Character Matching

This comprehension-focused worksheet is designed for Grades 7-10 and helps students build a strong foundation for understanding Don Quixote by identifying and analyzing its key characters. Students match major characters-such as Don Quixote, Sancho Panza, Dulcinea, the innkeeper, and other figures-with brief descriptions that highlight each character’s role, motivations, and relationship to the protagonist. The careful matching task reinforces close reading and attention to detail.

After completing the matching section, students respond to a short constructed-response question explaining how Don Quixote’s imagination affects the behavior and reactions of those around him. This prompt encourages students to think beyond identification and analyze cause-and-effect patterns, showing how Don Quixote’s delusions shape the plot and influence other characters’ choices.

Learning Goals

• Character Identification (Secondary ELA) – Recognize and distinguish major characters and their roles
• Reading Comprehension – Interpret brief descriptions and connect them accurately to characters
• Cause-and-Effect Reasoning – Analyze how Don Quixote’s imagination drives interactions and events
• Constructed Response Writing – Explain ideas clearly in a short, text-based paragraph

Instructional Benefits

• Teacher-Created Resource – Aligned with middle and early high school literature standards
• Foundational Skill Building – Prepares students for deeper theme and satire analysis
• Clear, Structured Format – Matching activity supports accuracy and confidence
• Built-In Analysis Extension – Moves students from recall to interpretation
• Flexible Use – Ideal for novel introductions, reading checks, review lessons, or formative assessment
• Low Prep – Print-and-use worksheet with concise directions and organized sections

This character matching worksheet helps students establish a clear understanding of Don Quixote‘s cast before tackling more complex themes and satire. By identifying who’s who-and reflecting on how Don Quixote’s imagination shapes others’ responses-students strengthen comprehension, analytical thinking, and readiness for deeper literary study.

This worksheet is part of our Don Quixote Worksheets collection.