Analyzing Characters

Name

Analyzing characters

AHappyHero

Tobetterunderstandacharacter,areaderneeds tocarefullystudy,oranalyze,acharacter’straits,personality,motivations,relationships,andstrengthsandweaknesses.

Oneday,LindsayandEricaweresittingatLindsay’shouseworkingverydiligently.Fourthgradewastough,andtheywereworkingonascienceprojectaboutweather.LindsaywasahardworkerlikeErica,sothetwogirlswerehappytohaveeachotheras partners.TheywerecurrentlywritingaboutrainandwereamazedtolearnthatHawaii istheworld’swettestplace.LindsayfoundthatMountWaialeale,ontheislandofKauai,getsabout460inchesofrainayear!In1982,MountWaialealesetanall-timeworld recordwhenitreceived666inchesofrain.Thegirlsknewthattheirclassmateswouldfindallthesefactsinteresting.

Thegirlswereenjoyingthefunfactstheywerefindingwhenallofasudden,LindsaysawErica choking.Ericahadbeenchewing

onapencapandhadaccidentallyswallowedit!Ericastartedpointingtoherneck.Lindsayaskedherifshewaschoking.WhenEricanodded

tosayyes,LindsayquicklystoodupanddidtheHeimlichmaneuvertotrytohelpEricastopchoking.(TheHeimlichmaneuverisawaytosavesomeonefromchoking.Thismethodisnamedafterthedoctorwhoinventedit,HenryHeimlich.)

Lindsaywasafraidofhurtingherfriend,sothefirsttimeshetriedtheHeimlich maneuver,shedidnotdoitveryhard.Shetriedasecondtime,andnothinghappened.Aftertryingitathirdtime,thepencapflewoutofErica’smouth!

EricawasverygratefultoLindsay.Shehadbeenterrifiedwhensherealizedshehadswallowedthepencapandcouldnotbreathe.Lindsaywasverybravetotrytosaveherfriend.Thiswasonescienceprojectthatbothgirlswouldneverforget!

Name

Analyzingcharacters/

reviewingskills

1.CircleeachwordthatdescribesLindsay.

hardworkerboringbravefast-thinkingquick-acting selfish timid lazy

2.CircleeachwordthattellshowEricamighthavebeenfeelingwhensherealizedshewaschoking.

scared / thankful / enthusiastic / helpless
courageous / sick / alarmed / friendly

3.WhatdoyouthinkLindsaymightbewhenshegrowsup?

4.WriteLforLindsay,EforErica,orBforboth.

goodstudentsfrightenedpersistent

courageous

grateful

appreciative

5.Whatisthenameofthedoctorwhoinventedthelifesavingmaneuver?

6.What is the name of the wettestplace in the world?

7.CircletheaverageamountofrainMountWaialealereceivedeachdayin1982.almost3” justunder2” justover4” about1”

8.Whydoyouthinkthisprojectwillbeoneneithergirlwilleverforget?

Chooseacharacterfromabook.Onanothersheetofpaper,makealistoftenwordsthatdescribethischaracter.

Name

Analyzing characters

ANewTeamforJuan

Juanwasangry!Hismomhadsignedhimuplateforbaseball,andnowhewasnotonhisoldteam.HewouldnotgettoplaywithTyler,Joe,andBrad.Theyhadplayedtogetherforfouryears!AndtheyalllovedCoachDave—hewasoneofthebestcoachesintheleague.Juanwasnotevensureifhewantedtoplayatall.Hejustknewitwouldnotbeanyfun.

Atthefirstpractice,Juanwalkedslowlytothefield.Hesawoneguypitchingandonehitting.Theguyhittingstruckout.“Great!”thoughtJuan.“Iwillbeonateamwithnohitters!”Juancontinuedontothefield.Hesawsomeguysplayingcatch.Oneguymissedaneasyball.“Perfect!”thoughtJuan.“Iwillalsohavetoteachthemhowtocatch!”

JuanthoughtaboutcallingitquitswhenhesuddenlyrealizedthatEric,afriendfromschool,wasontheteam.Ericwasagreatpitcher!“Well,maybeIwillstayforabit,”Juansaidtohimself.

Juanstartedlookingaroundsomemore.Herecognizedtwootherkidshehadwatchedwhenhehadbeenontheotherteam.Onewasafastrunner,andonenevermissedapopfly.“Hey!Thisteammightbeokayafterall!”thoughtJuan.

EricwasexcitedtoseeJuan.“Hey,Juan!I’mgladyouareonourteam.Weare goingtohaveagreatteam.Doyouknowwhoourcoachis?”

JuanwassurethecoachwouldnotbeasgoodasCoachDave,butEricwasexcited.“So, whois the coach,Eric?” Juan asked,somewhat indifferently.

“It’sHomeRunHarvey!”Ericrepliedexcitedly.

“HomeRunHarvey!”exclaimedJuan.“TheoneandonlyHomeRunHarveyfromtheuniversityteam?”

“Thatisright,”saidEric.“Hislittlebrotherisonourteam,andhewantstocoach.”JuancouldnotbelievehowluckyhewastogetonHomeRunHarvey’steam!

“Sowhoishisbrother?”Juanasked.

“Timisoverthere,”saidEric,pointingtotheguywhohadnotcaughtwhatJuanhadcalledan“easyball.”

JuanfeltbadlyforthinkingnegativelyaboutTim’smissedcatch.Everyonemissesaballnowandthen.Juancouldnotwaittotellhisfriendsabouthisnewteamandcoach!

Analyzingcharacters/

reviewingskills

1.CheckhowJuanfeltineachsituation.

Hecouldnotplaybaseballwithhisfriends.Heseesaplayeronhisnewteamstrikeout.Heseeshisfriend,Eric.

HelearnsHomeRunHarveyisthecoach.

2.WhywasJuanangrythathecouldnotplayonhisoldteam?

3.UnderlinewhenJuanfirststartedfeelingmorepositiveaboutthenewteam.whenhesawaplayerwhowasafastrunner

whenhesawaplayerwhonevermissedapopflywhenhesawEric

4.Why doyouthinkJuanfeltbadly aboutwhathethoughtwhenhe sawTimmiss

acatch?

5.CirclethewordsthatdescribeJuanattheendofthestory.

angryscaredexcitedpessimisticremorsefultimid

6.Circlethemainideaofthestory.

Juan’smommadeaterriblemistake,andnowJuanhadtosuffer.

WhatJuanthoughtwasgoingtobeanegativeexperiencesoonlookedlikeitcouldbeapositiveone.

Juanisgoingtogetawesomecoachingfromaverytalentedballplayer.

7.WhatkindofseasondoyouthinkJuan’steamwillhave?

Choosethreecharactersfromabook.Onanothersheetofpaper,writetwodifferentwordstodescribeeachcharacter.