Assignment


2.8 Character Life Path

 
For this assignment, you will choose one character from your chosen novel who has made an important choice that has impacted his or her own life.  Then, you will choose from two options to complete your assignment.

Option 1:

Write a letter (four to five paragraphs in length) from one of the characters in your novel to someone that he or she must either apologize to or justify his or her choices to. In this letter, the character must do the following:

  • Highlight a key choice the character has made.

  • Discuss the outcome or impact of that choice.

  • Explain the reasons (or causes) of that choice.

  • Either justify or apologize for the choice, and explain why.

  • Discuss a meaningful symbol that represents this choice and what it means to the character.

  • Consider how the future will be impacted because of this choice.

  • Discuss what choices the character has for the future and the possible outcome of those choices.

©iStock

Option 2:

A character from your novel has struggled to come to terms with the events of his or her life and has sought help from a life coach.  The life coach has asked the character to create a flow chart showing the causes and effects of one key choice in the character’s life.

In the flow chart, created from the character’s point of view, be sure to do the following: 

  • Choose a method for creating your flow chart—hand draw, create in Microsoft Word (using the shapes function), or use a chart-creating app such as www.lucidchart.com, www.lovelycharts.com, or www.Prezi.com.  (Click here for a Prezi tutorial.)

  • Select a key choice the character had to make in the novel.
    • Show both (or all) of the options the character had, but indicate which choice the character actually made.
    • Show the outcome or impact of that choice.
    • Include a meaningful symbol to represent the choice and what it means to the character.
    • Show the outcome that likely would have occurred had the character made the other choice. 
    • Indicate which outcome actually occurred in the story.
    • Indicate what choices the character has moving forward and the possible outcome of each choice. 
  • After you have completed the flow chart, write a paragraph from the point of view of the character explaining the information in the flow chart and sharing any lessons or realizations the character came to in the process of completing the flow chart.

Follow the steps on the next page, in order, to complete your assignment.