Dear Young Writers,

Good luck for your test! I believe in you; you’re smart, creative, and you will do wonderfully.

Here’s the big idea of The Happy Prince to keep in your heart as you write:

1. Kindness is the real treasure. The Prince and the Swallow give away their beauty and comfort to help others.

2.True greatness is generosity. Being “rich” is not about gold; it’s about caring for people in need.

3. Love changes the world. Small acts one jewel, one flight, one kind choice can warm a cold city.

4.Real beauty is inside. The Prince looks less “golden,” but his heart becomes more beautiful.

Write with kindness, think with courage, and let your words shine like the Swallow in the winter sky.

Warmly,

Your friend

Section A: Diary Entry (10 Marks)

Section B: STEAL Method ( 10 Marks)

Section C: Short Q/A (5 Marks)

Why are we doing a diary entry?

1. To understand characters deeply

   • A diary lets you step inside a character’s mind.

   • You explore their thoughts, feelings, doubts, and choices in ways the story

2. Build empathy and imagination

• Literature isn’t just about reading, it’s about feeling what the character feels.

• Writing “as if you are the character” trains you to imagine perspectives outside your own.

Checklist Before You Finish

• Date + “Dear Diary”

• First person (I / me / my)

• Clear feelings at the start

• Key event in short

• Thoughts, emotions, reactions (use STEAL)

• Reflection / lesson / decision

• Personal, emotional ending

Now lets practice diary writing, pick one character from the happy prince and start your diary. Ready. Set. Go!

Time to put ourselves in the story! Choose a character from The Happy Prince and step into their shoes, your diary entry begins now! :)

Comment here!

What is STEAL?

A way to analyse characterisation using five evidence types:

• Speech – what the character says (and how)

• Thoughts – what the character thinks/believes/wants

• Effect on others – how others react to them

• Actions – what they do/decide/choose

• Looks – appearance, facial expressions, setting details that mirror mood

  
  

Step-by-step: How to use STEAL

1) Pick a character and a moment

• Choose one scene/moment so your evidence stays focused.

• Examples:

  • The Happy Prince: the night the Swallow decides to stay.

    
    

2) Gather evidence with guiding questions

Make a quick 5-box STEAL table and fill one or two notes for each:

• S – Speech
  What exact words? Tone (kind, rude, formal)? Any repeated phrases?

  • (Swallow): “I will stay one more night.” → hesitant but compassionate.

    
    

• T – Thoughts
  What do they worry about or hope for? What internal conflict?

  • Swallow: torn between warmth in Egypt and duty to help → moral struggle.

    
    

• E – Effect on others
  How do others feel/act around them?

  • Swallow’s help eases suffering → seamstress/child comforted.

    
    

• A – Actions
  What choices do they make under pressure?

  • Swallow delivers ruby, then stays again → sacrifice.

    
    

• L – Looks
  Clothes, expressions, setting images that reflect mood?

  • Prince’s sapphire eyes/leaf-gold body → outward splendour, inner sorrow.

  • 
    

3) Turn each box into a trait + because

Use the mini-formula:

Trait + because + specific evidence (from S/T/E/A/L)

• Swallow: Compassionate because he stays another night after seeing the child’s need (A/E).

  
  

4) Link traits to a theme or purpose

• Swallow → self-sacrifice, true charity, where “warmth” = kindness.

  
  

  
  

Sentence starters (quick scaffolding)

• Trait claim: This shows that ___ is ___ because ___.

• Deeper analysis: This suggests that ___ values ___ more than ___.

• Theme link: Wilde/Shakespeare highlights ___ to explore ___.

Choose a character and try the STEAL method now!