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In "Two Kinds" what is a good example of a direct characterization and an indirect characterization?

Direct characterization occurs when the narrator of a story tells the audience what a character is like. A character in the story may state the direct characterization as well.  In "Two Kinds," Jing-mei is the narrator of the story, and there are several times when she directly describes what her mother is like.  The opening paragraph is a good place to look. 



My mother believed you could be anything you wanted to be in America.



The quote directly tells readers about a basic belief that Suyuan has.  


Indirect characterization occurs when an author shows readers what kind of person a character is through that character’s thoughts, words, and deeds. Indirect characterization requires readers to make inferences about why a character would behave in a particular manner.  


In "Two Kinds," I would describe Jing-mei as stubborn, a description I came up with by looking to examples of indirect characterization. The narrator of this story, Jing-mei, is never explicitly described as stubborn; however, her constant refusal to work toward the child prodigy goal shows that she is.



"Why don't you like me the way I am?" I cried. "I'm not a genius! I can't play the piano. And even if I could, I wouldn't go on TV if you paid me a million dollars!"


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