Writing Homework Help

Jess Aarons is the most complicated child character whom we have met so far. He is more complex that characters such as Squirrel Nutkin, Fern, Fanny, Gluck, Little Thumb or any other character. We learn so much more about him and his life than we have previously learned about a protagonist before. One reason this occurs of course is that he is the protagonist in a novel, not just in a tale or story.

In this discussion I’d like the class to explore his development as a character imagined  by Katherine Paterson. What are the various things that we find out about him which reveal his personality and worlds which he inhabits (i.e. home, school, town, etc.)? What are the important things we learn about his thinking and psychological make-up: his relationships, interests, hopes, fears, secrets, ambitions, etc.?

When you make your initial post, you should focus on ONE ASPECT which readers learn about Jess which has not yet been commented on in a previous post. When you make your each of your two (2) response posts, please respond to a classmate who  discusses a characteristic which you judge a very important part of Jess’ character. Try to add some detail or analysis to what was previously said about Jess in the initial post. Each of your follow-up posts should discuss a different aspect of Jess. This process should enable us as a class to construct a very rounded understanding of him.

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