CHARACTERIZATION“Salvation” by Langston Hughes

Character types

There are four types of characters:

• Dynamic characters – they change during the story.• Static characters – they don’t change during the story.• Round characters – they are fully developed and show

a range of emotions.• Flat characters – they only have one side to their

personality.

• Today, you will be writing an analysis paragraph on Hughes’s use of characterization in “Salvation.”

What are some of the themes of Hughes’s narrative?

How does his use of characterization connect to the theme? (Hint: what is his purpose?)

ACE Paragraph• Follow the guidelines on your paragraph assignment, and

don’t forget to

•Answer

•Cite

•Explain

Sample ParagraphIn the personal narrative “The Drive-in Movies” by Gary Soto, the narrator is a dynamic and round character in that he changes through his experience and becomes aware of the importance of not pushing himself too hard. When he first sets out to earn a trip to the drive-in by doing chores, he approaches every task with extreme focus and full effort. In fact, he is so determined to impress his mother that he even ignores his brother’s teasing and “kept my attention on the windmill of grassy blades” (1). He is so focused on his reward that he is able to push through even the toughest obstacles, such as his brother’s teasing and the car wax fiasco, and he reveals a range of personality traits, including patience, diligence, enthusiasm, and generosity. By the time he arrives at the drive-in, however, he is exhausted and “promised myself not to work so hard the coming Saturday” (1). He falls asleep early into the movie and even though he feels a sense of accomplishment, he has learned that he must set realistic expectations for himself when working toward a goal. Soto’s dynamic characterization of the narrator helps the reader understand that unrealistic expectations often result in negative outcomes.