The characterization in this passage tells readers that he is nervous and uncomfortable around girls. This is indicated by his internal dialogue where he wants to say something clever but struggles to do so, focusing instead on an unremarkable observation about the governor. Additionally, his reaction of wincing inside after he speaks and his tendency to look away when Sandra glances at him suggest his discomfort and awkwardness in social interactions, particularly with girls.
Read the excerpt from "Broken Chain."
Alfonso looked down at his shoes. He wanted to say something clever the way people do on TV. But the only thing he could think to say was that the governor lived in Sacramento. As soon as he shared this observation, he winced inside.
Alfonso walked with the girl and the boy as they started for home. They didn’t talk much. Every few steps, the girl, whose name was Sandra, would look at him out of the corner of her eye, and Alfonso would look away. He learned that she was in seventh grade, just like him, and that she had a pet terrier named Queenie. Her father was a mechanic at Rudy’s Speedy Repair, and her mother was a teacher’s aide at Jefferson Elementary.
What does the characterization in this passage tell readers about Alfonso?
He is very knowledgeable about current events.
He tries too hard to impress other people.
He is nervous and uncomfortable around girls.
He often says something before he thinks about it.
1 answer