Characterization
What is characterization?
Characterization is how an author shows what a character is like, including their personality and what motivates them.
What is plot?
The main events of a story. What a story is about.
What is setting?
Where and when the story takes place.
What is direct characterization?
Direct characterization – the author explicitly says it; we can point to it in the text
What is climax in a story?
is the place where the tension of the rising action has reached its most significant place. This is where the characters face their most important conflict or make their biggest decision.
Give an example of setting.
Answers will vary
What is indirect characterization?
Indirect characterization – we use our inferencing skills to read between the lines.
What is falling action in a story?
includes those events immediately after the climax, during which the characters normally deal only with the results of the choices made during the climax.
What is theme?
Theme is the main idea or message the story conveys.
What do the letters in STEAL stand for?
speech, thoughts, effects on others, actions, looks
What does mean conflict in a story?
The problem in the story that the character faces.
Give an example of a theme?
Answers will vary
Passage:
Lena tapped her pen against the edge of the desk, her notes neatly color-coded and arranged by date. Her eyes flicked to the clock—seven minutes early, as usual. Across the room, her classmates chatted and scrolled on their phones, but Lena kept scanning the syllabus for the third time. She didn’t have to be perfect, she reminded herself, but then again, what if being anything less meant failure?
What does the passage reveal about Lena’s character?
A. She is easily distracted and has trouble focusing on school.
B. She is disorganized but tries to keep up with her peers.
C. She is responsible and holds herself to very high standards.
D. She prefers to work in groups rather than alone.
Correct Answer: C. She is responsible and holds herself to very high standards.
Passage:
Lena tapped her pen against the edge of the desk, her notes neatly color-coded and arranged by date. Her eyes flicked to the clock—seven minutes early, as usual. Across the room, her classmates chatted and scrolled on their phones, but Lena kept scanning the syllabus for the third time. She didn’t have to be perfect, she reminded herself, but then again, what if being anything less meant failure? Was anyone else even taking this seriously?
Which event in the passage best introduces a potential conflict in the plot?
A. Lena arrives seven minutes early to class.
B. Lena notices her classmates chatting and on their phones.
C. Lena scans the syllabus for the third time.
D. Lena questions whether anyone else is taking the class seriously.
Correct Answer: D. Lena questions whether anyone else is taking the class seriously.
Passage:
Lena tapped her pen against the edge of the desk, her notes neatly color-coded and arranged by date. Her eyes flicked to the clock—seven minutes early, as usual. Across the room, her classmates chatted and scrolled on their phones, but Lena kept scanning the syllabus for the third time. She didn’t have to be perfect, she reminded herself, but then again, what if being anything less meant failure? Was anyone else even taking this seriously?
How does the classroom setting help develop a theme in the passage?
A. It shows that Lena is competitive and wants to be the best in her class.
B. It highlights the contrast between Lena’s seriousness and her classmates’ relaxed attitudes, reinforcing the theme of personal pressure and isolation.
C. It creates a chaotic environment that makes it difficult for Lena to concentrate.
D. It emphasizes the importance of friendship in academic settings.
Correct Answer: B. It highlights the contrast between Lena’s seriousness and her classmates’ relaxed attitudes, reinforcing the theme of personal pressure and isolation.