Characterization

1
Characterization

• Harry Potter and The Sorcerers Stone

2
Example Mr. Dursley

• Well work through Mr. Dursley as an example, and
  then students will break into groups in order to
  discuss other characters.
• Open your books to page 1 . . .

3

• What do we learn on page 1?
• Why does J.K. Rowling begin with the Dursleys?
• Why, specifically, Mr. Dursley?
• How would you characterize him?
• How does J.K. Rowling develop him?
• Look for specific examples
• Page 3
• Page 5
• Page 25

4
Is he a character or caricature?3-dimensional
or 2-dimensional?Flat or dynamic?
5

• CARICATURE a distorted character resulting from
  the author's deliberate exaggeration of a trait
  or traits of personality.
• (from http//www.mc3.edu/aa/lal/workshops/
  LiteraryDefinitions.html)
• Or, a description of a person using exaggeration
  of some characteristics and oversimplification of
  others.
• (from http//contemporarylit.about.com/cs/literary
  terms/g/caricature.htm)

6
MINOR CHARACTERS

• Almost always flat or two-dimensional characters.
  They have only one or two striking qualities.
  Their predominant quality is not balanced by an
  opposite quality. They are usually all good or
  all bad. Such characters can be interesting or
  amusing in their own right, but they lack depth.
  Flat characters are sometimes referred to as
  STATIC characters because they do not change in
  the course of the story. (from
  http//www.orangeusd.k12.ca.us/yorba/literary_elem
  ents.htm)

7
Why?

• Authors make careful choices about how they
  portray characters.
• Why might a character like Mr. Dursley work best
  as a caricature?
• By being a type instead of a 3-dimensional
  character with depth, what might he represent for
  child readers?

8
Instructions for Groups

• Each group will be assigned a character
• Work through the following questions and then
  discuss these with the class as a whole

9

• How would you characterize this character? What
  are they like? What words best describe them?
• How is his or her character conveyed in the
  novel? Find examples.
• Based only on HPSS (NOT the whole series!) is
  s/he a major 3-dimensional character or a
  caricature?
• Why? What might this character represent for
  child readers?

10

• Dudley
• Draco
• Hagrid
• Dumbledore
• McGonagall
• Snape
• Ron
• Hermione
• Harry

• Discuss
• How would you characterize this character? What
  are they like? What words best describe them?
• How is his or her character conveyed in the
  novel? Find examples--at least one quote
• Based only on HPSS (NOT the whole series!) is
  s/he a major 3-dimensional character or a
  caricature?
• Why? What might this character represent for
  child readers?