Poor Leroy: The Blurry Line Between Indirect and Direct Characterization

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1 Common Core Standards Concept: Character Development and Close Text Analysis Primary Subject Area: English Secondary Subject Areas: -- Common Core Standards Addressed: Grades 9-10 Grades Key Ideas and Details Key Ideas and Details o Determine a theme or central idea of a text and o Analyze the impact of the author s choices analyze in detail its development over the course regarding how to develop and relate elements of of the text, including how it emerges and is a story or drama (e.g. where a story is set, how shaped and refined by specific details; provide an the action is ordered, how the characters are objective summary of the text. introduced and developed). o Analyze how complex characters (e.g. those with multiple or conflicting motivations) develop over the course of a text, interact with other characters, and advance the plot or develop the theme. Craft and Structure Craft and Structure o Analyze how an author s choices concerning how to structure a text, order events within it (e.g. parallel plots), and manipulate time (e.g. pacing, flashbacks) create such effects as mystery, tension, or surprise. o Analyze how an author s choices concerning how to structure specific parts of a text (e.g. the choice of where to begin or end a story, the choice to provide a comedic or traffic resolution) contribute to its overall structure and meaning as well as its aesthetic impact. Vocabulary Acquisition and Use Vocabulary Acquisition and Use o Acquire and use accurately general academic and domain-specific words and phrases, sufficient for reading, writing, speaking, and listening at the college and career readiness level; demonstrate independence in gathering vocabulary knowledge when considering a word or phrase important to comprehension or expression. o Acquire and use accurately general academic and domain-specific words and phrases, sufficient for reading, writing, speaking, and listening at the college and career readiness level; demonstrate independence in gathering vocabulary knowledge when considering a word or phrase important to comprehension or expression. Fun With Problems Lesson 2: Common Core Standards 1

2 Lesson Plan Overview: This lesson asks students to form and argue an understanding of authorial intent through close text analysis, assessment of narrative voice, and character development. Materials: Copies of Fun With Problems Narrative Voice and Characterization Worksheet Characterizing Leroy Worksheet Blackboard/Dry-erase board Chalk/Dry-erase markers Fun With Problems Lesson 2: Lesson Plan 2

3 Lesson Plan Objectives: Other Resources: Powerpoint on Indirect and Direct Students will be able to: Characterization - Distinguish between direct and indirect characterization and identify examples of each. - Discuss the development of Leroy in From the Lowlands while demonstrating an understanding of characterization - Utilize close text analysis to support a proposed hypothesis on Stone s intended reader reaction to Leroy and the conclusion of From the Lowlands Warm- Up Activity: Ask students to complete the Narrative Voice and Characterization worksheet. After they have filled in their thoughts, start a discussion about how the narrator of From the Lowlands compares to the narrator of Emma. Keep a chart of Similarities and Differences on the board. Short Lecture & Partner Activities: Continue the discussion, if necessary, about the narrator of From the Lowlands. - Does s/he seem judgmental of Leroy? - Does s/he seem supportive? - How would you characterize the narrative voice of this short story? Have the students take 5 or 10 minutes in groups to answer these questions, making sure they write down some text references to support their ideas. From here, have the students partner up to complete the Characterizing Leroy worksheet, making sure they stop before answering the final query (under Further Directions ).* After the class has had time to complete the Characterizing Leroy worksheet, bring them back together to discuss their findings. What kind of man is Leroy? According directly to the narrator? According to indirect Fun With Problems Lesson 2: Lesson Plan 3

4 Lesson Plan characterization? How is this distinction between direct and indirect characterization valuable? Or, if students do not think the distinction particularly matters, have them explain why. To bring the discussion back around to Stone s intent: Ask students to individually respond - - having discussed the characterization of Leroy already - - to the final question on the handout. Give the students time to answer and discuss. *If students need further clarification of the difference between indirect and direct characterization, play the PowerPoint provided in the supplemental materials chart while they complete the worksheet, and remind them that the warm- up worksheet also has definitions and examples now. Discussion Wrap-Up: Have students reassess their responses to the final question on the Characterizing Leroy worksheet now that they have had time to discuss their ideas with the class. Ask them to write down 2-3 qualifying sentences about how the characterization of Leroy may have lent to their response. Writing Activities/Evaluations: Analytical: How does Leroy view himself? How do others view Leroy? In one to two paragraphs, respond to these questions, using examples of indirect and direct characterization from From the Lowlands. Creative: Write an introductory paragraph about a character of your choosing. This person can be real or imagined, but make sure to employ both indirect and direct characterization. After writing your paragraph, go back and underline the examples of indirect characterization with a red ink, and the examples of direct characterization with blue ink. Fun With Problems Lesson 2: Lesson Plan 4

5 Discussion & Comprehension Questions What is From the Lowlands ultimately about? Are we, as readers, supposed to judge Leroy as deserving or undeserving of his demise? Does Stone give a clue as to his opinion within the text? What do you make of Leroy s interaction with the child? What do you make of him simply leaving instead of offering to pay for the candy? What is the significance of Leroy hearing Dongo singing in his last moments of life? Do you ever feel sorry for Leroy? At what point(s)? Why or why not? Do you think that Leroy is paranoid? (Overly paranoid? Rightfully paranoid?) Find two or three examples of his thinking that someone is out to get him. Is he justified in this thinking? Fun With Problems Lesson 2: Discussion & Comprehension Questions 5

6 Key Vocabulary Word: irascible (105) tentative (107) Definition: (adj) 1. easily provoked to anger; very irritable 2. characterized or produced by anger (adj) 1. of the nature of or made or done as a trial, experiment, or attempt; experimental 2. unsure; uncertain; not definite or positive; hesitant ingratiating (107) (adj) 1. charming; agreeable; pleasing. 2. deliberately meant to gain favor swinish (110) azimuth (110) impinged (112) (adj) 1. like or befitting swine; hoggish 2. brutishly coarse, gross, or sensual (n) the arc of the horizon measured clockwise from the south point, in astronomy, or from the north point, in navigation, to the point where a vertical circle through a given heavenly body intersects the horizon (v) 1. to make an impression; have an effect or impact (usually followed by on or upon) 2. to encroach; infringe (usually followed by on or upon) 3. to strike; dash; collide (usually followed by on, upon, or against) legato (121) (adj, adv) smooth and connected; without breaks between the successive tones. Fun With Problems Lesson 2: Key Vocabulary 6

7 Text References (Page 101) Leroy traveled east into the high country pursued by little sense of sin. He had made a lot of money being no worse than anyone else in the San Francisco Peninsula data business and in his way contributing a lot. (Page 102) He was as fun-loving as anyone, though he liked practical jokes most. He loved what had once been called the put-on, in his own definition of it. For example, on his BMW there was a bumper sticker that read: LOST YOUR CAT? CHECK MY TREDS. (Page 104) Leroy never knew quite why he called Paul Dongo. There was just something Dongo-like about the guy. Poor Dongo hadn t liked the name much from the first day, although he had never said, Don t call me Dongo. Probably, Leroy thought, he sensed where the power was. (Page 109) This woman, Leroy knew well enough, was really named Salikan, after the river. The idiotic name dated her pretty well, he thought, and he wondered how she lived with this embarrassment. Salikan, a dog s name. (Page 113) Leroy s canyon home was the newest and biggest house on the river. Somebody s had to be. (Page 119) I can and will make life sweet, Leroy said aloud. As frightening as losers are, he thought, I am more. I have the high ground. (Page 122) All at once from somewhere in the canyon he heard a voice, one he thought he remembered. He called to it for help with all the breath he could summon until he realized the voice was singing. I m drowning in the lowland, low land low. The song was one he knew. It was the voice of Dongo. Dongo singing a song in the canyon. Fun With Problems Lesson 2: Text References 7

8 Title Field: Class Handout Name: How to Judge a Narrator: Narrative Voice and Subsequent Characterization Directions: Below are excerpts from the first chapter of Jane Austen s Emma. Read through the excerpts and use the provided space to write in your thoughts on the narrator. Is he or she on Emma s side? Why do you think this? What further observations did you make about diction/tone/etc.? Next, read the definitions of indirect and direct characterization, and give examples of each from the Emma excerpts. Excerpts: Narrator s Voice: Emma Woodhouse, handsome, clever, and rich, with a comfortable home and happy disposition, seemed to unite some of the best blessings of existence; and had lived nearly twenty-one years in the world with very little to distress or vex her. She was the youngest of the two daughters of a most affectionate, indulgent father, and had, in consequence of her sister's marriage, been mistress of his house from a very early period. Her mother had died too long ago for her to have more than an indistinct remembrance of her caresses, and her place had been supplied by an excellent woman as governess, who had fallen little short of a mother in affection. Sixteen years had Miss Taylor been in Mr. Woodhouse's family, less as a governess than a friend, very fond of both daughters, but particularly of Emma. Between them it was more the intimacy of sisters. Even before Miss Taylor had ceased to hold the nominal office of governess, the mildness of her temper had hardly allowed her to impose any restraint; and the shadow of authority being now long passed away, they had been living together as friend and friend very mutually attached, and Emma doing just what she liked; highly esteeming Miss Taylor's judgment, but directed chiefly by her own. The real evils indeed of Emma's situation were the power of having rather too much her own way, and a disposition to think a little too well of herself; these were the disadvantages which threatened alloy to her many enjoyments. The danger, however, was at present so unperceived, that they did not by any means rank as misfortunes with her. Conversation between Emma and her father: "Poor Miss Taylor! I wish she were here again. What a pity it is that Mr. Weston ever thought of her!" "I cannot agree with you, papa; you know I cannot. Mr. Weston is such a good-humoured, pleasant, excellent man, that he thoroughly deserves a good wife; and you would not have had Miss Taylor live with us for ever and bear all my odd humours, when she might have a house of her own?" "A house of her own! but where is the advantage of a house of her own? This is three times as large. And you have never any odd humours, my dear." "How often we shall be going to see them, and they coming to see us! We shall be always meeting! We must begin, we must go and pay wedding-visit very soon." "My dear, how am I to get so far? Randalls is such a distance. I could not walk half so far." "No, papa, nobody thought of your walking. We must go in the carriage to be sure." "The carriage! But James will not like to put the horses to for such a little way; and where are the poor horses to be while we are paying our visit?" "They are to be put into Mr. Weston's stable, papa. You know we have settled all that already. We talked it all over with Mr. Weston last night. And as for James, you may be very sure he will always like going to Randalls, because of his daughter's being housemaid there. I only doubt whether he will ever take us anywhere else. That, was your doing, papa. You got Hannah that good place. Nobody thought of Hannah till you mentioned her James is so obliged to you!" Fun With Problems Lesson 2: Class Handout

9 Title Field: Class Handout Name: Thoughts on the narrator: Definitions of :* Indirect Characterization: the writer reveals information about a character and his personality through that character's thoughts, words, and actions, along with how other characters respond to that character, including what they think and say about him. Direct Characterization: the writer makes direct statements about a character's personality and tells what the character is like. * An alert writer might recognize that the two methods of characterization fall under the decision to show or to tell. Indirect characterization shows the reader. Direct characterization tells the reader. Examples of Indirect Characterization in Emma: And you have never any odd humours, my dear. Examples of Direct Characterization in Emma: She was the youngest of the two daughters of a most affectionate, indulgent father, and had, in consequence of her sister's marriage, been mistress of his house from a very early period. Fun With Problems Lesson 2: Class Handout

10 Title Field: Class Handout Name: How We Should Feel: Characterizing Leroy Directions: With a partner, find examples of both direct and indirect characterization of Leroy in From the Lowlands. After going through your examples, discuss with your partner the type of man you consider Leroy to be. Write your own brief description of him at the bottom of the page. Examples of Indirect Characterization of Leroy (provide page number): Examples of Direct Characterization of Leroy (provide page number): Brief description of Leroy, in your own words: Fun With Problems Lesson 2: Class Handout

11 Title Field: Class Handout Name: Further directions: After discussing your examples with the class, respond to the following query: It may be argued that Leroy deserved his fate, given the nature of his character. Do you think this is true? Why or why not? Do you think Leroy accepts his fate? Why or why not? Respond in 2-3 paragraphs, and use the text to support your conclusions. Fun With Problems Lesson 2: Class Handout

12 Supplementary Materials Chart Category of Resource Webpage Webpage Description of Resource Definitions of direct and indirect characterization; useful tips for recognizing the difference Potential Educational Uses of Resource Providing help to students who do not understand the difference between the two types of characterization Jane Austen s Emma online Other examples of narrative voice and characterization Link to Resource or.com/guests/characte rization.html m/emma/ch1.htm Powerpoint Powerpoint giving examples of direct and indirect characterization Further help in establishing the difference between direct and indirect characterization /indirect-vs-directcharacterization/indirec t-vs-directcharacterization-tutorial Photo Gallery Articles Video Fun With Problems Lesson 2: Supplementary Materials Chart