Lesson 1: Understanding Basic Characters and Their Roles

🟦 Introduction

Hello brilliant student! 👋
Today, we are stepping into the world of characters — the heroes, villains, helpers, and even tricksters who make stories exciting.
Characters are not just “people” in a story. They are living parts of the story’s heart. Without them, a story would feel empty.

By the end of this lesson, you’ll be able to easily recognize different types of characters, describe what they do, and even predict how they shape the story.

Let’s begin!

🟩 Key Concepts and Explanations

1. What Is a Character?
A character is any person, animal, or being in a story, play, or poem.
Characters can:

• Think

• Feel

• Act

• Speak

• Make choices

Characters bring life to a story, just like actors bring life to a play or movie.

2. Main Types of Characters

3. What Roles Do Characters Play?

🟨 Step-by-Step Walkthroughs

Walkthrough 1: Finding Characters in a Short Story

“Ama loved adventures. Every day after school, she and her best friend Kofi would explore the nearby forest. One day, they met a mysterious old man who warned them not to go too deep.”

Step 1: Identify the protagonist.

• Who is the story about?
  Answer: Ama

Step 2: Identify supporting characters.

• Who helps or supports the protagonist?
  Answer: Kofi

Step 3: Identify minor or mentor figures.

• Who appears briefly but gives important information?
  Answer: The old man (mentor figure)

Walkthrough 2: Character Table from a Story

🟨 Practice Exercises

Exercise 1: Match the Character to the Role

Match each character with the correct role:

Answers:

• Cinderella → Hero

• Step-mother → Villain

• Fairy Godmother → Mentor

Exercise 2: Story Sorting

Read this mini-story:

“Yaw loved building things. His sister Esi always encouraged him. Their neighbour Mr. Asante teased Yaw for wasting time.”

Questions:

1. Who is the protagonist?

2. Who is the sidekick?

3. Who is the antagonist?

Answers:

1. Yaw (protagonist)

2. Esi (sidekick)

3. Mr. Asante (antagonist)

Exercise 3: Fill in the Blanks

Fill the blanks with the right character types:

• The __________ fights for good and drives the story forward.

• The __________ creates problems for the main character.

• The __________ gives advice and guidance.

Answers:

• Hero (Protagonist)

• Villain (Antagonist)

• Mentor

Challenge Exercise: Character Sketch

Choose any story you know (a movie, a book, a folktale) and quickly sketch this table for it:

| Character Name | Role | How do they help or challenge the story? |

Example:

🔁 Recap

Today you learned that:

• Characters are the living beings in stories who move the plot forward.

• The protagonist is the main hero; the antagonist opposes them.

• Mentors, sidekicks, and minor characters all add depth to the story.

• Understanding character roles helps you predict story outcomes and appreciate themes.

🪞 Reflection Prompt

Think about a story, movie, or folktale you love.

• Who is the protagonist?

• Who is the antagonist?

• What sidekick or mentor helps the hero?
  Write 5 sentences to describe them!