•COMPLETE THE 21 QUESTIONS IN YOUR NOTES SECTION – if done, read silently.

Warm Up – in your notebook section•Define the word character. What makes someone a character? •Give some examples of how author’s create a character.•Describe a character from a movie, game, tv show, book, etc. in as much detail as you can. AT LEAST 4 SENTENCES with vivid adjectives.

•After you complete your Warm Up, begin your SSR (Silent Sustained Reading) of your independent novel.

Types of Characters

•Protagonist – The protagonist is a character in a work of fiction whose intentions are the primary focus of a story.

Types of Characters

•Antagonist – The antagonist is a character (or sometimes an institution) against whom the protagonist(s) must fight.

Types of Characters

•Round Character – Round characters are major characters in a work of fiction who encounter conflict and are changed by it. Round characters tend to be more fully developed and described than flat characters.

Types of Characters

•Flat character – Flat characters are minor characters in a work of fiction who do not tend to undergo substantial emotional change or growth.

Types of Characters

•Stock characters – A stock character is a fictional character that relies heavily on cultural types or stereotypes for its personality, manner of speech, and other characteristics. Stock characters are instantly recognizable to members of a given culture.

Types of Characters

•Static Character – Static do not undergo substantial emotional change or growth, remaining essentially the same in the end as he or she was at the beginning.

Types of characters

•Dynamic Character – A dynamic character is one who undergoes an important change in the course of the story. The changes are not changes in circumstance, but changes in some sense within the character – changes in insight or understanding, changes in beliefs or values, etc.

Characterization

•Characterization is the way in which a writer reveals the personality of a character.

•There are two types of characterization:•Direct Characterization • Indirect Characterization

Characterization•The author shows/tells the reader things that reveal the personality of the character.

“I reach her just as she is about to mount the steps. With one sweep of my arm, I push her behind me. “I volunteer!” I gasp. “I volunteer as tribute!””(22)

“He’s good-looking, he’s strong enough to handle the work in the mines, and he can hunt. You can tell by the way the girls whisper about him when he walks by in school that they want him” (10).

How do we understand a character?

•Physical appearance•Includes height, skin, hair and eye color, short/tall, skinny/fat, wear glasses?, how he/she walks/stands, anything physical about the character.

Character’s thoughts, actions, and speech• Speech- What does the character say? How does the character speak? Is the character serious? Sarcastic? Shy? Obnoxious? Ignorant?• Example: “Hey, we can have lots of fun at camp this summer! I love being outside!” • - shows us the character is upbeat and happy. • Thoughts- What is revealed through the character’s thoughts and feelings? • Example: I wish it would stop raining. I am tired of sitting inside! • - shows us the character is not happy about the situation.

•Actions:•Example: The girl rode the lawn mower through the house and into the garage • - shows us the girl is not concerned with rules or safety.

•Example: The little girl left the game with slumped shoulders and a frown on her face • - shows us the little girl is not enjoying herself and is upset.

•What other’s say or do in reaction to the character

•Example: The boy glared at his sister as she ate his dessert. •This shows us that the character is upset about his sister’s behavior and inability to think of others

•The narrator’s comments•Can the character be trusted?

• Complete the literary analysis check on page 8 of your textbook. Make sure to write this in your notes section.

Reading excerpt from Roald Dahl’s “Lamb to the Slaughter” and analyzing Mary

1. Find words that describe Mary’s character.

2. Prepare a spider diagram of Mary’s character – try to find as many adjectives as you can to describe her.

3. Look at the title – try to predict what will happen in the story.

4. Contrast Patrick with Mary. Describe the husband – for each adjective find evidence from the story to back up your ideas.

5. How are they opposites. Write a couple of sentences using examples from the text.

“Hullo darling”“Tired darling?”“I’ll get it!”

Mary shows love and concern for her husband and his well being. She doesn’t want him to work at home and will serve him and let him order her around.

“she thought that each minute gone by made it nearer the time when he would come”“she loved to luxuriate in the presence of this man”“So, I’ve killed him”

Mary is so in love with her husband that she appears obsessed with him. All of her thoughts are about him. She cannot imagine a life without him so she kills him when he threatens to leave.

“sixth month with child”“smiling air about her”“placid look”

Mary is happy in her marriage and about her pregnancy. She is peaceful as she waits for her husband.

“he didn’t want to speak much until the first drink is finished”“drained it in one swallow”“No” “Sit down” “I’ll give you money”

The husband is bossy and controlling, ordering Mary around. He also doesn’t seem to want to interact with her or talk to her. He is distant and withdrawn right before he decides to tell her he is leaving.

“she took his coat and hung it in the closet”“she moved uneasily in her chair…watching his face”“She began to get frightened”“Mary simply walked up behind him and without any pause swung the big frozen leg of lamb…”

Mary is a devoted and subservient wife, doing chores for her working husband. When he tells her is leaving, she breaks mentally, becomes frightened of life without him, and murders him in cold blood.