Character Traits & Characterization

1 Characters: • the people, animals, or imaginary creatures in a work of literature

Main Characters: • the most important character in a piece

Minor Characters: • less important character, helps move the action forward and helps readers learn about the main character

2 Character Traits: • qualities of a character, such as his or her personality

Inferences: • reasonable judgments, based on prior knowledge and text

Characters are at the heart of storytelling! Without them, there is no story!

3 • Not all characters are equal! • Action focuses on a main character. • Minor characters will help move the action forward and help readers learn more about the main character.

**Who is the main character of Petey? **Who are some minor characters?

4 Characters are revealed by their traits, or qualities.

A writer will reveal a character's traits in four ways: 1) direct comments 2) physical description 3) character's speech, actions, and thoughts 4) how others react to the character

5 Let's read the short story, "Nadia the Willful" and complete the chart below:

Reveal Quotations Traits Direct Comment Character's thoughts and feelings Character's speech and actions

How others react to the character

6 Nadia the Willful by, Sue Alexander

Nadia, too, did as her father decreed, though each day held something to remind her of Hamed. As she passed her brothers at play, she remembered games Hamed had taught her. As she walked by the women weaving patches for the tents and heard them talking and laughing, she remembered tales Hamed had told her and how they had made her laugh... Each memory brought Hamed's name to Nadia's lips, but she stilled the sound. Each time that she did so, her unhappiness grew until, finally, she could no longer contain it. She wept and raged at anyone and anything that crossed her path. Soon everyone at the oasis fled at her approach. She was more lonely than she had ever been before. (continued on next slide)

7 Nadia the Willful (continued)

One day, as Nadia passed the place where her brothers were playing, she stopped to watch them. They were playing one of the games that Hamed had taught her, but they were playing it wrong. Without thinking, Nadia called out to them. "That is not the way! Hamed said that first you jump this way and then you jump back!" Her brothers stopped their game and looked around in fear. Had Tarik heard Nadia say Hamed's name? The sheik was nowhere to be seen. "Teach us, Nadia, as our brother taught you," said her smallest brother. (continued on next slide)

8 Nadia the Willful (continued)

So she did. Then she told them of other games and how Hamed had taught her to play them. As she spoke of Hamed, she felt an easing of the hurt within her. So she went on speaking of him... At first the women were afraid to listen to the willful girl and covered their ears, but after a time, they listened and laughed with her. "Remember your father's promise of punishment!" Nadia's mother warned when she heard Nadia speaking of Hamed. "Cease, I implore you!"

9 Reveal Quotations Traits Direct Comment Character's thoughts and feelings Character's speech and actions

How others react to the character

10 1) Who is the main character in "Nadia the Willful"? Explain.

2) Who are some minor characters? Explain.

3) Nadia shares her memories of Hamed with others in the group. What qualities or trait does this reveal?

11 • Writers often describe characters indirectly.

• The writer provides clues about a character's traits and expects the reader to make an educated guess, or inference.

12 Find the clues in the example that lead you to get to know Lenore in the following passage:

Miss Walker (quietly). Lenore, that was Miss Walker beautiful. respects and admires Lenore. (Lenore gives a shy, tentative smile) Lenore is shy. Girl #1. It was just like a book.

(There is a silent moment after this pronouncement. Lenore looks at the other Lenore does not like to show off. students trying to suppress her excitement.)

Miss Walker. I'm really very impressed, Lenore. Leave your story on my desk. There Lenore is a talented are some people I'd like to show it too. writer. Move the boxes for example answers!

13 Read the following scenarios and make an inference about the character in the following passages: • The character has "food stains male, sloppy, dotting his shirt and a scraggly helpless beard." wealthy, • A character slips a hundred dollar generous, spontaneous, bill into the donation box. showy

• What can we infer about Darryl from this sentence: "Regina felt, Darryl is mean. once again, that Darryl's teasing had gone too far." Move the boxes for example answers!

14 • What is a character? • What two types of characters will we find in literature? • What are character traits? • How do writers reveal character traits? • What will you have to do sometimes to gain more understanding of a character?

15 • Read Tuesday of the other June in your Literature Textbooks (pg. 206). • Then, complete the literature analysis and characterization pgs. 77, 85.

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