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In this worksheet, you will analyze how the main character, Charlie Gordon, changes throughout the story. You will also identify key themes and explain how the author uses events and character experiences to communicate deeper ideas about intelligence, dignity, and humanity.
“Intelligence is one of the greatest human gifts. But all too often a search for knowledge drives out the search for love.”
Literary Analysis Focus
Character Development, Theme, and Author’s Purpose
Standards & Strands Alignment
✦ CCSS
RL.8.3: Analyze how dialogue or incidents propel the action and reveal aspects of a character.
RL.8.2: Determine a theme or central idea and analyze its development throughout the text.
RL.8.1: Cite textual evidence to support analysis of literary texts.
✦ CEFR
B1: Understand the main ideas of a literary text and describe characters’ feelings and reactions.
B1+: Explain themes and support opinions with examples from the text.
✦ ACARA (Australian Curriculum)
ACELT1625: Understand how literary texts explore personal, social, and ethical issues.
ACELT1627: Analyze how characters are developed and represented.
✦ Cambridge Lower Secondary English
Reading: Explain how writers use structure and character to convey meaning.
Analysis: Support interpretations with evidence from the text.
