Is this passage an example of direct or indirect characterization?
Passage from The Grapes of Wrath
Behind him hobbled Granma, who had survived only because she was as mean as her husband.
This passage is an example of indirect characterization.
This passage from The Grapes of Wrath is an example of indirect characterization.
To determine if this passage is an example of direct or indirect characterization, we need to look at the information provided and how it is presented.
Direct characterization occurs when the author explicitly states or directly describes a character's traits or qualities. Indirect characterization, on the other hand, occurs when an author reveals a character's traits or qualities through their actions, dialogue, thoughts, appearance, or the reactions of other characters.
In the passage you provided, we see that Granma had survived only because she was as mean as her husband. This description of her mean personality trait is revealed indirectly. The author does not directly state that Granma is mean, but rather implies it through her survival. Therefore, this passage is an example of indirect characterization.