As students read, a storyboard can serve as a helpful character reference log. This log (also called a character map) allows students to recall relevant information about important characters. When reading a novel, small attributes and details frequently become important as the plot progresses. With character mapping, students will record this information, helping them follow along and catch the subtleties which make reading more enjoyable!
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Student Instructions
Create a character map for the major characters.
Ask the students to list down all the main characters and side characters in the novel. This list will help them put everything into a frame.
Introduce the concept of Venn diagrams among students to find the common character traits among characters and draw a visual comparison as to how some characters are similar and different to each other in some ways.
Divide the students into different groups and assign them two or more characters on which they have to make the Venn diagram. After every group is done, they can briefly explain the similarities and differences among the assigned characters to the rest of the class.
After students are done the teacher can ask them to select a few decisions the characters took because they had similar characteristics.
Ask the students to reflect as to why certain character traits make people take certain decisions. The students will also be able to connect with the decision-making process of certain characters. Ask the students if they can relate to certain traits of the characters and if they have seen such real-life examples.
The main characters in the novel The Great Gatsby are Jay Gatsby, Daisy Buchanan, Nick Carraway, Tom Buchanan, and Jordan Baker.
At the start of the book, Daisy and Tom Buchanan are wed. Their relationship is strained throughout the novel due to Tom's infidelity and their contrasting social levels. Later on, Daisy’s involvement with Jay also causes great tension among the characters.
Jordan Baker is introduced as the best friend of Daisy Buchanan who is the love interest of Jay Gatsby and wife of Tom Buchanan. Jordan Baker is also the love interest of Nick Carraway. She develops a romantic relationship with Nick Carraway, and her cynicism and dishonesty give her character depth.
Throughout the course of the book, a number of characters experience profound changes. The decisions Daisy makes have a significant impact on her relationships, while Gatsby's fixation with Daisy drives him to construct an opulent façade. As he gets more involved in their lives, Nick's opinions about the characters gradually change.