Characterization

Characterization is a central preoccupation of feminist and social criticism of cultural works.

Characterization consists of (a) the initial set of attributes given to the character, including the character's personality, moral character, habits, life history, etc.; and (b) the character's arc, including the events that befall the character, the character's actions, and changes in the character's personality, outlook, etc., over the course of the work.

Because fictional characters are defined and created by people who live in societies built around various forms of oppression, which entail their own ideologies, characterization both defines and demonstrates the creators' ability to avoid sexist, racist, and other social prejudices conveyed in those ideologies.

Aspects of characterization

• Identities: Gender, sex, ethnicity, and sexuality are always signficant identities for characters, whether they are marked as such or assumed as "defaults". Numerous other identities may be significant to characters, as well, from identities that are significant in real life (age, nationality, social class), to identities that are significant in fictional universes (e.g., sleeps on stomach versus sleeps on back; to identities that have significance in the fictional universe but are used as metaphors for identity issues in the creator's time and society. For the latter, see, e.g., mutant identity as a signifier for race and ethnicity in The X-Men comic series, and later as a signifier for gay identity in The X-Men movies; see numerous examples on Star Trek; see vampires and werewolves which are often used as signifiers for various identities. See Category:Works by type of character; Category:Gender identity themes.

• Personal history and life stage: The personal history and life story of a character are a significant aspect of characterization. This includes how long the character has lived, what they have been doing with their life, etc. Consider the narrative differences between children, adolescents, young adults, middle-aged people, and elderly people; their relative levels of knowledge and life experience; their perspectives; how much personal history they have had, and how significant specific parts of that personal history might be.

• Occupation, skill, ability, power: Occupations are often restricted on the basis of gender and class, and on other socially important identities; for example, race and ethnicity in 19th and 20th century US. Thus, "casting" a character in a particular occupation, or giving her a particular skill, ability, or power that affects her choice of occupations, is a significant aspect of characterization that relates to identity categories.

• Relationships: A character's relationship with other characters help define the character. A character who is, for instance, the only female in a cast of men may be a token, an "exceptional woman", male-identified, fighting sexism by entering into a historically (in that fictional world) male-dominated field; etc. See also "The Rule". See Category:Sexuality themes

• Society and fictional universe: The society into which a character is placed shapes the character, both within the fictional universe, and as an authorial decision. An author may choose to create a patriarchal society in order to critique patriarchy; in order to explore how people live in patriarchy; in order to support patriarchy; without thought for its political implications but because it seems "exotic" or fraught with dramatic tension; or unquestioningly as a default. Similarly, a fictional universe in which deities are real, or prophecies come true, affects the character.

Notes

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