【2.3】 Indirect Characterization:Showing By contrast,there are essentially two methods of indirect characterization by showing: characterization through dialogue (what characters say)and characterization through action (what characters do).Unlike the direct characterization by telling already discussed,showing involves the gradual rather than the immediate revelation of character.Such a process requires rather than excludes the active participation of the reader by calling upon both the intelligence and the memory. Characterization through dialogue The task of establishing character through dialogue is not a simple one.Some characters are careful and guarded in what they say:they speak only by indirection,and we must infer from their words what they actually mean.Others are open and candid:they tell us,or appear to tell us,exactly what is on their minds.Some characters are given to chronic exaggeration and overstatements;others to understatement and subtlety. It is a rare work of fiction whose author does not employ dialogue in some way to reveal,establish,and reinforce character.For this reason the reader must be prepared to analyze dialogue in a number of different ways:for(1)the identity of the speaker, (2)the occasion,(3)what is being said,(4)the identity of the person or persons the speaker is addressing,(5)the quality or character of the exchange,and (6)the speaker's tone of voice,stress,dialect,and vocabulary. In evaluating what a given character says about himself and others,one always faces (in the absence of clarifying comments by the author)the problem of the character's reliability and trustworthiness.Both deliberate deception and unconscious self-deception always lurk as distinct possibilities in fictional characters,as in real people.Although determining the reliability and veracity of characters can be difficult, most authors provide clues.When one character is contradicted in whole or part by another,the accumulated evidence on both sides must be carefully weighed and examined.One can also test reliability by looking at the character's subsequent conduct and behavior to see if what he does somehow contradicts what he says.【2.3】 Indirect Characterization: Showing By contrast, there are essentially two methods of indirect characterization by showing: characterization through dialogue (what characters say) and characterization through action (what characters do). Unlike the direct characterization by telling already discussed, showing involves the gradual rather than the immediate revelation of character. Such a process requires rather than excludes the active participation of the reader by calling upon both the intelligence and the memory. Characterization through dialogue The task of establishing character through dialogue is not a simple one. Some characters are careful and guarded in what they say: they speak only by indirection, and we must infer from their words what they actually mean. Others are open and candid: they tell us, or appear to tell us, exactly what is on their minds. Some characters are given to chronic exaggeration and overstatements; others to understatement and subtlety. It is a rare work of fiction whose author does not employ dialogue in some way to reveal, establish, and reinforce character. For this reason the reader must be prepared to analyze dialogue in a number of different ways: for (1) the identity of the speaker, (2) the occasion, (3) what is being said, (4) the identity of the person or persons the speaker is addressing, (5) the quality or character of the exchange, and (6) the speaker’s tone of voice, stress, dialect, and vocabulary. In evaluating what a given character says about himself and others, one always faces (in the absence of clarifying comments by the author) the problem of the character’s reliability and trustworthiness. Both deliberate deception and unconscious self-deception always lurk as distinct possibilities in fictional characters, as in real people. Although determining the reliability and veracity of characters can be difficult, most authors provide clues. When one character is contradicted in whole or part by another, the accumulated evidence on both sides must be carefully weighed and examined. One can also test reliability by looking at the character’s subsequent conduct and behavior to see if what he does somehow contradicts what he says