What's 812 Reading? discussion

Reflecting on our conversation today about characterization, choose a trait that describes your protagonist. Find EVIDENCE to support your idea and explain how it proves the trait.

In case you're stuck, think about our "chart" example from class and how you could write it as a paragraph.

In Sherman Alexie's realistic fiction novel The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian, the trait that best describes Arnold Spirit is hopeful. Arnold is a fourteen year-old Native American who has grown up on the poverty stricken Spokane reservation in Washington state. Arnold, unlike many people on the "rez," loves learning, even professing himself to be a "book kisser." Unfortunately, due to a lack of money and overall feeling of helplessness, the reservation schools are filled with old textbooks and negligent teachers. After a fit of disgust over receiving his mother's thirty year old text book, Arnold decides he wants to go to Reardan High School, a school that has many educational resources and opportunities that he would never get at the rez. He bravely and firmly tells his parents, "I want to go to Reardan" (45). This statement shows that he is hopeful, because instead of accepting a bleak future in which his spirit and love of learning is "killed," Arnold instead decides that he deserves better and hopes that by going to Reardan, he will achieve the bright future of which he has dreamed. Therefore, a trait that describes Arnold is hopeful.

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 the book, Just Listen, by Sarah Dessen, the trait that best described Annabel, the protagonist is guilty. Ever since the summer before high school, a new family moved into her neighborhood. At first, Annabel's sisters hated the new girl, Sophie. Sophie, a very annoying girl started out at as following Annabel's two older sisters. Kristen and whitney got tired of it since Sophie and Annabel is the same age and kirsten had wanted Annabel to take care of it. Annabel knew she had to listen to her sister so she started to be friends with her. But living through the summer, she and Sophie had a big issue, and Clarke, Sophie's best friend refused to talk to her at the start of high school. Everyone refused to look at her and no one even talked to her. Even teachers gave her weird looks. On the first day of high school, she went to her usual spot in the cafeteria. "Ans she was still looking at me......But then she suddenly turned away." This proves that even her BEST FRIEND turned her back on her. This concludes that Annabel will probably have a miserable life in high school.

(NOTE: I am doing this on another book!)

In the book Diary of Wimpy Kid Dog Days by Jeff Kinney, the main character is Greg. Greg was uncaring and impolite during most part of the book. Greg is a regular kid who experiences through tons of things and the book is written like a diary. Greg in the book doesn’t care for other people’s feelings and was impolite for making other people doing most of his work. One example is on page 58 to 62. Text from the book, “I told Rowley he could have the first crack at the lawn mowing and that I would go sit in the shade and start working on our business plan. Rowley didn’t like that idea at all. He said this was a partnership and that everything had to be 50-50” From that shown text, you can see that while Greg and Rowley was trying to gain money together, Greg tries to push all the hard work on Rowley. Another example is on pages 170-172. Greg went to the beach with his best friend Rowley’s family. Greg just couldn’t stand how boring it was so he decided to email his mom to take him home using Rowley’s dad’s computer. Greg got caught and was in some trouble, but that shows how he was being uncaring for other people’s feelings. That email made Rowley’s family think they are useless and a boring family. Those examples show how Greg is impolite and uncaring for others. He is lazy and doesn’t care about the stuff he does. This shows the main character of the book Diary of Wimpy Kid Dog Days is an uncaring and impolite person.

In the non-fiction book called We Beat The Streets. By Dr. Samson Davis Dr. George Jenkins and Dr. Rameck Hunt ne trait they all posses is that they all are Determined. One piece of evidence from that book that shows that the men are determined is. One that back cover of the book where they blurb is that text clearly states ‘’Then and there they made a pact to apply to the program for the first time ever the three friends believed they might really have an opportunity to make their dreams come true.’’ This shows that the men are determined because they are now applying themselves to the program and now they believe there is still hope for them and for each of their futures. Another piece of evidence that shows they where determined was that on page 120 there is a picture of Dr. Rameck sitting down with a few papers in is hands the caption across from him states “Here you see Dr. Rameck studying’’ This shows that even though its not all the me in this particular picture each one of them are attempting to become better people and students and to prepare them self’s for the real world.



thanks for the help Ms. Flagg