Comparing Two Stories' Characters

Learn how to look at characters from two different stories and find ways they are the same and ways they are different.

Reading is good — doing is better. Practice Comparing Two Stories' Characters as an interactive lesson.

Definition

When we compare two stories' characters, we pick one character from each story and ask: How are these two people (or animals) alike? How are they different? We look at what they look like, how they act, what they feel, and what they do in their story.

Remember the rule

Same = middle of the Venn diagram. Different = outer sides. Ask: What do BOTH characters do? What does ONLY ONE character do?

Key words

character: A person, animal, or creature in a story.
compare: To look at two things and find how they are the same.
contrast: To look at two things and find how they are different.
trait: A word that describes what a character is like, such as brave, kind, or silly.
feeling: How a character feels inside, like happy, scared, or sad.
Venn diagram: Two overlapping circles used to sort what is the same and what is different about two characters.
alike: The same in some way.
different: Not the same in some way.

Worked examples

Story 1: Goldilocks is a curious little girl who tries things that do not belong to her. Story 2: Jack (from Jack and the Beanstalk) is a brave boy who climbs a giant beanstalk. How are Goldilocks and Jack the same? How are they different?

→ Same: Both are children. Both are curious and do something daring. Different: Goldilocks goes into a stranger's house; Jack climbs a beanstalk. Goldilocks runs away at the end; Jack brings home treasure. · Look for what BOTH characters do (same) and what only ONE character does (different).

Story 1: The Three Little Pigs — the third pig is smart and hardworking. Story 2: The Tortoise (from The Tortoise and the Hare) is slow but hardworking. What is one way they are the same?

→ Both the third pig and the tortoise are hardworking and never give up, even when things get hard. · A character trait like 'hardworking' can be the same even when the stories are very different.

Cinderella is kind and patient. Hansel (from Hansel and Gretel) is brave and clever. How are these two characters different?

→ Cinderella waits for help and is very patient. Hansel takes action and tricks the witch. They show different traits: patience vs. bravery and cleverness. · Different traits show us how each character solves their problem in their own way.

In one story, a bear character feels lonely. In another story, a rabbit character also feels lonely at the start. What feeling do they share?

→ Both the bear and the rabbit share the feeling of loneliness at the beginning of their stories. · Characters in totally different stories can still share the same feeling.

Little Red Riding Hood is a girl who is helpful but a little too trusting. Pinocchio is a boy who tells lies but wants to be good. Name one way they are the same and one way they are different.

→ Same: Both learn an important lesson by the end of their story. Different: Little Red Riding Hood is honest; Pinocchio lies and gets into trouble because of it.

Common mistakes

Saying characters are different just because they have different names or live in different places — focus on traits, feelings, and actions instead.
Only finding differences and forgetting to look for things that are the same.
Mixing up which character belongs to which story — always check which story each character comes from before you compare.
Describing what happens in the plot instead of describing the character — remember to talk about the character's traits and feelings, not just the events.
Saying 'they are both in a story' as a similarity — that is true for every story character and is not a helpful comparison.

FAQs

How many things do I need to find that are the same and different?

For 1st grade, try to find at least one or two ways the characters are the same and one or two ways they are different. That is enough for a great comparison!

What if the two stories are very different — can the characters still be the same in some way?

Yes! Even characters from very different stories can share a feeling (like being scared) or a trait (like being kind). Look carefully and you will almost always find something they share.

Do I have to read both stories at the same time?

No. Read one story first and remember or write down a few things about that character. Then read the second story and do the same. After that, put your notes together and compare.

What words can I use when I write my comparison?

Use words like 'both,' 'also,' and 'same' when writing about similarities. Use words like 'but,' 'however,' and 'different' when writing about differences.

Can I compare two animal characters?

Absolutely! Animal characters have traits, feelings, and actions just like human characters. You compare them the exact same way.

What is the easiest way to start comparing two characters?

Start with one simple question: 'How does each character act when something hard happens?' That one question usually shows you both a similarity and a difference right away.

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