Lesson Note on Characterization (Major) in “The Last Goodman” for SS1 (SSS 1)

Class: Senior Secondary School 1 (SS1, SS 1, SSS1, SSS 1)
Term: 3rd Term
Week: 7
Age: 15 years
Duration: 45 minutes
Subject: Literature-in-English
Curriculum Theme: Literature-in-English
Previous Lesson: Theme.
Topic: Characterization of the Novel “The Last Goodman” by Patience Swit.
Subject Matter: major characters in The Last Goodman, roles of major characters, significance of major characters, relationships between characters

Specific Objectives

By the end of the lesson, pupils should be able to:

Cognitive Domain:

• define characterization and character.
• identify major characters in “The Last Goodman”.
• describe major characters using traits and evidence from the text.
• explain the roles of major characters in the plot.
• state the significance of major characters to the themes and message of the novel.
• describe relationships between major characters and how they affect events.

Affective Domain:

• show respect for good values displayed by characters such as honesty and responsibility.
• show empathy for characters facing challenges and consequences of choices.

Psychomotor Domain:

• complete a character map chart correctly for at least three major characters.
• extract short evidence from selected passages to support character traits.

Social Domain:

• work cooperatively in groups to analyse characters and relationships.
• present group findings and respond politely to questions from classmates.

Reference Materials

The following resources were used in planning this lesson:

• 9 Years Basic Education Curriculum
• State Unified Scheme of Work
• Recommended Literature-in-English textbook for SSS (Prose and literary appreciation)
• Britannica: Character in Literature
• Britannica: Characterization
• Purdue OWL: Writing About Fiction

Instructional Materials

The teacher will teach this lesson with the aid of:

• copies of “The Last Goodman”
• character map chart
• selected text excerpts
• board and markers

Rationale for the Lesson

This lesson helps pupils understand how characters drive events and messages in a novel. It also prepares pupils for exam questions that require them to describe characters, state roles, and support answers with evidence from the text.

Prerequisite/Previous Knowledge

Pupils have read selected chapters of the novel and can recall main events and setting from earlier lessons.

Lesson Content / Board Summary

Characterization in “The Last Goodman” by Patience Swift

Meaning of Character

A character is a person or figure in a literary work who takes part in the events of the story. Characters may be major or minor, depending on their importance to the plot.

Meaning of Characterization

Characterization is the way a writer presents and develops characters in a story through actions, speech, thoughts, appearance, and relationships.

Major Characters in The Last Goodman

The following characters are major characters because they appear frequently, influence key events, and are closely connected to the themes and conflict of the novella.

1. Sam

Role: Protagonist

Traits:

• Kind and compassionate

• Quiet and withdrawn

• Helpful and humane

• Misunderstood

Description and Evidence:

• Sam helps people freely, such as repairing a boy’s bicycle and rescuing a girl from the sea.

• He lives a simple, lonely life and avoids unnecessary conflict.

• Despite his goodness, he is viewed with suspicion by the community and authorities.

Significance:

• Sam represents goodness, compassion, and humanity.

• His treatment by society highlights themes of misjudgement, injustice, and social cruelty.

• His actions and eventual fate drive the emotional impact and message of the novella.

2. Isobel

Role: Major supporting character / observer

Traits:

• Reflective and observant

• Emotionally vulnerable

• Curious and sympathetic

Description and Evidence:

• Isobel returns to the village from the city and witnesses important events, including the drowning.

• She observes Sam closely and reflects on his behaviour and isolation.

• Through her thoughts, readers gain insight into Sam’s character and the community’s attitude.

Significance:

• Isobel acts as a bridge between the reader and the story, offering reflection and interpretation.

• She deepens the theme of loneliness and helps highlight Sam’s humanity.

3. The Girl (rescued child)

Role: Catalyst character

Traits:

• Silent and vulnerable

• Innocent

• Dependent

Description and Evidence:

• Sam rescues her from the sea and brings her home.

• She lives quietly with Sam and becomes his companion.

Significance:

• Her presence reduces Sam’s loneliness and brings warmth into his life.

• She indirectly causes suspicion and misunderstanding, leading to conflict.

• She represents innocence and the unintended consequences of kindness.

4. The Community / Police (collective role)

Role: Antagonistic force (societal opposition)

Traits:

• Suspicious

• Judgmental

• Quick to assume wrongdoing

Description and Evidence:

• The community misunderstands Sam’s actions and questions his motives.

• Authorities become involved due to rumours and fear.

Significance:

• They represent society’s tendency to judge without full understanding.

• Their actions highlight themes of injustice, fear, and social prejudice.

Roles of Major Characters

1. Protagonist: Sam – central figure facing misunderstanding and conflict.

2. Supporting major character: Isobel – observes and reflects on events.

3. Catalyst: The girl – triggers emotional change and later conflict.

4. Antagonistic force: Community and authorities – oppose Sam through suspicion.

Significance of Major Characters

Major characters are important because they:

1. Reveal key themes such as goodness, loneliness, misjudgement, and consequences of actions.

2. Drive the plot through decisions, reactions, and conflict.

3. Show how society treats individuals who are different or misunderstood.

4. Help communicate the author’s message about humanity and fairness.

Relationships Between Major Characters

Sam ↔ The Girl

• Relationship type: Protector and dependent

• Effect: Reduces Sam’s loneliness but increases suspicion against him.

Sam ↔ Isobel

• Relationship type: Observer and subject

• Effect: Isobel’s reflections help readers understand Sam’s goodness.

Sam ↔ Community / Police

• Relationship type: Individual vs society

• Effect: This conflict drives tension and leads to tragic consequences.

Effects of Relationships on the Plot

1. Relationships influence decisions and misunderstandings.

2. They create conflict and increase tension.

3. They reveal character traits through reactions and judgments.

4. They move the story toward its tragic resolution.

Teacher Emphasis

• Sam is not a villain; the antagonist is misunderstanding and social judgement.

• Avoid forcing themes like greed or peer pressure here; focus on kindness, loneliness, misjudgement, and consequences.

• Always support character traits and roles with specific actions or scenes from the text.

Teaching Methods/Instructional Techniques

Discussion, Lecture, Demonstration, Question and Answer, Visual Aids

Instructional Procedures

Step 1: Introduction

Time: 5 minutes
Teaching Skill: Set Induction
Teacher’s Activity: The teacher asks pupils to mention any three characters they remember from the novel and one action each character did that affected events.
Pupils’ Activity: Pupils mention characters and recall actions from the story.
Learning Point: Characters influence events and help readers understand the message of a story.

Step 2: Meaning of Character and Characterization

Time: 6 minutes
Teaching Skill: Explanation
Teacher’s Activity: The teacher explains the meanings of character and characterization and writes key points on the board.
Pupils’ Activity: Pupils copy the meanings and listen attentively.
Learning Point: Characterization is how a writer presents and develops characters.

Step 3: Identifying Major Characters

Time: 6 minutes
Teaching Skill: Questioning
Teacher’s Activity: The teacher guides pupils to list major characters from the novel and states the criteria for identifying major characters.
Pupils’ Activity: Pupils list major characters and give reasons why each is major.
Learning Point: Major characters appear often and affect major events in the plot.

Step 4: Roles and Significance of Major Characters

Time: 7 minutes
Teaching Skill: Guided Discussion
Teacher’s Activity: The teacher provides selected excerpts and guides pupils to explain roles and significance of major characters using evidence from the text.
Pupils’ Activity: Pupils describe roles and support answers with short evidence from excerpts.
Learning Point: Roles and significance of characters must be supported with evidence from the text.

Step 5: Relationships Between Characters

Time: 6 minutes
Teaching Skill: Explanation/Demonstration
Teacher’s Activity: The teacher explains types of relationships and demonstrates how to draw a simple character relationship map on the board.
Pupils’ Activity: Pupils observe and identify relationships from the novel based on what they have read.
Learning Point: Relationships between characters can create conflicts and influence the plot.

Step 6: Group Work on Character Map

Time: 10 minutes
Teaching Skill: Cooperative Learning
Teacher’s Activity: The teacher groups the class, gives each group a passage and a character map chart, and directs them to fill in traits, roles, significance, and relationships with evidence.
Pupils’ Activity: Pupils work in groups to complete the chart and present findings briefly.
Learning Point: Character analysis becomes clearer when traits and relationships are organised in a chart with evidence.

Step 7: Evaluation/Review

Time: 5 minutes

Teaching Skill: Questioning/Assessment

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher evaluates the learning by asking the following questions:

1. Define characterization.
2. Mention three major characters in “The Last Goodman”.
3. State two roles of major characters in a novel and give one example from the text.
4. Explain one relationship between two major characters and state how it affects events in the story.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils answer orally and in writing.

Learning Point: Pupils demonstrate understanding of the lesson.

Step 8: Conclusion

Time: 0 minutes
Teaching Skill: Recapitulation
Teacher’s Activity: The teacher summarizes the meanings, reviews major characters, and emphasizes using evidence for character traits, roles, and relationships. Assignment: write a short paragraph on one major character, stating role, two traits, and one relationship with evidence from the text.
Pupils’ Activity: Pupils listen, copy the assignment, and ask questions where necessary.
Learning Point: Clear character analysis includes traits, roles, significance, relationships, and evidence.

Lesson Keywords

• Character – a person or figure in a story.
• Characterization – the way a writer presents and develops characters.
• Major character – an important character who influences major events.
• Protagonist – the main character facing the central problem.
• Antagonist – a character or force opposing the main character.
• Trait – a quality or behaviour that shows what a character is like.
• Relationship – the connection between characters that influences actions and events.

Differentiation

Provide simpler excerpts and sentence starters for pupils who need support in describing traits and roles, while advanced pupils use longer excerpts to explain significance and relationships in more detail. Use mixed-ability groups so pupils can share evidence and correct one another during the character map task.

Note for teachers using this lesson plan

Insist on evidence-based answers and guide pupils to avoid vague descriptions. Encourage short, clear points and ensure pupils distinguish between a character’s role in the plot and the moral lesson the character helps to show.