For this assignment, students were challenged to use indirect characterization techniques--characters' appearance, actions, thoughts, dialogue, and other' characters' reactions--to show a character's personality. See if you can guess the character's trait before you get to the bottom of the piece.
The Not- so Perfect Night
“Mark! Seriously, you’re a guy; you're supposed to know these things! How don’t you know how to change a tire?” Maggie demanded, as an annoyed look of frustration appeared on her face. Maggie had been waiting for over thirty minutes in the rain. Her once- beautiful, long blond hair and red gown were now a soaking mess. If he did not get the tired changed fast, Maggie would be late for her first-ever company party, and Mark would never hear the end of it.
“Maggie, please stop yelling at me. It’s 40 degrees out, pouring rain, and I can’t see a single thing. All I am asking is for you to hold the flashlight still,” Mark stated. Mark had been Maggie’s boyfriend for the last seven years. His dirty blond hair and tall legs had attracted Maggie way back when they were in high school.
“We never would have been in this situation had you not been so cheap and bought new tires last week when I told you to, instead of waiting for the stupid sale next Thursday.” Maggie shouted as she continued to jump his case.
“Okay, you’re right, but obviously, I messed up, and this is the situation we are in now, so please just help me,” begged Mark.
“Why should I?” Maggie snapped as she began to pace back and fourth.
“Maggie, come on; I’ve asked nicely,” pleaded Mark.
Maggied snarled, “Yeah, well, I nicely told you to get new tires and look where that got us. Stuck on Hwy 19, late to MY work’s Christmas party, and soaking wet.”
“You know what, just get back in the car and wait. All you’ve done is stress me out more.
“Fine by me!” Maggie screamed as she hastily threw the flashlight at Mark.
As Mark continued to stand alone in the rain and work on the tire, tears began to form in his eyes. He thought to himself She’s right. And now look at the mess I’ve created. She’s a soaking mess and over an hour late to her first company Christmas Party. I just wish she knew the truth behind it.
Around eleven o’clock Mark got the new tire installed on the truck and returned to the driver’s seat. As he opened the door and looked over in the passenger seat, Maggie lay there passed out, snuggled under his wool coat. A gentle smiled formed on his face at the sight of his sweet love, although tonight she was not so sweet. He pondered on whether he should wake her or not. Finally, he woke her up.
“Mags,” he whispered as he brushed against her arm.
Startled, Maggie opened her eyes with a confused look on her face.”
“What now, Mark?” she growled as she wiped her eyes.
“Maggie, look, I know you’re upset with me, and you have every right to be, but I need to tell you the truth.”
Confused, Maggie nodded her head, telling him to continue speaking.
“Mags, here’s the truth. I did not have any money to buy the tires. I’ve wanted to make you mine for a real long time now, and tonight at your party I had a big surprised all planned out for you, and now I ruined it all.”
As he got out of the truck and walked around the front to her door, Maggie could not believe what was happening.
Mark opened her door, got down on one knee, looked into her eyes, and asked, “Maggie Jolee Miller, I know I ruined your night and this is not ideal situation, but I can’t wait any longer. Will you marry me?”
Speechless, Maggie jumped out of the truck, into Mark’s arms as they held each other in the pouring rain, until she could finally get the word YES out.
Mark and his fiance then returned to their truck, holding hands the whole way home. As they reached the driveway, Mark got out of the truck first and hurried to open the passenger door. He then carried his new fiance into the house. Even though it was now two in the morning, Maggie rushed to the phone, eager to call her parents. As she dialed their number, her fingers shook with every button she pressed. Mark stood above her grinning from ear to ear knowing that from this night forward his life would forever be changed.
Mark is a kind and sensitive man who puts others before himself. He stays calm in sticky situations and does not retaliate when being yelled at.
Maggie is a high strung, demanding lady. She gets radical and blames others for bad situations. She does not offer any words of encouragement and doesn’t have a sense of others feelings
“Mark! Seriously, you’re a guy; you're supposed to know these things! How don’t you know how to change a tire?” Maggie demanded, as an annoyed look of frustration appeared on her face. Maggie had been waiting for over thirty minutes in the rain. Her once- beautiful, long blond hair and red gown were now a soaking mess. If he did not get the tired changed fast, Maggie would be late for her first-ever company party, and Mark would never hear the end of it.
“Maggie, please stop yelling at me. It’s 40 degrees out, pouring rain, and I can’t see a single thing. All I am asking is for you to hold the flashlight still,” Mark stated. Mark had been Maggie’s boyfriend for the last seven years. His dirty blond hair and tall legs had attracted Maggie way back when they were in high school.
“We never would have been in this situation had you not been so cheap and bought new tires last week when I told you to, instead of waiting for the stupid sale next Thursday.” Maggie shouted as she continued to jump his case.
“Okay, you’re right, but obviously, I messed up, and this is the situation we are in now, so please just help me,” begged Mark.
“Why should I?” Maggie snapped as she began to pace back and fourth.
“Maggie, come on; I’ve asked nicely,” pleaded Mark.
Maggied snarled, “Yeah, well, I nicely told you to get new tires and look where that got us. Stuck on Hwy 19, late to MY work’s Christmas party, and soaking wet.”
“You know what, just get back in the car and wait. All you’ve done is stress me out more.
“Fine by me!” Maggie screamed as she hastily threw the flashlight at Mark.
As Mark continued to stand alone in the rain and work on the tire, tears began to form in his eyes. He thought to himself She’s right. And now look at the mess I’ve created. She’s a soaking mess and over an hour late to her first company Christmas Party. I just wish she knew the truth behind it.
Around eleven o’clock Mark got the new tire installed on the truck and returned to the driver’s seat. As he opened the door and looked over in the passenger seat, Maggie lay there passed out, snuggled under his wool coat. A gentle smiled formed on his face at the sight of his sweet love, although tonight she was not so sweet. He pondered on whether he should wake her or not. Finally, he woke her up.
“Mags,” he whispered as he brushed against her arm.
Startled, Maggie opened her eyes with a confused look on her face.”
“What now, Mark?” she growled as she wiped her eyes.
“Maggie, look, I know you’re upset with me, and you have every right to be, but I need to tell you the truth.”
Confused, Maggie nodded her head, telling him to continue speaking.
“Mags, here’s the truth. I did not have any money to buy the tires. I’ve wanted to make you mine for a real long time now, and tonight at your party I had a big surprised all planned out for you, and now I ruined it all.”
As he got out of the truck and walked around the front to her door, Maggie could not believe what was happening.
Mark opened her door, got down on one knee, looked into her eyes, and asked, “Maggie Jolee Miller, I know I ruined your night and this is not ideal situation, but I can’t wait any longer. Will you marry me?”
Speechless, Maggie jumped out of the truck, into Mark’s arms as they held each other in the pouring rain, until she could finally get the word YES out.
Mark and his fiance then returned to their truck, holding hands the whole way home. As they reached the driveway, Mark got out of the truck first and hurried to open the passenger door. He then carried his new fiance into the house. Even though it was now two in the morning, Maggie rushed to the phone, eager to call her parents. As she dialed their number, her fingers shook with every button she pressed. Mark stood above her grinning from ear to ear knowing that from this night forward his life would forever be changed.
Mark is a kind and sensitive man who puts others before himself. He stays calm in sticky situations and does not retaliate when being yelled at.
Maggie is a high strung, demanding lady. She gets radical and blames others for bad situations. She does not offer any words of encouragement and doesn’t have a sense of others feelings
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