Unit 2: Following Characters Into Meaning Envision, Predict, Synthesize, Infer, and Interpret

Walking in Your Character’s Shoes One way they do this is by making a movie in their minds as they read. They don’t just watch the movie; they become the characters in it by asking, “What is my character feeling, thinking, hearing, tasting and touching right now?” Then readers imagine themselves in those scenes, living through the same experiences.

Walking in Your Character’s Shoes Reflecting on their opinions about their characters while talking to their partners. They help push each other’s thinking by asking questions like: What kind of person is your character? Do you like them? Why did they do that? How come the character is feeling that way? Do you think they did the right thing? What do you think will happen next? This helps readers think more deeply about their characters.

Walking in Your Character’s Shoes Living inside the world of the story, not looking at it like it’s a postcard. They do this by pausing to make sure they see the world through the eyes of the character and not themselves. They ask, “How would I feel if I was him/her right now?”

Walking in Your Character’s Shoes Empathizing with the characters and what they are going through. They remember times they lived through something similar and bring that insight to their understanding of what they read. Readers ask, “When did I go through something like that and how did it make me feel?” Then readers use that insight to better understand their characters.

Walking in Your Character’s Shoes Changing the mental movie and ideas about their characters as they read on. Readers ask themselves, “What new details have I come across while reading?” and “How does that change the movie in my head?” Then readers revise their movies, making sure they are accurate.

Walking in Your Character’s Shoes Making predictions based on what they know about their main character’s actions, problems, and feelings. They ask themselves, “Based on what I know about my character, what do I think he/she will do next?” Then readers predict not only what their characters will do next, but how it will unfold.

Growing Ideas About Characters Powerful readers begin developing theories about their characters. One way they do this is by examining their character’s actions to give them a window into their lives. Readers ask, “What do my character’s choices and actions tell me about the kind of person that they are?” Then readers use those ideas to start developing theories about their characters.

Growing Ideas About Characters Realizing that their characters are not just one way, they are complicated. Readers think about the times that their characters tend to act out of character and ask, "How does this moment make me revise my initial ideas about my character?" or "Could my character be changing?" Then readers use those moments to reflect on how their characters are more than one way.

Growing Ideas About Characters Paying attention to objects a character keeps near and dear to them. Readers look at those objects as a window into the minds and hearts of the characters, asking themselves, “What might the character's relationship with that object suggest about him/her?" Then readers use that relationship to form an idea about their character.

Growing Ideas About Characters Looking at the main character through the eyes of others. Readers do this by examining the ways that secondary characters act and think around that character, asking, "How do others treat, speak to, and view this character?" Then readers look for patterns to help determine how others perceive their main character.

Growing Ideas About Characters Sharpening the language they use to talk about them. Readers ask themselves, “What specific words or phrases can I use to really, really describe this character?” Then they think of specific examples of their characters and use that to come up with more precise language.

Growing Ideas About Characters Readers continue to develop theories about their characters. Another way they do this is by paying attention to the activities or interests their characters choose. They ask themselves, “What does that choice in activity or interest tell me about my character?”

Growing Ideas About Characters Readers continue to build theories about their characters. Another way they do this is by paying attention to the people our main character chooses to spend time with. Readers think about whether those people are similar to or different from the main character and ask themselves, ”What does this choice in a friend tell me about my character?”

Forming Interpretations About Characters Readers begin forming interpretations about the text. One way they do this is by organizing their thoughts and ideas about their characters. They stop and jot asking, “What are my opinions about my character and what evidence can I use to support those opinions?” Then readers organize those thoughts into ideas that seem to fit together.

Forming Interpretations About Characters They continue reading, holding onto the theories they developed loosely, knowing that those ideas will impact the way they see the story. They ask themselves, “How is my theory being proven as I keep reading?” or “Are my ideas about my character changing as I read on?” Then readers either hold onto that theory, or start revising it.

Forming Interpretations About Characters Keeping track of the things that keep recurring in the story. Readers ask, “What problems, actions, or items keep resurfacing over and over?” and “What do these things tell me about the characters or the book?” Then readers form interpretations about the text, knowing that what recurs is often symbolic of something else.

Forming Interpretations About Characters Paying attention not only to the new ideas they have about characters, but also looking at what lessons the character is learning in the story. Readers ask, “What does my character learn about people, problems, or ideas?” Then readers use that thinking to come up with the big lessons the author might want them to learn.