Exploring characterisation in 'Princess Sophia Duleep Singh: My Story'
I can explore characterisation in historical fiction.
Exploring characterisation in 'Princess Sophia Duleep Singh: My Story'
I can explore characterisation in historical fiction.
These resources will be removed by end of Summer Term 2025.
Lesson details
Key learning points
- Following their mother’s death, Sophia and her family are split up.
- Sophia’s father has decided against regaining his kingdom, he has asked Queen Victoria for forgiveness.
- Sophia's father remarries after the death of his wife. Sophia has mixed feelings about her step-family.
- Sufiya Ahmed writes the Duleep Singhs with some shared character traits and some different traits.
Keywords
Characterisation - Characterisation is the way an author and illustrator describes and develops the personalities and traits of the characters in a story.
Character traits - Character traits are the special qualities that make a character in a story unique and interesting.
Compare - Comparing involves identifying similarities between two or more things, ideas, themes or texts.
Contrast - Contrasting involves identifying differences between two or more things, ideas, themes or texts.
Common misconception
A question in the first cycle explores the letter that Sophia's father writes to Queen Victoria. Pupils may find it hard to think of persuasive techniques that he uses to appeal for forgiveness.
It would be useful to link to prior learning to remind pupils of some techniques (such as emotional language, flattery, rhetorical questions etc.), alternatively adults could model some of the key points aloud.
Equipment
You need a copy of the 2022 Scholastic edition of ‘Princess Sophia Duleep Singh (My Story), written by Sufiya Ahmed, for this lesson.
Content guidance
- Depiction or discussion of discriminatory behaviour
- Depiction or discussion of sensitive content
Supervision
Adult supervision recommended
Licence
This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2024), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).
Lesson video
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Starter quiz
6 Questions
Exit quiz
6 Questions
the way an author develops the personalities and traits of a character
the special qualities that make a character in a story unique
identifying similarities between two or more things
identifying differences between two or more things