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- Analysing characters in fiction
Analysing characters in fiction
Many reading questions on fiction focus on how a writer presents a character. Writers rarely tell us directly what someone is like. They show us.
How writers create characters
Actions: what they do.
Speech: what they say and how.
Appearance: clothes, face, posture.
Reactions: how other characters respond to them.
Narrator's comments: the narrator's own judgements.
Speech: what they say and how.
Appearance: clothes, face, posture.
Reactions: how other characters respond to them.
Narrator's comments: the narrator's own judgements.
Practice extract
Reading the clues
Mrs Bellamy does not rise for guests: she is rude or proud.
She says 'You are late' though they are not: she is unfair and likes control.
Clara 'coloured and looked at the carpet': she is embarrassed and timid.
'Not that one. The other bell.' shows she corrects even small things.
She says 'You are late' though they are not: she is unfair and likes control.
Clara 'coloured and looked at the carpet': she is embarrassed and timid.
'Not that one. The other bell.' shows she corrects even small things.
How does the writer present Mrs Bellamy as critical of others?
- Evidence: her eyes 'travelled slowly over' their clothes.
- 'She seemed to find each of them wanting' means she judged them as not good enough.
- The slow inspection suggests she enjoys finding fault.
Answer: Her slow, judging inspection of the visitors' clothes shows she looks for faults in everyone.
Look at actions, speech, appearance, reactions and narrator's comments. Infer what each reveals, and explain the writer's choice of specific words.
The interactive lesson includes the diagrams for this topic.
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