Slaughterhouse Five- characterization

"Roland Weary was only eighteen, was at the end of an unhappy childhood spent mostly in Pittsburgh Pennsylvania." PAGE 35

Throughout the novel, the characters are introduced and described by the narrator.  He directly characterizes them as he sees them.  He leaves some up for interpretation, but the basics are directly stated.  The author uses direct characterization to give background information about the characters.  The use of direct characterization is effective here because the narrator tells about the other characters he encounters.  Direct characterization makes it easier for the reader to further characterized the individuals because it provides some information to stimulate character traits.  Direct characterization also leaves less open to interpretation.  The characterization is also important because several people come in and out of the story because of the different settings.  The direct characterization makes it easier to remember who is who among the characters.