Indirect characterization is evident when a reader infers traits from

• A. The character's words, actions, and effects on others
• B. The setting's mood
• C. The plot's twists
• D. The explicit statements of the narrator

Answer: (A)

Indirect characterization reveals who a character is by showing their words, actions, and the effects they have on others, letting readers infer personality traits. When you hear what a character says, watch what they do in different situations, and see how others respond to them, you gather clues about their values, motives, and temperament without the author stating them outright. That pattern—behavior and consequences that hint at inner qualities—is exactly what this approach relies on.

The other aspects described don’t invite that same inference. The mood of the setting shapes atmosphere but not the character’s traits. Plot twists change what happens in the story, not the character’s personality. Explicit statements by the narrator tell you traits directly, which is direct characterization, not indirect.