1984 Characterization Essay

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1984 Essay on Characterization In this selection of reading, 17 year old Harriet Smith’s physical features are expressed in detail, while facts about Emma’s appearance are limited. However, upon reading, Emma’s character is described much more than Harriet. Through the use of characterization in this passage we get enough details to paint a rough picture about each girl, but in two different ways. Emma is characterized through her own thoughts and opinions that the narrator tells, which lead us to an understanding of who she is as a person. With Harriet, however, we are only introduced with her appearance, getting no insight into her personality. Emma’s personality is clearly portrayed in this passage while Harriet is only seen from an outer perspective. In the first paragraph, it’s stated, "Emma knew her very well by sight, and had long felt an interest in, on account of her [Harriet's] beauty." This shows that Emma is a girl who struggles to see beyond vanity. She only knows Harriet through her physical appearance and her interest in her is solely superficial. Emma is intrigued by beautiful people and has long had a fascination in them. This shallow behavior is illustrated throughout the entirety of the passage; allowing for an intense look inside Emma's mind, while only characterizing Harriet through imagery. The author’s use of imagery really helps up sculpt a picture of what Harriet looks like and the situation that she and Emma are in. In the third paragraph, Harriet is described as being a “very pretty girl, and her beauty happened to be of a sort which Emma particularly admired.” Though this paragraph is mostly devoted to Harriet's splendor, Emma's personality shines through. As a reader I easily pick up on how the author portrays Emma as a trivial human being with no interests except beauty and self-importance. The author's greatly disapproving
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