Characterization

Indirect vs Direct

Indirect or Direct?

Smiling, the magician pulled a rabbit out of the hat and

wowed the crowd.

Answer: INDIRECT

We learn that the magician is good at what he does by how the crowd responds, so we are SHOWN that he is good.

Indirect or Direct?

The Evil Shadow King said, “I am a genius. I will conquer the world.”

ANSWER: Indirect

We learn about the Shadow King’s character by what he says, so we are SHOWN.

Indirect or Direct?

The Shadow King was an evil king capable of doing anything because he enjoyed cruelty.

ANSWER: DIRECT

The sentence simply TELLS you what he is. We don’t even have to figure it out.

Indirect or Direct?

The ninja reached the end of the alley where the other fighter should have been standing, but the other fight was gone. She stood there scratching her head.

ANSWER: Indirect

We are SHOWN that the ninja is confused because she is scratching her head and the other ninja is not where he is supposed to be.

Indirect or Direct?

Mr. Clarke entered ninja school to become a ninja, but he was clumsy and loud. He was quite possibly the worst ninja ever.

ANSWER:DIRECT

The information is told to us. We do not see that Mr. Clarke is a bad nina. We are just told that he is not good at it because he is clumsy and loud.

Indirect or Direct? Ninja Nelson finally told Mr.

Clarke very gently, “Mr. Clarke, I understand you want to be a ninja, but you do not have what it takes.”

Mr. Clarke threw a fit and tried to a throw a ninja star at Ninja Nelson’s head, but she caught it in her teeth.

1. ANSWER: INDIRECT2.ANSWER: INDIRECTIn the first one, we are SHOWN that Mrs. Nelson is gentle and kind because of how nice she is to Mr. Clarke.

In the second one, we are SHOWN that Mr. Clarke is very immature and not a very good ninja because he throws a fit and tries to hurt Ninja Nelson.