Name: __________________

Date: ___________________
Class: __________________
Period: _________________
Reading T.C. Boyles Greasy Lake for Characterization

Purpose: Characters are crucial in driving the plot of a story, establishing themes, and expressing tension. In
order for you to use characterization effectively in your short stories, it is important to study characters in texts.
This short story offers a variety of characters that will help you gain an understanding of how characterization
impacts the narrative development of stories.

Instructions: Using the reference guide below, closely read T.C. Boyles Greasy Lake for character type.
Highlight names, passages, and anything that will help you prove what kind of character each is. Remember to
write notes in the margins and dont be afraid to mark up the text!

Then, you will fill in the sections below for major characters for; type, reason why, and textual evidence. If this
is not completed in class, it will be due next class as homework.

See Rubric Below!

Definitions/ Reference Guide:

Dynamic Character - a character which changes during the course of a story or novel. The change in outlook
or character is permanent. Sometimes a dynamic character is called a developing character.

Flat Character - a character who reveals only one, maybe two, personality traits in a story or novel, and the
trait(s) do not change.

Round Character - a well-developed character who demonstrates varied and sometimes contradictory traits.
Round characters are usually dynamic (change in some way over the course of a story).

Static Character a character that remains primarily the same throughout a story or novel. Events in the story
do not alter a static characters outlook, personality, motivation, perception, habits, etc.

(Definitions borrowed from Terry W. Ervin II at http://www.fictionfactor.com/guests/common.html)

Characters:

1. Narrator:

a. Character Type:

b. Why?:

c. Textual Evidence:

2. Digby:
 a. Character Type:

b. Why?:

c. Textual Evidence:

3. Jeff:

a. Character Type:

b. Why?

c. Textual Evidence:

4. Greasy Character:

a. Character Type:

b. Why?

c. Textual Evidence:
Grading Rubric:

A+ / A- B+ / B- C+ / C- D/F
100-90 89-80 79-70 60 or Below
Character Type
All 4 Characters are 3 characters are 2 characters are 1 or less of the
correctly identified. correctly identified correctly identified characters are
correctly identified
__/5
Reasoning
Reasoning Reasoning Reasoning Reasoning rarely or
connects textual connects textual connects textual does not connect
evidence to the evidence to the evidence to the textual evidence to
character type in a character type in a character type in a the character type
way that adheres to way that adheres to way that adheres to in a way that
character type character type character type adheres to
definition. (For all 4) definition for the definition at times. character type
most part. definition.
___/10
Evidence Mostly relevant Some relevant Little to no relevant
textual evidence is textual evidence is textual evidence is
Relevant textual provided for all for provided for all for provided for all for
evidence is sections. sections. sections.
provided for all for
sections.
___/10
Final Score ___/25