MYTHICAL BEASTIES
Type of Mythical Beast:Select a mythological creature as a basis. You may alter or combine traits, as you wish.
Historical/Legendary Background:Use or another site to find some background information on your chosen creature(s).
Original Name and Reason(s) for Selecting: For instance, Dobby is the name of house elf in later Potter books, while Buckbeak is the name of a hippogriff. You might try to match the name to the character, as Rowling does with most of her characters. For instance, Professor Vector teaches Arithmancy, a branch of mathematics, while Professor Sprout teaches Herbology, the study of plants. Or you might go for something humorous, as she does with the three-headed dog named Fluffy.
Archetypal Role and Purpose in Novel:
What archetype would this character fulfill? Would it be a Sidekick? Mentor? Villain? Shadow?
Would the character like/admire/help Harry? Explain/provide details. For instance, would it help Harry and his friends escape from a difficult situation? Or solve a riddle? Or show the way to a desired goal? Try to keep some of the historical/legendary background information in mind when making decisions about this (as Rowling does in her series). For instance, a vampire is traditionally not a positive figure, although the Anne Rice's novels and the Twilight series have modernized vampires and made them much more appealing than they used to be.
Or would the character fight/oppose/dislike Harry? Explain/provide details. For instance, would the character kidnap one of Harry's friends to lure Harry into a trap? Or try to poison him? Or pretend to be friendly so that it could actually find out information for the Dark Lord? Try to keep some of the historical/legendary background information in mind when making decisions about this (as Rowling does in her series, see above.)
Character Sketch: Describe(in words) the character's personality. Consider the elements of characterization, including how the character speaks (if it does), how it acts, how others feel about it, how it feels about others, etc. Questions to consider: What role would the character play in the story? Would it be a teacher? An enemy? A butcher, baker, candlestick maker?
Illustration: Find or sketch a picture of the character. Modify a found picture as you see fit. (Does it need a hat and gloves? A horn sprouting from the top of its head?)
Mini-Poster: Finally, compose/arrange everything neatly, visibly, and legibly on the blank template (on my Handouts page). Class will vote on several categories. Winners will receive an extra credit quiz grade of 100.
Grading: The mini-poster counts as a double Quiz grade. In addition, you will be required to use this character in an original piece of “fan fiction,” which will count as an Essay/Test grade.