Tom's Midnight Garden - Chapters 24 and 25 - Character Analysis Barty

In the twelfth session of "Tom's Midnight Garden," students delve into a character analysis of Barty, engaging with the text to explore the nuances of his portrayal. The activity prompts them to extract words and phrases directly from the narrative that illustrate Barty's physical appearance. This not only helps students to visualise the character but also to appreciate the author's descriptive skill. Following this, the focus shifts to Barty's manner of speaking and his behaviour, encouraging students to think about how dialogue and actions contribute to character development and what these elements reveal about his personality.

After gathering textual evidence, students are then tasked with translating their findings into a creative endeavour by drawing a picture of Barty, incorporating the details they have gathered about his appearance. This artistic interpretation requires them to synthesise their understanding of the text with their own creativity. Lastly, students are asked to articulate in their own words and phrases what they perceive Barty's personality to be, based on their analysis. This exercise not only deepens their comprehension of the character but also fosters critical thinking and personal interpretation, as they must infer and articulate the subtler aspects of Barty's character that are implied rather than explicitly stated in the text.