By: Jeff Elkins
It’s Atticus Finch giving advice to Scout that
shows us he is a man of empathy and compassion.
It’s Frank Underwood banging his class ring on
the table that reminds us he is in command. It’s Holden Caulfield using phrases
like “vomity” and “grow up” that helps us remember that he is an adolescent.
Using indirect characterization can make our
heroes and villains leap from the page and come to life in our readers’ minds.
What Is Indirect Characterization?
Direct characterization is
when the author tells the reader about a character.
Jack was a rambunctious boy.
Jill was a clumsy girl.
While it is something we have to do on occasion,
when done too often, it can make a story flat and dull.
Indirect characterization is far
more fun. This is when the author tells a reader about a character through the
character’s repeated words, reoccurring actions, or physical descriptions.
As he did every day, Jack ran wildly down the hill with reckless abandon.
Jill stumbled on her untied shoelaces for the fourth time that day.
Showing our readers who our characters are
through indirect characterization allows our readers to draw their own
conclusions about our characters, intensifying our readers’ engagement with our
stories.
A Wonderful Example: Harry Potter’s Scar
Few indirect characterizations are more effective
than Harry Potter’s scar. J.K. Rowling accomplished an incredible amount with
this small mark on her main character’s forehead.
Here are three noteworthy things Harry’s scar
does:
1. It Reminds the Reader of Harry’s Past
. . .
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