Direct characterization is when the author explicitly describes a character's traits, personality, and attributes directly to the reader. None of the provided responses accurately define direct characterization.
If you are looking for a suitable response from the list, it appears that none of the options directly answer your question. However, direct characterization can be contrasted with the last option you mentioned, which describes indirect characterization: "when the reader must deduce a character’s traits through actions, dialogue, and interactions with other characters."