GIMNASIO FEMENINO

AREA: LANGUAGES – ENGLISH A: LANGUAGE AND LITERATURE

GRADE: TEN
TEACHER: MARCELA LUCUMÍ MORENO
Characters and Characterization
Código: MCAF-011 Versión: 01 Fecha de actualización: 08/02/2018

STUDENT’S NAME: ______________________________________________________ Date: ______________________ Grade:______________

Sources: Sources: Philpot Education https://www.philpoteducation.com/
Philpot, B. (2011) English Language and Literature for the IB Diploma. Cambridge University Press.

Characters and Characterization

A novel is a long work of fiction in which the characters and storyline can be developed thoroughly.
Writers of fiction most often engage readers through their portrayal of the characters involved. When
studying the characters in your literary texts, ask yourself two questions: What function do they
serve in the story? And How does the author bring them to life?

This class activity will be dedicated to exploring these questions.

You already know that Characters are the people, animals, or creatures who take part in the story’s
action. The most important characters are the main characters. Less important ones are minor
characters. The characters’ qualities, such as courage, affect the story’s events and conflict.
However, for close literary analysis of characters and to unveil how the author characterized them, it
is necessary to pay attention to the way s/he creates believable characters and helps us get to know
them.

Activity 1. Key vocabulary

Review your knowledge of characterization by checking out the PowerPoint presentation “Types of
Characters in Fiction” and the list of characters traits. Note down 4 to 5 unfamiliar terms and
clarify their meaning in online dictionaries and thesaurus.

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

Activity 2. Close reading and literary analysis

a. Get to know the characters

In the novel Submission, read the part I (p 1 – 31). As you read, pay attention to what information
you learn about each character, including his or her qualities, and how that information is presented.

WARNING: Explicit strong language and sexual descriptions

Analyze the protagonist writing your answers to the questions and the descriptions in the chart.

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 GIMNASIO FEMENINO
AREA: LANGUAGES – ENGLISH A: LANGUAGE AND LITERATURE
GRADE: TEN
TEACHER: MARCELA LUCUMÍ MORENO
Characters and Characterization
Código: MCAF-011 Versión: 01 Fecha de actualización: 08/02/2018

About the protagonist:

1. What sort of character is the protagonist in this story?

2. How old is he? (And how old is he mentally? Is he old in the body of a young person, or vice
versa?)

3. Does he have had a happy life? Why/why not?

4. What does he care about?

5. What is he obsessed with?

6. What might be his biggest fear?

7. What is the best thing that ever happened to him? The worst?

8. What words would you use to define him?

9. How is he revealed in this part of the novel? Fill in the following chart.

Example
Aspect of characterization Explanation
(evidence quote with page)
Speech
What does the character say?
How does the character
speak?
Thoughts
What is revealed through the
character’s private thoughts
and feelings?
Effect on other characters.
What is revealed through the
character’s effect on other
people? How do other
characters feel or behave in
reaction to the character?

Actions
What does the character do?
How does the character
behave?
Looks
What does the character look
like? How does the character
dress?

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 GIMNASIO FEMENINO
AREA: LANGUAGES – ENGLISH A: LANGUAGE AND LITERATURE
GRADE: TEN
TEACHER: MARCELA LUCUMÍ MORENO
Characters and Characterization
Código: MCAF-011 Versión: 01 Fecha de actualización: 08/02/2018

b. Reflection: How do the decisions and actions of the character reveal his personality
(identity)? Summarize your thoughts in a text using between 150 to 200 words.

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