E4.6.B

Description: Analyze how characters’ behaviors and underlying motivations contribute to moral dilemmas that influence the plot and theme.
Maps to Reading Plus skills: 3B

Exemplars

3B: Analyzing Plot/Character

3B: Analyzing Plot/Character

Description: Analyzing setting, plot, and character

SeeReader
✓ standard met

Selection: K-23

K-23

Grade level: 11
Word count: 2412 words
Author: Anton Chekhov
Synopsis: A wager between a banker and a lawyer yields an unexpected result.
Excerpt: "That cursed bet!" murmured the old man, clutching his head in despair. "He's only forty years old, he will deprive me of my last penny, marry, enjoy life, and I will look on like an envious beggar and hear the same dreaded words from him every day: 'I'm obliged to you for my life's happiness.' No, no, it's too much -- the only escape from bankruptcy and disgrace is that the man should die."

Question: Based on this excerpt, what conclusion can be made about the banker's motivations?
  1. His greed drove him to consider committing a terrible crime.
  2. His jealousy caused him to feign friendship while plotting revenge.
  3. His selfishness drove him to lie about the original wager.
  4. His pride caused him to openly reject his wealth while secretly hiding it.

Writing
✓ standard met

Writing prompt: Imagine you are the main character in a selection you read. Would your emotional reactions to events in the selection be the same as those of the actual character? Explain why or why not.

Evaluator

Organization: Certica Solutions