Characters and

Characterization

ELA Grade 6
Carolyn Edwards-Wood
Learning
Objectives/SCCCRS
The students will be able to:

Differentiate between direct and indirect characterization

Apply the STEAL method to analyze character

Cite textual evidence to support inferences about characters in a

text

SCCCR Standards:
6RL Standard 8: Analyze characters, settings, events and ideas as

they develop and interact within a particular context

6RL Standard 5:Determine meaning and develop logical

interpretations by making predictions, inferring, drawing conclusions,

analyzing, providing evidence, and investigating multiple
interpretations
What are characters?
The people or subjects which experience the plot

Types
Dynamic
Round
Flat
Static
What is characterization?
Have you ever read a story, and found yourself laughing
out loud at what something a character said or did?

Or, do you ever get so mad at a character, you find yourself

shouting at the page?

Does the character youre reading about seem so real to

you, its hard to believe you dont know him in real life?

Thats characterization- the methods a writer uses to

develop the personality of a character.
2 Types

The writer provides

clues
Example:
The man walked
The writer tells down the street
details explicitly and knocked the
laughing child off
Example:
of his bike for no
The man is mean. apparent reason.

Direct Indirect
Direct or Indirect?

1. _____Jane was a beautiful young woman.

2. _____When Sarah walked in the room, everybody

stopped to stare at her. She commanded attention

wherever she went.
3. _____Jim was an honest man. He never cheated

anybody in his entire life.

4. _____John always stopped by to check on his elderly

neighbors. He would shop for them, cut their lawn, and

set out their garbage each week without being asked.
The STEAL method

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kHt8RjkFs98
PRACTICE
STEAL character web
Add ideas to each of the five areas as you

watch video
STEAL Character Web

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WnXAl1n
tt_4
Then, using the ideas in the bubbles, write a

2-3 sentence character analysis for this

character. What one word would best
describe the Wicked Witch of the West?
Why?