WordValecharacterization
how a writer builds and reveals characters
In more detail
1. (noun) the way a writer shows what a character is like in a book, film, or play
2. (noun) a description or way of presenting someone or something in a particular way
Examples
- 1. The characterization of the main character was so detailed that readers felt they knew him personally.
- 2. The newspaper's characterization of the politician as dishonest was criticized by his supporters.
How to use characterization
Characterization refers to both the literary technique of revealing character traits and the resulting portrait itself. It is commonly used in literary criticism and analysis to evaluate how effectively an author brings a character to life through dialogue, action, thought, and physical description. The term can also mean any deliberate way of presenting or describing a person or thing.
Common phrases
- strong characterization
- weak characterization
- character characterization
- vivid characterization
- the characterization of
- develop characterization
Synonyms
portrayal · depiction · representation · delineation · description
Word family
characterize (verb) · character (noun) · characteristic (adjective/noun)
A common mistake
Learners sometimes confuse characterization with characterization of a person in everyday speech; note that the term is most precise when discussing fictional works or deliberate portrayals rather than simply how someone appears to others.
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