A: Showing vs. telling in characterisation
Remember telling is just a straightforward statement of the events that has no real ‘heart to it’. It’s just bland and doesn’t invite the reader’s interest. For example:
“Please, Jonathan, just let me go,” Rose muttered, turning her back on him, tears leaking from her eyes.
This gives you the essential details: Rose is leaving Jonathon and she is sad with her decision. However, it just doesn't pull you close to the character so you are unable to empathise with her and connect to her character. It just isn’t good characterisation either. It doesn’t tell you why she’s leaving him but most importantly it doesn’t show you how she really feels about leaving him, aside the obvious that she is sad. It's all just a bit lacklustre and doesn’t show real effort from the author.
Whereas showing would look something like this:
Rose stepped back from Jared, and looked up at his face. His emerald green eyes were sparkling with defiance and with love – for her. Why did he have to do this? Didn’t he know, couldn’t he see it in her eyes that she was unwillingly repressing the urge to throw her arms around his neck, to press her limp body against his strong statue, to twist her fingers in his thick dark hair, and finally press her lips firmly to his? Couldn’t he see how much she loved him? How much this was pulling her apart from the inside? “Please, Jonathan, just let me go,” Rose muttered, dropping her eyes to the floor and turning her back on him. She moved away from him with swift footsteps, tears streaking silently down her face.
Can you see how instantly you’re brought that little bit closer to the action? It pulls you tighter into the character's point of view. You now know how she felt, what she thought, as it shows you. You now know that Rose loves this man, Jonathon, so much that her decision to leave is pulling her apart. Yes, it takes a little more work than simply telling does, but the reward is a more interesting experience for your readers by making the character and situation come alive on the page for them. It can also help to create more vivid characters for your readers and add to the overall characterisation as shown in this example.
Discussion 1: Do you think that the use of either first or third person can alter the showing when dealing with characterisation? How does it? And do you think that either person is better suited to showing when dealing with characterisation, e.g. the display of a character’s emotions or thoughts.
Discussion 2: Peter is sad. Okay, taking into account all that’s been said, how can we make this better? What can we add to this sentence in a way that will help to create great characterisation? What kind of things could we/should we show? Give a few examples.
Assignment 1: Change and add to these four sentences so that they create a more vivid picture through showing, focusing specifically on the characterisation. She went home in a bad mood. He was so happy. He looked at me mysteriously. I hate my maths teacher.
Assignment 2: Write a short scene with two or more characters in a situation of your choice making sure you focus particularly on showing and characterisation.
POST ALL YOUR ASSIGNMENTS IN THE HOMEWORK THREAD AND MARK IT 'SHOWING vs. TELLING: ASSIGNMENT 1/2'. THANK YOU.
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