Which term is used for the way an author describes and introduces a character, directly or indirectly?

Which term is used for the way an author describes and introduces a character, directly or indirectly?

• A. Characterization
• B. Conflict
• C. Tone
• D. Onomatopoeia

Answer: (A)

Characterization is how an author reveals who a character is. It can happen directly, when the narrator or another character states a trait—like saying someone is brave—or indirectly, when the reader gathers traits from clues: what the character says, how they act, their thoughts, appearance, decisions, and how others respond to them. This is especially important at the moment a character is introduced, because those details establish who the character is and how the reader should relate to them as the story unfolds. The other terms describe different ideas: conflict is the struggle that drives the plot, tone is the author’s attitude toward the subject, and onomatopoeia refers to words that imitate sounds.

Characterization is how an author reveals who a character is. It can happen directly, when the narrator or another character states a trait—like saying someone is brave—or indirectly, when the reader gathers traits from clues: what the character says, how they act, their thoughts, appearance, decisions, and how others respond to them. This is especially important at the moment a character is introduced, because those details establish who the character is and how the reader should relate to them as the story unfolds. The other terms describe different ideas: conflict is the struggle that drives the plot, tone is the author’s attitude toward the subject, and onomatopoeia refers to words that imitate sounds.