Character. A character is a person or animal who takes part in the action of a literary work. A character’s human qualities, or character traits, are what bring that character to life for the reader. As you read the story, think about the qualities each individual has that make that person a “be-er” or a “doer.”
Plot. A plot is a series of events related to a central conflict, or struggle. The structure of a plot is based on an author’s choice of events related to that conflict and the ordering of those events. As you read “Be-ers and Doers” think about the events and situations the author chooses to describe.
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• Social Studies Connection. “Be-ers and Doers” revolves around the idea that every person is born with a certain personality type, causing him or her to behave in a particular way. Psychologists have developed a variety of ways to define different personality types. One of the most basic theories, developed by Friedman and Roseman, defines type A personalities and type B personalities. People with type A personalities typically are more competitive, more rushed, time oriented, and aggressive. People with type B personalities generally are more relaxed, more flexible, more passive, and less stressed. More recent studies have added a type C personality, which applies to people who seem patient and cooperative but not assertive. Type C people seem like type B people on the surface, but they tend to suppress feelings of stress and to put their own needs last. Researchers say that people with type A and type C personalities are at a higher risk for diseases such as cancer and heart disease.
• Geography Connection. This story takes place in Nova Scotia, an eastern province of Canada. One of the Maritime provinces on Canada’s Atlantic coast, Nova Scotia includes a peninsula that sprawls east from the Canadian mainland. Nova Scotia also includes all of Cape Breton Island. The province has more than 4,700 miles of coastline, ranging from fertile coastal lowlands in the north to the jagged, rocky, and barren southern shores. The Annapolis River Valley, in western Nova Scotia, is famous for its apple orchards and productive farmland.
Are you a “be-er” or a “doer”?
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