Reading a longer story: what actions and words tell us
Sometimes a writer does not tell us what a character is like. We infer it from the characterâs words and actions. Ask two questions: What does the person say, and how does he say it? What does the person do? Words can sound rough while actions are kind, and then the contrast tells us more than either one alone. Usually, trust actions more than words, because people show their real feelings in what they do. Write your answer with the pattern: The character is âŠ, because he says ⊠and he does ⊠. In your reader, The Count of Monte Cristo, read Chapter 2 on pages 12 to 18, and then do the exercises on page 42. We do not retell the chapter here. Look in it for places where words and actions are different, and think about what they tell you.
| What Mr Hassan says | What Mr Hassan does | What we infer |
|---|---|---|
| âHurry up, I havenât got all night.â | He waits and tells Mai to sit at the front, where it is warmer. | rough words, but he is caring |
| âEveryone is in a hurry today.â | He carries the womanâs bags to a seat. | helpful, even if he sighs |
| âNot so loud!â | He turns down the radio so that she can hear herself. | kind, though he sounds strict |
Mr Hassan drove the last bus of the evening, and he was not a man of many words. âHurry up, I havenât got all night,â he grumbled when a girl ran across the car park with her violin case. The girl, Mai, climbed in out of breath. He closed the door, looked at his watch twice and said, âSit at the front. Itâs warmer there.â At the next stop an old woman struggled with two heavy bags. Mr Hassan sighed loudly and said, âEveryone is in a hurry today,â but he stepped down, carried the bags to a seat and waited until she had found her ticket. Later Mai took out her violin to practise. âNot so loud!â he said, yet he turned down the radio so that she could hear herself. When Mai got off, she saw him wave through the window. She smiled. His words were rough, she thought, but his hands were kind.
Words and actions. Think of a person you know whose words and actions are different, for example a teacher who sounds strict but is helpful. Write three sentences: what he says, what he does and what you infer. Do not use a real name.