1) Characterisation is the process of creating believable characters in a story through direct or indirect means. Direct characterisation tells the audience about the character, while indirect shows the character through their actions, speech, thoughts, and appearance. 2) The document provides examples of indirect characterisation, such as a description of a crying boy and a well-dressed man. It also discusses using appearance to indirectly characterise a character rather than directly stating their occupation. 3) Students are tasked with creating a newspaper article reporting on a signalman's encounter with a ghost. They are to indirectly characterise both the signalman and ghost through descriptions of their experience and appearance.

1. Characterisation
LO: Improve characterisation in
our writing.

2. What is characterisation?
It is the concept of creating characters in a story.
Effective characterisation makes a literary character
realistic and believable.
‘Direct characterisation’ – explaining the character to
the audience.
‘Indirect characterisation’ – showing the reader the
character through his thought, speech, appearance or
action. E.g. “Sam threw his chair at Billy”

3. Pieta –
Michelangelo
What is the man
doing?
What is the
woman doing?
What can we tell
about their
relationship?
This in example of
‘indirect
characterisation’.

4. His trembling bottom lip
hung down, his shoulders
shook violently and hot,
fat tears rolled down his
cheeks.
Action through emotion
Direct or indirect?

5. Action through emotion
Direct or indirect?
The little boy was
scared.

6. Appearance
What assumptions come
to mind when you see the
way this man is dressed?
Rather than stating ‘he is a
businessman’, it is much
more effective to describe
the way he is dressed.
This allows the audience
to figure it out for
themselves.

7. Appearance
He checked his watch for
the twelfth time that
minute, readjusted his tie
and smoothed his
immaculate pinstripe suit.
His briefcase hung heavy
by his side and his highly-
polished shoes glinted
under the fluorescent
lights.

8. The Signalman
How is the Signalman’s character presented within the story?
What do these indirect quotes tell us? What can we begin to analyse?
“…saw that he was a dark sallow man, with a dark beard and
rather heavy eyebrows “
“He directed a most curious look towards the red light near the
tunnel's mouth, and looked all about it, as if something were
missing from it, and then looked at me.”

9. Your Task
Create your own newspaper article.
Draw a picture of the ghost
Describe The Signalman’s experience of
seeing the ghost
Witness account from the Ghost.
Remember to show rather than state what your
character is like.
Think about your tone
Tabloid or Broadsheet?

10. Your Task
Create your own newspaper article.
Draw a picture of the ghost
Describe The Signalman’s experience of
seeing the ghost
Witness account from the Ghost.
Remember to show rather than state what your
character is like.
Think about your tone
Tabloid or Broadsheet?