Here's a breakdown:
* Direct Characterization: The author directly tells you about a character's traits. For example, "She was a kind and compassionate woman."
* Indirect Characterization: The author reveals a character's traits through their words, actions, thoughts, feelings, and interactions with others. This allows the reader to infer the character's personality.
Here are some examples of indirect characterization:
* Words: A character's choice of words can reveal their intelligence, education, or attitude.
* Actions: A character's actions can show their bravery, selfishness, or kindness.
* Thoughts and Feelings: Revealing a character's internal thoughts and emotions can reveal their motivations and values.
* Interactions: How a character interacts with others can show their social skills, empathy, or dominance.
Indirect characterization is often considered more effective than direct characterization because it allows readers to draw their own conclusions about the characters and makes them feel more involved in the story.