Final answer:
Characterization is the way authors present characters in a story, helping readers to envision them as real people. Characterization can be direct or indirect and involves depicting static or dynamic characters, their dialogue, and their internal conflicts within the plot.
Step-by-step explanation:
Understanding Characterization in Literature
Characterization is a literary device used by authors to convey to readers the personality, traits, and complexities of characters within a narrative. It's through characterization that readers can imagine characters as real people, with motivations and backgrounds that shape their actions and decisions. There are different methods of characterization, including direct characterization, where the author explicitly describes a character, and indirect characterization, which reveals a character through their thoughts, actions, dialogue, and the reactions of other characters.
A static character is one who does not undergo significant internal changes throughout the story, whereas a dynamic character is one who experiences substantial personal growth or transformation. The dialogue in a story is the spoken words of the characters, often used as a powerful tool of characterization by showing how characters interact with each other and how they express themselves verbally. The sequence of events that unfolds in a story is referred to as its plot, and minor characters who are not thoroughly developed are called flat characters.
The inner struggles of a character, such as conflicts with conscience or internal dilemmas, depict a internal conflict. These aspects of a character's development are pivotal for the audience's engagement with the story, determining whether they sympathize, empathize, or form judgements about the characters' behaviors and choices.