Which term refers to the portrayal of the characters in a story, including the protagonist and antagonist?

• A. Characterization
• B. Bias
• C. Order and Sequence
• D. Headings

Answer: (A)

Characterization is the way an author reveals the people in a story—their personalities, motivations, and relationships, including the hero and the villain. It can show traits directly through description, or indirectly through actions, dialogue, thoughts, and how others react to them. This helps you understand who the characters are and why they behave as they do, shaping your overall sense of the story. The other terms don’t fit because bias is about leaning toward a particular viewpoint, order and sequence is about how events unfold over time, and headings are organizational labels for sections. Characterization best captures how the characters are presented to you.