Question

Read the passage from Initiation. "Remember the part about talking back and smiling," Louise Fullerton had put in, laughing. She was another celebrity in high school, pretty and dark and Vice-President of the student council. "You can't say anything unless your big sister asks you something or tells you to talk to someone. And you can't smile, no matter how you're dying to." The girls had laughed a little nervously, and then the bell had rung for the beginning of afternoon classes. Which phrase from the passage is the best example of indirect characterization?
another celebrity in high school
pretty and dark
you can’t smile
girls had laughed a little nervously

Answer 1

The correct answer is D. Girls had laughed a little nervously

Explanation:

In literature characterization is about the description or construction of a character during a story, this means characterization is about letting the reader know how the character is including physical features and personality traits. Additionally, characterization can be direct or indirect, in the case of direct characterization the narrator tells the reader the way a character is or looks by using adjectives to describe it; however, in the case of indirect characterization the narrator does not describe the characters directly, but uses their behavior, reactions or the situation of the character to tell the reader something about the character. Considering this the phrase "girls had laughed a little nervously" is part of indirect characterization as the narrator is not directly describing the personality of the girls, but their behavior and reactions indirectly suggest to the reader the way the girls are which is what indirect characterization is about.

Answer 2

The answer would be, girls had laughed a little nervously. So, the answer would be 'D.'