Name: __Teacher’s Example__________________ Period: _______
Character Profile
Directions: Complete the following character profile for a character from the
text.
Text: _____The Monsters are Due on Maple Street_______________
Character: __Les Goodman_________________________________
Speech
What does the character say?
Act 1 – “I swear…I don’t understand.” Act 1 – “You keep your distance – all of
you. Act 1 - “I’m guilty of insomnia…As God as my witness…you’re letting
something begin here that’s a nightmare.” Act 2 – “Just stay right where you
are, Steve. We don’t want any trouble, but this time if anybody sets foot on my
porch, that’s what they’re going to get-trouble.”
What can I infer about the character?
I think Les is generally a good man who is being wrongly accused. He appears to
be sensitive to these accusations and also scared. He fights back to defend
himself and his family. He is a strong character.
Actions
What are the character’s actions?
Act 1 – Les Goodman tries to start his car. Les backs away onto his front
porch. Act 2 – Les shouts back at the crowd. He is protective of him, his
wife, and home. Les runs with the mob chasing Charlie after shouting
accusations at him.
What can I infer about the character and his/her actions?
Les is a protective person. He is aggravated at his neighbors for shouting
accusations that he doesn’t understand. He believes his neighbors are
irrational. Les begins acting out of fear just like everyone else once the
accusations are off of him and onto another character.
Thoughts and Feelings
What are the character’s thoughts and feelings?
Les is feeling insecure when others are accusing him of looking at the sky early
in the morning. He thinks that his neighbors are foolish and acting illogically.
He acts out of fear and reacts the same as everyone else on the block.
What can I infer about the character knowing his/her thoughts and feelings?
Les is a generally secure man who fights back. He does however feel insecure
when his neighbors are verbally attacking him. Les seems to have common
sense at first and then begins acting out of fear.
Appearance What does the character look like?
Les appears to be middle aged or a similar age to some of the other men such as
Steve and Charlie. Les is dressed in a beige dress shirt in the teleplay.
What can I infer about the character from his/her appearance?
I can infer that Les has had a lot of contact with the neighbors because they
seem to know a lot of information about Les. I think he has lived on this block
for a long time.
Other Character’s Reactions What are other character’s reactions to this
character? Act 1 – The other neighbors freak out when Les Goodman’s car
starts all by itself.
The others call him an “oddball” and talk about how he
didn’t come out to look at the “meteor”. They also make comments about him
looking at the sky early in the morning and accuse him of being the “monster”.
What can I infer about this character from the way others react to him/her?
I think that Les is actually well liked by his neighbors, but they are using their
fears to turn against him. I think that Les falls under peer pressure and will
follow others so that the pressure is taken off of him.
Direct Character Traits
What are the character’s direct character traits?
Les tries to be helpful. He is fearful of his neighbors. He is quick to join them
in their fears and turn on others.
What can I infer about the character knowing his/her direct character traits?
I think Les tries to be a strong person, but is really fearful of his neighbors and
quick to cower. Les might think that he has a stronger personality than he
really does.
Connection:
My connection to the character:
I can connect with Les as the scapegoat. Les gets blamed for everything in the
first act of the teleplay. I often get blamed for things that I did not do. I can
sympathize with Les since he was being accused unfairly.