Crash--Character Penn Webb

Character Element	Quotes (Find Quotes in Support of and Quotes Challenging)	What Do These Things Suggest about Character’s Character?
Direct Characterization     -These are things stated by author directly (e.g., she was shy)	"Only he wasn't just walking regular. He was walking like he owned the place"p.19	Penn is a confident young man and he never allows what other people say or do to him change how he feels about himself.
Indirect Characterization
-Through description (appearance/mannerisms)-	"It was coming from a funny-looking dorky little runt walking up the side walk" p.19 "He stuck out his scrawny chest"p.20 "It was Webb--and I mean the same old Webb. Same old supermarket sneakers, same prehistoric pants, probably from the great grandfather of his. Same old scrawny body."p.59	Penn is a skinny, small and nerdy looking child. Penn does not value material things and is not concerned with buying new and expensive clothing. He is content with buying his clothes from second time around.
- Through actions/inactions (what actions does the character perform; what does s/he choose not to do?)	"I aimed again and fired. He still didn't move. This is crazy. Whoever heard of a kid who didn't shoot back?"p.35 "And then they show the looneytunes: Webb and Forbes, a couple of other students.... They're all standing at the entrance to the weed field, waving their signs and chanting, 'No more malls!"p.147	Penn chooses to always remain calm and take the high road. He does not get angry or upset when Crash bullies him. Penn stands up for what he believes in and fights to protect the earth.
-Through comments of others (how do other characters speak about the character?)	"'He's nice, Abby butted in. 'I like him''"p.77 "how alike Webb and my sister are. Especially with nature stuff. They go walking his turtle together. it shows how immature he is, hanging out with a fifth grader. And they're both perky" p.77 "Penn Webb is my best friend" p.241	Everyone seems  to really like Penn except for Crash. Abby and Jane especially look up to him. At the end of the book, Crash realizes that Penn is a true friend and notes that Penn is now his best friend.
-Through language (how does the character use language, including about how s/he speaks about others)	"I'm a Quaker" p.32 "We don't eat meat" p.45	Penn is a vegetarian and a Quaker who does not believe in violence.
-Through interactions (how does character interact with others [bidirectional], with space/setting, etc.)	"He gave them buttons. He kept offering them to me"p.53	Penn is very kind and generous. He likes to share his buttons with others.
-Through thoughts (what thoughts does that character have that may not be indicated through action/behavior?)	I believe that the best gift I can give my grandfather would be for him to see me run in the Penn Relays. That is why I have been practicing my running every night" p.204	Penn has a good heart and is planning on running in the Penn Relays to honor his grandfather. No one knows the reasoning behind him wanting to get the last spot so badly.
-Through figurative language (how does the author use figurative language to describe the character—this isn’t direct as it requires inference)	"Webb gawked at his mother. His eyes bulged. A pained look came over his face. 'oops.. I think I forgot' 'Forgot what?' I said "You didn't really forget, did you son?' the father said. Webb looked sheepish. 'I guess not'"	From this scene you can tell that Webb was ashamed to tell Crash he was a vegetarian.

Character Elements

Character Element	Quotes (Find Quotes in Support of and Quotes Challenging)	What Do These Things Suggest about Character’s Character?
Direct Characterization      -These are things stated by author directly (e.g., she was shy)	P23: Zinkoff is sad.	Zinkoff is rarely sad, during this scene he is being bullied but doesn’t even realize. One of the older kids in his elementary school takes his hat from him. When he gets his hat taken away, Zinkoff doesn’t even realize that the boy is trying to pick on him, instead he tells the boy that he can have the hat. When the author write that Zinkoff is sad, it is not because his hat has been taken away, it is simply because he really liked the hat. However; he quickly changes his mind and decides that it’s fine if the boy has it now.
Indirect Characterization
-Through description (appearance/mannerisms)-	P3: He cannot believe how free he is. Giddy with freedom… P7: Zinkoff never wins. But Zinkoff doesn’t notice.	Both of these quotes demonstrate the bliss and innocence that Zinkoff has. The first quote talks about his freedom. He is a young 1st grade boy who is silly and energetic. He does not have many worries and he expresses freedom when runs and plays as he pleases. The second quote expresses his attitude. He is a very positive boy and does not let anything change his positivity.
- Through actions/inactions (what actions does the character perform; what does s/he choose not to do?)	P37: Zinkoff’s idea is to bake a snickerdoodle so big that Andrew the new neighbor will have to come out and see it. P38: Every time his mother tries to help, the young chef snaps at her, “I can do that.”	When Zinkoff has ha new neighbor, he takes it upon himself to make the neighbor feel welcome. He decides to make Andrew a cookie, which shows that he is caring. When he is making the cookie for Andrew he wants to do bake it all by himself. This shows just how independent Zinkoff thinks he is. He takes pride in doing things alone, especially when it is something he is passionate about.
-Through comments of others (how do other characters speak about the character?)	P1: And maybe it annoys you that he seems to be having even more fun than you, but it’s a one-second thought and it’s over. P33: “Donald sometimes has a problem with self-control, and I wish he were neater, but he is so good-natured. That son of yours is one happy child! And he certainly does love school!” P43: “Yahoo!” He does not notice that he is the only Titan cheering. “What are you so happy for?” says Robert, one of his teammates. “We lost.”	Zinkoff is the type of kid that always seems to be enjoying himself. Whether it is at soccer during a game or running down the street by himself, he is happy. This quote explains that someone who sees his carefree behavior may find him annoying. Zinkoff also has a hard time controlling himself during school because he has such a passionate love for learning. He calls out a lot during class, which gets him into trouble with the teacher. Although his intentions are good, his teacher sees what he does as distracting and disruptive. He is also a part of a soccer team. He enjoys playing but doesn’t seem to understand the idea of competition, losing and winning. He just wants to have fun playing the sport.
-Through language (how does the character use language, including about how s/he speaks about others)	P44: “Good game, good game, good game . . .” and Zinkoff is the only Titan saying “Good game” back.	Zinkoff is friendly and considerate. When his team loses and has to shake the hands of their oponents, he is the only one on his team that shows respect by telling the other team that they did a good job. He is kindhearted.
-Through interactions (how does character interact with others [bidirectional], with space/setting, etc.)	P47: Zinkoff goes wild too. He tries to stand on his head. He shouts into baby Polly’s face “We’re number one!” and makes her blink. He climbs onto his father’s shoulders and proclaims to all the wide world: “We’re number one!”	Throughout the book he shows a variety of different behaviors. The first time that his team loses he is excited, shouting “yahoo!” and doesn’t understand why the rest of the team is sulking. When the team wins a game he is over joyed and hyper. However; during both scenes he has similar behavior. He is excited and happy.
-Through thoughts (what thoughts does that character have that may not be indicated through action/behavior?)	P69: Donald remembers: Be friendly.	Zinkoff/Donald is constantly being a good person thought the book.
-Through figurative language (how does the author use figurative language to describe the character—this isn’t direct as it requires inference)	P1: He’s part of the scenery, like the parked cars and the green plastic cans on trash day. P28: Every day is like the first day to Zinkoff. Things keep happening that rekindle the excitement of the first day.	Spinelli describes Zinkoff as being somewhat invisible, describing him as part of the scenery. Zinkoff is enthusiastic for school and Spinelli describes his love for school as if it was the first day everyday.

3 Salient Moments from Loser

 
Zinkoff’s innocence is described. He is perfectly portrayed as a child that blissful and unknowing. “At this time in his life Zinkoff sees no difference between the stars in the sky and the stars in his mother's plastic Baggie. He believes that stars fall from the sky sometimes, and that his mother goes around collecting them like acorns. He believes she has to use heavy gloves and dark sunglasses because the fallen stars are so hot and shiny. She puts them in the freezer for forty-five minutes, and when they come out they are flat and silver and sticky on the back and ready for his shirts”.




When a new neighbor moves into the house next door, Zinkoff takes it upon himself to introduce himself. The boy is shy and doesn’t want to meet Zinkoff. Instead of taking offense, Zinkoff tries to make the boy feel like he is welcome in his new neighborhood. Zinkoff loves snickerdoodle cookies and decides bake the boy a giant cookie. This was one of the first glimpses into Zinkoff’s true kind nature.


The following moment was when Zinkoff comes to the realization that being a good friend can be very simple. The following quote isf from when Zinkoff realizes that he wants to be the very best friend he can be to Hector. He stands up for him when another student calls him a name he doesn’t like. Zinkoff stands up for him,“[b]ecause that's what you do, you stand up for your best friend. And you eat lunch with him and talk with him and share secrets and laugh a lot and go places and do stuff, and when you wake up in the morning, he's the first person you think of.”

Crash-- 3 Most Salient Moments

Moment # 1--When Abby and her mother get into a heated discussion about her protesting the new mall.

Abby has a sense of pride, but her mother is furious and frustrated with her.

As I was reading, I was so proud of Abby for standing up for what she believes in even though no one else in her family supports her. She challenged what her mother was saying and made excellent arguments that shocked even her mother. I wanted to give her a high five and tell her how awesome she is and that she should continue to stand up for what she believes in. I feel like the author took away from this moment and made it less powerful by having Crash explain what they were both saying.

Moment # 2 --When Scooter has a stroke.

Crash is scared and worried. He kept asking questions like "Why wasn't he moving?"

For the first time I actually felt bad for Crash. He is mean and spends so much time pulling pranks and bullying Penn that I did not like him at all. In this moment he let go of his tough guy act and actually showed some emotions. I felt the pain and fear and wanted to give him a hug and tell him that everything was going to be all right. The author did not have the character say how he was feeling, instead we see that he is worried and scared through all the questions he was asking and that sense of panic.

Moment # 3 --When Mike goes into Scooter's room, tries his sailor hat on, and comments "I thought you said he was in the hospital, he don't need it he is old".In that moment Crash is angry and hurt. As I was reading, I was thinking Crash's anger is justified and how could Mike be so insensitive. I know Mike is also a bully and does not care about others, but i expected him to show concern for his friend. Mike can't seem to realize that his friend is hurting and only cares about himself. The author does a great job of showing Mike's lack of concern by contrasting it with Penn's behavior towards Crash. Penn comes over right after the incident and leaves Scooter a gift  with a card that wishes him well.

Hokey Pokey - Character: Jubilee

Character Element	Quotes (Find Quotes in Support of and Quotes Challenging)	What Do These Things Suggest about Character’s Character?
Direct Characterization      -These are things stated by author directly (e.g., she was shy)	P8 - “He never says her name, only her kind… ‘Girl’” -       “There she is, ponytail flying from the back of her baseball cap…” P210 - “snatching the yellow ribbon…”	Jubilee wears a baseball cap with a yellow ribbon holding her ponytail. She is of the female sex. I could stereotype and say that she’s a tomboy with a hint of girly preference.
Indirect Characterization
-Through description (appearance/mannerisms)-	P9 -       “But she is a girl and she said it with that snaily smirk…” P22 - “ She giggles at her own brilliance”	The description of Jubilee’s “snaily smile” shows that she might be sneaky, cunning, devilish persona. Laughing at her “own brilliance” shows her carefree, evilness.
- Through actions/inactions (what actions does the character perform; what does s/he choose not to do?)	P51 -       “His head smacked and his cap gone! Gone with the devil girl’s yell: Hi-yo, Hazel” P53 -       “Omygod – look at her face! She stole it!’ ‘You da chick!’ She lets the fuzz wash over her…”	Jubilee is taunting to boys and the main character. She stole his bike and aggravates him further by shoving it into his face. Jubilee likes being in the spotlight and might be vain. She doesn’t mind the attention to her stealing the bike, especially THAT bike.
-Through comments of others (how do other characters speak about the character?)	P35 - “Lajo grins… ‘so what do you think’s gonna happen if we find her, you all that big talk back there’ ‘I don’t know,’ says Dusty ‘Lasso her.’ ‘Yeah.’ Lajo smikrs. ‘Right”	Jubilee must be a tough, possibly intimidating girl. She might also be considered athletic or scary.
-Through language (how does the character use language, including about how s/he speaks about others)	P53 -       “The girls circle, bend to huddle, cheer: ABCDEFG! Get these boy germs off of me!” P22 -       “What matters is his opinion, the boy’s. The germ’s.” P92 - “Boys! Boys! They’re worse than toys! They’re only good for making noise!”	She uses taunting, immature language to describe boys. She uses language that can be hurtful and is mean towards a whole group of people.
-Through interactions (how does character interact with others [bidirectional], with space/setting, etc.)	P53 -       “…a voice calls: C’mon, Ace, park it. We need a quarterback.’…she catches it and …feels the loving seducation of the pigskin. ‘Go!’ she barks, and a dozen girls take off.” P98 -       Ana Mae says ‘…you’re the world’s worst actor. You… are jealous…of Jack.’ Jubilee throws a berry ‘I am not!’ Ana Mae rolls her eyes, ‘whatever’ ‘Don’t whatever me… what’s that supposed to mean…’ As a peace gesture, Ana Mae tosses a berry for Jubilee to mouth-catch. To show she’s not ready for peace, Jubilee swats it away.”	Jubilee is a bit combative and is persistent in an argument. She is particular about how she is depicted and doesn’t want to seem weak, ever. She is very assertive and authoritative. She commands her team quickly and without apology.
-Through thoughts (what thoughts does that character have that may not be indicated through action/behavior?)	P61 -       “Now or never, she thinks. She reaches…he resists…she needs to distract him, make him forget.” P128 -       Cannot admit it to Ana Mae, but this digging is brutal.”	Jubilee clearly loves her little brother. She has an intimate relationship with him and knows him very well. And though he is a boy, she doesn’t consider that small “hiccup” and tries to give him everything he needs. Jubilee is also pompous, determined and complacent. She won’t admit to her friend that the work they are doing is difficult, that hints to the vanity and weakness factor. Some might consider her arrogant because she won’t admit to weakness.
-Through figurative language (how does the author use figurative language to describe the character—this isn’t direct as it requires inference)	P60 - “Approaching Snuggle Stop, she slows down. Her memories of the candy-cane-striped red-and-white hut are still warm. Many days she stood in line with the other little kids, awaiting her turn to…lose herself in the big, soft, loving, furry embrace of Snugger.”	Jubilee enjoys the comfort and love from others. The type of relationship she has with her brother, also, shows how important connections mean.