Empathy

as they read in their social issues novels. Example: When you think about how a character is feeling, if you imagine how YOU would feel if you were the character, if you imagine what a character might do in a given situation, you are using empathy to connect to the character. Sometimes that is called "putting yourself in another's shoes. " In other words, as you read, you are imagining the main character is YOU. The experiences he or she faces- YOU face. When you do that, you start to feel like the character must have felt and you think and act like that character. Empathy is a deep connection to a character. 

For example, I have a friend who couldn't pay his bills. He and his wife had both lost their jobs and his children were sick. They couldn't pay their mortgage and after a while they lost their house. They had to move out. Luckily, they were able to move into my friend's parents' house and their children didn't have to change schools. I felt so badly for my friend and his family. I thought and thought about this situation. I began to imagine what it would be like if I were in that position. I began to ache for my own children, imagining them having to move. I thought of the shame I would feel if I were in my friend's shoes. I was empathizing with my friend's situation; I was imagining myself in his life 's circumstances feeling what he was probably feeling 

So, looking at empathy gives us a deeper understanding of the character's thoughts, feelings, and actions. 

• What is the character feeling? 

• How would you feel if you were that character?

What Readers Think About When Reading Critically

• We notice the impact of the setting on the characters.

• We think about whether a character's traits affect him/her.

• We see the story from different characters' points of view.

• We consider how the social issue affects the story.

• We think about whether a character's actions are fair or unfair.

• We try to understand what the author is trying to teach us.

• We notice the pressure that characters face.

• We try to understand what a character really wants and feels.

• We study and interpret symbols to better understand the story.

• We think about who in the story has power over others.