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Character ■ Perspective and Bias 119 UNIT 2

CHARACTER Character’s Actions May Reveal . . . INTRODUCING THE WORKSHOP
A father tells his children long, This character spends a lot of time thinking CHARACTER TRM Lit Links. Remind students that
Perspective and Bias heroic stories about their about his own father, admires the grandfather’s
grandfather’s military service. patriotism, and wants to inspire those feelings characters, like people, have a back story that
within his own kids. shapes who they are and what they believe. Their
AP Enduring Understanding cultural and personal values often affect their
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A neighbor opens her home one This character has the resources and space to
Characters in literature allow readers to study and explore a range of values, beliefs, night a week for the neighborhood feed many people; she enjoys sharing meals motivations and choices. Even when we don’t
assumptions, biases, and cultural norms represented by those characters. to eat dinner together for free. with her community and values them like family. know a character’s backstory, we can make
some inferences based on the choices they
Copyright (c) 2023 Bedford, Freeman & Worth Publishers. Uncorrected proofs were used with this sample chapter.
A detective methodically This character is thorough and detail-oriented; make.
interviews every person who was they may be very calculating in their thinking You might relate developing a story character
You can tell a lot about people based on the content that they post on their at the scene of a crime. processes. to making a character for a video game. The
social media profile. For example, you can potentially figure out their sense An older sibling gently drapes a This character cares about their sibling’s principles outlined in Electra Nanou’s 2022 article
KEY POINT of humor, their taste in music, or their views of current events. You’d also get blanket over their younger sibling comfort and won’t take advantage of them “7 Reasons Why Character Development is
when they’re vulnerable.
as they take a nap.
A character or a sense of how often they engage with social media and respond to online A bully mocks someone’s This character may be projecting insecurities Important in Video Games,” available in Lit Links,
content. While you cannot learn everything about people solely based on their
speaker’s perspec- online activity, it’s one source of clues about the person running the account. appearance or clothing. about their own appearance onto someone can be applied to both fiction and poetry.
tive and biases they can control.
are shaped by his
or her past. These A friend bursts into a room and This character may act on impulse and
biases appear in the Values Influence Character’s Perspective exclaims a scandalous secret that assume that they are entitled to share WORKSHOP RESOURCES
character’s choices, they just heard. information without discretion, consideration TRM All of the following resources for this
actions, dialogue, Characters must navigate their fictional worlds from their own perspectives, for others, or concerns about consequences. section can be found in the Teacher’s Resource
internal thoughts, which often seem as complex and nuanced as people’s perspectives in real life.
and interactions Readers learn about a character’s values through details about his or her thoughts, Materials on the digital platform and individually
with others. words, and actions. at point of use.
As with people in real life, the perspectives of characters are influenced by INSIDER Perspective contributes to tone. Tone is by definition Handout: A Character’s Perspective
their backgrounds, their education, their families, and their past experiences. AP ® TIP an attitude. A character’s perspective often conveys his
Even apparently minor details in the story can provide helpful information about or her attitude about a character, event, place, or idea in a Graphic Organizer: Describing a Character’s
literary work.
a character’s perspective. Characters reveal their perspectives and biases in their Perspective
assumptions about others, the stories they tell, their secrets, their decision-making
process, and even their misperceptions.
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AP CLASSROOM RESOURCES
A CHARACTER’S PERSPECTIVE ®
Discovering a Character’s Perspective Character Details Consider the Implications AP Daily Videos
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Readers can learn about a character’s biases through a character’s choices and Character’s • What past experiences have affected the character? AP Topic Questions
actions. How characters act toward people who are different from them, how background • Where is the character from?
they apologize to someone close to them, and even how they adapt to new • What role does the character fulfill in his or her community? TRM Handout: A Character’s Perspective
circumstances — all of these may reveal a character’s perspective or bias. Indeed, Distributed by Bedford, Freeman & Worth Publishers. Strictly for use with its products. Not for redistribution.
• Who is the character’s family?
an astute reader not only infers a character’s values (ideas, attitudes, or beliefs • Does the character have a religious background?
about the human condition) from all the elements of characterization but also Character’s actions • What do the choices a character makes reveal about his or her values?
applies that information when interpreting other parts of the text. and choices
Characters may even be unaware that they are revealing information about • What factors does the character consider when deciding what to do?
their values and biases to the reader. • Is the character consistent in what he or she does?
• What factors does a character consider before deciding to act or not to act?
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