Elements of a story worksheet | Worsheets library - Free Printable

You're absolutely right — character analysis is about understanding a character by looking at what they *do*, what they *say*, how they *think*, and how others react to them. The key is to use evidence from the text (like actions, dialogue, or descriptions) to figure out their personality traits.

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🎯 Task: Analyze Jerry’s Character in “Hotel for Dogs”

We need to find evidence from the text that shows what kind of person Jerry is. Let’s look at his actions and decisions.

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## ✔ Step 1: Identify Key Actions That Reveal Jerry’s Character

Here are some important moments from the story:

1. Jerry finds Red Rover and decides to keep him.
- *“Jerry is squatting... trying to make him stay.”*
- He doesn’t just ignore the dog — he tries to help it.
- This shows he is caring and compassionate.

2. He hides Red Rover in Aunt Alice’s house.
- *“Jerry tells him that Red Rover will not like it if he keeps treating him that way, but Jerry still brings Bruce to his own business.”*
- He knows keeping the dog is risky (Aunt Alice doesn’t allow pets), but he does it anyway to protect the dog.
- This shows he’s brave and determined — willing to take risks to do what’s right.

3. He gets upset when Bruce tries to get rid of Red Rover.
- *“Jerry shoves Bruce out of the way and starts to leave.”*
- He stands up to Bruce, even though Bruce is older and probably more powerful.
- This shows he’s protective and has strong moral values.

4. He takes responsibility for the dog.
- He doesn’t just bring Red Rover home — he *keeps* him, feeds him, and tries to care for him despite the rules.
- This shows he’s responsible and dependable.

5. He worries about telling his parents.
- *“Jerry doesn’t know what to do. He knows the dog can’t stay in Aunt Alice’s house. He is afraid that Bruce will tell their parents, and then the dog and her puppies will have to go.”*
- He’s thinking ahead and is worried about consequences — not just for himself, but for the dog and her puppies.
- This shows he’s thoughtful and empathetic.

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## 🧩 Step 2: Match Actions to Character Traits

Let’s pick 3–5 strong traits that fit Jerry based on the evidence:

| Character Trait | Evidence from Text |
|-----------------|--------------------|
| Caring | Tries to comfort Red Rover, hides him to protect him, worries about the puppies. |
| Brave | Keeps the dog even though it’s against the rules and risks getting in trouble. |
| Responsible | Takes care of Red Rover daily, thinks about long-term consequences. |
| Protective | Shoves Bruce away to defend Red Rover, stands up for what’s right. |
| Thoughtful | Worries about what will happen if Bruce tells their parents — considers others’ feelings. |

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## 📝 Final Answer: Character Analysis of Jerry

> Jerry is a caring, brave, and responsible boy. He shows compassion by taking in Red Rover, even though he knows it’s against the rules. He is brave because he stands up to Bruce to protect the dog, and he is responsible because he takes care of Red Rover every day and thinks about the future — especially what might happen to the dog and her puppies. Jerry also shows he’s thoughtful and protective, always putting the dog’s needs first. These actions prove that Jerry is someone who does what’s right, even when it’s hard.

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✔ Bonus Tip: When writing character analysis, always quote or paraphrase the text to support your ideas — just like we did above!

Let me know if you want to analyze another character like Bruce or Andi next! 😊