IB English A Lit Topic Characterization & Dialogue Revision Notes (SL/HL)

IB English A Lit Topic Characterization & Dialogue Revision Notes (SL/HL) | RevisionDojo

Written by official IB examiners

Writers Build Characters to Build Meaning

Definition

Characterization

Characterization is the way a writer reveals a character’s personality, thoughts, and relationships.

We come to understand characters not just by what we're told, but by what we observe: how they speak, act, think, and interact with others.
These details help readers infer what kind of person they are.
Writers build characters using different techniques.
These reveal personality, motive, and relationships, often without telling us directly.

Methods of Characterization

Direct Description

Definition

Direct description

The narrator or another character directly tells the reader what someone is like, describing their looks, personality, background, or motivations.

This gives us a shortcut to understanding the character, a starting point before we interpret deeper traits.
This type of characterization often frames how we’re supposed to view the character.
It can set up expectations or create contrast with what they actually do later.

Example

“He was a tall, brooding man with a perpetual scowl.”
Ask: Is this description reliable? If it comes from another character, their opinion may be biased.
Look at how the description is worded: are there loaded words (e.g., “brooding,” “scowl”) that signal mood or tone?
Consider if the character lives up to this description or if the writer is setting us up for irony.

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Definition

Paywall

(on a website) an arrangement whereby access is restricted to users who have paid to subscribe to the site.

anim nostrud sit dolore minim proident quis fugiat velit et eiusmod nulla quis nulla mollit dolor sunt culpa aliqua

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat.

Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit

Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum.

Note

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam quis nostrud exercitation.

Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident

Nemo enim ipsam voluptatem quia voluptas sit aspernatur aut odit aut fugit, sed quia consequuntur magni dolores eos qui ratione voluptatem sequi nesciunt. Neque porro quisquam est, qui dolorem ipsum quia dolor sit amet, consectetur, adipisci velit.

Tip

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat.

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit.
Sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua.
Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris.
Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum.

Unlock the rest of this chapter with a free account

Writers Build Characters to Build Meaning

Definition

Characterization

Characterization is the way a writer reveals a character’s personality, thoughts, and relationships.

We come to understand characters not just by what we're told, but by what we observe: how they speak, act, think, and interact with others.
These details help readers infer what kind of person they are.
Writers build characters using different techniques.
These reveal personality, motive, and relationships, often without telling us directly.

Methods of Characterization

Direct Description

Definition

Direct description

The narrator or another character directly tells the reader what someone is like, describing their looks, personality, background, or motivations.

This gives us a shortcut to understanding the character, a starting point before we interpret deeper traits.
This type of characterization often frames how we’re supposed to view the character.
It can set up expectations or create contrast with what they actually do later.

Example

“He was a tall, brooding man with a perpetual scowl.”
Ask: Is this description reliable? If it comes from another character, their opinion may be biased.
Look at how the description is worded: are there loaded words (e.g., “brooding,” “scowl”) that signal mood or tone?
Consider if the character lives up to this description or if the writer is setting us up for irony.

Definition

Paywall

(on a website) an arrangement whereby access is restricted to users who have paid to subscribe to the site.

anim nostrud sit dolore minim proident quis fugiat velit et eiusmod nulla quis nulla mollit dolor sunt culpa aliqua

Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit

Note

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam quis nostrud exercitation.

Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident

Tip

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit.
Sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua.
Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris.
Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum.

Everything You Need to Know About Analysis5 subtopics

Paper 1 Lit4 subtopics

Paper 2 Lit4 subtopics

Individual Oral (IO)4 subtopics

Higher Level Essay (HLE)3 subtopics

IB English A Lit Characterization & Dialogue Notes

Everything You Need to Know About Analysis5 subtopics

Paper 1 Lit4 subtopics

Paper 2 Lit4 subtopics

Individual Oral (IO)4 subtopics

Higher Level Essay (HLE)3 subtopics

Writers Build Characters to Build Meaning

Methods of Characterization

Direct Description

anim nostrud sit dolore minim proident quis fugiat velit et eiusmod nulla quis nulla mollit dolor sunt culpa aliqua

Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit

Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident

Unlock the rest of this chapter with a free account

Writers Build Characters to Build Meaning

Methods of Characterization

Direct Description

anim nostrud sit dolore minim proident quis fugiat velit et eiusmod nulla quis nulla mollit dolor sunt culpa aliqua

Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit

Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident

Unlock the rest of this chapter with a free account