1. Today, you will need: Your notebooks Your text books
Characterization
Today, you will need:
Your notebooks
Your text books

2. Quick Quiz! What is Mr. Kapasi’s two professions?
What is the difference between a flat character and a stock character?
Describe one believable and one unbelievable type of dynamic character change.
What is the primary conflict of “Everyday Use”?

3. Check Your Notes!
Direct Characterization: When the character is described by the narrator or by another
character
Indirect Characterization: When the character is revealed through the actions and words,
and thoughts of the character. Also through how other characters relate to or act with that character.
Three Principles of Characterization:
1. Consistent in behavior
2. Words and actions must spring from motivations
3. plausible (believable… lifelike)
Flat Character: one or two dimensional- summed up in a sentence or two
Round Character: complex and many sided
Stock Character: stereotyped
Static Character: doesn’t change
Dynamic Character: changes over the course of the story
Epiphany: moment of spiritual insight into life or his/her own circumstances “aha!” moment

4. Jigsaw Part I: 4 groups---Each Characterize a Different Character
Set up a Cornell Note on your paper.
Write the Character’s Name and “Everyday Use” in the title
Dee/Wangero
Maggie
The Narrator/Mama
Hakim al-Barber
On the thin side, determine the correct label & write:
Flat or Round
Static or Dynamic.
One the other side, write words and phrases that show you that character fits that label.
Label the words/phrases as direct (DC) or indirect (IC) characterization

5. Jigsaw Pt 2: Sharing
On the bottom of your Cornell Page, write a summary of the
Character.
__(name)___ is (in)directly presented as a __(flat/round/stock), who
(does/does not) change throughout the story, “Everyday Use”.
On a new page, set up Cornell Notes again, and then list the
three characters your group did not discuss on the small side.
Tell the members of your group your house number, then organize
yourselves as I tell you.
Take turns sharing your summary statement with your new groups,
Writing down their summary & one reason WHY in the large section of your
Cornell Notes

6. Let’s Discuss Titles! Explicate these two titles:
“Interpreter of Maladies”
“Everyday Use”
Remember to look for:
Literal meaning
Figurative meaning
How it fits the structure of the story
Diction/Style
Character Reference
Come up with a statement about each title.

7. Read “Miss Brill” by Katherine Mansfield (pp 174-178). Describe
the characterization of the people in the story.
Homework

8. Does a character in a story have to be a person?
Do Now:
Does a character in a story have to be a person?

9. Assignment: Character Analysis Essay
Due: Oct 02, 11:59 pm on Turnitin.com
In this essay, you will choose a character from one of the short stories we
have read to analyze.
Your analysis must:
explain how the character functions in the story
include the important terms learned in the Characterization chapter of Perrine's.
indicate what you think the central meaning of the story is and how that character contributes to it.
This is NOT an essay simply telling me what kind of character you have
chosen, but more HOW the author chose to create the character in the story.
Think:
What is the importance of the character to the story and how does the
author use techniques such as direct vs indirect characterization?
Why does the author choose to create the character as static vs dynamic?

10. Possible other “characters” in “Everyday Use”
The Quilt:
The House:
The Yard:
Are they Flat?
Round?
Stock?
Are they directly or
indirectly characterized?
Are they Static?
Dynamic?
Can they come to
Epiphany?

11. Possible other “characters” in “Miss Brill”
Her fur:
The band/music
Slice of honeycake
Are they Flat?
Round?
Stock?
Are they directly or
indirectly characterized?
Are they Static?
Dynamic?
Can they come to
Epiphany?

12. Explication
“But when she put the lid on she thought she heard something crying.”

13. Homework Read Chpt. 4: Theme (pp 191-198)—We will discuss
Wednesday & “Welding with Children” ( )---Thursday
Select the story on which you will write your character
analysis essay.