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. With character mapping, it’s easy for students to follow along and catch the subtleties which make reading more enriching.
For The Sunflower have students not only track characters based of of Wiesenthal’s description but also track their initial reaction or response to Simon's question. In the last box have students explain the reason they believe each character responded the way they did. They can use opinion or evidence from the text.
Clicking "Use This Assignment" will copy both the example above as well as a blank template for you to customize as desired. You may want students to start from scratch, or provide them with the questions and characters! Use it as is, or edit it for the level of your class. Printing it as worksheets, for your students to complete while reading, is a fast and easy way to incorporate this character map into your classroom.
| Simon Wiesenthal | The author and narrator of The Sunflower. He is confronted by a dying Nazi soldier seeking forgiveness and is unable to answer his plea. |
|---|---|
| Karl | A 21-year-old Nazi soldier, who committed atrocities during WWII. He seeks out Simon because he is Jewish and asks Simon’s forgiveness from his deathbed. |
| Josek | Simon’s friend, who has lost his faith in God. He discusses the question of forgiving Karl, at length. Josek’s reaction to Simon's question is that Simon didn't have the right to forgive someone for something done against others. Josek would have clearly denied Karl forgiveness. |
| Arthur | Simon’s friend, who has lost his faith in God. He discusses the question of forgiving Karl, at length. He is known as a cynic. Arthur's reaction to the question is to feel relieved there is one less SS officer in the world. He reminds Simon that the sunflowers he covets will die and rot away. |
| Adam | Adam formerly studied architecture in Russia, until his family was annihilated by the Nazi’s. His response to Simon’s question is that he would see a murderer die 10 times a day. |
| Bolek | A Polish Catholic prisoner in a new camp where Simon was transferred. Bolek has a varied response to the question of forgiveness. He believes that Simon should not have forgiven Karl, instead he says Simon did the right thing by listening to a dying man's confession. In Bolek’s view, only God can pardon a man for his sins. |
(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.