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CREATING CHARACTERS

CREATING CHARACTERS. Creating characters—telling what human beings are like—is the whole point of writing stories. The techniques the writers use to develop a character is called Characterization. [End of Section]. private thoughts. speech. others’ reactions. actions.

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CREATING CHARACTERS

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  1. CREATING CHARACTERS Creating characters—telling what human beings are like—is the whole point of writing stories. The techniques the writers use to develop a character is called Characterization [End of Section]

  2. private thoughts speech others’ reactions actions Character Development Writers build characters by revealing appearance

  3. “Keep still, you little devil, or I’ll cut your throat!” • A fearful man, all in coarse grey, with a great iron on his leg. A man with no hat, and with broken shoes, and with an old rag tied round his head. A man who had been soaked in water, and smothered in mud, and lamed by stones, and cut by flints . . . ; who limped, and shivered, and glared and growled; and whose teeth chattered in his head as he seized me by the chin. • from Great Expectations by Charles Dickens Which methods of character development are being used? What do you think of the man based on this excerpt? [End of Section]

  4. —First Person Narrators • tell their own stories (using pronouns like I, me, and we) • tell us what they think and feel Be aware that some first-person narrators mislead or lie to the audience.

  5. Dialogue • can reveal a lot about characters and their relationships with each other. Pay Attention to • what characters say and don’t say • how characters respond to each other [End of Section]

  6. Appearance Pay attention to language the writer uses to describe the characters’ looks, clothes, and demeanor. The cold within him froze his old features, nipped his pointed nose, shriveled his cheek, stiffened his gait; made his eyes red, his thin lips blue. . . . from A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens • Does the description give you a positive or negative impression of the character? • Which words contribute to this impression?

  7. Private Thoughts Writers can take us into the characters’ minds to reveal their thoughts and feelings. As you read, note whether the characters’ thoughts and feelings match their speech and actions.

  8. How Other Characters Feel Watch how other characters in the story react to the character. Note • how the others feel about the character • what the others say about the character

  9. ACTIONS What characters do and how they treat each other often reveal the most about them. Observe characters’ actions to determine: • what their personality is like • what motivates them • how they deal with conflict

  10. Direct Characterization—Writers tell us directly what characters are like or what their motives are. Oh, but he was a tightfisted hand at the grindstone, Scrooge! a squeezing, wrenching, grasping, scraping, clutching, covetous old sinner! from A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens Indirect Characterization—Writers show us characters (through speech, appearance, private thoughts, other characters’ reactions, and actions) but allow us to decide what characters are like.

  11. Direct and Indirect Characterization Is this an example of direct or indirect characterization? My sister, Mrs. Joe, with black hair and eyes, had such a prevailing redness of skin that I sometimes used to wonder whether it was possible she washed herself with a nutmeg-grater instead of soap. She was tall and bony, and almost always wore a coarse apron, fastened over her figure behind with two loops, and having a square impregnable bib in front, that was stuck full of pins and needles. from Great Expectations by Charles Dickens What kind of person do you think this character is?

  12. What Is a Symbol? A symbol is an ordinary object, event, person, or animal to which we have attached a special meaning.

  13. Where Do We Get Symbols? • Public Symbols • have been inherited, or handed down over time • are widely known • show up in art and literature Note

  14. Where Do We Get Symbols? What does each of these symbols stand for? Why do you think they have taken on the meanings they have?

  15. Where Do We Get Symbols? • Invented symbols • come about when writers make a character, object, or event stand for some human concern • sometimes become well known and gain the status of public symbol

  16. Symbols in Literature • Writers use symbols to • suggest layers of meaning that a simple, literal statement could never convey • speak more powerfully to the reader’s emotions and imagination Side Note Different cultures may attach different meanings to some symbols. • make their stories rich and memorable

  17. Symbols in Secret life of bees

  18. Symbols In Look me in the eye Names Machines—Circuits & Wires Isolation--Loneliness

  19. Symbols in Once Upon a Road Trip

  20. Symbolic nature in names • In LME • Unit Two • Cubby • Little Bear • How his parents names change • In SLB • Months—horoscopes • Lily Names can symbolize biblical characters, emotions, nature, specific traits tied to horoscopes and astrology, abstract ideas, etc.

  21. Symbols can also be thematic ideas but themes are actual statementsWe will look at theme tomorrow

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