In class, we learned how to point out direct and indirect characterisation of a character in a story. In the short story "A Visit to Grandmother", the author described the characters using these two methods of characterisation. When describing the grandmother, for example, the author uses direct characterisation of her appearance using the grandchild Chig's point of view.
'She looked like a doll, made of black straw, the wrinkles in her face running in one direction like the head of a broom. Her hair was white and coarse and grew out straight from her head. Her eyes were brown-and were hidden behind thick glasses, which remained somehow on a tiny nose.'
In this text, the grandmother is directly said to have wrinkles, white hair, brown eyes, and a tiny nose. Another time the author uses direct characterisation of a character is when Chig gives his father's description of his uncle GL's personality.
'His father never talked much about his family, with the exception of his brother, GL, who seemed part con-man, part practical joker and part Don Juan; he had spoken of GL with the kind of indulgence he wouldhave show a cute, but ill-behaved and potentially dangerous, five-year-old.
The text shows how GL likes joking around and duping people and how he tends to attract women. Indirect characterisation is also frequent throughout the story. For instance, when the grandmother tries to figure out the visitors' identities, it is indirectly shown by her confusion that she has poor eyesight.
'"That Hiram?" That was another of his father's brothers. "No, it ain't Hiram; too big for Hiram." She turned then to Chig. "Now that man, he looks like Eleanor, Charles' wife, but Charles wouldn't never send my grandson to see me. I never even hear from Charles." She stopped again.'
The same text also implies that Charles has an unresolved conflict with his family because he never visits them. His unease with his family is also indirectly shown by his actions when greeting his mother. 'She spread her arms up to him, and he bent down and kissed her cheek. That was when Chig saw his face, grimacing.'
