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V.1 Identify, describe, and understand characters in stories

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Understanding Characters

Characters are the people, animals, or creatures in a story. They are the ones who do the actions, talk, and help the story happen.

Examples of Characters:
  • Goldilocks from Goldilocks and the Three Bears
  • The Cat in the Hat
  • Little Red Riding Hood
  • The Big Bad Wolf
Helpful Hint

When you read, ask yourself: Who is in the story? Who is talking or acting? These are the characters.

Main Characters and Supporting Characters

A main character is the most important person in the story. A supporting character helps the story but is not the center of it.

Examples:
  • In Cinderella, Cinderella is the main character.
  • The Fairy Godmother and the Stepsisters are supporting characters.
  • In The Three Little Pigs, the pigs are main characters, and the wolf is also very important.
Helpful Hint

Main characters usually appear many times in the story. Supporting characters are important too, but they might not be in every part.

How Characters Act and Feel

Characters show who they are through their actions (what they do) and feelings (how they feel inside). Readers pay attention to these clues to understand the story better.

Examples:
  • Cinderella is kind because she helps others, even when she is treated badly.
  • The wolf is tricky because he tries to fool Little Red Riding Hood.
  • Goldilocks feels curious when she looks inside the bears’ house.
Helpful Hint

Look for what a character says, does, and feels. These details help you describe the character with words like “kind,” “angry,” or “brave.”

Comparing Characters

Sometimes stories have more than one important character. We can compare them by looking at how they are the same and how they are different.

Examples:
  • In The Three Little Pigs, one pig is careful, and another is not careful. They are different.
  • In Goldilocks and the Three Bears, the bears are alike because they are a family, but they are different in size.
  • Cinderella and her stepsisters are very different in how they treat others.
Helpful Hint

When comparing, ask yourself: What do they both do? What is different about them? This helps you understand the story more clearly.

Why Characters Matter

Characters are important because they make the story interesting and meaningful. Understanding characters helps us enjoy the story and learn lessons from it.

Practice Ideas:
  • Draw a picture of your favorite character and write their name.
  • Make a list of words that describe a character (kind, funny, brave).
  • Act out what a character might say or do.
  • Talk about how characters change from the beginning to the end of the story.
Helpful Hint

Every story has characters. Paying attention to them helps you understand what the story is really about.

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