How do you determine who a character really is?

1. How do you determine who a character really is?

2. In this lesson you will analyze a character’s actions by recording what a character does and how he does it.

3. Tom: • Has to paint the fence, but doesn’t want to. • Friends with Jim, who is a slave. • Tries to convince people with his words.

4. Character Theory: • Words How? • Thoughts • Actions

5. What is Tom doing? “Why, ain’t THAT work?” Tom resumed his whitewashing, and answered carelessly: “Well, maybe it is, and maybe it ain’t. All I know, is, it suits Tom Sawyer.” “Oh come, now, you don’t mean to let on that you LIKE it?” “Like it? Well, I don’t see why I oughtn’t to like it. Does a boy get a chance to white wash a fence every day?” That put the thing in a new light. Ben stopped nibbling his apple…”Say Tom, let ME whitewash a little.” Tom is whitewashing the wall and talking to Ben.

6. HOW is Tom doing it? “Why, ain’t THAT work?” Tom resume his whitewashing, and answered carelessly: “Well, maybe it is, and maybe it ain’t. All I know, is, it suits Tom Sawyer.” “Oh come, now, you don’t mean to let on that you LIKE it?” “Like it? Well, I don’t see why I oughtn’t to like it. Does a boy get a chance to white wash a fence every day?” That put the thing in a new light. Ben stopped nibbling his apple…”Say Tom, let ME whitewash a little.” Tom is being sneaky, by telling Ben he likes painting, and continuing to do it. He tricks Ben into thinking it is fun and that he wants to try.

7. Why does this matter? This scene matters because it shows us that Tom is willing to use his words and actions into tricking people. He tricks Ben into thinking that painting is fun, when Tom himself actually really hates the task.

8. 1 • Ask: What is the character doing? 2 • Ask: How is the character doing it? 3 Ask: Why does it matter?

9. In this lesson you have learned to analyze a character’s actions by recording what a character does and how he does it.

10. What is Tom doing?? “Say, Jim, I’ll fetch the water if you’ll whitewash some.” Jim shook his head … “And besides I will show you my sore toe.” Jim was only human—this attraction was too much for him. He put down his pail, took the white alley, and bent over the toes with absorbing interest while the bandage was being unwound.

11. How is Tom doing it?? “Say, Jim, I’ll fetch the water if you’ll whitewash some.” Jim shook his head … “And besides I will show you my sore toe.” Jim was only human—this attraction was too much for him. He put down his pail, took the white alley, and bent over the toes with absorbing interest while the bandage was being unwound.

12. Why does it matter?

13. Group Extension: • Working as a class or in small groups read a selected text. Then apply the three-steps to record what a character is doing, how he/she is doing it, and why it matters.

14. Individual Extension: • Using the three steps and a character from your independent reading book, record what a character is doing, how they are doing it, and why it matters.

15. What is Sid doing ?? In “Playing Hooky”…

16. How is Sid doing it??

17. Why does it matter?