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!
For this character map, try using “OSCAR” so that students can analyze multiple aspects of a character.
| DEFINITION | EXAMPLE | |
|---|---|---|
| O |
Other Character's Comments
What do other characters say about the character? |
“‘I don’t like it,’ muttered an old woman, as she hobbled into the meetinghouse. ‘He has changed himself into something awful, only by hiding his face.’” |
| S |
Speech
What does the character say about others or themselves? How can we infer meaning and traits from what a character says? |
“‘It is but a mortal veil - it is not for eternity! O! you know not how lonely I am, and how frightened, to be alone behind my black veil. Do not leave me in this miserable obscurity forever!’” |
| C | Physical Characteristics
What does the character look like? What descriptive words are used to describe them? |
“Though reckoned a melancholy man, Mr. Hooper has a placid cheerfulness for such occasions, which often excited a sympathetic smile where the livelier merriment would have been thrown away. There was no quality of his disposition which made him more beloved than this.” |
| A | Author's Attitude
How does the author feel about this character? |
The narrator highlights Mr. Hooper’s sadness at how his veil separates him from friendship and makes him feared among the townspeople and, especially children. Yet, his call to the higher duty of wearing the veil outweighs his loneliness. |
| R | Reader's Reaction
How do you, as the reader, feel about the character? |
The way that Mr. Hooper is described makes him sound odd; however, he also seems very sad. The veil separates him from everyone, including his fiance, and he dies without any living relatives around 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.