1. Ms. Ward and Ms. Rubin FDA VIII Fall 2012
Characterization
Ms. Ward and Ms. Rubin
FDA VIII
Fall 2012

2. Learning Objective:
After defining character traits, scholars will utilize a STEAL chart to analyze traits.

3. Ink-Pair-Share Ink Pair Share Discuss your answers with your neighbor
Write 5 things that you KNOW about Robin Hood (based on the story Ms. Ward read to you)
Pair
Discuss your answers with your neighbor
Share
Share your ideas when the teacher calls on you

4. What is characterization?
Characterization is the way writers create and describe a character for the reader.
Are they
Nice?
Mean?
Rude?
Smart?
Resourceful?
Have you ever heard of character traits?

5. What Character Traits Might Each of These People Have? How Do You Know?1 3 2

6. How can I tell for sure?
Writers most often use hints to show (not tell) things that reveal the personality of a character:
The character’s speech,
The character’s thoughts,
The effect the character has on others,
The character’s actions,
The physical “looks” of the character
STEAL

7. So, What Do I do? Read the text Fill out a STEAL chart
Look at all of the different aspects of the character and
Make a decision on what word BEST fits the personality of the character!
Speech
Thoughts
Actions
Effect on Others
Looks
Personality
For Example: clever, sneaky, heroic, rude, willful, sullen, generous, stubborn, obnoxious, helpful

8. Copy This Chart Into Your Binder (NOTES)
Speech
Thoughts
Effect on Others
Actions
Looks
Character Trait

9. What does the character say?
“STEAL”
“S” stands for SPEECH
What does the character say?
For Example:
“I’ll give you these pieces of gold for your hat and your cloak and your tattered old breaches.”

10. “STEAL” “T” stands for THOUGHTS. What does the character think?
For Example:
“As we walked, he pondered* how to save the widow’s sons.”
*thought

11. “STEAL” “E” stands for EFFECT ON OTHERS
How do other characters react around this character? How does he/she make them feel?
For Example:
“But at that moment a hundred men in green streamed into the square for Robin’s men had heard the blast of his horn.”

12. “STEAL” “A” stands for ACTIONS. What does the character do?
How does the character behave?
For Example:
Tricks the old man into giving him his clothes
Gets the sheriff to give him the hang-man job
He whispers his plan to the prisoners
He frees the widow’s sons.

13. “STEAL” “L” stands for LOOKS. What does the character look like?
How does the character dress?
For Example:
“He was dressed in the colors of green and brown.”
“A fine figure he made as he wandered down the lane towards Nottingham.”
“He tucked his arrows under his clothes and leaned upon it as a staff.”

14. Put It All Together Take all of the information we have collected.
Add it together like a puzzle and then decide which of the following character traits BEST describes Robin Hood.
clever sneaky heroic rude willful sullen generous stubborn obnoxious helpful

15. Speech Thoughts Effect on Others Actions Looks Character Trait
“I’ll give you these pieces of gold for your hat and your cloak and your tattered old breaches.”
Thoughts
“As we walked, he pondered* how to save the widow’s sons.”
Effect on Others
“But at that moment a hundred men in green streamed into the square for Robin’s men had heard the blast of his horn.”
Actions
Tricks the old man into giving him his clothes
Gets the sheriff to give him the hang-man job
He whispers his plan to the prisoners
He frees the widow’s sons.
Looks
“He was dressed in the colors of green and brown.”
“A fine figure he made as he wandered down the lane towards Nottingham.”
“He tucked his arrows under his clothes and leaned upon it as a staff.”
Character Trait