Sustained Silent Reading Response
Character Unit
Response 2
First write a basic entry. Write the title of the book or story you are reading, the author, and the number of pages you read in class today. If you chose a new book for today, explain why you chose the book you are reading. “Because I had to choose one” is not an acceptable response. Even if you’ve never opened a book before, something made you pick this one from millions of possibilities. Tell me why. Summarize the plot so far. What is the opening scene of your book? What conflict occurs which causes the protagonist to act? Who are the significant characters and what is their relationship to the character you will write about today? What is the setting? If you are continuing with your previous book tell me what has happened since your last entry. Summarize plot developments, describe the main characters, and tell me if you are/are not enjoying this book. Explain why. Please share any additional information about the book I need to know to understand your entry.
After you complete the information assigned above, take a look at all the characters—besides the main character—who appeared in the section of the book you read today in class. Describe each character. Offer both implicit and explicit information. For each character choose a passage (with a page number) and write it in your notebook. Explain how this passage helps you create meaning for the character. Describe the character as a(n): antagonist, stereo-type, archetype, villain, or flat-character. If a character is more developed than any of these call the character “developed” and discuss the character’s motivations and interests. How does this character function in the story in relation to the main character?
When you complete the above description of characters, discuss how the author uses characters. Does he/she use primarily flat-characters, stereotypes, archetypes, or a blend? How does the author use other characters to “characterize” the main character? Describe what you know about the main character based on his/her interactions with these other characters. Offer textual evidence (quotes and page numbers) to provide examples for your description.
Finally, use one of the “other” characters from what you read today. Imagine a character like that in your own character sketch story. Write a scene in which your main character interacts with a character (besides the main character) from your reading today.
If you finish before time is up, you may continue SSR or work on your next drafts of your Character Sketch or Local Color Poem.
Sustained Silent Reading Response
Character Unit
Response 2
First write a basic entry. Write the title of the book or story you are reading, the author, and the number of pages you read in class today. If you chose a new book for today, explain why you chose the book you are reading. “Because I had to choose one” is not an acceptable response. Even if you’ve never opened a book before, something made you pick this one from millions of possibilities. Tell me why. Summarize the plot so far. What is the opening scene of your book? What conflict occurs which causes the protagonist to act? Who are the significant characters and what is their relationship to the character you will write about today? What is the setting? If you are continuing with your previous book tell me what has happened since your last entry. Summarize plot developments, describe the main characters, and tell me if you are/are not enjoying this book. Explain why. Please share any additional information about the book I need to know to understand your entry.
After you complete the information assigned above, take a look at all the characters—besides the main character—who appeared in the section of the book you read today in class. Describe each character. Offer both implicit and explicit information. For each character choose a passage (with a page number) and write it in your notebook. Explain how this passage helps you create meaning for the character. Describe the character as a(n): antagonist, stereo-type, archetype, villain, or flat-character. If a character is more developed than any of these call the character “developed” and discuss the character’s motivations and interests. How does this character function in the story in relation to the main character?
When you complete the above description of characters, discuss how the author uses characters. Does he/she use primarily flat-characters, stereotypes, archetypes, or a blend? How does the author use other characters to “characterize” the main character? Describe what you know about the main character based on his/her interactions with these other characters. Offer textual evidence (quotes and page numbers) to provide examples for your description.
Finally, use one of the “other” characters from what you read today. Imagine a character like that in your own character sketch story. Write a scene in which your main character interacts with a character (besides the main character) from your reading today.
If you finish before time is up, you may continue SSR or work on your next drafts of your Character Sketch or Local Color Poem.