Which method of characterization uses a character's actions, thoughts, or speech?

• A. What others say or think about the character
• B. Statements that can be proven
• C. Direct comments from the author
• D. Through a character's actions, thoughts, and speech

Answer: (D)

Indirect characterization reveals who a character is by showing their actions, thoughts, and speech. When you observe what a character does, what they think inside their own head, and how they speak to others, you can infer traits like courage, patience, or arrogance from the evidence in the story. This is different from direct characterization, where the narrator plainly states the character’s traits, such as saying “she is brave.” While what others say about a character can also hint at who they are, the phrase in question points specifically to the character’s own actions, thoughts, and speech as the way we learn about them.

So, the method described uses the character’s own behavior and inner voice to reveal who they are.