Overview

Students identify moments where a character experiences a strong emotion, then demonstrate how the author has shown (rather than told) that emotion — through actions, behaviour, interactions, dialogue or other means — supported by a direct quote or paraphrase. This activity builds empathy and inference simultaneously, requiring students to read between the lines to understand a character's motivations and relationships.

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Discuss the difference between "showing" and "telling" in writing: telling states an emotion directly ("She was angry"), while showing uses actions, behaviour, or dialogue to convey it.
2. Students identify 3–5 moments where a character experiences a strong emotion.
3. For each moment, students record: the emotion they believe the character is feeling, the evidence from the text (how the author shows this), and a supporting quote.
4. Students share their analyses in pairs and discuss any moments where they interpreted the emotion differently.
5. Facilitate a class discussion: What techniques does the author use most to show emotion? Why is "show don't tell" more powerful?

Tips

• This works with any text that features characterisation — fiction, nonfiction, film, even advertising.
• Encourage students to look for subtle emotions, not just obvious ones.
• This is a strong preparation activity for character analysis essays.

More Inferring Activities