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Graduated Difficulty: Reteaching Direct & Indirect Characterization using Hamlet

English Language Arts
10th Grade Honors
55+ Minutes
Christine Pekatos

Instructional Unit Content

Standard(s)/Element(s)
Content Area Standard
ELACC9-10RL3: Analyze how complex characters develop over the course of a text, interact with other characters,
and advance the plot or develop the theme.
ELACC9-10RL1: Cite strong and thorough textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as
well as inferences drawn from the text.
Summary/Overview
The focus of this lesson is to give students an opportunity to practice the difference between direct and indirect
characterization using characters from Hamlet with whom they are extremely familiar. Many students had difficulty
with this concept during the last unit, so further practice may help solidify knowledge and boost confidence with this
content.

Learning Goals(s)
At the end of this lesson the student will be able to
a. Explain the difference between direct and indirect characterization.
b. Describe a character using direct and indirect characterization.
c. Identify examples of indirect characterization in Hamlet and identify what these details reveal about a
character.
Essential Question(s)
How can an author use indirect characterization as a powerful and subtle tool to develop a complex character?

Suggested Vocabulary

Direct Characterization
Indirect Characterization
Evidence
Dynamic Character
Static Character

Revised April 2009

Procedure(s)
Phase 1: Hook
1.

Last unit, we spent some time exploring the difference between direct and indirect characterization. Review the concept
with this bellringer!
A. Define Direct Characterization in your own words.
B. Define Indirect Characterization in your own words.
C. Describe your elbow partner using (nice!) direct characterization. (i.e. Maddie is studious).
D. Describe your elbow partner using (nice!) indirect characterization. (i.e. Maddie takes pages of notes every day. She
reviews her agenda whn she gets home from school and organizes group review sessions before every science test).

Phase 2: Acquiring Content

2.

Allow students to share their definitions with their elbow partners and refine their definitions after receiving input. Then
students can share their definitions and examples as a class .

Watch short YouTube video that reiterates the concept with an auditory and visual/spatial component to appeal to
other types of learners.
Video: Direct Characterization Mean Girls Edited (link below).
First half of video, when characters talk to Cady, is direct characterization.
Questions to ask: How are The Plastics being described. Do you have any proof or evidence?
Second half of video, when characters talk straight to camera, is indirect characterization.
Questions to ask: What has changed? What do these examples tell you about the characters? Which
type of information is more meaningful to you as an audience?
4. Pose the Essential Question. After the video, pose question: How can an author use indirect characterization as a
powerful and subtle tool to develop a complex character?
3.

Phase 3: DECIDE and Practice and DECIDE

5.

Explain You will now be given an opportunity to practice what you have learned. Because everyone has a different level
of comfort with this concept, you will choose the complexity of the character from Hamlet that you choose to
analyze.

Post Hamlet characters on the board as below:

Level A Complexity: Rosencrantz and Guildenstern
Level B Complexity: Ophelia
Level C Complexity: Hamlet
7. Students will make a list of at least 4 major traits for their chosen character and list them as DIRECT
characterization. Using the traits they have identified, students should write a paragraph supporting these traits
with INDIRECT characterization: How does this character talk? What does s/he say? What does s/he wear? How
does this character behave? What do other people say about this character?
8. If students have no difficulty creating a list of traits and then writing a descriptive paragraph of indirect
characterization, then student should move to the next level of complexity. The more complex characters will
require a greater attention to detail and higher order thinking to connect complex and contradicting traits to
evidence.
9. Students who finish level C Complexity with no difficulty should then challenge themselves by using their book
to identify indirect characterization in the text of Hamlet, who is the most complex character in the play.
6.

Summarizing Activity
Revised April 2009

Sum It Up!: Reflection! Each student will look back at their progress during this lesson. What did you
accomplish today? What are your goals for the future in regards to characterization? Finally, how can this
activity contribute to your CATS (Character Analysis Through Song) project that is due next week?

Resource(s):
Technology:
YouTube Video:
Direct Characterization Mean Girls Edited
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JhItB78o_kU

Revised April 2009