270 likes | 1.06k Views
Analyzing The Tale of Despereaux. What does it mean to analyze? . to separate into parts or elements; determine the elements or essential features of something . to examine critically, so as to bring out the essential elements or give the essence of .
E N D
What does it mean to analyze? • to separate into parts or elements; determine the elements or essential features of something. • to examine critically, so as to bring out the essential elements or give the essence of. • to examine carefully and in detail so as to identify causes, key factors, possible results, etc. • http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/analyze
To analyze characters in The Tale of Despereaux we need to examine: • Traits • Motivations • Conflicts • Point of View • Relationships • Changes they undergo
What are character traits? • These can be adjectives that you would use to describe a character. • Examples: funny, scary, tough, sensitive, obedient, rebellious, doubtful, boring, secretive, selfish, energetic, devious, bossy, and calm
What are motivations? • Motivation is why someone acts the way they do. • Is it always obvious what someone’s motivation is? • Can motivation change?
What are conflicts? • Struggles • Disagreements • Things that go wrong
4 Types of Point of View • Objective • Third Person • First Person • Omniscient and Limited Omniscient http://www.learner.org/interactives/literature/read/pov2.html
What are relationships? • How characters are related • How they interact with each other • What characters have shared
Changes characters undergo This can be anything from aging to shifting beliefs. This can include birth, death, learning, and forgiving.
Main Characters • Devereaux Tilling • Roscuro • Miggery Sow • Princess Pea
Secondary Characters • Despereaux’s family • King Phillip • Botticelli Remorso • Cook • Gregory the Jailer
Analyzing Despereaux • Traits: Imaginative and brave • Motivations: Music and love • Conflicts: Mouse society • Relationships: His family and Princess Pea • Changes: Learns to read and stand up for himself • http://www.imdb.com/video/screenplay/vi1854014233/ Does Despereaux have any weaknesses? What do you like most about him?
Analyzing Roscuro • Traits: Clever and heartbroken • Motivations: Light and revenge • Conflicts: Light and darkness • Relationships: Botticelli and Miggery • Changes: Seeks light, uses darkness What does Chiaroscuro make you think of?
Analyzing Miggery Sow • Traits: Simple and hopeful • Motivations: Desire to be a princess • Conflicts: No one cares what she wants • Relationships: “Uncle” and Roscuro • Changes: Ears become “cauliflowers” • http://www.imdb.com/video/screenplay/vi2743272217/ What does Miggery really want?
Analyzing Princess Pea • Traits: Compassionate and gentle • Motivations: Love • Conflicts: Father’s expectations and laws • Relationships: Despereaux and Miggery • Changes: Learns about vulnerabilities • http://www.imdb.com/video/screenplay/vi1635910425/ What has Princess Pea learned?
Analyzing Despereaux’s family • Traits: Conforming and cautious • Motivations: Food and survival • Conflicts: Despereaux’s differences • Relationships: Mouse society • Changes: Lester, the father, changes. How? • http://www.imdb.com/video/screenplay/vi1870791449/ How do the members of his family differ?
Analyzing King Phillip • Traits: Foolish and loving • Motivations: Grief and justice • Conflicts: Death of the Queen • Relationships: Princess Pea and the Queen • Changes: Vacillates between acceptance and non-acceptance • http://www.imdb.com/video/screenplay/vi2760049433/ Do you know anyone like the King?
Analyzing Botticelli Remorso • Traits: Predatory and hateful • Motivations: Cause suffering and power • Conflicts: Roscuro’s yearning for light • Relationships: Rat society • Changes: None Does Botticelli change? Why or why not?
Analyzing Cook • Traits: Tough and impatient • Motivations: Efficiency and nuturing • Conflicts: Can not make soup and struggles with Miggery • Relationships: Loiuse and Miggery • Changes: Becomes tolerant after making soup Why is soup so important to Cook?
Analyzing Gregory the Jailer • Traits: Wise, industrious, mournful • Motivations: Loves stories and seeks safety • Conflicts: Rats and darkness • Relationships: Rats , Despereaux, and Miggery • Changes: Saved Despereaux. Never saved a mouse before What, if anything, surprised you about the jailer?
What do we understand now about The Tale of Despereaux and its characters? • What do we understand about themes like good vs. evil and the power of stories? • What do we understand about problem resolution? • Why did the author choose the characters she chose? • Watch for differences in the movie.
Helpful links and resources • http://www.thetaleofdespereauxmovie.com/splash/downloads/scholastic/Despereaux_Scholastic.pdf • http://www.teachertimesavers.com/Tale%20of%20Despereaux.pdf • http://www.readwritethink.org/parent-afterschool-resources/grade/3-4/