
Interested in how the characters interact
with their society.
› For example, in “All Summer in a Day”, a
sociologist might say that Margot’s lack of
interactions with her peers caused the
terrible incident where she was locked in the
closet. A sociologist would think about how
Margot acted around her classmates before
this occurred.

A sociologist would ask:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
How do the characters in this novel relate to one
another?
Do the characters participate in any social groups?
Do they attend schools, meetings, churches, etc?
What institutions/groups/characters (authority
figures, leaders, organizations) have control over
the characters?
Are the characters in this story able to make their
own decisions?
Are they a part of the “normal” society, or are they
considered outsiders or a “different” class?
Do people in this novel act like the people in our
own society?
A linguist is practicing the strategy of
“analyzing author’s craft.”
 The author has chosen specific language
for specific characters or groups of
characters. It is not an accident that each
character speaks in the way he/she does.
It is important to identify important
vocabulary specific to the novel, and to
compare their speech to ours.

› For example, the author uses specific terms like
“balancee” and “arabesque” in “Unbalanced”
to show that they are very advanced ballet
dancers.

A linguist would ask:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
What specific language is being used by the
characters in this novel, and why is this language
used?
How does their language shape the character’s
tone (attitude towards a specific subject or topic)?
What does their tone reveal about the character?
What does their language show and/or imply about
their social status, background, age, society,
perspective, values, etc.? Are they using formal
speech or slang?
Are there any important terms or vocabulary
someone would need to learn in order to
understand this character or society in the novel?
How is their language similar or different from the
language we use in daily speech? Make a
comparison between their words and ours.
A philosopher is digging deep into the text
and analyzing ethical beliefs (views about
what is right and wrong).
 A philosopher would try to answer deep
questions about beliefs, religion, love, etc.
from either a character’s perspective, or
from the society as a whole.

› For example, a philosopher would think about
Monk’s actions in “Pricilla and the Wimps”, and
suggest that it is wrong for Monk to take kids’
lunch money. A philosopher might also suggest
that it is wrong for Priscilla to fight back and
leave Monk stuffed away in the locker. Or,
another might say that it was right for Priscilla to
stand up for her friend.

A philosopher would ask:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
What does each character believe—about fate,
life, religion, education, purpose, family, etc.?
Do characters agree with the way the world is
structured?
What is the biggest challenge each character
faces?
What is each character’s “purpose” in life (and
maybe in the novel)?
What is your view of the society? Do you share any
of the beliefs of the society or of particular
characters? If so, which beliefs? Are you shocked
by the society? Is there anything that you view as
wrong?

A psychologist is analyzing a specific
character’s innermost thoughts and feelings
about themselves in relation to others.
Consider the “man vs. self” and/or “man vs.
man” conflicts to fully understand a wellrounded idea about a character.
› For example, a psychologist would think about
the story “Unbalanced” and want to know why
Carla wanted to hurt Linda. A psychologist
would notice that jealousy causes Carla to harm
Linda, since she wants to be on top in the dance
studio. A psychologist might also suggest that
Carla is insecure about herself and her dancing
capabilities, which motivates her to hurt Linda.

A psychologist would ask:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
What behaviors do you notice among the
characters in the novel?
How do their emotional states affect how they view
themselves and others?
How do characters view their own behavior?
How do characters view their relationships with
others?
What hidden emotional needs cause a certain
character to behave or make decisions in the way
he/she does?
How would you relate to this character? If you could
ask a character to change his/her beliefs or actions,
would you? Which ones?

A geographer is taking a careful look at
the setting. How has the author used
climate, weather, landmass, animals,
plants, etc. to influence the characters? A
geographer would pick up hints from the
author and synthesize (put together) these
details with the rest of the novel to make
conclusions about why the setting is
important to the story.
› For example, a geographer would notice how
the rain affects Margot’s mood in the story “All
Summer in a Day”, and how the sun affects her
classmates as well.

A geographer would ask:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
How are the characters in the novel influenced by
geography (climate, weather, animals, etc.)?
Where are the characters located throughout the story?
How does each specific location impact the way people
act in the novel?
What impact does the climate have on the society? Are
they dealing with unusual weather patterns or anything
else that limits their ability to live?
Do animals or plants have any impact on this society?
Are there any plants and animals represented in this
world?
Consider the impact that geography has on your own
life. Does California’s weather, land, terrain, etc. impact
the way you live your life? Can you make any
connections with characters in the novel based on the
way your life is changed or limited by geography?

The economist is analyzing the novel in a
very specific way: how does a
character’s amount of resources affect
their life? Money can be power. How
can money (or lack of it) change a
character’s path? How does the
economy determine the life that each
character is allowed to live?
› For example, an economist might suggest
that Carla from “Unbalanced” was
motivated to hurt Linda because she
wanted to make more money by becoming
a principal dancer in the company.

An economist would ask:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
How is money viewed by the characters in this novel? (Is it a
good or bad thing?)
Does the average person in this society have a lot of money or
very little?
How do people in this society usually earn money? How do
specific characters earn money?
Do you see any inequalities (unfairness) based on wealth? Is the
society in the novel divided into rich and poor or other social
groupings?
Do people in this novel seem to be materialistic, meaning they
value material possessions over other important things? Do
they think objects are more important than people?
Are goods and services expensive or inexpensive? Can
characters generally afford what they need to live? If not, why
not?
How is the economy (or certain aspects of the economy) similar
to ours today? Consider how money affects the lives of
individuals in the novel. Does money control your life in a similar
way?