters have a name with significance to the story.

• A lot of times though, author’s carefully choose a character’s name to represent something about the character and/or the story.

Example of name analysis:

When we look at why and how Ishmael got his name, we have to analyse:

• The ‘Ishmael’ tale p.11• The Moby Dick intertextual reference p.14/15• How the bullies manipulated Ishmael’s name –

Chapter 5…A wussy-crap name

All of these things help us to understand why Ishmael believes himself to be the “Mayor of Loserville” who suffers from Ishmael Leseur’s Syndrome.

3. Attitude/Appearance

• This method of characterisation is the readers description of the character’s attitude.

• The character’s attitude is how the character appears to feel about what is happening to him/her in the story.

• Similar to how you may describe your attitude if you were in a similar situation.

Example of attitude/appearance:

“In fact, if brains were cars, Prue would be a Rolls Royce while I would be a Goggomobil up on blocks with half its engine missing. And how do you think that makes me feel? Well, I’ll tell you. Like the only person ever rejected for the job of village idiot because he was waaaay over qualified” p.5

In this quote from the novel story we learn that the main character’s attitude is one of insignificance and inferiority, especially in comparison to his “genius” younger sister.

4. Dialogue

• Dialogue is the way in which a character talks.• Dialogue includes the characters choice of

words and syntax.• It also includes the tone and diction of the

character when he/she speaks.• Is the character serious? Sarcastic? Shy?

Obnoxious? Ignorant? Etc…all these qualities can be conveyed through the characters dialogue.

Example of dialogue:

“Well, mate,’ said Barry Bagsley, standing up and hovering over James Scobie like a guillotine, ‘that’s bad luck, because you’re in danger now whether you want to be or not and if you’re Mr. Fearless as you say, just stay right where you are, ‘cause I’m going to count to five and if I’m still looking at your ugly mug, then I’m going to knock it off. Understand? Now these clowns might have fallen for all that tumour crap, but not me. So why don’t you do yourself a favour and crawl back down your hole with the rest of the hobbits?” p. 77

Example of dialogue cont:

In this quotation from the novel we hear from Barry Bagsley, the story’s antagonist. It is here that he is verbally sparring with James Scobie, the new boy who dares to stand up to him.

We know that Ishmael is scared of Barry Bagsley. When analysing Barry Bagsley’s dialogue here, especially the threats that he makes and the menacing tone that he adopts, we can understand why Ishmael is so intimidated by him.

5. Thoughts

• The thoughts of a character can only be analysed if we are inside the head of the character.

• This means that you can only include an analysis of a character’s thoughts if you are told what the character is thinking.

Example of thoughts:

“I wasn’t in love. I mean, how could I be? I knew nothing about Kelly Faulkner except her name and I wouldn’t have even known that if it hadn’t been for the name-tags they gave us…No, I definitely wasn’t in love. That was for sure. All that Romeo and Juliet stuff – making dopey faces through fish tanks or saying weird things like, “my lips two blushing penguins are” or whatever it was – just doesn’t happen in real life…I admit I was looking at Kelly Faulkner quite a lot, but I definitely wasn’t perving.” p. 133

What insight do Ishmael’s thought give us about his character here?

6. Reactions of Others

• When analysing the reactions of others you are looking closely at how other characters in the story react to or treat the character that you are characterising.

• Reactions include verbal responses and physical or emotional treatment.

• Character reactions can tell you if the character you are analyzing is liked or disliked, popular, honest, trust-worthy etc…

Example of Reactions of others:

‘You don’t have to worry about me in that regard,’ replied James Scobie. ‘I have every faith in the school’s bullying policy, and after talking with Mr. Bagsley here, I also have a great respect for the quality of education that the school provides.’‘Really?’ said Mr. Barker cautiously.‘Absolutely. Mr. Bagsley has just given us all a demonstration of how he can count to five…’Jab!‘…and he didn’t use his fingers once.’Upper cut!The class laughed. Mr. Barker frowned. James Scobie twitched. Barry Bagsley smouldered.

What do we learn about James Scobie from his reaction to Barry Bagsley’s bullying?

7. Action or Incident

• A character can be analysed by looking at an action or incident and how it affected them or how they reacted to it.

• What action did the character take when confronted with a certain situation.

• Is there an incident in the character’s past that has shaped them as a character and affected the way they look at their life.

• The action or incident determines the way the character develops as the story goes on.

Example of Action or Incident:

There by the bubblers, in deep conversation, were Barry Bagsley and James Scobie. Well, at least Barry Bagsley was in deep conversation. James Scobie could have been a statue is it wasn’t for a twist of his mouth every so often. Then, after what seemed like quite a long speech by his standards, Barry Bagsley thrust his hand forward. Scobie studied it for a second then reached out. p.82

What can we tell about these two character from their reactions to this incident and to each other?

8. Physical/Emotional Setting:

• The setting of a story affects the characters’ development as well as the plot.

• The physical setting of a story is where the story is actually taking place and can effect the way a character develops.

• The emotional setting of a story is the series of emotions that the character deals with throughout the story.

Physical/Emotional Setting Cont:

• Physical setting– Don’t Call Me Ishmael predominantly takes place at St. Daniel’s Boys College where

Ishmael is fourteen and in Year Nine.

• Emotional setting– He feels inferior to his ‘genius’ sister and because he is suffering from Ishmael

Leseur’s Syndrome– His humiliation is further inspired by his parents naming him after the lead character

in Moby Dick. – When he comes into contact with bully Barry Bagsley, he has a crisis of confidence. – He meets his salvation in the form of new boy James Scobie who encourages

Ishmael and an assorted bunch of other misfits to band together as the Year Nine debating team.

– Ishmael struggles with his terror of public speaking and even meets a girl – He feels the uncertainty of Scobie’s mysterious disappearance– Ishmael finds the courage to participate in the debate finals– And finally he is confident enough to take the fight to Barry Bagsley on whom he

almost takes out his revenge for the humiliation he and others have suffered.

(Brief Teacher Notes Scholastic Australia Limited)

Using the 8 methods to describe a character

• Use the these 8 methods of characterisation when writing a description of a character in the stories you read. By looking at all 8 methods you can give an in-depth description of the character instead of a flat description that includes only basic information.