Mentor Text: from Indiana Jones and the White Witch by Martin Caidin
Techniques:
- Characterization
Background –
If you’re a teacher and/or an avid reader, then we likely have some of the same habits. It’s likely that we haunt the same haunts – used bookstores and the book shelves of thrift shops. In my heart, I know that each of these places holds untold treasures in their stacks, and I am on a mission to discover them.
Not unlike the beloved protagonist I’m focused on today.
Books like this Indiana Jones novel fascinate me. Maybe it’s being a Star Wars kid who dug very deep into the novels that expanded that universe, but I find myself drawn to these novels. Some are quite good. Some aren’t. But they all expand the story beyond the films we love, and I am 100% here for it.
And because I can’t even read a book for fun without the lesson plan forming in the back of my brain, here we are.
How we might use this text:
Characterization – When I read the passage I pulled to share with you this week, I found myself reflecting on the unique task that Martin Caidin had in this book. In all likelihood, describing Indy for his reader is an unnecessary task. The cover, so much like the iconic movie posters of his film adventures was all that was needed.
But he still has to do it, because there is the possibility that there are readers who don’t roll into this tale with that knowledge. Caidin had to find a way to bridge this – present the character to a newbie without making it drag for a reader who doesn’t need this.
Immediately, I thought this could be a great exercise in characterization for our writers. They need to think about the character they’re tasked with describing to a reader, boiling them down to their essence. What’s lovely about this passage is that there is actually minimal physical description, focusing instead on who Jones is – the contrasts in his academic persona and the rugged adventurer we love.
I love this exercise for character development for our writers. Often, they get bogged down in the physical details, and though we may be equipped to paint a portrait of their character, we know little of their personality. Having them describe a character they know from pop culture alongside this mentor text might be a good practice run for their own pieces, or a valuable exercise when we pause for editing.
These few paragraphs may make a considerable difference in how they share character in their writing.
As frustrating as it may be to have this English Teacher’s Brain of mine, one seemingly incapable of enjoying a story without crafting a lesson plan to accompany it, I’m glad it works the way it does. I know that I’ve got some young writers that want to work on character development in their writing, and now I’ve got another lesson to support them.
What are some of your best lessons drawn from a used book treasure? What are some of your favourite mentor texts for developing characterization?
Leave a comment below or find me on the socials as @doodlinmunkyboy.
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