LearningTargets:

I can cite text-based evidence that provides strong and thorough support for an analysis of literary text. (RL1)
I can analyze how complex characters develop, interact with other characters and advance the plot or theme. (RL3)

CharacterizationLessonTogether
Section1:ReadingandAnnotatingtheText
Whileyouwerereadingyoushouldmarkplaceswhere
thecharacterdoesorsayssomethingthatrevealswhatkindofpersons/heis
othercharacterssaysomethingtooraboutthecharacterthatrevealwhatkindofpersons/heis
thecharactersthoughtsrevealhis/hervaluesormotives.

Bookcaseslinedthewalls.Midgettreesstoodinmossypotsroundtheunused

fireplace.CigarettesmokehazedeverythinglikeinaTVflashback.
Onacanethronesatanoldlady.
Oldbutgrand,likeshedsteppedoutofaportrait,withsilverhairandaroyalpurple
shaw.Iguessedshewasthevicarsmother.HerjewelswerebigasColaCubesand
sherbertlemons.Maybeshewassixty,maybeshewasseventy.Witholdpeopleandlittle
kidsyoucantbesure.Iturnedtolookatthebutlerbutthebutlerdgone.
Theoldladysriveryeyeballschasedthewordsacrossthepages.
ShouldIcough?Thatdbestupid.SheknewIwasthere.
Smokestreamedupwardfromhercigarette.
Isatdownonanarmlesssofatillshewasreadytotalk.Herbookwascalled
Le
GrandMeaulnes
.Iwonderedwhat
Meaulnes
meansandwishedIwasasgoodatFrench
asAvrilBredon.
Theclockonthemantlepieceshavedminutesintoseconds.
HerknuckleswereasrigidasToblerone.Everynowandthenherbonyfingersswept
ashoffthepage.
MynameisEvavanOutrybedeCrommelynck.Ifapeacockhadahumanvoice,
thatdehers.YoumayaddressmeasMadameCrommelynck.Iguessedheraccentwas
Frenchwithoutbeingsure.MyEnglishfriends,anendangeredspeciesthesedays,they
saytome,Eva,inGreatBritainyourMadameistooonionsandberet.Whynotsimply
MissCrommerlynck?AndIsay,Gotothehell!Whatiswrongwithonionsandberet?I
amMadameandmy
e
isstronglyattached!
Allonsdonc.
Itisthreeoclock,alittleafter,so
youareEliotBolivarthepoet,Ipresume?
ExcerptofSolariumfrom
BlackSwanGreen
byDavidMitchell
Section2:Questionstoconsider
1. Whatwasyourfirstimpressionofthecharacter?Whatgaveyouthatimpression?

2. Didyourimpressionchangeasthestoryprogressed?Whatincidentsinthestorychangedyour
impression?

3. Whatdoesthecharacterlooklike?Bespecific.

4. Whatdoesthecharacterbelieve?

5. Whichofthecharactersactionsarekeytounderstandinghis/hermotivations?Andvalues?Dothe
character'swordsandactionsmatch?

6. Whatotherchoicescouldthecharacterhavemadeinthestory?Washer/hisbehaviorinevitable?

7. Doesthecharacterchangefromthebeginningtotheendofthestor?Explainthatchange.

LearningTargets:

I can cite text-based evidence that provides strong and thorough support for an analysis of literary text. (RL1)
I can analyze how complex characters develop, interact with other characters and advance the plot or theme. (RL3)

Section3:MakealistofCharacteristics/TraitsinforEvavanOutrybedeCrommelynck
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Section4:IdentifyCharacterTraitsandTextualEvidence
Characteristics/Traits

TextualEvidence

Conclusions(Whythesetraitsare
important.Answersthesowhat?ofthese
traits.

1.

2.

3.

Section5:
SelectonequotationthatclearlyportraythecharacterofEvavanOutrybedeCrommelynck.Write
thequotefromthebookandindicatepagenumberinaparentheticalcitation.Inyouranalysisofthequotation,
focusonexplaininghowthepassageillustratesaspecificaspectbytheadjectivaltraitofEvavanOutrybede
Crommelynck.

ExampleParagraph:

WilliamBellmanisacharacterfromthenovel
Bellman&Black
byDianeSetterfield.Heisconstanlyshown

asbeingaworkaholicthathasdifficultythinkingoftheworldintermsbeyondwork.Inchaptertwentysevenduringthefuneralitsays,
Williamlosthimselfincomplicatedcalculations.Whatwasthemeasurementforbereavement?Howtocount,weigh,evaluategrief?
Hehadenjoyedgoodluckinthepast,hewasthefirsttoadmitit.Hehadnotknownit,buttherewasapricetopay.Hewaspayingit
now.Somewhere,hecalculated,afairmindedspiritofJustice,seeingthatthingswerenowwhat?equal?wouldstartsendinghim
goodluckagain.Adarkcalculationworkeditselfoutontheabacusinhisheart:Lucywaslost,histwosonswerelost.Thatmade
three.Hestillhadawifeandadaughter.Itdidntseemunreasonabletoexpecttokeepthem.Asixtyfortysplit.Itwasagenerousdeal
totheotherparty.Itwasagenerousdealtotheotherparty.Sixtyforty.Toogoodtorefuse.Therewasasolaceinnumbers(Setterfield
131).Throughthemajorityofthefuneralheisstilllookingattheentiresituationlikeitssimplyabusinessdeal.Hehasntcometo
understandthatdeathissomethingthathappenstoeveryoneeventuallyandunpredictablymostly.Noamountofnegotiationisgoingto
changetheirdeaths,buthefindscomfortfromthepainbythinkingofitthatwayThisshowsthatWilliamBellmanisacharacterthathas
ahardtimeseparatinghimselffromhiswork.
Breakdownoftheexampleabove:

ThispersonusesthethemestatementofInthenovel,
Bellman&Black
byDianeSetterfieldisaboutdeathandrevealsthathumansmaytry
torationalizeitinanattempttonotfeelpainYoudonothavetohaveoneyet,butyoushouldbelookingforoneasyouread.

Shethenusestheadjectiveofbusinessmindedtodescribetheprotagonist.

Thetwopassagesfromthenovel,Williamlosttrack.andWilliamlosthimself.Sheusescitations(Setterfield85)and(setterfield131).

Thelastthingshedoesineachparagraphisexplainhowthisshowsthattheprotagonist,William,showstheadjective,businessminded.

Eachparagraph,includingquoteandcitation,isabout200words.Youshouldbeshootingforasimilarlength.

CharacterizationAssignment(DUE:April17th)

LearningTargets:

I can cite text-based evidence that provides strong and thorough support for an analysis of literary text. (RL1)
I can analyze how complex characters develop, interact with other characters and advance the plot or theme. (RL3)

1. Identifythemaincharacterofyournovel.

2. Makealistoftraitsyourcharacterdisplays.
Considerthefollowingquestions.
a. Whatwasyourfirstimpressionofthecharacter?Whatgaveyouthatimpression?
b. Didyourimpressionchangeasthestoryprogressed?Whatincidentsinthestorychangedyour
impression?
c. Whatdoesthecharacterlooklike?Bespecific.
d. Whatdoesthecharacterbelieve?
e. Whichofthecharactersactionsarekeytounderstandinghis/hermotivations?Andvalues?Do
thecharacter'swordsandactionsmatch?
f. Whatotherchoicescouldthecharacterhavemadeinthestory?Washer/hisbehavior
inevitable?
g. Doesthecharacterchangefromthebeginningtotheendofthestor?Explainthatchange.

3. Narrowdown:
Identifythreetraitsfromyourlistthatyouthinkareespeciallyimportant.Thesetraits
shouldrevealsignificantelementsofthecharacterspersonality,beliefs,orvalues.
Section3:MakealistofCharacteristics/Traits
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4. MakingConclusions:
Thegoalhereistofigureoutwhythetraitstheychoseabouttheircharacterare
important.
a. Whywouldanybodycarethatthischaracterpossessesthesespecifictraits?Whatdoestiall
addupto?
b. Whatisthesignificanceofthesetraitsintermsofwhathappensinthestory?
c. Whatisthesignificanceofthesetraitsinrelationtoathemeinthestory?
d. Whatdothesetraitsrevealaboutthecharacterthatmightalsobetrueofhumanbeingsin
general?
e. Whatdothesetraitsrevealaboutthecharactersmotivations,values,belief,oractions?
Section4:IdentifyCharacterTraitsandTextualEvidence
Characteristics/Traits

TextualEvidence

Conclusions(Whythesetraitsare
important.Answersthesowhat?ofthese
traits.

1.

2.

LearningTargets:

I can cite text-based evidence that provides strong and thorough support for an analysis of literary text. (RL1)
I can analyze how complex characters develop, interact with other characters and advance the plot or theme. (RL3)

3.

5. Selectthreequotationsthatclearlyportraythecharacteroftheprotagonist.Writethequote
fromthebookandindicatepagenumberinaparentheticalcitation.Inyouranalysisofeach
quotation,focusonexplaininghowthepassageillustratesaspecificaspect(identifiedbya
preciseadjective)oftheprotagonistscharacter
.

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LearningTargets:

I can cite text-based evidence that provides strong and thorough support for an analysis of literary text. (RL1)
I can analyze how complex characters develop, interact with other characters and advance the plot or theme. (RL3)

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____Doyouhaveatrait,supportedbyaquotewithacitation?
Didyouexplainhowthequoteshowsthetrait?