After many years of being voluntarily distant from his family, Charles visits his mother in company of his son Chig. Throughout the story, William Melvin Kelley, the story's author, familiarizes several characters through direct and indirect characterizations.
William first introduces GL, Charles brother, using direct characterization. He directly describes GL as a childish trickster and a ladies man. Later on, the author proceeds to directly present another brother of Charles's, Hiram. Although Hiram was younger than Charles, he had half grey hair with one white spot off his forehead. GL and Hiram were both described within the author's description of the story's events, and that's what is said of to be 'direct characterization'.
Charles's mother describes Eleanor, Charles wife, as a calm lady; claiming that she'd sit silently near the window for hours knitting. William indicates Chig's respectful character and great manners through the given dialogue between Chig and his grandmother. Characters who are introduced to readers through other characters' dialogues and conversations are said to be known of using indirect characterization.
