Part 1: Gothic Fiction: The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde
Question 7 • TX-English IV
Which of these are examples of direct characterization? Check all that apply.“Mr. Hyde was pale and dwarfish, he gave an impression of deformity without any nameable malformation, he had a displeasing smile . . .”“It chanced on one of these rambles that their way led them down a by-street in a busy quarter of London.”“‘And you never asked about the—place with the door?’ said Mr. Utterson.”“This was a hearty, healthy, dapper, red-faced gentleman, with a shock of hair prematurely white . . .”“Then he began slowly to mount the street, pausing every step or two and putting his hand to his brow . . .”
Answer
A
“Mr. Hyde was pale and dwarfish, he gave an impression of deformity without any nameable malformation, he had a displeasing smile . . .”
B
“It chanced on one of these rambles that their way led them down a by-street in a busy quarter of London.”
C
“‘And you never asked about the—place with the door?’ said Mr. Utterson.”
D
“This was a hearty, healthy, dapper, red-faced gentleman, with a shock of hair prematurely white . . .”
E
“Then he began slowly to mount the street, pausing every step or two and putting his hand to his brow . . .”
Explanation
Direct characterization occurs when the narrator explicitly tells readers what a character is like. Choice A directly describes Mr. Hyde’s appearance, including that he is “pale and dwarfish” and has a “displeasing smile.” Choice D directly describes another character as “hearty, healthy, dapper” and “red-faced.” The other choices describe a setting, dialogue, or a character’s actions rather than directly stating character traits.
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