1. Unit 1: Fiction Character Lecture Notes Outline
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Literary Analysis
Unit 1: Fiction
Character
Level IV
NOTE: This presentation contains slides with fields for recording student responses. Any text you insert will remain in the fields until you delete it manually.

2. Fiction is like a spider’s web, attached ever so lightly perhaps, but still attached to life at all four corners.
—Virginia Woolf
Lecture Notes Outline
Fiction is like a spider’s web, attached ever so lightly perhaps, but still attached to life at all four corners. —Virginia Woolf
Navigation Note
In all Unit 1 Literary Analysis presentations, slides 3–7 introduce the genre of fiction. If you choose to skip the genre introduction, use the “<skip intro>” button below the quotation. This button will advance the presentation to the introduction of the specific literary element on slide 8.
Extension Options
Have students respond to other famous quotations about fiction:
• “Fiction reveals truth that reality obscures.” —Ralph Waldo Emerson
• “Fiction is the truth inside the lie.” —Stephen King
• “The difference between fiction and reality? Fiction has to make sense.” —Tom Clancy
• “But I hate things all fiction…. There should be some foundation of fact for the most airy fabric—and pure invention is but the talent of a liar.” —Lord Byron
• “Truth is stranger than fiction, but it is because Fiction is obliged to stick to possibilities; Truth isn’t.” —Mark Twain
• “Detail is the lifeblood of fiction.” —John Gardner
<skip intro>

3. What is fiction?
Fiction is a genre, or category of literary composition, that includes any work of prose that tells an invented or imaginary story.
Lecture Notes Outline
What is fiction? Fiction is a genre, or category of literary composition, that includes any work of prose that tells an invented or imaginary story.
Extension Options
• Explain the difference between commercial fiction and literary fiction.
• Tell students that the American Library Association sponsors the John Newbery Medal, an award given annually to the author of the most distinguished American children’s book, and the Randolph Caldecott Medal, an award given annually to the artist of the most distinguished American children’s book. One criterion for this award is that the nominated book be suitable for children through age 14. For a list of past medal winners, have students visit the American Library Association website at

4. What are the two main forms of fiction?
The two main forms of fiction are the short story and the novel.
Lecture Notes Outline
What are the two main forms of fiction? The two main forms of fiction are the short story and the novel.
Extension Options
Ask students to consider the difficulties of writing a short story versus writing a novel.

5. What are your favorite types of fiction?
Realistic fiction
Mystery
Science fiction
Romance
Historical fiction
Horror
Fantasy
Sports fiction
Lecture Notes Outline
What are your favorite types of fiction? Different types of fiction that students are familiar with include realistic fiction, mystery, science fiction, romance, historical fiction, horror, fantasy, and sports fiction.
Extension Options
• Discuss with students their experiences with fiction, their favorite types of fiction and why they like them, and the hallmarks of memorable fiction.
• Take an informal classroom poll to determine which type of fiction is most popular among students.

6. What are the purposes of fiction?
To entertain readers
To enlighten readers by sharing the human experience
To provide readers with an escape from reality
To teach readers empathy
To help readers explore unknown worlds
Lecture Notes Outline
What are the purposes of fiction? Fiction can entertain readers, enlighten readers by sharing the human experience, provide readers with an escape from reality, teach readers empathy, and help readers explore unknown worlds.
Extension Options
• Have students discuss the different purposes of reading fiction and nonfiction and the merits of reading each genre.
• Ask students what factors have contributed to the recent popularity of reading fiction. Possible answers: book clubs, appealing book series (Harry Potter, Twilight), and media based on fictional books.

7. What are the five elements of fiction?
Plot
Point of view
Characters
Setting
Theme
Lecture Notes Outline
What are the five elements of fiction? Plot, point of view, characters, setting, theme

8. Characters
Characters are individuals who take part in the action of a literary work.
Lecture Notes Outline
Characters are individuals who take part in the action of a literary work. Characters are usually people but may also be personified plants, animals, objects, or imaginary creatures. The interaction of the characters is the force that propels a story’s plot.

9. I have tried every device I know to breathe life into my characters, for there is little in fiction more rewarding than to see real people interact on a page.
—James A. Michener
What do you think makes fictional characters seem like real people and not simply caricatures? What makes a character memorable?
Lecture Notes Outline
I have tried every device I know to breathe life into my characters, for there is little in fiction more rewarding than to see real people interact on a page. —James A. Michener
What do you think makes fictional characters seem like real people and not simply caricatures? What makes a character memorable?
Navigation Note
An interactive text field has been provided to record student responses. Please note that any text you insert will remain in the text field unless manually deleted.
Extension Options
• Have students write 1–2 paragraphs in response to the following questions:
—What memorable fictional character would you want as your best friend, and why? What unique qualities of that character make him or her interesting and memorable? Consider the character’s appearance, behaviors, motivations, dialogue, relationships, values, and abilities.
• Have students go to the following website to view Book magazine’s list of “100 Best Characters in Fiction Since 1900”:
Ask students to review the list and determine which characters are familiar to them, either from reading the book or story or perhaps viewing a movie version of it. Conduct a classroom discussion on the following questions:
—With which character selections on the list do you agree? With which do you disagree? Why?
—What criteria do you think placed these characters on the list?

10. Major Characters
The characters around whom a story is centered are the major characters.
Major characters
play important roles in the plot of a story
are multi-faceted or complex
characters
undergo some type of change
during a story
Lecture Notes Outline
The characters around whom a story is centered are the major characters. Major characters play important roles in the plot of a story, are multi-faceted or complex characters, and undergo some type of change during a story.

11. Major Characters
Major characters can be classified as protagonists or antagonists.
The protagonist has the central role in a story.
The antagonist works against the protagonist.
This friction, or tension, creates a story’s conflict.
The protagonist and antagonist are complex characters.
Like real people, each has his or her own strengths and weaknesses.
Lecture Notes Outline
Major characters can be classified as protagonists or antagonists. The protagonist has the central role in a story. The antagonist works against the protagonist. This friction, or tension, creates a story’s conflict. The protagonist and antagonist are complex characters. Like real people, each has his or her own strengths and weaknesses. There can be more than one protagonist and antagonist in a story, and the antagonist can be another character, a force of nature, or a concept or belief.
Extension Options
• Remind students that the words protagonist and antagonist contain Greek and Latin prefixes and suffixes that make the meanings of the words easy to remember. The prefix pro– means “for, before, or forward”; the prefix ant– means “against or opposite”; and the suffix –ist means “one who does or believes something.”
• Have students discuss their favorite fictional protagonist/antagonist pairs and offer explanations as to why this pair’s “chemistry” is so effective.

12. The Protagonist The protagonist
is motivated by a goal, aspiration, or desire
uses his or her strengths (such as courage, cleverness, wisdom, or kindness) to overcome conflicts or obstacles that stand in the way of
this goal
Lecture Notes Outline
The protagonist is motivated by a goal, aspiration, or desire, and uses his or her strengths (such as courage, cleverness, wisdom, or kindness) to overcome conflicts or obstacles that stand in the way of this goal. These conflicts may be internal and reflect a weakness within the character (such as fear, pride, revenge), or these obstacles may be external and constructed by the antagonist.

13. The Antagonist The antagonist
is motivated by a goal, aspiration, or desire
often this goal is to frustrate, challenge, hurt, or destroy the protagonist
uses his or her strengths (such as cleverness, determination, or knowledge of the protagonist’s weaknesses) to thwart the actions of the protagonist
Lecture Notes Outline
The antagonist is motivated by a goal, aspiration, or desire; often this goal is to frustrate, challenge, hurt, or destroy the protagonist. The antagonist uses his or her strengths (such as cleverness, determination, or knowledge of the protagonist’s weaknesses) to thwart the actions of the protagonist.
Extension Options
• Have students write a creative backstory for an antagonist in one of the fictional selections in this unit—for example, Roger in “Thank You, Ma’m,” General Zaroff in “The Most Dangerous Game,” Joe-Boy in “The Ravine,” or Mrs. Jong in “Rules of the Game.” Tell students that a backstory is the experiences of a character that occur before the narrative action begins. Explain to students that their backstories should offer readers insights into that particular character’s motivations and behaviors that are revealed in the story.

14. Minor Characters
The supporting characters who do not play a major role in the plot of a story are the minor characters.
Minor characters
lack complexity
remain unchanged throughout a story
give the major characters points of interaction
provide insight into the major characters by highlighting or contrasting the qualities of the major characters
Lecture Notes Outline
The supporting characters who do not play a major role in the plot of a story are the minor characters. Minor characters lack complexity, remain unchanged throughout a story, give the major characters points of interaction, and provide insight into the major characters by highlighting or contrasting the qualities of the major characters. Minor characters can be confidantes, comics, cohorts, or curiosities. They provide conflict and color in a story.
Extension Options
• Have students volunteer some of their favorite fictional minor characters from their reading. Ask them to discuss how these minor characters reveal insights about the major characters and help to advance the stories’ plots.

15. Round and Flat Characters
In addition to being classified as major or minor, characters can also be classified as round or flat.
Lecture Notes Outline
In addition to being classified as major or minor, characters can also be classified as round or flat.

16. Round Characters Round characters
tend to be the major characters in a story
show a wide range of emotions and can be unpredictable
have their own desires and motivations
are dynamic (undergo a change during a story)
Lecture Notes Outline
Round characters tend to be the major characters in a story, show a wide range of emotions and can be unpredictable, have their own desires and motivations, and are dynamic (undergo a change during a story). Well-written fiction reveals the many sides of a major or round character at different places in a story. Similar to piecing together a jigsaw puzzle, these little pieces of information can then be used to complete the profile of a character.

17. Flat Characters Flat characters
tend to be the minor characters in a story
are often stock characters or stereotypes whose emotions and behavior are predictable
are valuable to understanding the desires and motivations of the major or round characters
are static (remain the same throughout a story)
Lecture Notes Outline
Flat characters tend to be the minor characters in a story, are often stock characters or stereotypes whose emotions and behavior are predictable, are valuable to understanding the desires and motivations of the major or round characters, and are static (remain the same throughout a story).

18. Characterization
The act of creating or describing a character is called characterization.
Writers use three major techniques to form a character:
Showing what the character says, does, or thinks
Showing what other characters say or think about the character
Describing the physical features, dress, and personality of the character
Lecture Notes Outline
The act of creating or describing a character is called characterization. Writers use three major techniques to form a character: showing what the character says, does, or thinks; showing what other characters say or think about the character; and describing the physical features, dress, and personality of the character.

19. Indirect Characterization
The first two techniques—showing what characters say, do, or think and showing what other characters say or think about them—are examples of indirect characterization.
In indirect characterization, the writer shows what a character is like.
Lecture Notes Outline
The first two techniques—showing what characters say, do, or think and showing what other characters say or think about them—are examples of indirect characterization. In indirect characterization, the writer shows what a character is like.

20. Indirect Characterization
In this excerpt, readers get to know Granny Cain by what she says and does.
“Mornin, ladies,” a new man said. … “We’re filmin for the county,” he said with a smile. “Mind if we shoot a bit around here?”
“I do indeed,” said Granny with no smile. … “Suppose you just shut that machine off,” said Granny real low through her teeth, and took a step down off the porch and then another.
“Now, aunty,” Camera said, pointing the thing straight at her.
“Your mama and I are not related.”
—from “Blues Ain’t No Mockin Bird,”
by Toni Cade Bambara
Lecture Notes Outline
In this excerpt, readers get to know Granny Cain by what she says and does.
“Mornin, ladies,” a new man said. … “We’re filmin for the county,” he said with a smile. “Mind if we shoot a bit around here?”
“I do indeed,” said Granny with no smile. … “Suppose you just shut that machine off,” said Granny real low through her teeth, and took a step down off the porch and then another.
“Now, aunty,” Camera said, pointing the thing straight at her.
“Your mama and I are not related.” —from “Blues Ain’t No Mockin Bird,” by Toni Cade Bambara
This dialogue excerpt provides a glimpse of Granny’s personality. She is determined to protect her privacy from nosy reporters and wants to be treated with respect by the intruders.

21. Direct Characterization
The third technique—describing the physical features, dress, and personalities of the characters—is an example of direct characterization.
In direct characterization, the writer tells what characters are like.
Lecture Notes Outline
The third technique—describing the physical features, dress, and personalities of the characters—is an example of direct characterization. In direct characterization, the writer tells what characters are like.

22. Direct Characterization
In this excerpt, the author tells readers what General Zaroff looks like.
Rainsford’s first impression was that the man was singularly handsome; his second was that there was an original, almost bizarre quality about the general’s face. He was a tall man past middle age, for his hair was a vivid white; but his thick eyebrows and pointed military mustache were as black as the night from which Rainsford had come. His eyes, too, were black and very bright. He had high cheek bones, a sharp-cut nose, a spare, dark face, the face of a man used to giving orders, the face of an aristocrat.
—from “The Most Dangerous Game,”
by Richard Connell
Lecture Notes Outline
In this excerpt, the author tells readers what General Zaroff looks like.
Rainsford’s first impression was that the man was singularly handsome; his second was that there was an original, almost bizarre quality about the general’s face. He was a tall man past middle age, for his hair was a vivid white; but his thick eyebrows and pointed military mustache were as black as the night from which Rainsford had come. His eyes, too, were black and very bright. He had high cheek bones, a sharp-cut nose, a spare, dark face, the face of a man used to giving orders, the face of an aristocrat. —from “The Most Dangerous Game,” by Richard Connell
This excerpt provides readers with a good description of General Zaroff’s appearance and alludes to Zaroff’s commanding presence.

23. Motives
Characterization is the presentation of the nature of the people in a story. Characterization is really the presentation of motives. We understand a person if we understand what makes him act the way he does.
—Ayn Rand
Lecture Notes Outline
Characterization is the presentation of the nature of the people in a story. Characterization is really the presentation of motives. We understand a person if we understand what makes him act the way he does. —Ayn Rand

24. Motives
To understand characterization, readers need to recognize motives.
Motives are the forces that drive a character to think, feel, or behave in a certain way.
Characters can be motivated by
the desire for accolades
the need for revenge
the burden of guilt or shame
the hope of redemption
Lecture Notes Outline
To understand characterization, readers need to recognize motives. Motives are the forces that drive a character to think, feel, or behave in a certain way. Characters can be motivated by the desire for accolades, the need for revenge, the burden of guilt or shame, or the hope of redemption.

25. Dialogue
One method of indirect characterization that allows readers to understand characters is dialogue, or what the characters say.
Dialogue can provide insights about characters, such as culture, level of education, socio-economic status, social skills, and personality.
Dialogue can also inform readers of the “who, what, and where” of the situation taking place.
Lecture Notes Outline
One method of indirect characterization that allows readers to understand characters is dialogue, or what the characters say. Dialogue can provide insights about characters, such as culture, level of education, socio-economic status, social skills, and personality. Dialogue can also inform readers of the “who, what, and where” of the situation taking place.

26. Dialect
When analyzing the dialogue of characters, readers should pay attention to the writer’s use of dialect.
Dialect is a version of a language spoken by the people of a particular place, time, or social group.
For example, when Mrs. Jones in “Thank You, M’am” says, “You a lie!” she is speaking in dialect.
Lecture Notes Outline
When analyzing the dialogue of characters, readers should pay attention to the writer’s use of dialect. Dialect is a version of a language spoken by the people of a particular place, time, or social group. For example, when Mrs. Jones in “Thank You, M’am” says, “You a lie!” she is speaking in dialect.

27. What might be a writer’s purpose in using dialect?
What stories have you read in this unit that contain dialect?
Lecture Notes Outline
What might be a writer’s purpose in using dialect?
A writer may use dialect to add interest and authenticity to a character.
What stories have you read in this unit that contain dialect? Besides Mrs. Jones in “Thank You, M’am,” Granny Cain in “Blues Ain’t No Mockin Bird” and Waverly Jong’s mother in “Rules of the Game” also speak in a regional dialect.
Navigation Note
An interactive text field has been provided to record student responses. Please note that any text you insert will remain in the text field unless manually deleted.

28. Methods of Characterization
The Methods of Characterization Chart on the next slide was completed for old Mrs. Pan, a major character in “The Good Deed.”
After you view this chart, choose a character from this unit and complete your own Methods of Characterization Chart using the blank template on the subsequent slide.
Lecture Notes Outline
The Methods of Characterization Chart on the next slide was completed for old Mrs. Pan, a major character in “The Good Deed.” After you view this chart, choose a character from this unit and complete your own Methods of Characterization Chart using the blank template on the subsequent slide.

29. She feels lonely and useless in America.
What the Character Says
What the Character
Thinks
"It is the duty of the parents to arrange the marriage of the children."
She feels lonely and useless in America.
The Character (Draw a picture of your character.)
What the Character Does
She bribes her grandson into taking her to the china shop.
What the Writer Says About the Physical Features, Dress, and Personality of the Character
Old Mrs. Pan
Lecture Notes Outline
[Methods of Characterization Chart completed for Old Mrs. Pan.]
What the Character Thinks: She feels lonely and useless in America
What the Writer Says About the Physical Features, Dress, and Personality of the Character: She is an old, tiny woman who wears a lavender silk coat.
What Other Characters Say or Think About the Character: Her son worries about his mother adjusting to America.
What the Character Does: She bribes her grandson into taking her to the china shop.
What the Character Says: “It is the duty of the parents to arrange the marriage of the children.”
This chart provides a snapshot of the character of old Mrs. Pan: her appearance, personality, actions, speech, thoughts and feelings, and others’ perceptions and observations. This information allows readers to visualize and draw conclusions about this round, or complex, character.
Graphic Organizer Sources
A blank Methods of Characterization Chart in both interactive and printable PDF formats can be found in the Graphic Organizers section of the Visual Teaching Package. Students may access interactive graphic organizers at
She is an old, tiny woman who wears a
lavender silk coat.
What Other Characters Say or Think About the Character
Her son worries about his mother adjusting to America.

30. Complete the chart for a character from this unit.
The Character (Draw a picture of your character.)
What the Character Says
What the Character
Thinks
What the Writer Says About the Physical Features, Dress, and Personality of the Character
What the Character Does
What Other Characters Say or Think About the Character
Lecture Notes Outline
[Blank Methods of Characterization Chart]
Complete the chart for a character from this unit.
Students should select a round, or complex, character to analyze for this chart.
Navigation Note
An interactive text field has been provided to record student responses. Use the pen tool (found in the lower left-hand corner of the slide when you are in Slide Show view) to draw a picture of the character in the center box. Please note that any text you insert will remain in the text field unless manually deleted.
Graphic Organizer Sources
A blank Methods of Characterization Chart in both interactive and printable PDF formats can be found in the Graphic Organizers section of the Visual Teaching Package. Students may access interactive graphic organizers at

31. SUMMARY: Characterization
To reveal the essence of a character to readers, authors use several methods:
What a character says (dialogue)
What a character does (actions)
What a character thinks (opinions, feelings)
What other characters say or think about the character (opinions, observations)
What the writer says about the character (physical features, dress, and personality of the character)
Lecture Notes Outline
To reveal the essence of a character to readers, authors use several methods:
• What a character says (dialogue)
• What a character does (actions)
• What a character thinks (opinions, feelings)
• What other characters say or think about the character (opinions, observations)
• What the writer says about the character (physical features, dress, and personality of the character)