Identifying Direct And Indirect Characterization Lesson Plan Template printable pdf download

Lesson Skill: Identifying direct and indirect

English Enhanced Scope and Sequence

characterization

Strand Reading--fiction

SOL

6.5

7.5

8.5

Materials

• Text selection containing good character development—from a novel or short story

• Copies of the attached Says, Does, Thinks: Character Traits Revealed! worksheet

Lesson

Direct characterization. The writer makes direct statements about a character's personality and

tells the reader or viewer what the character is like. Direct characterization tells the reader or

viewer.

Indirect characterization. The writer reveals information about a character’s personality

through his/her words, actions, and thoughts, along with other characters’ responses to that

character (what they say and think about him/her). Indirect characterization shows the reader

or viewer.

Ask students to think about their favorite person and make a list of that person’s

character traits (personality traits). Students will likely use words such as nice, funny, fun,

approachable, friendly. Next, ask them to think about their least favorite person and make

a list of that person’s character traits (e.g., mean, angry, strict, rude). Ask students how

they know the character traits of these people. What is it about these people that makes

it possible to describe them with such adjectives? Lead students into understanding that

we can describe a person’s character traits by knowing the things he/she says and does.

Also, when we come to know someone fairly well, we are able to figure out what the

person thinks based on what he/she most often says and does, including how he/she

responds to others.

Explain that in the world of literature, we learn the character traits just as we do in real

life through indirect characterization—by what they say, do, and think. The writer usually

makes direct statements about characters’ personalities also—that is, the writer also uses

direct characterization.

Distribute copies of the attached Says, Does, Thinks: Character Traits Revealed!

worksheet, and model for students how to fill in the chart while reading a portion of the

text selection.

Have students continue filling in the chart as they read.

Identifying Direct And Indirect Characterization Lesson Plan Template