Using the novel A Bridge to Wiseman's Cove by James Moloney

1. Elements of Literature

3. is the process by which the writer reveals the
personality of a character…
Where the author creates a character on a page
and make readers feel as if they have met a real
person…
creating characters boils down to, ultimately:
making the audience care...
Character Development

4. Character Analysis
Physical.
• What does the character look like?
• How do the character’s physical
attributes play a role in the story?
• How does the character feel about his
or her physical attributes?
• How does the character change
physically during the story?
• How do these changes affect the
character’s experience?
Intellectual.
• How would you describe this
character’s intelligence?
• What does this character know? How
does this character’s intellect compare
to others in the story?
• Is this character smart enough to thrive
in the world in which he or she lives?
• What does this character learn as the
story develops?

5. Character Analysis
Emotional.
• How does this character feel most of
the time?
• How do his or her feelings change
throughout the story?
• How does this character feel about
himself or herself?
• When faced with challenges in the
story, what emotions come up for
this character?
Social.
• How does this character get along with
other characters in the story?
• Who does this character choose for
friends and why does this character
choose them?
• Where does this character stand in the
social order?
• How does this character’s social
standing affect events in the story?

6. Character Analysis
Philosophical.
• What does this character believe
about the way life is?
• What are these beliefs based on? How
do these beliefs affect the choices
this character makes?
• How do those beliefs change
throughout the story?
• Do others in the story share these
beliefs?

7. “The ten-minute walk in a cooling breeze took none
of the heat from his indignation. He marched straight
through the doors of the bowls club, his clothes still
damp and dishevelled from a day on the barge, the
bloody gash along his thumb dripping blood onto the
carpet. He spotted Beryl at the last poker machine in
a long gaudy row and made for her with purposeful
strides until he stood only metres away.” (p.97)
Description of Carl Matt

8. “The ten-minute walk in a cooling breeze took none
of the heat from his indignation. He marched straight
through the doors of the bowls club, his clothes still
damp and dishevelled from a day on the barge, the
bloody gash along his thumb dripping blood onto the
carpet. He spotted Beryl at the last poker machine in
a long gaudy row and made for her with purposeful
strides until he stood only metres away.” (p.97)
Description of Carl Matt
- Description

9. Character Name: Carl Matt
What does the character
say and do? What does the character
think and feel?
How does the character
look?
What do the other
characters think about the
character?
How does the character
make you feel?
He marched into the
bowls club, purposely
He felt indignant
He looked damp and
dishevelled. He had a
gash on his thumb.
He is ignored by his
Aunt Beryl.
Proud – that he finds
the courage to stand up
for Harley.

10. Character Traits
Identify a character trait for Carl Matt: ________________courageous
If possible, identify another character trait: ________________caring

11. Help us understand why characters speak and act the
way they do.
Help us understand what the characters think or why
they have certain beliefs.
Help us understand a character’s relationships with
other characters.
Help us predict what characters might do next.
Help us make inferences and to draw conclusions
about events in the story.
Character Traits:

12. “He took in a breath. Held it. Words, he needed
words. The breath slid out of him and he began to
shiver, not from the icy touch of his clothes but the
fear that suddenly froze his heart. “I want the key,”
he managed to say. Pitiful words. No more than the
woman expected of him. They told nothing of what
was sealed inside him still.” (p.98)
Description of Carl Matt

13. Character Name: Carl Matt
What does the character
say and do? What does the character
think and feel?
How does the character
look?
What do the other
characters think about the
character?
How does the character
make you feel?
Name a character trait ________________
If possible name another character trait ________________

14. The two types of characterization are direct
characterisation and indirect characterisation.
If a writer tells you what a character is like, the method
is called direct characterisation.
If a writer prefers to show characters in action, the
method is called indirect characteriation.
Characterisation: Creating Characters

15. Direct presentation Indirect presentation
The author or narrator makes direct
statements about a character's
personality and tells what the character is
like.
How does the character STEAL your
attention:
• A character’s Speech (What does the character say? How does
the character speak?)
• A character’s Thoughts (What is revealed through the character’s
private thoughts and feelings?)
• A character’s interactions [Effect on others] (What is revealed
through the character’s effect on other people? How do other
characters feel or behave in reaction to the character?)
• A character’s Actions (What does the character do? How does the
character behave?)
• A character’s Looks (What does the character look like? How
does the character dress?)
To identify character traits, think of
the following:

16. Direct Indirect
Lewis always took ages to get ready. He
really did. He always forgot something.
He had to make sure that his outfit was
just right - that was his problem.
Eventually he would appear, say sorry,
and you’d explain to him that he had
taken ages – again.
Lewis looked at himself in the mirror, adjusting his
shirt. He put on his new watch and looked at the
time. Getting on, he thought. His wallet was
somewhere, as were his keys, but he wasn’t ready to
look yet. He looked at the shirts on his bed, thinking
what to wear. After a while, he took off the one he
was already wearing, picked up the yellow one
instead and put it on. He looked into the mirror
again, checking his beard and spraying some cologne
on his neck. He found his keys on the side, and
eventually his wallet appeared in a coat he had worn
the night before. He put on his shoes and had one
last look in the mirror by the door. His friends were
waiting outside, grumpy and muttering because of
the time he had taken. “Sorry.” He said.
Direct/Indirect: Example…

17. He knew this wasn’t enough. He was being reasonable,
controlled, keeping that same damned politeness in his own
voice. He could feel the heat inside him and in that instant he
let it go, let it bubble up into his throat. He shouted for the
whole bar, whole town, to hear, a wild ferocious roar.
“You’re not putting him on that chain any more. Do you hear
me? No more. You won’t hit him, you won’t even touch him,
no matter what he does.” Carl’s hand rose up, index finger
pointing, punching the air in front of his aunt. “He deserves
better than that.”
He made his way past the stunned and silent patrons, turning
briefly as he entered the foyer. “And so do I,” he shouted.
Then he was gone. (p.99)
Indirect? Direct?

19. Writers also give readers a view of their characters
from another angle: through characters’ relationships
with each other.
Character reactions reveal qualities of both characters
and their relationship…through:
what characters say to each other and
how characters act toward each other
Relationships - Indirect

20. Beryl didn’t realise at first that he had lingered and she continued to play,
pressing the button, watching the garish symbols roll down the screen and one
by one come to a halt. She’d lost this time. Only then did she notice Carl and
the other faces peering from either side of him.
“You shouldn’t have done it,” Carl said again, less tentatively this time. He
imagined himself on the barge, shouting to a driver, putting him on the deck in
just the right spot. His voice rose. “It was cruel. You wouldn’t do it to a dog.”
Men began to move closer from the bar, forming an audience. “Don’t make
such a big drama out it,” said Beryl, looking around at the startled faces.
Carl saw nothing but his aunt slouched on the stool, still unmoved by what she
had done. She brought the cigarette to her lips and drew deeply, tilting her
head and letting the smoke shoot out strongly. This was her most intimidating
pose, one that had repelled him many times before. “Go home, Carl,” she said.
(p. 98/9)
Aunt Beryl and Carl

21. What relationship exists between Aunt Beryl and Carl?
How is this revealed in the passage by:
what the characters say to each other?
how the characters act toward each other?
What indication do we have, in this passage, that
times are changing? That the relationship is changing?
Aunt Beryl and Carl

22. Motivation is the reason why people do the things
they do.
Uncover a character’s motivations by paying
attention to
Then, think about the outcome of the character’s
actions.
Motivation
what the
character
says
What the
character
does
Clues
about
motivation

23. What was the motivation for Carl’s outburst at his
Aunt Beryl?
What about the outcome of Carl’s actions…was his
outburst justified?
Motivation

24. The protagonist is the main character.
The antagonist is the character or force opposing the main
character.
Flat: characterized by one or two traits, summed up in a
few sentences.
Round: complex and many-sided.
Stock: a type of flat, stereotypical figure who has occurred
so often in fiction that his/her nature is immediately known
(i.e. sinister villain, good sheriff, mad scientist, etc.)
Classifying Characters

25. Static: unchanging character from the beginning to
the end.
Developing or Dynamic: undergoes a permanent
change in some aspect of his/her character,
personality, or outlook. Change should be plausible,
meaning that the change is believable, given the
details in the story.
Classifying Characters

26. the events that take place in a story. Every story
needs a plot! The plot has different parts:
Exposition/Orientation
Conflict
Rising Action
Climax
Falling Action
Resolution
Plot

28. Suspense- excitement or tension
Flashback- interrupts the normal sequence of events
to tell about something that happened in the past
Surprise Ending- conclusion that reader does not
expect
And…Foreshadowing…
Ways to develop your plot

29. Plot of A Bridge to Wiseman’s Cove

30. Timeline

32. Character vs Character – problem with another
character
Character vs Nature – problem with a force of nature
Character vs Society - problem with the laws or beliefs
of a group or character vs. community, society or
culture
Character vs Self -problem with deciding what to do
or think; “inner conflict”
Types of Conflict

33. Character vs Character
Character vs Nature
Character vs Society
Character vs Self
Conflict – A Bridge to Wiseman’s
Cove
What type(s) of conflict(s) existed in A Bridge to
Wiseman’s Cove:
For Carl?
For Aunt Beryl?

35. What is this place like?
Why does it not suit Carl in the beginning?
How does Carl evolve to belong in Wattle Beach?
How does the ‘setting’ of a place impact on our
development as human beings?
Setting

37. What central message, concern or purpose was/were
evident in A Bridge to Wiseman’s Cove?
Are some themes more evident/important than
others?
Themes

38. The literary device ‘motif’ is any element, subject, idea
or concept that is constantly present through the
entire body of literature. Using a motif refers to the
repetition of a specific theme dominating the literary
work.
Motifs are very noticeable and play a significant role
in defining the nature of the story, the course of
events and the very fabric of the literary piece.
Motifs

39. How does the idea of the ‘bridge’ play a significant
role in defining the nature of the story in A Bridge to
Wiseman’s Cove?
Bridges

40. A symbol is a person, place, or thing comes to
represent an abstract idea or concept -- it is anything
that stands for something beyond itself.
Symbols

41. Joy keeps the injured bird safe until it is healed and ready
to be released back into the world.
When Carl joins Joy and the others in setting the osprey
free he feels an overwhelming sense of elation and
freedom.
Joy remarks “Wasn’t it brilliant. It must be great to be free
again, like that. I almost know how the bird feels.” (p193)
The need for ‘freedom’ is a reoccurring theme in this novel.
The Osprey

42. Carl suffers from the behaviour of his family – “the curse of the Matts”.
Everyone assumes that because he is a Matt he will cause problems. Even
Skip Duncan doesn’t want to employ Carl once he realises who he is.
I lost so much that day ‘cause of your grandfather. ‘Cause of you Matts. Why
should I care what happens to any of you? Bloody Matts. Rotten to the core.
Every one I’ve ever laid eyes on. (p157)
Are the Matts “rotten to the core”? Beryl feels that her family also suffered as a
result of the accident. Do you agree that the Matts deserve any sympathy?
What damage can it cause to have preconceived ideas of people?
Can you identify any groups or people in society about which you or others may
have preconceived ideas? What impact does this have on the way you view them
and treat them?
Consider the ‘pygmalion effect’ (people rise to the levels of expectations others
have for them). Can you think of any circumstances where this may come into
play? What impact does it have?
Preconceptions