Definition of Characterization Characterization

b. Methods of characterization

According to Murphy in his book Understanding Unseens 161-173, there are nine ways of characterization to make the characters understandable to and come alive for the readers. 1 Personal Description Here, the author attempts to describe a person’s appearance and clothes. Therefore, the reader knows one’s character directly by the way she dresses and the appearance. For example, a long and blonde hair young woman is considered as a spoil woman and beauty-oriented. 2 Character as Seen by Another Instead of describing a character directly, the author describes her through the eyes and opinion of another character. Therefore, based on the other characters’ judgment, the reader gets a reflected image. 3 Speech Here, the author gives the details of the character in the novel through what the person says. It means that whenever the person says, whenever she is in the conversation with another, whenever she puts forward an opinion, she is giving a clue to her character. Briefly, through her daily speech in the novel, the reader knows about her character. 4 Past life The author gives the reader a clue to events that have helped to create a character by giving some description and stories about a person’s past life. The 12 reader can find them by direct comment from the author, the person’s thought, the person’s conversation or through the medium of another person. 5 Conversation of Others The author gives a clue to the reader about a person’s character through the conversation of other people and the things they say about her. People do talk about other people and the things they say often give the reader a clue to the character of the person spoken about. 6 Reactions The author can give the reader a clue to a person’s character by letting the reader knows how that person reacts to various situation and events. 7 Direct Comment It is quite different from personal description. Here, the author can describe or comment on a person’s character directly. 8 Thoughts The author gives the reader direct knowledge of what a person is thinking about. In this case, the person is able to do what we cannot do in real life. Therefore, the reader will know the character of the person simply by knowing what is in her mind. 9 Mannerism Here, the author describes a person’s mannerism, habits or idiosyncrasies, which may also tell the reader something about the character. Therefore, the reader can get a clue of a person’s character from the way she behaves and acts in her daily life in the novel. 13