The gist: Characterisation is how a writer builds a person on the page — and their dialogue is one of the sharpest tools for it.
You already read people this way.
You judge someone by what they do and how they talk long before anyone describes them — a person who says ‘whatever’ and one who says ‘of course, absolutely’ feel completely different.
Writers build characters the same way. Here's how:
One clear example of each
Characterisation
How the writer builds a person — through looks, actions and choices. ‘She always paid in exact coins, counted twice’ tells you she's careful and anxious without ever saying so.
Dialogue
What a character says, and how they say it, reveals them. ‘Fine. Great. Perfect.’ said through gritted teeth shows anger the words deny — the gap between the words and the feeling is the point.
The key move: Don't just describe the character. Pick a detail — an action or a line of dialogue — and say what it shows about who they are, and how the writer made us feel it.
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Why it matters in the exam: Characterisation analysis works when you show HOW a person is built, not just what they're like.
What to do
- Quote a small action or a line of dialogue.
- Then say what it reveals.
- The reveal, not the label, is what Criterion B rewards.
Analyse how the writer builds this character: “‘Sit anywhere,’ he said, then watched to see which chair I chose. He had already decided what my choice would mean.”
Model answer plan
See the mark-by-mark plan — for / against / judgement, with marking guidance — in study mode.
Watch out: Don't just say ‘he is controlling’. Point to the detail — the line of dialogue or the action — that shows it, then say what it makes the reader feel.