Character Traits. You will be able to: 1.Define character. 2.Describe what characters can do. 3.Define Character trait 4.Infer character traits from text

Character TraitsCharacter Traits

You will be able to:You will be able to:

1.1. Define character.Define character.

2.2. Describe what characters can do.Describe what characters can do.

3.3. Define Character traitDefine Character trait

4.4. Infer character traits from text you Infer character traits from text you readread..

What is a character?What is a character?

A A charactercharacter is a person or is a person or animal in a story.animal in a story.

What can characters do?What can characters do?

Feel thingsFeel thingsSay thingsSay thingsThink thingsThink thingsGo placesGo places

CharactersCharacters ………… Characters can walk.Characters can walk. Characters can talk.Characters can talk. Characters can jump.Characters can jump. Characters can sit and rock in a Characters can sit and rock in a

rocking chair.rocking chair. Characters can lie in bed.Characters can lie in bed. Characters can dream.Characters can dream.

RememberRemember

Characters act!!!!Characters act!!!!

Character ActionsCharacter Actions

Character actions show us what Character actions show us what kind of people the characters kind of people the characters are: curious, sad, greedy, love are: curious, sad, greedy, love struck, or confused.struck, or confused.

What is a character What is a character trait?trait?


Descriptive adjectivesDescriptive adjectives that that tell us the specific qualities of tell us the specific qualities of the characterthe character


Same kinds of words that we might Same kinds of words that we might use to describe ourselves or othersuse to describe ourselves or others

But we are using them to describe But we are using them to describe characters in something we have characters in something we have read.read.

How do you find character traits?How do you find character traits?

The author may tell us these traits directly.The author may tell us these traits directly.

““Maniac was blind…….he couldn’t see that Maniac was blind…….he couldn’t see that Mars Bar disliked him, maybe even hated Mars Bar disliked him, maybe even hated him.”him.”

Maniac Magee p. 57Maniac Magee p. 57


Often an author will show us these Often an author will show us these traits in action.traits in action.

Our job as readers is to draw a Our job as readers is to draw a conclusion (to infer them) about the conclusion (to infer them) about the character’s traits from what the character’s traits from what the character says, thinks, or does.character says, thinks, or does.


We might infer a character trait We might infer a character trait from something a character from something a character does only once.does only once.

We might draw a conclusion We might draw a conclusion from a series of things a from a series of things a character says and does.character says and does.

Name the character traits:Name the character traits:

There wasn’t an eleven year old in the East End who There wasn’t an eleven year old in the East End who could stand up to Mars Bar’s glare. In the West End could stand up to Mars Bar’s glare. In the West End even high-schoolers were know to crumble under even high-schoolers were know to crumble under the glare. To old ladies on both sides of Hector the glare. To old ladies on both sides of Hector Street, it was all but fatal. And when Mars Bar Street, it was all but fatal. And when Mars Bar stepped off a curb and combined the glare with his stepped off a curb and combined the glare with his super-slow-dip-stride slumpshuffle, well, it was said super-slow-dip-stride slumpshuffle, well, it was said he could back up traffic all the way to Bridgeport he could back up traffic all the way to Bridgeport while he took ten minutes to cross the street.while he took ten minutes to cross the street.


What are Mars Bar’s What are Mars Bar’s character traits?character traits?


He played with the little ones and read them He played with the little ones and read them stories and taught them things. He took Bow stories and taught them things. He took Bow Wow out for runs and he did the dishes Wow out for runs and he did the dishes without anybody asking. He carried out the without anybody asking. He carried out the trash, mowed the grass, cleaned up his own trash, mowed the grass, cleaned up his own spills, turned out lights, put the cap back on spills, turned out lights, put the cap back on the toothpaste tube, flushed the toilet, and the toothpaste tube, flushed the toilet, and ……kept his room neat.……kept his room neat.

Maniac Magee p. Maniac Magee p. 45-4645-46

What are Maniac Magee’s What are Maniac Magee’s character traits?character traits?


“ “ You got it all wrong buster….You You got it all wrong buster….You do notdo not have a choice. I have a choice. I am not am not askingasking you. I’m you. I’m tellingtelling you. You are coming home you. You are coming home with me, and you are going to sleep in with me, and you are going to sleep in mymy room, which is room, which is going to be going to be youryour room—and i don’t care if you sleep on the room—and i don’t care if you sleep on the floor or the windowsill or what—but you are going to sleep floor or the windowsill or what—but you are going to sleep therethere and not and not herehere. And you are going to sleep there . And you are going to sleep there tonight and tonight and tomorrowtomorrow night and the night after night and the night after thatthat and the and the night after night after thatthat and and everyevery night, expect maybe once in a night, expect maybe once in a while if you decide to sleep at Snicker’s house, if he ever while if you decide to sleep at Snicker’s house, if he ever asks you again. asks you again. ThisThis is is notnot your your homehome! Now ! Now movemove!”!”


What are Amanda Beale’s What are Amanda Beale’s character traits?character traits?

Examples of character traits?Examples of character traits?

BossyBossy DeterminedDetermined OrganizedOrganized DependableDependable

SelfishSelfish StubbornStubborn FriendlyFriendly CourageousCourageous

GenerousGenerous TrustingTrusting PatientPatient KindKind

HelpfulHelpful Quick-Quick-

TemperedTempered

PolitePolite timidtimid

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Character Traits. You will be able to: 1.Define character. 2.Describe what characters can do. 3.Define Character trait 4.Infer character traits from text