Characterization
some instances animals or aliens) in the story. It is one of the most powerful of the
literary elements. All fictional genres need characters who are lifelike and grow
throughout the story, although characterization may not be as important in an
action/adventure, fantasy, or science fiction book because of the strong emphasis on
plot and setting in those stories.
Books with good characterization have characters in them that are memorable. The
characters are very much like real people. They are not all good or all bad. They
make mistakes just like you or me. The characters change as you read the story. They
change as they overcome problems they encounter, as they meet conflict within the
story. When you read a book that has strong characterization, you feel like you know
that character -- what he/she looks likes, how he/she thinks, what he/she would do in
certain situations.
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