Analyzing Characters: Modes & Responses
How Characters Are Shown
Lesson duration is: 10 minItems in this lesson
How Characters Are Shown
Open the lesson by linking to familiar story reading: readers learn about a character from more than one mode, not only from what the narrator tells us directly.
Our learning goal
I can identify how characters are developed through different modes and how they invite positive and negative responses.
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What clues help you understand a character?
Use this to activate prior knowledge before the lesson content. Likely responses include words such as actions, words, looks, feelings, behaviour and choices.
What is a character trait?
A character trait is part of a character’s personality.
It can describe how a character thinks, acts or feels.
Traits can be positive or negative.
We often work out traits by noticing what a character says and does.
Keep the definition simple and concrete. If helpful, remind pupils that a trait is something that keeps showing up, not just a one-off action.
You are an investigator!
To decide on a trait, look for evidence in the text.
Ask:
What does the character say?
What does the character do?
What does this show about them?
This slide sets up the method used throughout the lesson: evidence first, then trait. Avoid drifting into guessing without text support.
Does this show ‘mean’ behavior?
Thumbs up for yes/thumbs down for no
Mr Twit cut the strings holding Mrs Twit’s ankles to the iron ring, so she shot up into the sky.
Use this as a model of linking an action to a trait. Emphasise that the judgement comes from what the character does.
Does this show ‘mean’?
Mr Twit called Mrs Twit, ‘my angel’.
A single phrase can sound kind, so readers need to look at the wider pattern of words and actions.
Useful moment to show that not every sentence reveals the same trait. Context matters.
Does this show ‘mean’?
Mr Twit said, ‘At last the old hag is lost and gone forever.’
Highlight that speech is another mode of characterisation. The insult and his reaction both matter.
Useful trait words
Some trait words we can use are:
tricky
cruel
rude
uncaring
generous
kind
brave
Briefly clarify any unfamiliar vocabulary with a quick oral example before moving on to the Twits.
Building Mr Twit’s character
Readers learn about Mr Twit through:
what he does
what he says
how he treats other people
the pattern of his behaviour
Do not add new evidence beyond the lesson materials. Keep returning to the idea of patterns rather than isolated details.
Mr Twit: mean
One clear trait for Mr Twit is mean.
Evidence:
he plays nasty tricks on his wife
he cuts the string on the balloons
he calls her names such as ‘old hag’ and ‘old goat’
His words and actions match the same trait.
Model how to record a trait and then attach multiple examples to it.
Mr Twit: uncaring or tricky
Another trait can come from the same evidence.
Mr Twit can be described as:
uncaring because he does not care about his wife’s feelings
tricky because he plays cruel tricks to fool or upset her
Readers choose the trait that best matches the evidence.
This is a good place to show that evidence can support more than one plausible trait word, as long as the explanation fits.
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Complex sentence -
Although Mr Twit had a long, messy beard, he happily stroked it while thinking of another cheeky trick to play on Mrs Twit.
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Building Mrs Twit’s character
We can also describe Mrs Twit by using clues from:
how she looks
what she does
what she says
Character development can come through more than one mode.
Keep the focus on the three modes named in the plan: looks, actions and speech.
Looking for Mrs Twit’s traits
When identifying a trait for Mrs Twit:
choose a trait word
find an example from the character profile
explain how the example matches the trait
A strong answer always links trait + evidence + explanation.
This slide converts the modelling into a repeatable structure pupils can use independently.
How characters invite responses
Readers may respond positively or negatively to a character.
A positive response happens when a character’s behaviour makes us feel good.
A negative response happens when a character’s behaviour upsets or disappoints us.
Use the exact language of positive and negative response consistently from here onward.
Why readers react to Mr Twit
Mr Twit often invites a negative response.
Readers may dislike him because he is:
mean
uncaring
tricky
These traits are shown by the way he speaks and behaves.
Keep the response tied to evidence, not to vague opinion. The trait words explain the feeling.
Explaining a response in writing
A written response can follow this pattern:
I feel ______ about this character because they are ______.
Then add examples from the text to prove the idea.
You may orally model the sentence: 'I don’t like Mr Twit, because he is an uncaring character.' Then add evidence from the profile.
Example response about Mr Twit
I don’t like Mr Twit because he is an uncaring character. He is mean to his wife and calls her an old goat. These details give me a negative response to him.
Read it aloud as a complete model. Point out feeling, trait and evidence.
From character clues to response
Characters are developed through different modes:
looks
speech
actions
Readers use these clues to identify traits and explain why a character invites a positive or negative response.
This is the landing slide for the lesson arc: modes of characterisation lead to traits, and traits shape reader response.
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