The characters of a story, means of characterization

In most literary works one character is clearly central and dominates it from beginning to end. Such a character is generally called the main character, or the protagonist. The main character may also be called a hero or a heroine if he or she really deserves to be called so.

The antagonist is the personage opposing the protagonist or hero. The villain is the character with marked, negative features. In some works of fiction, the author will draw two characters with distinctly opposing features - one character serving as a foil to the other.

When a character expresses the author's viewpoint directly, he is said to be the author’s mouthpiece. If a character is developed round one or several features, he becomes a type or a caricature. A type is characterized by qualities that are typical of a certain social group or class. A caricature is a depiction of a character in an exaggerated way, so that he appears ridiculous and distorted, yet recognizable.

The characters may be described in different aspects: physical, emotional, moral, spiritual and social. The description of different aspects of a character is known as characterization.

There are two main types of characterization: direct, when the author rates the character himself or with the help of another character of the story. Indirect characteri­zation is given if the author shows the character in action, lets the reader hear him, watch him and evaluate him themselves.

Various means of characterization can be summed up as follows:

1. Presentation of the character through action. Actions here include small gestures, a thought, a word, a decision, an impulse, and a whole event.

2. Speech characteristics. The character’s speech may be either in official (formal) style or in con­versational (informal) style; it may include bookish words, neutral words or slang; it may show the origin, nationality or occupation of the speaker, if he uses foreign words, local words, terms or jargonisms.

3. Psychological portrayal and analysis of motive. The psycho­logical state of a character is generally revealed by means of inner represented speech.

4. Description or the outward appearance, the portrayal of a character. There certainly exists some relationship between the inner nature of a person and his appearance. A writer often marks some prominent features in his character's portrait which suggest his nature. In literature, physical port­rayal often suggests moral, mental or spiritual characteristics.

5. Description of the world of things that surround the cha­racter (room, clothing and other belongings. Domestic interiors or the setting are sometimes treated as metaphoric expressions of the character’s nature.

6. The use of a foil. Introducing a foil may also serve as a means of characterization. The foil accentuates the opposed features of the character he is contrasted to.

7. The naming of the characters. The use of a proper name to express a general idea is called antonomasia. The name may be deliberately chosen to fit a certain character.