Which term explains how the author reveals a character through description, actions, dialogue, and thoughts?

• A. Plot
• B. Characterization
• C. Tone
• D. Inference

Answer: (B)

Characterization is how an author reveals a character's personality and motives through description, actions, dialogue, and thoughts. Description gives you the outward look or feel of who they are, actions show what they do and what those choices say about them, dialogue lets their voice and beliefs come through, and thoughts expose internal struggles and desires. Taken together, these elements paint a picture of who the character is without needing a direct statement about their traits. This is a form of indirect characterization, where meaning is shown through clues rather than explicitly told.

Plot is the sequence of events in a story, tone is the author’s attitude toward the subject, and inference is what the reader deduces from clues.