The best characters in books and on screen are the ones we believe are real people. To create believable characters, writers and directors need to imagine them as real people — with families, friends, histories, dreams, fears, secrets, likes and dislikes, and so on. As the reader or viewer, we don’t necessarily see this backstory, but it’s there, driving the way characters behave, their beliefs, and their decisions — moving them forward through the story. 

To better understand the language and structure of this text type, examine the following character description as a class. 

After reading this exemplar together, ask students to write a description of another Windcatcher character. They should reflect on what they observed and felt while viewing the film and include details and sensory language to capture the character fully. Students may also like to give the character a ‘they-call-me' name, like Windcatcher (Percy).  

• Keithy Cobb 
• Daisy Hawkins 
• Aunty Cressida 
• Aunty Prue
• Pop
• Constable Kennedy
• Ben Duncan (leader of the Wolf Pack)