Characterize involves representing the attributes or characteristics of a person or character.
Characterizing is an action that consists of establishing the particularities or attributes of something or someone . This allows us to achieve a differentiation between what is characterized and the rest.
If we review the etymology , we will discover that the origin of this verb is found in charaktērízein , a Greek word that refers to the designation of something through a characteristic sign. The term came to medieval Latin as characterizare before arriving in our language.
For example: “Honesty should characterize all political leaders,” “I think the tournament will be characterized by parity : there is no great candidate,” “There were several scientists who, in the 19th century, helped characterize the geography of the region .
Characterize in literature
The idea of characterizing is frequently used in the field of fiction. Characterizing a character means establishing their qualities and conditions .
The character characterization stage is one of the most important in the process of writing a story, since according to our efficiency we will know how to correctly present our creatures and readers will be able to feel identified with them and even predict their actions.
A technique that many storytellers often use is the preparation of cards that detail all the characteristics of the characters that inhabit their stories. Throughout writing, these cards can be useful to work more precisely on the plot of the stories.
Among the data that writers usually include in these sheets are the date and place of birth, tastes, personality, obsessions and any other detail that affects the way they want to show their characters. It is worth mentioning that all this data is not always directly reflected in the works, but it serves to achieve greater consistency.
Actors and actresses have to characterize themselves frequently.
Wardrobe and makeup
In the case of actors, this characterization implies a representation that is also carried out through costumes , makeup and other physical changes.
Suppose an actor who is somewhat overweight must portray a boxer. To play the character , you will first have to regularly go to a gym to do exercises. This way you can reach a physical state similar to that of a boxer. He will also have to take boxing classes to know how to move and throw punches when filming the combat scenes arrives.
A young woman, to play an old woman, will have to characterize herself with special makeup and a wig. Something similar should be done by those actors who give life to monsters, aliens and other creatures with an appearance different from that of a human being .
The importance of correctly characterizing
Often, the work of actors is not taken into account as a true effort, as the result of months and years of preparation to bring a character to life in the most convincing way possible. Many people believe that "we can all act" and this gives rise to the multitude of mediocre works that we encounter in the media.
However, real actors give the greatest importance to the work of characterizing the characters assigned to them, and this can be seen in an endless number of nuances that range from small facial expressions to the way they walk, including body gestures, posture and inflections in the voice.
A well-characterized character not only shines when he speaks, but also when he is silent listening to others, and even when he is in the background : if we think about reality, we are always the same, with our customs and quirks, both when we are chatting with someone like when we watch TV on the couch; Bad actors, however, tend not to stay in character when they stop having lines.