dialogue. The writer can have characters talk about a specific character. Their conversation can help the reader learn more about the character in question.

The writer can also build a character by contrasting them with another character, by detailing the character’s thoughts, or by illuminating the character’s environment.

In The Healers, Ayi Lwei Armah helps build the character of Damfo through Densu. Remember, Densu is the main character. He’s the one pulled between a life of power and affluence and a life of tranquility and harmony.

Damfo represents tranquility and harmony. He’s in charge of the community of healers that reside in the forest. The traits of Damfo are first relayed via his relationship with Densu. When thinking about the leader of the healers, Densu “could not imagine Damfo ever using force or fraud to get anyone to do what he wanted him to do.”

That’s an example of how another character’s thoughts can be utilized to build up a specific character. It’s also an example of how a character can be developed by contrasting one character with another. In the above example, Densu is comparing the honorable, virtuous Damfo to his deceptive, imposing guardian Ababio.

Ababio helps develop Damfo even more when Ababio tells Densu that Damfo is a “lunatic healer” and a “madman” who “calls those who work with whites dogs.”

The above dialogue reinforces the juxtaposition between Damfo’s character and the character of Ababio. Through Ababio’s words, you should get a strong impression that Damfo and Ababio have quite a different set of beliefs and that Damfo will probably be not at all like Ababio.

In the beginning of The Healers, Ayi Kwei Armah uses direct narration to tell the reader about Densu. Direct narration is a literary technique in which the writer gets right to the point and provides straightforward information about a given character.

For example, the centrality of the annual Esuano games is communicated to the reader directly from the narrator. The narrator comes out and tells the reader bluntly and frankly that the games have influenced Densu. “The games had a kind of power over Densu,” writes Armah/the omniscient narrator. “The games fascinated him. Yet in spite of this fascination, something about them disturbed him.”

The last sentence is crucial. It lets the reader know that there is a conflict brewing within Densu. Yes, he’s captivated by the traditions and costumes of his society. However, he’s somewhat turned off and repelled by them as well.

Armah expounds upon the tension in Densu with other literary devices, including interaction with other characters.

Interaction with other characters helps set Densu apart since Densu seems to be the only one questioning the meaning of the games. When Densu asks other people the purpose of the games, “some said they did not understand the question itself.” In this instance, the reader should get a clear feeling that Densu is not like the other characters.

Another character that helps bring Densu’s own character to life is Damfo. Through Densu’s descriptions of Damfo, the reader better understands the type of person Densu aspires to become. Damfo brings Densu’s “clarity.” Unlike other people (i.e, Ababio), Damfo isn't immoral.

Speaking of Ababio, I should tell you about how he links to a literary technique that’s used to further the portrait of Densu. Ababio helps the reader understand Densu through his antagonist ways. He's a foil character or a character Densu doesn’t want to emulate. By learning about Ababio’s use of “force” and “trickery,” the reader learns that Densu wants to avoid an unscrupulous life.