What is Character Motivation? Definition and Examples for 7th Grade ELA

📚 Quick Study Guide: Character Motivation

• 🤔 What is Character Motivation? It's the reason behind a character's actions, words, and thoughts. It's what drives them to do what they do in a story.
• 🎯 Why is it Important? Motivation is crucial because it explains a character's behavior, advances the plot, and helps readers understand the story's themes.
• 🧠 Internal Motivation: These are reasons that come from within a character. Think feelings, beliefs, values, desires, or personality traits. Examples: love, fear, revenge, ambition, a desire for acceptance.
• 🌍 External Motivation: These are reasons that come from outside the character, often from their environment or other characters. Examples: a reward, escaping danger, following orders, societal pressure, a natural disaster.
• 🔍 How to Identify Motivation: Look at what a character says, what they do, what they think, and how they react to events. Authors often provide clues through dialogue, narration, and character interactions.
• 📈 Impact on Plot: A character's motivations are what cause events to happen and move the story forward. Without motivation, characters wouldn't act, and there would be no plot!
• 💡 Relating to Real Life: Just like people in real life, fictional characters have reasons for their choices. Understanding these reasons helps us connect with the story and its characters on a deeper level.

✍️ Practice Quiz

Choose the best answer for each question.

1. What is the best definition of character motivation?
   A) The physical appearance of a character.
   B) The reason a character acts, thinks, or feels a certain way.
   C) The main problem or conflict in a story.
   D) The setting where the story takes place.
2. Which of the following is an example of internal motivation?
   A) A character wanting to win a cash prize in a competition.
   B) A character running away from a monster.
   C) A character seeking revenge for a past wrong.
   D) A character following a strict school rule.
3. In a story, a character named Alex studies tirelessly for a test because he wants to prove to himself that he can earn an A. What is Alex's primary motivation?
   A) Fear of failing the test.
   B) A desire for self-improvement and personal accomplishment.
   C) Pressure from his parents to get good grades.
   D) A wish to impress his friends.
4. Why is understanding character motivation important for readers?
   A) It helps them memorize the character's name.
   B) It makes the story longer and more complex.
   C) It helps explain character actions and moves the plot forward.
   D) It tells the reader who the narrator is.
5. Which statement best describes the difference between internal and external motivation?
   A) Internal motivation is always about good things, while external is about bad things.
   B) Internal motivation comes from within the character, while external comes from outside forces.
   C) External motivation is more important than internal motivation.
   D) Internal motivation only affects the character, while external affects everyone.
6. A character decides to rob a bank because their family is starving and they need money for food. What type of motivation is this?
   A) Purely internal motivation.
   B) A combination of internal and external motivation.
   C) Only external motivation.
   D) Not a motivation, but a character flaw.
7. What often shapes a character's motivations in a story?
   A) Only the author's favorite color.
   B) Their beliefs, values, experiences, and desires.
   C) The size of the book they are in.
   D) The number of chapters in the story.