Paper 2: Story “The Necklace” de Maupassant
Character:
1. The main character is the character around which the story revolves and who has the main conflict in the story. Describe and analyze this character by choosing qualities of the character that illustrate or support the main idea. Choose examples of what the character says, does, thinks or what others say or think about the character (see handout) that illustrate the central idea. Choose at least 4 elements from the character handout to discuss about the main character and have a quote from the story to support each point you make about the character. Any comment made about the main character should illustrate or support the central idea.
2. Supporting characters give information about the main character. Briefly describe (2-3 sentences) one supporting character and tell what he/she represents or symbolizes in the story. What is a supporting character’ s function or purpose in the story?
3. For all quotes and paraphrases, use MLA documentation and include citations. A citation is author’s last name and pg # after quote or paraphrase. Example (Jackson 102)
4. At end of paper, include a works cited entry for text: short story author’s last name, first name. Title of short story.” Fiction 100. Ed. James Pickering, Pearson.2013.pg.#
Citations are always first word in works cited entry. Example: (Jackson 42)
Format:
Paragraph 1 (100 words)
o Summary and central idea
Paragraph 2 (100-200 words)
o Character
Character Handout:
1. Who the character is. Biographical information including age, physical description and occupation can be included.
2. With what does the character surround him or herself. What possessions or things are important to the character? Details such as how they dress, what they drive, where they live are important in characterizing persons.
3. What the character says. Look at dialogue and draw inferences about the character from what he/she says. Quote dialogue and interpret what you think the passage reveals about the character.
4. What the character thinks. Examining the character’s thoughts can reveal needs, desires, fears, conflicts, motives and goals. Quote the character’s thoughts and draw inferences from them.
5. What the character does. Action is very revealing. Consider how the character acts towards others, as well as how the character treats him/herself. Quote a passage containing action and interpret what the action tells about the character.
6. What others say or think about the character. Consider how other characters react to the main character, what they say about or to the main character and what they think of the main character. Quote a passage where another character says something to or about the character or does something to the character and analyze what that passage reveals about the main character.
