We have discussed the many ways an author uses characterization, or the building of characters, the actors in a story. We've looked at several features that aid in this process (direct and indirect characterization, static vs. dynamic, flat vs. round). And we've read several stories (The Possibility of Evil, The Sniper, Regret) that characterize in very different ways.
I would like two posts.
Post 1: Please summarize your understanding of characters and how an author makes them interesting. What techniques and traits make for compelling characters? Explain why the characters in these three stories are or are not interesting using the language of the discipline.
Post 2: You will be writing your own short story during Winter Break. What will you bring to your characterization that you learned from these authors? How will you create characters we want to read about? What about your protagonist? Who or what will be your antagonist?
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We have learned about many ways an author makes their characters interesting. One way is by showing you more about them by their actions, rather then just telling you. This makes the reader think about that character and why they did something or didn't do something. Another trick authors use is their point of view. First person is one way to personalize the story and really get into the character. Second person is a way to connect with the reader, and third person is a way to be in everyone's heads at once.
ReplyDeleteI will do my best to incorporate all these characterization techniques. Right now I am thinking of making the protagonist a girl who is sixteen, shy, quiet, intelligent, and friendly. The antagonist in my story will most likely be a boy who is outspoken, popular, rebellious, and takes notice of the girl.
ReplyDeleteWell I believe the author wants people interested in characters as well as the story it's self. The author might do things like show you different points of view for the characters. They will also try to make the character as relatable as possible to their audience.
ReplyDeleteWell I will sure bring points of view which I learned can come in handy to make a story interesting. I would try to make my character as relatable as possible to other teens. Well my protagonist is a teen moving from one of the best cites to one of the worst. The antagonist is one of her best friends who is really unthankful and greedy, who ends up being by herself in the end with no friends.
ReplyDeleteWe have learned that characters help make the story way more interesting than if it had no characters at all. Characters help engender moods of the story as well as making us feel different emotions too. The stories are very interesting because each different character or characters in them have they own uniqueness about them. This lets us explore many conflicts through the story as well as make us feel as if we were a part of the story itself.
ReplyDeleteAuthors make characters interesting through mystery and wonder. Like in "The Sniper", you did not know who the other sniper is until the end of the story. They also make characters interesting by making them smart. Although characters who are not intellegant are also interesting. But in the stories we have read, the authors give the characters knowledge and used both direct and inderect characterization
ReplyDeleteIn my short story I will make sure the characters are interesting because from personal experience I know it is terrible read stories with boring characters. My protagonist will be interesting and realistic so people can relate to their current situations as well as my antagonist.
ReplyDeleteI will make sure that my characters/character are involved in some type of conflict in wich he or she must solve. I will create characters that invlove real life situations that some people go through everyday. My protagonist will be the son of the father. and the father will be the antagonist.
ReplyDeleteA character is determined through speech, actions, appearance, and what other characters think or say about them. The most interesting characters are round, having both good and bad traits. To make stories more interesting authors will have the dynamic characters take something away from their experience. Overall I did not find the characters in these stories interesting. Their personalities seemed flat and boring, often not having major interesting traits. Perhaps if the characters were rounder I would become more interested in their conflicts.
ReplyDeleteI have learned the way to most interest your reader when introducing a character is to give clues and incidents about the character rather than give the reader facts. I also learned the different points of view and what effect each one gives. In my short story I will incorporate what I have learned about characters to make the most intriguing protagonist and antagonists I can make.
ReplyDeleteAn author makes a character interesting by, leaving the reader wanting more from the story, and drawing them in because of the characters' actions, feelings, appearance, how they react, and what they do or do not do. We learned many ways an author does this, they make the characters seem more realistic, so that the readers can relate to that. Also the characters are convincing if they, are consistent and motivated.
ReplyDeleteOne way authors make characters interesting is by making the reader assume the characters traits rather than just saying them straight forward. An example would be instead of saying, "Sally was an artist”, “Sally continues to win various ribbons from art shows nationwide" might be a better approach and would give the reader more thoughts. In the three stories, the authors used indirect and direct characterization.
ReplyDeleteI have learned that an author can make a character interesting by using many different techniques. An author can create a round character, which is a character that has many personality traits and is interesting to read about. The character in "The Most Dangerous Game" was very interesting because he was filled with irony. The more unique and different your character is, the more involved the reader becomes.
ReplyDeleteI will make sure the characters in my story are not boring and have conflicts and likeable personalities that will draw the reader in. My protagonist will be the man that needs to feed his pigs and the antiganost would be the doctor telling him to stay in bed.
ReplyDeleteI will make sure that i have added the characteristics of characters into my story. Some ways i will do this is by placing in evidence, speech, actions, and other ways of drawing in the reader. I can incorporate everything i learned about character, plot, setting, and theme into my story and make my readers or audiences more interested.
ReplyDeleteIn my story, I will try to create characters that capture the readers attention by making my protagonist a young girl. Although she is shy, she is never afraid to explore the world and she has many great personality traits. The antagonist will be a character who inspires the protagonist.
ReplyDeleteI have learned that and author can make a character interesting through the different traits a specific character has. Some characters are interesting because they are just plain dumb, or the way they are rude to everyone intrigues the viewers, or readers to want to know more about that character. In "The Most Dangerous Game" the characters were mysterious but obvious at the same time which filled the story with irony and kept the readers wanting more.
ReplyDeleteAn author makes characters interesting by giving them many traits, allowing them seem human. These characters are round characters. Compelling characters are not one-dimensional; they have good and bad qualities that keep the story moving. The author also gives hints and context clues about characters instead of just writing facts about them. In “The Most Dangerous Game”, Rainsford is interesting because he changes and develops throughout the story and is life-like. Mme Loisel from “The Necklace” is interesting because she is a round character; she has good and bad traits. Lastly, Ms. Strangeworth from “The Possibility of Evil” seems interesting, even though I have only started the story, because I can already see some odd quirks and traits that may surprise us during the story.
ReplyDeleteI will bring everything that I have mentioned above to my story. I will create characters that are life-like, with flaws and accomplishments and traits that alter the story line. My protagonist will be a teenage girl that is smart, kind, and reserved but very timid around horses. My antagonist will be whoever helps the protagonist overcome her fear of horses, either a best friend or older brother.
ReplyDeleteIn my short story my characters will get the readers attention. My protagonist is a girl who is a teenage superstar and she is very full of herself and thinks she knows everyone. The antagonist is a young, southern boy who has a big influence on the protagonists life.
ReplyDeleteI have come to understand a few things that make a character rememberable. One is the actions he/she commits is an indication of what the character is. Indirect indications to a character through contrast and comparison are also techniques authors use to bring out the qualities in a character.
ReplyDeleteMy protagonist will be built from a first-person point of view. My antagonist will be built upon what events occur during my story. Thoughts and actions of my characters will build my other characters. The antagonist could be regret in my story. The protagonist is a person who regrets not doing something.
ReplyDeleteI have learned that authors make characters in a story interesting by using different techniques. I believe that chracters are what make a story more than anyhting else that is a part of a story. A good character is not completely good or bad. They are a round character. In "The Most Dangerous Game", Rainsford is a very compelling and interestting character. At the beginning of the story he seems like a very rude person who thinks animals do nto have feelings. Towards the end though, he realizes that while being the prey instead of the predator animals do have feelings.
ReplyDeleteEverything that I have learned will all be brought in to make a wonderful story that everyone will want to read over and over again because everything in it is so compelling and interesting. I have been thinking this whole night about my story and what to make it about and have made some really good ideas. My protagonist will be someone who is just a normal student until his/her life turns around and changes completely. My antagonist will be someone who helps the antagonist.
ReplyDeleteI learned that the most efective way to build character is indirectly. This means instead of telling the reader about the character the author shows the reader traits of the character from various action and situations in the story. I also learned that characters can't be all good or all bad, because storys with characters that are all good and all bad are just farie tales and are not interesting to anyone.
ReplyDeleteIn my story I will use indirect characterization a lot when I build my characters. My protagonist will be a teenage boy, who along with his brother is thrown into an unpredictable and dangerous situation. The antagonist will be someone who appears to be acting purely out of greed, but whose motivations turn out to be more complicated.
ReplyDeleteI think that the most important thing for a character to have is personality, it isn't a good thing to have a character with one belief and it just follows that belief the whole story. Charcters should show change throughout a story so that they can relate to the readers because we as readers chang all the time.
ReplyDeleteMy story will definitely use indirect characterization because I want the reader to be able to figure out the characters personalities on their own. Even better than that, if I use indirect characterization, I can start arguments with the characters between readers, for example, if the author of Twilight told the readers that the vampire was the good guy, it wouldn't be as interesting, but she let you figure out for yourself if he is the good guy.
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