1. Through their actions: What a character *does* reveals a great deal about their personality, motivations, and values. Their choices, both big and small, demonstrate their strengths, weaknesses, and moral compass.
2. Through their dialogue: The way a character speaks—their vocabulary, tone, grammar, and the topics they discuss—reveals aspects of their personality, background, and education. Dialogue can also show their relationships with other characters.
3. Through their physical description: Though less crucial than action and dialogue, physical description can subtly hint at a character's personality or background. Clothing choices, posture, and even physical features can suggest certain traits or experiences.
4. Through the thoughts and feelings of the character (internal monologue): This allows the reader access to the character's inner world, revealing their motivations, fears, hopes, and beliefs. This is particularly powerful in first-person and third-person limited perspectives.