Question

read the passage from initiation.
millicent brushed back a strand of hair. it was stiff and sticky from the egg that they had broken on her head as she knelt blindfolded at the sorority altar a short while before. there had been a silence, a slight crunching sound, and then she had felt the cold, slimy egg - white flattening and spreading on her head and sliding down her neck. she had heard someone smothering a laugh. it was all part of the ceremony.
what technique does the author use to describe millicent in this scene?

• indirect characterization to describe how millicent appears
• indirect characterization to describe what millicent is feeling physically
• direct characterization to describe how millicent appears
• direct characterization to describe how millicent is feeling emotionally

Explanation:

To determine the technique, we analyze:

• Indirect vs. Direct Characterization: Indirect shows through actions/feelings; direct tells explicitly.
• The passage describes Millicent’s physical sensations (cold, slimy egg-white, stiff hair) without directly stating her traits.
• Option 1: Focuses on appearance, but the passage emphasizes physical feelings (not just how she looks).
• Option 2: Correct. The author uses indirect characterization (showing, not telling) to describe Millicent’s physical feelings (e.g., “felt the cold, slimy egg - white...”).
• Option 3: Direct characterization would explicitly state traits, but the passage shows via sensations, not direct description of appearance.
• Option 4: The passage focuses on physical, not emotional, feelings, and it’s not direct characterization.

Answer:

B. indirect characterization to describe what Millicent is feeling physically