Literary Descriptions
Example from the short story "The Treasure of Lemon Brown" by Walter Dean Myers
Character Description
Lemon Brown represents a wise, lost soul. "His black, heavily wrinkled face was surrounded by a halo of crinkly white hair and whiskers that seemed to separate his head from the layers of dirty coats piled on his smallish frame. His pants were bagged to the knee, where they were met with rags that went down to the old shoes. The rags were held on with strings, and there was a rope around his middle" (3). With such an appearance, he can certainly be seen as poor and homeless. Who would know that he had a gift of singing the blues.
He now lives alone, yet content, in an abandoned apartment in the ghetto. His years as Sweet Lemon Brown took him away from his wife and son. With great success came the challenge of singing about bad times, which lead him to leave the only world he knew, that of music. His greatest treasure, though consisted of "yellow newspaper clippings and a battered harmonica" (7). These items held a special meaning to him when they were discovered on his son, when Jesse was killed in the war. Knowing that his son treasured these mementos of his brought a sense of pride to Lemon Brown. His braveness against standing up to three thugs and protecting a boy he just met make him a true hero. He even provides the wisdom to help the boy change his own thinking about a father who just wants the best for his son. |
Examples from Chains by Laurie Halse Anderson
Character Description
Master Elihu Lockton, wealthy scoundrel, has what most people would want. His social status is astounding. Laughing, gossiping, and chatting, he inspects people’s behavior. “‘Keep the wine flowing and the plates full,’ Lockton said” (58). He is only looking out for himself. He wants the right people to manipulate for his plans.Wishing, hoping, and praying, Lockton stands by the King. He is loyal like a child to its mother or a dog to its owner. He ignores everything else just to protect a man that is treated like a god. Lockton wants to get his duty for the King done, and he doesn’t want to waste any time getting involved with unrelated matters. Distractions are his arch nemesis. They creep up on him fast, invading his millions of mapped out plans. Failure is not one of his options. He is risking it all for a king who doesn’t even know his name. A loyalist in a world of rebels. “‘Pretend to be happy rebels’” (29). Perseverant he may be, but foolishness is what he screams.
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Setting Description
The Prison
The freezing breeze that refuses to stay off of your skin creeps into your clothing. You shiver and quiver as you walk across the snow. You walk next to the rusty, frozen, solid, unused gate that separates the prison from you. Using a cold, frozen metal key, turning it hesitantly, pushing on the gate, you walk in. The gate creaks like an elderly man who hasn’t spoken for years. You walk in between the cells observing them like a nervous child. “The cells were filled with men and boys milling around like nervous cattle herded into a goat pen” (218). The stone walls enclose them like animals in a cage,blocking their path of freedom. Nothing but rags cover their swollen flesh produced from the deafening sounds of the gun, and the stinging blade of a sword. The screaming, groaning, and squealing left over from the battle rings in their heads. No bare flesh is revealed, for they are wrapped in scraps of clothing, attempting to escape the cold. They shake from fever like having a seizure. They moan, their hopeless stomachs ravenous for food. They haven't eaten in three days. “The stench was overpowering-men unwashed for months and puke and muck and rot that was eating living flesh” (294). Your nose, overwhelmed, cringes in disgust. |