Example for Character Chart Answers
How an Author Let's Us Know Things About a Character
How an Author Let's Us Know Things About a Character
Novel: The Outsiders
Character: Ponyboy
What he/she thinks
Quote #1, Page Found, and Explanation
p.1 “I was wishing I looked like Paul Newman. . . but I guess my own looks aren’t so bad.”
Ponyboy wants to look “tough” like the movie star, but is okay with his own appearance. He’s pretty confident.
Quote #2, Page Found, and Explanation
p. 179 “Someone should tell their side of the story. . . It was important to me.”
Ponyboy want to let people know about what’s happening to kids like Johnny and Dally and others like them. He thinks about other people.
What he/she says
p. 129 “Can you see the sunset real good form the West Side?. . . You can see it good from the East Side, too.” Ponyboy understands that Greasers and Socs can have much in common.
p. 18 to Soda “Wait (to move out) till I get out, though, so you can keep Darry off my back.” Pony is smart, but he doesn’t understand that Darry is just trying to take care of Ponyboy like a dad would.
His/her speech patterns
(how he or she talks)
p. 18 “tuff enough”
p. 16 “You’re gonna put me to sleep.” p. 30 “Y’all want some.”
Ponyboy uses 60’s slang, “lower class” English, and has a southern accent.
p. 31 “He ain’t dangerous like Dallas. . .” p. 43 “It ain’t fair that we have all the rough breaks.”
Ponyboy uses substandard (lower class) English.
[Include also "What he/she does," and you may also include "What other characters say about him or her," and "What the author says about him or her." You may use these last two to replace any of the first four.]
