1. Writing to Discover What a Character Really Wants
Unit 2 – Argumentative Writing
Literary Essays

2. What the Character Wants
Make sure you have “Raymond’s Run”
Think…
What does Squeaky want?
What makes her act all tough, and prickly, and defensive?
My first thought…
Squeaky wants people to stop being jerks
Let’s go deeper….

3. Let’s Pause…
What does Squeaky really want, from other people and from life? Use the whole story to help you answer this.

4. Share your Thinking Ideas…
She is protective of her brother and she wants people to stop picking on him
She doesn’t want to be judged by others
She wants to coach Raymond
She wants to beat Gretchen
She wants to be the fastest runner
She doesn’t want George to be embarrassed by Raymond
She allows Raymond to act silly and doesn’t mind

5. Share your Thinking Ideas… She wants Raymond to learn how to run
She wants people to stop being jerks!
She wants to be friends with Gretchen

6. You’ve got it! You’ve got it! Now what…..
What people want on the surface isn’t usually what they want most of all!
What they usually want is….
A feeling
A new way of living
A new kind of relationship
Now what…..

7. You’ve got it!
With your partner take another idea about what motivates Squeaky and talk it through together.
Important thing…
Don’t just say the idea, GROW your thinking together
Push your thinking
If you’re stuck, reread and evolve your idea

8. Writing about Characters
How to Write a Literary Essay about Character
Reread selected bits
Notice details, think, talk, write to explore: “Why this detail?”
Think, “What does the character really want?” and write long
It can help to use thought prompts (Maybe….Perhaps….)
Think about the deep down, internal motivations
Once you have an idea and some evidence, reread again, reread more of the text, reread more closely, and expect your original idea will change

9. Writing Time
Return to your choice short story from the Literature book
Continue to reread, write details, and think about them
Think about character motivations
Fill at least 1 page of your composition book with entries