"The Lesson,"" by Toni Cade Bambara and William Faulkner's "A Rose for Emily,"" both illustrate how effective characterization can shape a story and evoke a response from the reader. Characterization is the process by which writers create, reveal, or develop their characters. There are a variety of techniques that may be used to create a character. These include what the character says or thinks, what the character does or what other characters say about the character. The reader may love them or hate them, respect them or feel contempt towards them. But the writer has, through effective characterization, created and evoked those emotions by the selection of details provided about the character. .
Characterization is the process writers use to draw us into the story and get us interested in the complexities of the characters and the conflicts and challenges. It allows a sense of realism that often makes the reader feel a connection with the character. In "The Lesson, " Bambara's lead character Sylvia speaks and immediately tells something about who she is and where she might be from. The first line: "back in the days when everyone was old or stupid or young and foolish and me and Sugar were the only ones just right " speaks volumes about what is to be expected (213). The way she spoke, the grammar, the diction, and the very descriptive words she uses to describe people tell the reader who she is. The way she spoke about Miss Moore in the first paragraph, spoke of winos as well as the offensive language she uses are all part the characterization that Bambara uses to intrigue the reader and properly depicts the character she wants to portray. .
Immediately we sense an inner-city youth with anger issues who is somewhat rebellious and irreverent. Sylvia is an extreme character whom we could hate for her crude language especially when she says: "and the starch in my pinafore scratching the shit outta me and I'm really hating this nappy-head bitch and her goddamn college degree " (214).