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Character
In Print
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Titles
referenced by Books that Build Character: A Guide to Teaching
Your Child Moral Values Through Stories by William
Kilpatrick and Gregory and Suzanne M. Wolfe, Simon &
Schuster: New York (1994).
Jane
Eyre
C. Bronte
(Signet, 1960)
Jane, a young girl who
experiences ridicule and rejection as a child, grows up to be a
kind and virtuous woman. When she falls in love with her
employer Mr. Rochester, she must choose between her passionate
love and her moral beliefs. On her wedding day, she discovers
that Mr. Rochester is already married to an insane woman. She
relies on all of her moral strength to resist his pressure to
immediately proceed with the wedding. In the end, Jane is
rewarded with a clear conscious and a joyful marriage because of
her moral choice.
Traits: courage, love,
forgiveness, self-discipline
The
Call of the Wild
J. London
(Puffin, 1988)
Buck, a half-German
shepherd, half-Saint Bernard dog, is kidnapped from his home
in California and sold to gold-crazed owners. He is brought
North and experiences life in the Klondike during the gold
rush. Through his experiences with both kind and cruel owners,
he learns about love and loyalty. In everything, he possesses
a dignity and wisdom that contrasts with the selfish and
inhumane behavior of the humans around him.
Traits: loyalty, strength,
respect
Robinson
Crusoe
D. Defoe
(Charles Scribner and
Sons, 1983)
Robinson Crusoe
rejects conventional life and sets sail on a voyage that leads
to the greatest adventure of his life. When he is shipwrecked on
a Caribbean Island, he is forced to provide for himself. This
tale describes his unique and challenging experiences as he
tries to establish a fulfilling life in isolation from mankind.
Traits: hard work,
self-discipline, creativity, courage
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