Characterization, Suspense, and Foreshadowing

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Characterization, Suspense, and Foreshadowing
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What is characterization?

• The process by which the author reveals
  information about a character
• Indirect characterization is where an author
  implies a personality or physical trait about a
  character by showing the reader
• Direct characterization is where an author
  directly tells the reader a personality or
  physical trait about a character

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EXAMPLES

• Indirect Characterization
• Robert sighed. I dont understand why I have to
  clean my room every single day. I dont care if
  I cant see the floor!
• Direct Characterization
• Jennifer was a pretty girl with long hair and
  dark eyes. She was quiet and her grades were
  good in school.

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What do I look for in the story?

• When the author is SHOWING the audience things
  that reveal the personality of the character, the
  author can do so in many ways. Keep in mind the
  acronym STEAL
• S peech What does the character say? How does
  the character speak?
• T houghts What is revealed through the
  characters thoughts/feelings?
• E ffect on others toward the character How do
  other characters feel or behave in reaction to
  the character?
• A ctions What does the character do? How does
  the character behave?
• L ooks What does the character look like? How
  does the character dress?

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What is suspense?

• That quality of a literary work that makes the
  reader or audience uncertain or tense about the
  outcome of events.
• Suspense makes the reader ask "What will happen
  next?".
• Suspense is greatest when it focuses attention on
  a sympathetic character.
• Thus, the most familiar kind of suspense involves
  a character hanging from the ledge of a tall
  building, or tied to railroad tracks as a train
  approaches.

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What is foreshadowing?

• The use of hints or clues in a narrative to
  suggest what action is to come.
• Foreshadowing helps to build suspense in a story
  because it suggests what is about to happen.