Question

read this passage from dragonwings by laurence yep.

the demon was a big, cheerful-looking demon with a bland, round face. he eyed father. \i dunno, john.\ many demons called tang men john because, they insisted, they never could get the hang of our real names. \you know anything about horselesses?\

\some,\ father said. truth to tell, he had never handled a horseless carriage in his life, though he had a book on them and cut out articles whenever they appeared in the demon magazines and newspapers. that was the extent of fathers knowledge. but to know facts is nothing. he had an intuitive feeling for what made the horseless carriages tick. he looked around inside the engine for about ten minutes and then wiped his face absentmindedly, so that the grease stained his cheek. he did not even notice.

which quote from the passage is an example of direct characterization?

\the demon was a big, cheerful-looking demon with a bland, round face. he eyed father.\
\truth to tell, he had never handled a horseless carriage in his life, though he had a book on them and cut out articles whenever they appeared in the demon magazines and newspapers.\
\that was the extent of fathers knowledge. but to know facts is nothing.\
\he looked around inside the engine for about ten minutes and then wiped his face absentmindedly, so that the grease stained his cheek. he did not even notice.\

Explanation:

Define direct characterization

Using the Direct Characterization knowledge point, direct characterization occurs when the author explicitly tells the reader what a character is like through direct statements about their physical appearance, personality, or traits.

Analyze the first option

The first quote explicitly describes the physical appearance of the character: "The demon was a big, cheerful-looking demon with a bland, round face." This is a direct statement by the narrator about the character's traits and appearance, making it a clear example of Direct Characterization.

Analyze the remaining options

The other options describe the character's actions, past experiences, or thoughts (e.g., reading books, looking inside an engine, wiping grease). These actions show rather than tell, which are examples of indirect characterization.

Answer:

• o "The demon was a big, cheerful-looking demon with a bland, round face. He eyed father." (Correct answer)
• o "Truth to tell, he had never handled a horseless carriage in his life, though he had a book on them and cut out articles whenever they appeared in the demon magazines and newspapers."
• o "That was the extent of Father's knowledge. But to know facts is nothing."
• o "He looked around inside the engine for about ten minutes and then wiped his face absentmindedly so that the grease stained his cheek. He did not even notice."