Unit 1 Elements of Fiction and
Nonfiction Narratives
Lesson 4: “Dancer” by Vicki Sears
LEQ: How do authors use point
of view and characterization to
communicate theme in a work
of fiction? 10/20 -10/21
Unit 1, Lesson 4: “Dancer”
Know: Authors use elements of
fiction to communicate meaning
Understand: Point of view and
characterization affect a reader’s
understanding of theme
Do: Identify evidence of point of
view and characterization as they
relate to a theme in the story.
“Why is Identity important?”
Our next work of fiction, “Dancer,”
involves an understanding of the concept
of identity.
Activity: Work in your learning team to
research your assigned website, and find
three facts for your graphic organizer
about identity.
Summary of Insights learned about
Identity…
 What have you learned from the documents on the
websites? (share)
1 minute Remember----with your team, list any facts that
you remember about the importance of Identity.
Why is identity important?
A sense of belonging within a
particular group helps a child to be
mentally healthier.
Indigenous youth are more prone to
suicide.
Children acquire a sense of identity
and belonging through storytelling,
songs, rituals, and traditions.
Key Vocabulary
 Direct Characterization
 Indirect Characterization
 narrator
 point of view
 narrative voice
 identity
 dynamic character
 static character
 theme
Activity: Read aloud “The Dancer.”
Please follow along as we read the story
aloud in class;
We will pause after key paragraphs and
ask questions to build comprehension.
Listen for significant passages and make
connections related to your
understanding of the importance of
identity as we read.
Activity #2: Narrative Point of View
1. Use your graphic organizer to define the
following terms:
 point-of-view,
 narrator,
 narrative voice,
 trustworthy or untrustworthy narrator
 Work in learning teams to discuss and
specifically apply the literary terms to the
story by giving examples.
Point of View
 Point of view is defined as:
The perspective from which the story
is told.
Types of Point of View
1st person: uses “I” or “we” to tell the
story; tells the events of the story only
from the perspective of the narrator.
3rd person Limited: Uses he, she, it, they,
to tell the story, but only follows one
character at a time.
3rd person Omniscient: Uses “he, she it, &
they” to tell the story; has an overall view
of everything and everyone in the story;
Point of View
With your learning team, identify the
point of view of the short story,
“Dancer.”
Write an excerpt of evidence from the
story that proves that you’ve correctly
identified the point of view.
Document the page # on which the
evidence is found. (parenthetical
documentation)
Point of View answer check:
The point of view of “Dancer” is
first person.
Narrator
 The narrator in the story is the voice
who is telling the story.
 The way that the narrator speaks
gives you clues about who the
narrator is.
Narrator
 With your learning team, write a
brief statement that identifies the
narrator in this story.
 Give a brief excerpt of evidence
that supports your idea.
Narrator Answer Check
 The narrator in the story is a foster
mother to Native American children
who don’t have families with whom
they can live.
Narrative Voice
 Definition:
 A style of writing that the author uses
to communicate the personality and
character traits of the narrator.
 Go to page 32 in your book. Read the
paragraph about narrative voice and
use it to complete your chart.
Narrative Voice Answer Check
“A Native American mother tells
the story in her own way…earthy,
conversational style…nonstandard
(not correct grammar)…colorful
descriptions…plain-spoken, openhearted…tries to help her foster
child gain self-confidence in her
ethnic identity.” (32)
Is the narrator trustworthy or
untrustworthy?
 The traits of the narrator affect
whether or not you can believe the
narrator.
 To determine if the narrator is
trustworthy or untrustworthy--think about the narrator’s motives.
Is the narrator trustworthy?
 Ask:
 Does the narrator have good
intentions that benefit others or
hurtful intentions to benefit his/her
own interests?
 Is the narrator truthful or trying to
justify his/her own reasons?
Is the narrator trustworthy?
 With your learning team, identify
the narrator as trustworthy or
untrustworthy.
 Give a few brief reasons to support
your answer, based upon our
definition of trustworthy and
untrustworthy narrator.
Activity #3: Main Characters and
Traits related to theme
 Use the graphic organizer chart and
work with your learning team to:
 1. Identify 4 main characters
 2. For two “assigned characters,”
identify traits that are specific to
these characters. Choose traits that
relate to the theme of identity
within the story.
New Concept: Dynamic and Static
Characters
 A Dynamic Character: Changes in some
important or significant way throughout the
story; usually involves the main conflict in the
story.
 A Static Character: Stays the same
throughout the story.
 With your learning team, use your character
trait list to label each of the four main
characters as static or dynamic.
Dynamic/Static Answer check
 1 Dynamic Character: Clarissa
 In what way is Clarissa a dynamic
character? What proof do we have?
 How can we connect this to the
theme of identity and belonging?
Summary Activity:
 Without looking at your materials, work
with your group to remember all of the
literary concepts that we have studied
today. List as many as you can remember
in 1 minute on the front of a notecard.
Team Challenge:
On the back of the notecard,
discuss with your team and write
your answer to this question:
 How does the author’s choice of
narrator and development of
narrative voice help the reader to
care about the problem in the
story?
Writing Prompt:
 Discuss the way an author uses
dynamic characterization to
communicate theme.