What's 811 Reading? discussion

Using one characterization strategy (words/thoughts/actions/appearance/ background/etc), identify something important you learned about a character in your independent reading book (motivation, trait, conflict, etc). In your topic sentence, state the text information, strategy used, and what you learned. Then, follow the standard reading response checklist.

For a “4”: Did I….
• Write a topic sentence that provided the title, author, and genre of my text?
• Provide context of what is happening in the text, so my reader understands what I’m talking about?
• Find a direct quote from the text that proves my idea?
• Thoroughly explain the significance of my quote/how it proves my idea?
• Check for correct punctuation and spelling?

In Seth Grahame-smith's historical fiction novel Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter characterization tool I chose was speech to find Henry was a great man with many choices. In this book Abe has been hunting Vampires every since he saw slaves being used as food, not work. Abe was trying to avenge his mother's death. Abe is about to be killed by his Mother killer, who is a vampire, but Henry Sturges, a mysterious person saves his life. Henry reveals himself to be a vampire and starts to train Abe. Abe keeps killing vampires, until his first love, Ann, dies. He focuses on politics. He becomes president and he marries Mary and has 3 children. Abraham is shot by John Wilkies Booth, a vampire, on April 15, 1865. The quote”… that some men are just too interesting to die” (336) is made by Henry. The reason why he made this quote was because he turned Abe into a vampire. That was Henry’s choice, to choose to let Abe die or let him live again. He chose to let him live again. That was very important for history; therefore the characterization tool I used was speech to help me find out Henry was a great man with an important choice.

One thing that I thought was important was that Kidd has been running away from his problems of both his past and future. Kidd has been living alone most of his life with no mother or father or anything that keeps him in the group home except therapy. He doesn't belong anywhere, not even at works, unless someone will give him a reason to stay or he finds it himself. "Kidd is running from his past and his future." This shows that there is something is bothering Kidd because of what happened to him and his family.

One important thing that I learned about my character Soda is that he is always happy and he smiles and he has a bright world. He also has an older brother named Darry and a younger brother named Ponyboy. Soda's real name is Sodapop but everyone just calls him Soda. Soda is sixteen years old going on seventeen. Soda is a handsome young fella people say that he is movie star handsome. Sodapop is in a gang with his brothers Darry and Ponyboy and some few other friends they call themselfs the greasers. Soda and his brothers are in the lower class the upper class also called the rich kids also caled the socs. Soda is always laughing and dosen't really care what happens in the real world. I also know that Soda droped out of school but his older brother Darry dosen't know that he only told his younger brother Ponyboy. Since Soda's parents died in a car accedent Darry the oldest has to take care of them. This shows that my character Soda has a sense of humor he likes to be happy and he is charming.

In Alison Pollet's realistic fiction novel, The Pity Party, the characterization strategy I used was actions. Cass, an 8th grade student, is an orphan that is willing to give respect to her new classmates in her new grade. However, Cass is dealing with so many problems that she starts to think the world is out to get here. Her parents are dead, her guy crush moved away, and other difficult experiences. Also, Cass was separated from her two best friends, Penelope and Tillie, who both are in the same class. Cass is a respectful, worrysome teenager because she gave respect to her new project group members even if they were a negative or positive students. She was willing to help students who had trouble with work problems or other support. However, Cass was a girl whi worries too much, also. She fears that if Penelope and Tillie isn't classmates with her, they would no longer be best friends because the limit of being and hanging out together. So, Cass is trying to find a solution to solve every issue she is having in her life

Heartbeat

In Sharon Creech's fiction book Heartbeat the characterization technique I used is words, I learned that Annie understand many rhythms of life and how she can fit in with them. Annie is a 12 year old girl who write poems about her life. Throughout her life she rhyme on some of the lines in the poem.
"touching down
thump-thump, thump-thump
here and there
there and here
in the soft damp grass" (1).
This stanza shows that Annie's writing her poem some lines end up to rhyme for example, here and there and there and here. Therefore, the characterization in this book is words.

In the realistic fiction novel Like A Tree Without Roots by Teresa Ann WIllis, an important thing I learned using the characterization strategy about the protagonist Jasmine is that she is very easily offended when it comes to her race which is African American. When Jasmine was insulted by some girl called her a black b**** her response to hearing that made her feel really insulted. "Black! The word "black!" knocked me upside the head. It kicked me in the stomach too and my insides began to pulsate with pain. I felt sick" (13). This quote from the book shows that when someone insults her by calling her black she gets really mad and upset.

In the fiction book Eyes of the Crow by Shane Peacock, a characterization strategy that I used was words and I learned that Sherlock Holmes is accused of murder.
Sherlock Holmes tries to solve the murder case of a young lady; however people are now thinking that he murder the young lady. Sherlock tried to defend himself with using a crow. On the night of the murder a crow saw everything. Sherlock can use that to help solve the case." Mother I can now solve this case" I think this proves that Sherlock isnt the one who killed the women. Sherlock didnt get accused anymore

In Shaquille o'Neal's non fiction autobiography, Shaq Uncut, one characterization strategy I used to identify something about my character is appearance. Shaq was raised in the projects of Newark, New Jersey and was a big boy. He was taller, large and much more tougher than most of his friends and classmates. He was made fun of for his height and size. When he was picked on he dismissed the case by beating up the kid who made fun of him. When playing basketball, he was clumsy and could not score very well. He stated, "I was getting frustrated that I couldn't use my size to my advantage and play well. Although I was a big man, I couldn't dunk either." This quote shows Shaq not being able to use his size to his advantage which was affecting his game. Also, he was fearful of his father because every time he scored a layup he would shout at him to dunk it instead next time. Therefore, a characterization strategy that is used to identify something important is appearance because Shaq's size and appearance was a major part of what helped him get to where he was several years ago.

I found out my character soda is a caring and gentle to ponyboy. I think that it is cool and kind of soda to look after his brother. I also like the fact that dado has been the funny piers on out of everyone and has set a good child experience for ponyboy.

In Katherine Paterson's realistic fiction book, "Bridge to Terabithia," an important thing I learn using the characterization strategy about the protagonist Jesse is that whenever he does something cruel, bad stuff happens back. Jesse was kicked out of the bus because he was accused when a girl fell on the bus floor. The girl said that Jesse tripped her and bus driver kicked him out. Jesse wanted to get her back by forging a note from the girl's crush saying that he likes her. But later in the book, the boy rejected her. When Jesse heard that her friend Leslie died, he knew that he did something wrong to deserve this. Jesse states, "It was all my fault! All my fault!" This quote shows that revenge is never the answer and it leads to consequences.

One thing that I thought was important was that Kidd has been running away from his problems of both his past and future. Kidd has been living alone most of his life with no mother or father or anything that keeps him in the group home except therapy. He doesn't belong anywhere, not even at works, unless someone will give him a reason to stay or he finds it himself. "Kidd is running from his past and his future." This shows that there is something is bothering Kidd because of what happened to him and his family.