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Year 9

Contrasting characters: using juxtaposition

I can effectively use contrast and juxtaposition when crafting characters.

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New
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Year 9

Contrasting characters: using juxtaposition

I can effectively use contrast and juxtaposition when crafting characters.

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Share activities with pupils
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Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. Juxtaposition is a useful tool when describing contrasting characters.
  2. Contrasting characters can deepen our understanding of their roles and personalities.
  3. Placing contrasting characters in opposition can create dramatic tension and conflict.
  4. Careful consideration of vocabulary choices aids our crafting of juxtaposition.

Keywords

  • Juxtaposition - two things being seen or placed close together with contrasting effect

  • Malevolent - having or showing a wish to do evil to others

  • Benevolent - having a desire to do good; kind

  • Protagonist - the main character in a story

  • Antagonist - a character who actively opposes or is hostile to others (usually the protagonist)

Common misconception

Pupils might think that using contrast and juxtaposition in character descriptions means simply listing opposing traits without showing how they interact or affect each other.

It's important to show how the contrasting traits of characters impact each other. For example, instead of just stating that one character is kind and the other is cruel, describe a scene where their actions and behaviors directly conflict.

You may wish to prepare examples from other texts your class are familiar with , or that you've read together, to explore the idea of contrasting characters and juxtaposition in this lesson.
Teacher tip

Equipment

There are two extracts taken from the Sherlock Holmes' stories available in the additional materials.

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

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6 Questions

Q1.
Which sentence best uses a verb and adverb to describe a character’s cautious movement?
She ran quickly to the door.
Correct answer: He tiptoed silently across the creaky floorboards.
They moved fast through the crowd.
Q2.
Which of the following sentences best describes a character’s determined action?
She hesitated at the door.
Correct answer: He marched purposefully towards his goal.
She whispered softly to herself.
Q3.
mean 'having or showing a wish to do evil to others'.
Correct Answer: malevolent
Q4.
Similes and metaphors are a type of __________ language.
Correct answer: figurative
narrative
objective
subjective
Q5.
A metaphor makes a comparison between two things.
Correct Answer: direct
Q6.
What does the term 'juxtaposition' mean?
Describing a character in great detail.
Correct answer: Placing two characters or ideas close together to highlight their differences.
Using metaphors to describe a character.
Creating a plot twist in the story.

Exit quiz

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6 Questions

Q1.
Match the keywords to their definitions.
Correct Answer:juxtaposition,two things being seen or placed close together with contrasting effect

two things being seen or placed close together with contrasting effect

Correct Answer:malevolent,having or showing a wish to do evil to others

having or showing a wish to do evil to others

Correct Answer:benevolent,having a desire to do good; kind

having a desire to do good; kind

Correct Answer:protagonist,the main character in a story

the main character in a story

Correct Answer:antagonist,a character who actively opposes or is hostile to others

a character who actively opposes or is hostile to others

Q2.
Why is it important to contrast characters in writing?
To make characters look the same.
Correct answer: To highlight their differences and make their traits more noticeable.
To simplify the characters.
Q3.
Fill in the blank in the following sentence: 'In the Sherlock Holmes stories, Moriarty's __________ personality contrasts sharply with Holmes’s focused and determined personality.'
Correct answer: menacing
welcoming
warm
Q4.
What is one potential impact of using juxtaposition in fiction writing?
Correct answer: it creates tension and conflict
it reduces tension and conflict
it removes tension and conflict
Q5.
What is not true of using juxtaposition to contrast characters in fiction writing?
it allows the reader to see more of the characters' personalities
Correct answer: the characters will always be completely different
it can create dramatic tension and conflict in the narrative
Correct answer: it is only effective when used with characters of the same intelligence
Q6.
Contrasting characters can our understanding of their roles and personalities.
Correct Answer: deepen, strengthen

Additional material

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