Map the Internal World of a Character

Part of preparing students to be responsible citizens who take care of each other and their world is cultivating empathy—their ability to sense what others may be feeling or thinking. Research suggests that reading fictional texts is an important part of this process. ¹ In the ELA classroom, students can build their empathy muscles when they examine a character’s emotions, motivations, and behaviors and then draw connections between what they are studying and the world today. 

The following learning experiences invite students to consider the relationship between reading and empathy and to practice using evidence from the text and their own understanding of the world to analyze a character’s thoughts, feelings, motivations, and sense of belonging. Through the process of exploring a range of human experiences in literature, students can deepen their understanding of others who may differ from them, as well as have opportunities to reflect on and share aspects of their own identities that they would like others to recognize.

• 1Megan Schmidt, “How Reading Fiction Increases Empathy and Encourages Understanding,” Discover, August 28, 2020.

Before using this learning experience, please review the following information to help guide your preparation process.

Introduce: Engage in an Empathy “Sketch to Stretch”

Familiarize yourself with the Sketch to Stretch teaching strategy. Then distribute the Reading for Empathy Sketch to Stretch handout, which supports students in exploring the relationship between empathy, language, and literature. Read the quotations together and have students choose one that resonates with them for a Sketch to Stretch reflection. Alternatively, students can discuss the quotations using the Pick a Number teaching strategy. Consider providing your students with a prompt to guide their reflection or discussion, such as: What do you think the author of the quotation wants you to think about or understand about reading?

Explore: Map the Internal World of a Character

Note: For this group activity, the class can focus on the same character, or you can assign or have groups choose different characters to analyze and then share their findings in a jigsaw. If groups have a choice, make sure there is enough information in the text about the character’s internal world so they can successfully complete the task at hand. 

Let students know that they will be gathering evidence that helps them understand a character’s thoughts, feelings, motivations, and sense of belonging in the world of the text. Pass out the Map the Internal World of the Character handout and review the directions and questions with the class. Then divide students into small groups and either assign each group  a character or allow them to choose (see Note above).

1. Group Discussion: Have groups review their character maps and then discuss the following questions together. If time allows, form new groups so students can compare and contrast what they learned if they focused on  different characters before synthesizing key ideas in a class discussion. 
   • What new, different, or deeper understanding do you have of your character—their identity, feelings, or motivations—after mapping their internal world?
   • There is an old saying: “You can’t understand someone until you’ve walked a mile in their shoes.” What does this quotation mean? What do you think it feels like to walk in your character’s shoes? What do you think this character would want you, the reader, to understand about them? 
   • What other characters in the text share your character’s perspective? What characters have different perspectives in terms of what they care about, feel, or want?
   • How can understanding someone else’s perspective be useful when trying to negotiate with someone or solve a conflict?

Extend: Reflect in Journals to Explore Internal Worlds

1. Have students reflect in their journals in response to the following prompt. So that they can answer honestly and authentically, let them know that they will not have to share what they write. Think of someone you wish understood you better. If that person could “walk a mile in your shoes,” what would you want them to understand about you
2. Then have students create a visual representation of their reflection. It should include an image of one of their favorite shoes that they draw or paste onto the page, as well as personal reflections about what it means to walk in their shoes. Final products can be shared using the Concentric Circles strategy or in a gallery walk.

Extend: Write about the Internal World of a Character

Using their character maps and notes from their discussions, have students do the reflection activity (above) for a character in the text. For the first part, ask them to write from the perspective of the character and include at least two pieces of evidence from the text to support their thinking. Then have them create a visual representation that incorporates ideas from their reflection, as well as additional support from the text if you would like them to practice gathering evidence.