Characterization

How do we define character?

• Descriptions
• physical
• personality
• Interactions with others
• Influence on others
• Points of view
• values
• beliefs
• how they see the world
• How they speak
• tone
• speech patterns
• body language
• language they use
• What others think
• Back story
• childhood
• explanations for their current state
• Actions

In class we read the original Grimm Brothers version of "Cinderella" which you can find here.

To write about characterization in the story, you chose a character then selected three details about then.  In a paragraph you explained each detail then reached a conclusion about the character.

Character Presentations

You're such a character!

Today we'll start our exploration of the concept of characterization - and we'll do it with a creative activity!

Start by brainstorming a list of your favorite characters from movies, books, legends - whatever.

Choose one to work with today.

Then, head over to Google and sign in.

Go to "documents" or "drive" - listed in the toolbar on the top of the page.

On the left hand side of the page, click "create" and pull down to "presentation."

You will be creating a power-point style presentation about your chosen character.  The functions here are all pretty straightforward - the toolbar will help you create your slides.

Start browsing the internet - you are looking for quotations and pictures associated with your character to use in your slideshow.

Part of the fun here is to choose pictures that reveal aspects of your character without specifically showing or naming her/him.  The same goes for quotations.  Choose things they said, or were said about them, but try to avoid making it too obvious.

The idea is we'll all view these presentations and try to guess who the character is, based on the quotations (language) and images you assemble.

So, when you are done (10 or so slides?) you will "share" your document.  How?  On the upper right-hand corner you'll see a "share" button - click it.  The default setting is "private" - click on that and change it to "anyone who has this link."  Then, copy the URL at the top of the window and paste it into an e-mail to me.

I'll collect all of these, post them onto the blog, and we'll all be able to check them all out.

Enjoy!

Analyzing the tone of President Obama's speech

Last night President Obama delivered a speech accepting the Democratic nomination.

Your task today is to analyze the tone of the speech using some of the words we've been working with in class.  You can find copies of those words under the "class handouts" tab.

Start by reading these excerpts from the speech.  While reading, keep track of some of the different types of tone you detect in the speech.

When you are finished you will write an analysis of the speech's tone.

Start with an assertion - a thesis - about the speech, naming three words to describe what you see as the speech's tone.  For example, you might say, "President Obama's speech was sarcastic, clinical, and bombastic."

Then, continue your writing by using examples (quotations) from the speech to support the three words in your assertion.  Be sure to explain which words in the speech link to the tone you are asserting.  This is the analysis of your evidence that will help to prove your point.

You should write all of this in a new document - be sure to save frequently!  Print it out when you are finished and I'll collect them by the end of the period.

The Books Are Here!

I'm excited to announce that the book for our class has finally arrived! It is called AP* English Bound and is now available in the DHS bookstore for $30.  Please get a copy soon - we will start using it next week.