Writing Workshop #10

Warm-up: If you could be friends with any character in The Outsiders, who would it be and why?

Skill: How to Write a Character Analysis Paragraph

Brainstorm for a Main Character (Ponyboy in The Outsiders)

Use the character chart for Ponyboy already completed to help you brainstorm.

  • List several personality characteristics which the character exhibits.

1.

2.

3.

  • Think of ways the character shows each of these traits.

1.

2.

3.

  • Choose ONE personality trait with which you feel you could do the best job and you can find good examples to show this trait.

1.

  • Find two quotations that clearly support this trait.

1.

2.

  • Provide the page reference in brackets after each quotation.

Assignment: Write an Analysis Paragraph for a Literary Character

Step #1TOPIC SENTENCE

  • Tells what you are going to prove
  • Name the Character – provide a full name
  • Name the story – underline or italicize the title
  • State his/her personality trait

Step #2EXPANSION SENTENCE

  • Expand/define/explain the characteristic; give more information about it
  • Set up for the two quotations, in order

Step #3QUOTATION #1 – THIS IS YOUR SECOND BEST QUOTATION

  • First provide the context for your quotation – who said, when, where, why
  • Then provide a proper lead-in for the quotation
  • Provide the page reference in brackets after the quotation.

Step #4EXPLANTION OF HOW

  • Clearly explain how the quotation reveals the trait

Step #5EXPLANATION OF WHY

  • Clearly explain why the quotation reveals the trait

Step #6QUOTATION #2 – THIS IS YOUR BEST QUOTATION

  • Do the same as step #3

Step #7EXPLANATION OF HOW

Step #8EXPLANATION OF WHY

Step #9CONCLUDING SENTENCE

  • Sums up what you have proven; it is like the topic sentence plus what you covered in your two pieces of evidence/quotations.

Instructions:

Read the CHARACTER SKETCH SAMPLE. Note that the sentences are marked using Steps #1 -9 for writing an Analysis for Literary Character.

Following the same format, write an analysis for the literary character Ponyboy in The Outsiders.

Grammar Challenge:

A preposition shows the relationship between a noun or a pronoun and another word in the sentence. Some common prepositions are listed below.

______

aboutbeforeforoffunder

abovebetweenfromonwith

afterbyinthrough

atduringofto

A prepositional phrase starts with a preposition and includes the object of the preposition.

Write eight sentences containing prepositional phrases. Underline the prepositions once and the objects of the preposition twice.