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What are the indirect and direct characterizations of Miss Stephanie in Chapters 7 and 8 of To Kill a Mockingbird?

Writers develop and reveal characters and character traits through direct characterization, in which the writer tells the reader about a character through direct statements rather than dramatization. Writers can also use indirect characterization, which can be developed through the following means:

  1. through a physical description of a character

  2. through the character's actions

  3. through the character's thoughts, feelings, and speech

  4. through the comments and reactions of other characters

In Chapter 7 of To Kill a Mockingbird, there is only a brief mention of Miss Stephanie Crawford. Jem and Scout find two carved figures in the knot-hole of the tree on the Radley's place; one is a boy and another a girl. As they study them, Scout notes the carver even caught the cowlick in Jem's hair. When they try to figure out who could have made these figures, Scout suggests Mr. Avery. Jem disputes this conclusion, saying all Mr. Avery really does is whittle a stick down to a toothpick.


Scout then suggests, "There's old Miss Stephanie Crawford's sweetheart. . . Maybe he sits on the porch and looks at us instead of Miss Stephanie." These statements are examples of indirect characterization.


In Chapter 8, there is another example of indirect characterization when Jem fashions a snowman after Maycomb has a rare snowfall.


Looking at Jem's unfinished attempt, Scout remarks, "'He looks like Stephanie Crawford with her hands on her hips. . . Fat in the middle and little-bitty arms,' I said." 


Miss Maudie talks to the children after the fire and tells them she will bake a Lane cake. She also comments on Miss Stephanie, saying, "That Stephanie's been after my recipe for thirty years."


The only example that can possibly be considered as direct characterization is that in which Scout acts as narrator, and is thus the voice of the author. In Chapter 8, she mentions,



Another fire truck appeared and stepped in front of Miss Stephanie Crawford's.



This statement tells about Miss Stephanie's house, so, perhaps, it can be defined as telling about a character, which is direct characterization.

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