Characters are an essential part of any story, as they drive plot forward and help to create and resolve conflicts. As a story is told, characters often change or evolve with the plot. Practice character development with Storyboard That!
Can't find a specific book in our pre-made lesson plans? This novel study guide has easy to use activities that can be tailored to any book, novel, or short story.
Ghost by Jason Reynolds is a fictional novel set in a modern day city and follows the life of 7th grader, Castle “Ghost” Cranshaw as he struggles to overcome a difficult childhood and find a new direction in life with the help of his mentor, Coach Brody.
Character analyses are important for recognizing the depth and impact characters have on a story. It helps to have ways to visually organize the different parts of a character analysis with storyboards, graphic organizers or character analysis worksheets.
The two main characters Castle "Ghost" Cranshaw and his mentor Coach Otis Brody have a lot of parallels in their lives that are revealed throughout the novel. This Venn Diagram compares and contrasts both characters.
Storyboard Text
CoachCab DriverFatherHusbandDad passed awayCoach of the DefendersLoves to mentor kidsOlympic Gold Medal WinnerThinks Michael Jordan is the greatest basketball player
Coach Otis Brody vs. Castle "Ghost" Cranshaw
GHOST by Jason Reynolds
AthleticRunnersTraumatic experiences with their fathersGrew up in Glass ManorRunning and being on a team helped them find purpose and overcome difficult background
Castle StudentSonFriend to Mr. Charles, Dre, and RedDad in jailBullied at schoolLoves the Guinness Book of World, Records, and sunflower seedsWants to be a basketball playerStruggling with his pastThinks LeBron James is the greatest basketball player