In this activity, students can display the characters in the story, paying close attention to the physical characteristics and character traits of both major and minor characters. Students should also provide detailed information regarding the challenges the character faces, the challenges the character imposes, and the impact the minor characters have on the main character.
Characters included in the example character map are:
(These instructions are completely customizable. After clicking "Copy Activity", update the instructions on the Edit Tab of the assignment.)
Student Instructions
Create a character map for the major characters.
Students should list down all the characters from the novel first. This will help them keep track of all the important information later on.
Ask the students to roughly estimate how many times a character appeared in the story. They can also analyze how much of the story is focused on that character. For instance, in Maniac Magee most of the story is based on the experiences and struggles of Jeffrey Magee.
Analyze the connection of all the other characters with the main character, In this analysis students can include the relationship of these characters with the main character, the impact of their appearance and actions, etc.
Students can also analyze the importance of a character due to their offstage influence. This means that they are impacting the story even if they were not present in that particular scene.
After gathering all the information students can write a short analysis on all the characters based on the steps above. This will help them put their thoughts and perspective on a page.
Maniac Magee (Jeffrey Lionel Magee), Amanda Beale, Mars Bar Thompson, Grayson, the Beale family, Russell McNab, and the Cobras gang members are the primary characters that need to be represented on the character map.
Draw lines between the characters to show their connections. To represent the type of relationships, such as friendship, family, or rivalry, use various line styles or colors.
Secondary characters can provide readers with a more complete understanding of the plot. Place them next to the primary characters they interact with to indicate their importance and use symbols or distinct colors to indicate their difference.
By connecting characters from various ethnic origins and using annotations to highlight how these tensions affect their relationships and behavior, you may examine the effects of racial tensions.