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 enjoyable!
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! 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.
| Silas Marner | The main protagonist, he is expelled from the Town of Lantern Yard after being falsely accused of theft. He moves to Raveloe and starts a new life where his only friends are the faces of the gold coins he hoards from his job as a weaver. He lives as a reclusive hermit and has no friends, until one day Dunstan Cass steals his money and the town rallies around Silas. After the second largest tragedy in his life, he soon adopts a small child, whom he names Eppie. |
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| Godfrey Cass | Son of the wealthy Squire Cass and oldest brother in the Cass family. He is blackmailed by his younger brother and has a secret marriage to Molly Farren (a drug addict). However, he is in love with Nancy Lammeter. |
| Dunstan Cass | The middle child of the Cass family. Dunsty, as he is called, is a conniving, gambling, blackmailer who swindles and lies his way through life. He steals Silas’s money and is later found dead. |
| Squire Cass | The richest man in Raveloe, known for having lavish house parties. |
| Molly | Godfrey’s secret wife, whom he hides in a nearby town. She has a child who is neglected, mostly because of Molly’s addiction to opium. |
| Nancy Lammeter | A well-to-do lady in the town of Raveloe who marries Godfrey after Molly’s death. She is unable to have children. |
| Dolly Winthrop | A hardworking woman in Raveloe who eventually becomes Silas’ best friend and godmother to Eppie. |
| Aaron Winthrop | Dolly’s son and Eppie’s future husband. He works as a gardener for the Cass family. |
| Sarah | Silas’ fiancée in Lantern Yard. |
| William Dane | Silas' best friend in Lantern Yard, who frames Silas for theft and steals Sarah from him. |
(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.
Begin by explaining the meaning and purpose of character mapping. Tell the students the objectives of this activity and what the teachers aim to achieve from this activity. Knowing the purpose will help them better understand the activity and impact their willingness to perform the activity positively.
It can be hard for students to understand abstract concepts without any visual examples. Teachers can show some simple examples of character maps and explain every step in detail. Teachers can use visuals and show students illustrations of characters and animated videos to help them understand.
Break down the activity into small and simple steps to help students understand what they need to do but at the same time provide them with the freedom to carry out the activity on their own terms. Encourage them to ask questions and clear all confusions. For instance, start with one character and tell the students to write down the character traits, motives, and physical characteristics of that character and then move on to the next character.
Be accommodating with the learning rate. While some students might require more time to fully understand character principles, others might advance very rapidly. Teachers can provide assurance and support to less efficient students.
Adapt your teaching style to the unique requirements and skills of each student. Some students could profit from individualized assistance or extra help.
Silas Marner is initially a secretive and resentful person. He is first socially secluded and concerned with material prosperity. He is also known as a miser who has devoted himself to money because of all the betrayals and mishaps he had faced in his life. As the story develops, he develops into a loving and content father figure as a result of his connection with Eppie.
Due to the fact that he is Eppie's biological father, Godfrey Cass is a significant figure. The premise of the book mostly relies on his covert marriage to Molly Farren and his personal moral conflicts. He is also the person who abandoned his previous wife and daughter because he was ashamed. Godfrey later wanted to get Eppie back as he had no other children from his marriage to Molly.
Students may follow the relationships between characters graphically by using character maps. It demonstrates, for instance, how Silas and Eppie's relationship develops and how different villages interact. They can also use visual elements to depict these relationships and events.