character analysis essay assignment high school

Writing a Character Analysis Essay | Step-by-Step Guide

I’m also going to give you a ton of examples.

This post is split into four parts for easy navigation:

What is a Character Analysis Essay?
What is the best Format to Use?
11 Character Analysis Example Ideas
Template, Checklist and Outline for Your own Piece

In this post, I’m going to explain to you clearly and in a step-by-step way how to conduct a character analysis.

1. What is a Character Analysis Essay?

Let’s get you started with some really simple details about what a character analysis is:

A Quick Definition: A character analysis essay zooms-in on a character in a book, movie or even real life. It provides what we sometimes call a ‘sketch’ of a character.
The Purpose of a Character Analysis: The purpose of a character analysis is to reveal interesting details about the character that might contain a broader moral message about the human condition. For example, Atticus Finch is not just a lawyer in To Kill a Mockingbird. Rather, he provides us with a moral message about the importance of doing what you believe is right even though you know you will likely fail.

2. What is the best Character Analysis Essay Format?

Character analysis essays do not have just one format.

However, let me offer some advice that might act as a character analysis essay outline or ‘checklist’ of possible things you could discuss:

1. Start with the Simple Details.

You can start a character analysis by providing a simple, clear description of who your character is. Look at some basic identity traits such as:

Race (if relevant)
Social class (if relevant)
Protagonist or Antagonist? A protagonist is the character who is our central character in the plot; the antagonist is often the protagonist’s opponent or challenger.
Major or minor character?

2. What are the character’s distinctive personality features?

Your character might have some really clearly identifiable character traits. It’s best to highlight in your character analysis the exact traits that this character possesses. Some common character traits include:

I recommend you take a moment to write down what you think the top 3 to 5 words are that you’d use to explain your character’s personality traits. These will be important to discuss throughout your character analysis.

Sometimes a character may start out with some personality traits, but change over the course of the text. This is quite common; and one clear example of this is Lady Macbeth she deteriorates from a cutthroat power player to a guilt ridden shell of a person roaming the halls of the castle. This dramatic character change is something that makes her very interesting, and is worthy of discussion!

3. What are the character’s key relationships?

Does your character have a close relationship with a certain person in the storyline?

You might want to discuss the character’s relationships as a part of your character analysis. These relationships may reveal some key personality traits of your character.

For example, in Shakespeare’s play Hamlet, Horatio is the loyal offsider to Hamlet. Through his actions in staying by Hamlet through thick and thin, we learn that he is a deeply loyal character.

Examining the character’s relationships with their friends and foes therefore is very useful for digging deeper into who this character actually is, and what personality traits they have when they are put to the test within the narrative.

4. What are the character’s motivations?

Another thing you might want to examine are the character’s motivations . What do they desire most in the world? Some common motivations for characters in stories are:

A simple life
To serve others

This list really could be endless, but I hope the above examples give you a bit of an idea of the sorts of traits to look out for. By mentioning and examining the motivations of the character, we will come closer and closer to learning exactly what moral message this character might be able to tell us.

5. What are the character’s key conflicts?

Stories tend to have a beginning, a complication, and a resolution.

The complication involves conflicts and challenges that need to be overcome. For Edmund in Narnia, it’s cowardice. For Romeo and Juliet, it’s the conflict between love and family loyalty. Here’s some other common conflicts for characters:

Whether to stay loyal to a friend;
To overcome obstacles to love;
To seek a way out of a challenging situation;
To escape war or poverty;
To persevere through imprisonment;
To overcome personal fear

Again, this list is endless.

Knowing the character’s core conflict gets us even closer to knowing the moral that the character is trying to teach us.

For example, in Romeo and Juliet, the challenge of Romeo and Juliet being together despite their families’ objections teaches us something. Personally, I believe it teaches us the importance of letting go of old grudges in order to let love bloom.

This moral lesson was taught to us through conflict: namely, the conflict that Romeo and Juliet were right in the center of.

6. What are the character’s epiphanies?

Sometimes a character has an epiphany. This often happens towards the end of the story and helps the character overcome the challenge or conflict that we discussed in the point above.

Here’s an example of an epiphany:

In the Lion King, Simba runs away from his tribe to live in exile. After a chance encounter with his childhood friend Nala, he has an epiphany that he has a duty to his tribe. This leads him back home to fight Scar and return freedom to Pride Rock.

Not all characters have an epiphany. But, if they do, I strongly encourage you to write about it in your character analysis.

7. Examine the moral message the character teaches us.

Finally, conclude by examining the moral message behind the character. Nearly every character has something to teach the reader. Authors put a lot of thought into creating complex characters with whom we can relate. We relate to the character and say “wow, they taught me a lesson about something!”

The lesson might be something like:

Money doesn’t buy happiness;
Loyalty to family comes above all else;
Love gives life meaning;
Honesty is always the best policy

This is the core of your character analysis essay. If you can pick out exactly what moral message the character teaches you, you’ll be well on your way to writing a strong character analysis.

Below I’m going to give you some examples to help you out. I know it can be hard to really get your head around a character, so sometimes the best thing is to look at some samples!

3. Here’s 13 Example Character Analysis Essay Ideas.

Most times when we create a character analysis, we’re exploring the deeper moral stories / aspects of humanity. Here’s some example ideas. I’ve tried to outline in less than a paragraph exactly what your key point will be about each character:

Atticus Finch from To Kill a Mockingbird: A character who teaches us a lesson about standing up for what’s right, even if you know you’re likely to lose.
Huckleberry Finn from Huckleberry Finn: A character who reveals our inner desire for freedom from the elements of society that constrain us.
Dudley from Harry Potter: A character whose personality tells us a cautionary tale of the perils of middle-class narcissism, parents’ desire to wrap their children in cotton wool, and the lack of discipline we perceive in contemporary childhoods.
Jack from Lord of the Flies: A character who represents the innate desire for power that seems to lurk not too far from the surface of the human condition. When social structures are stripped away, he quickly reverts to violence and superstition to assert control over his peers.
Lady Macbeth from Macbeth: Lady Macbeth teaches us a valuable lesson about the perils of contravening our own morality. She starts out a cutthroat killer but is increasingly consumed by the guilt of her own actions. While we may be able to escape full punishment from outside forces, it is the inner guilt that might eat us away to our last.
The Boy who Cried Wolf: The boy who cried wolf is a character whose fatal flaw is his desire for attention and adulation. His repeated attempts at gaining the attention of others leads the townspeople to no longer take him seriously, which causes him harm when he actually needs the villagers to take him seriously to save his life. He teaches us the virtue of honest and humility.
Nick Carraway from the Great Gatsby: Nick shows us all the inner conflict between the trappings of wealth, glamor and spectacle; and the desire for simplicity, honesty and community. He is drawn by the dazzling world of East Egg, New York, but by the end of the novel sees live in East Egg as shallow and lacking the moral depth of his former life in small town Minnesota.
Alice from Alice in Wonderland: In many ways, Alice represents the child within all of us. She is a character of goodwill to all and who looks upon the world (or, rather, Wonderland) with awe. Travelling with a cadre of flawed characters, she learns with them the importance of seeking strength from within.
The Nurse in Romeo and Juliet: Like many Shakespearian characters, the nurse’s role is both as loyal confidante to a central character and comic relief. Shakespeare uses minor characters to regale his crowd and sustain viewer interest between scenes.
Lucy in The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe: Lucy represents a surprising character whose youthfulness and small stature make her an underrated character by all around her. Nonetheless, she possesses within the bravery and loyalty necessary to carry out the quest for Aslan. Lucy represents the goodness in children and, by extension, all of mankind.
Anne in Anne of Green Gables: Anne occupies the typical literary role of young girls in many classical novels: she represents innocence and wonder, and her contraventions of rules are seen through a prism of childhood innocence. This frames Anne not as a deviant but as a precious soul.
Simba from The Lion King: Simba’s story follows his struggle with growing up, embracing his destiny and duty to his family, or fleeing towards freedom and a ‘no worries’ lifestyle. Simba flees Pride Rock and goes through an existential crisis with his existentialist friends Timon and Pumba. When he runs into an old childhood friend, he realizes how shallow his new carefree life has become and reflects upon his obligation to his community back home.
Woody from Toy Story: Woody starts out Andy’s favorite toy, but when Andy gets a new flashier toy, Woody’s status amongst the toys falls apart. Woody’s key character challenge is to learn to be humble and inclusive living within the group. By the end of the movie, Woody realizes his duty to love and serve Andy is more important than his own status within the group.

4. Here’s an Example Template for your own Character Analysis Essay

Feel free to use this brainstorming template to get you started with your character analysis essay. I recommend filling out as many of these key points as you can, but remember sometimes you might have to skip some of these points if they’re not relevant to your character.

Once you’ve brainstormed the ideas in Table 1, follow the character analysis essay outline in Table 2 to stay on track for your character analysis essay. Do remember though that each assignment will be different and you should adjust it based on your teacher’s requirements.

Here’s Table 1, which is a brainstorming template for your character analysis essay:

And here’s Table 2, which is an example character analysis essay outline. This is for a 1500 word character analysis essay. Change the word count according to how long your essay should be:

Read Also: 39 Better Ways to Write ‘In Conclusion’ in an Essay

Character analyses can be really tough. You need to know your character really well. You might even need to re-read (or watch) your book or movie a few times over to get to know the character really well.

I recommend when you re-read or re-watch the text before you write your character analysis, have the checklist I provided above handy and take notes. Then, use the essay outline I provided above to put all of those notes together into a clear and thorough final character analysis essay.

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How to Write a Character Analysis Essay

A character analysis essay is a challenging type of essay students usually write for literature or English courses. In this article, we will explain the definition of character analysis and how to approach it. We will also touch on how to analyze characters and guide you through writing character analysis essays.

Typically, this kind of writing requires students to describe the character in the story's context. This can be fulfilled by analyzing the relationship between the character in question and other personas. Although, sometimes, giving your personal opinion and analysis of a specific character is also appropriate.

Let's explain the specifics of how to do a character analysis by getting straight to defining what is a character analysis. Our term paper writers will have you covered with a thorough guide!

What Is a Character Analysis Essay?

The character analysis definition explains the in-depth personality traits and analyzes characteristics of a certain hero. Mostly, the characters are from literature, but sometimes other art forms, such as cinematography. In a character analysis essay, your main job is to tell the reader who the character is and what role they play in the story. Therefore, despite your personal opinion and preferences, it is really important to use your critical thinking skills and be objective toward the character you are analyzing. A character analysis essay usually involves the character's relationship with others, their behavior, manner of speaking, how they look, and many other characteristics.

Although it's not a section about your job experience or education on a resume, sometimes it is appropriate to give your personal opinion and analysis of a particular character.

What Is the Purpose of a Character Analysis Essay

More than fulfilling a requirement, this type of essay mainly helps the reader understand the character and their world. One of the essential purposes of a character analysis essay is to look at the anatomy of a character in the story and dissect who they are. We must be able to study how the character was shaped and then learn from their life.

A good example of a character for a character analysis essay is Daisy Buchanan from 'The Great Gatsby.' The essay starts off by explaining who Daisy is and how she relates to the main character, Jay Gatsby. Depending on your audience, you need to decide how much of the plot should be included. If the entire class writes an essay on Daisy Buchanan, it is logical to assume everyone has read the book. Although, if you know for certain that your audience has little to no knowledge of who she is, it is crucial to include as much background information as possible.

After that, you must explain the character through certain situations involving her and what she said or did. Make sure to explain to the reader why you included certain episodes and how they have showcased the character. Finally, summarize everything by clearly stating the character's purpose and role in the story.

We also highly recommend reading how to write a hook for an essay .

Still Need Help with Your Character Analysis Essay?

Different types of characters.

To make it clear how a reader learns about a character in the story, you should note that several characters are based on their behaviors, traits, and roles within a story. We have gathered some of them, along with vivid examples from famous literature and cinema pieces:

Types of Characters

Major : These are the main characters; they run the story. Regularly, there are only one or two major characters. Major characters are usually of two types: the protagonist – the good guy, and the antagonist: the bad guy or the villain.
Protagonist (s) (heroes): The main character around whom most of the plot revolves.

For example, Othello from Shakespeare's play, Frodo from The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien, Harry Potter from the Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling, and Elizabeth Bennet from 'Pride and Prejudice' by Jane Austen.

Antagonist (s): This is the person that is in opposition to the protagonist. This is usually the villain, but it could also be a natural power, set of circumstances, majestic being, etc.

For example, Darth Vader from the Star Wars series by George Lucas, King Joffrey from Game of Thrones, or the Wicked Queen from 'Snow White and Seven Dwarfs.'

Minor : These characters help tell the major character's tale by letting them interact and reveal their personalities, situations, and/or stories. They are commonly static (unchanging). The minor characters in The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien would be the whole Fellowship of the ring. In their own way, each member of the Fellowship helps Frodo get the ring to Mordor; without them, the protagonist would not be a protagonist and would not be able to succeed. In the Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling, minor characters are Ronald Weasley and Hermione Granger. They consistently help Harry Potter on his quests against Voldemort, and, like Frodo, he wouldn't have succeeded without them.

On top of being categorized as a protagonist, antagonist, or minor character, a character can also be dynamic, static, or foil.

Dynamic (changing): Very often, the main character is dynamic.

An example would also be Harry Potter from the book series by J.K. Rowling. Throughout the series, we see Harry Potter noticing his likeness to Voldemort. Nevertheless, Harry resists these traits because, unlike Voldemort, he is a good person and resists any desire to become a dark wizard.

Static (unchanging): Someone who does not change throughout the story is static.

A good example of a static character is Atticus Finch from “How to Kill a Mockingbird” by Harper Lee. His character and views do not change throughout the book. He is firm and steady in his beliefs despite controversial circumstances.

Foils : These characters' job is to draw attention to the main character(s) to enhance the protagonist's role.

‍ A great example of a foil charact e r is Dr. Watson from the Sherlock Holmes series by Arthur Conan Doyle.

How to Analyze a Character

While preparing to analyze your character, make sure to read the story carefully.

Pay attention to the situations where the character is involved, their dialogues, and their role in the plot.
Make sure you include information about what your character achieves on a big scale and how they influence other characters.
Despite the categories above, try thinking outside the box and explore your character from around.
Avoid general statements and being too basic. Instead, focus on exploring the complexities and details of your character(s).

How to Write a Character Analysis Essay?

To learn how to write a character analysis essay and gather a more profound sense of truly understanding these characters, one must completely immerse themself in the story or literary piece.

Take note of the setting, climax, and other important academic parts.
You must be able to feel and see through the characters. Observe how analysis essay writer shaped these characters into life.
Notice how little or how vast the character identities were described.
Look at the characters' morals and behaviors and how they have affected situations and other characters throughout the story.
Finally, observe the characters whom you find interesting.

Meanwhile, if you need help writing a paper, leave us a message ' write my paper .'

How Do You Start a Character Analysis Essay

When writing a character analysis essay, first, you have to choose a character you'd like to write about. Sometimes a character will be readily assigned to you. It's wise to consider characters who play a dynamic role in the story. This will captivate the reader as there will be much information about these personas.

Read the Story

You might think that if you already have read the book, there is no need to do so again; however, now that you know the character you would like to focus on, reading it again will have plenty of benefits. It will give you an opportunity to be more precise while reading the scenes that relate directly to your character and are important for his/her analysis. While reading the book, pay attention to every tiny detail to make sure you grasp the whole array of your character's traits.

Consider the following things:

What specific descriptions does the author provide for each character?

For example, when J.K. Rowling describes Harry Potter for the first time, she describes his clothes as old and oversized, his hair untidy, and his glasses as broken. It might seem just like a simple description, but she expresses compassion and pity for an orphan neglected by his only relatives.

What kinds of relationships does your character have with others?

Think about how Harry builds up his friendships with others. First, he and Ron do not like Hermione because she acts like a know-it-all, but when she gets stuck in the dungeons with a horrendous troll, he rushes to save her regardless.

How do the actions of the character move the plot forward?

In 'The Philosopher's Stone,' Harry is very observant of any events taking place at school. He analyzes people's actions, which builds up the plot around the stone and its importance for the magical world.

Get help with your character analysis from our experts.

Choose a Dynamic Character

Choosing a dynamic character is a great idea. This does not necessarily have to be the protagonist, but a character that undergoes many changes has grown throughout the story and is not boring and/or static. This gives you a perfect advantage to fully show the character and make your paper entertaining and engaging for the reader. If you choose a character that is not very dynamic, your essay might seem monotonous because your character will not end up doing much and will not be very involved in the story.

While you are reading, it is useful to take notes or highlight/underline any of the critical elements of the story. This will add depth to your character description(s). By providing vivid and specific examples, you connect your reader to the character, and the character comes alive in their eyes. Review your notes and formulate the main idea about your character when you're finished reading with your character in mind.

Make an initial draft while taking note of the character analysis essay outline provided by your instructor. You may follow the recommended character analysis essay format if you have not been provided with a sample.

Choose a Main Idea

While reading the story, make sure you keep track of your notes. It is a good idea to look at them, choose the ones that are the most representative of your character and find patterns. This will be your thesis. Then, you must support this idea with examples and situations involving your character.

If your character were Jem Finch from 'To Kill a Mockingbird' by Harper Lee, the main idea would be how his personal character is shaped through racial conflicts, social inequalities, and internal struggles between public opinion, his own views, and what is actually right. Essaypro offers you history essay help. Leave us a notice if you need to proofread, edit, or write your essay.

Character Analysis Questions

Now that you have jotted down some main concepts about your character, here is a list of questions that can help you fill in the blanks you might still have:

Where do the events involving your character take place?
What are the relationships between your character and other significant characters?
What is the primary change your character has gone through throughout the story?
What is your character's background?
What is your character's occupation?
What kind of emotions does your character go through?
What are your character's values?
What is your character's value?
Does your character have friends?
Is there a lesson your character has learned by the end of the story?
Does the character achieve the goals he/she has set for himself/herself?

Make a Character Analysis Essay Outline

When you're unsure how to write a character synopsis, remember that creating a literary analysis outline is one of the most critical steps. A well-constructed character analysis outline will keep your thoughts and ideas organized.

Character Analysis Essay Introduction:

Make the introduction to your paper brief and meaningful. It should hold together your entire essay and spark your audience's interest. Write a short description of the character in question. Don't forget to include a character analysis thesis statement which should make a case for the character's relevance within the narrative context.

Character Analysis Essay Body:

Subdivide your body paragraphs into different ideas or areas regarding the character. Look at your professor's rubric and ensure you'll be able to tackle all the requirements. You should also be provided with questions to be answered to formulate your analysis better. The body should answer the following questions:

What is the character's physical appearance, personality, and background?
What are the conflicts the character experiences, and how did he/she overcome them?
What can we learn from this character?
What is the meaning behind the character's actions? What motivates him/her?
What does the character do? How does he/she treat others? Is he/she fair or unjust?
What does the character say? What is his/her choice of words? Does he/she have a rich vocabulary?
How does the character describe themself? How do others describe him/her?
What words do you associate with the character? Perhaps a word like 'hope,' 'bravery,' or maybe even 'freedom'?

Character Analysis Essay Conclusion:

It's time to master the secrets of how to write character analysis essay conclusions. Your ending should also hold your ideas together and shape a final analysis statement. Mention things about the character's conflicts that we could experience in real life. Additionally, you can write about how a character should've reacted to a certain situation.

Character Analysis Essay Example

Read our blogs ‘Character Analysis of Jem Finch', 'The Great Gatsby Book Through Daisy Buchanan Character,' 'Analysis of Characters in Beowulf,' or simply use these character analysis essay examples to reference your paper. You might also be interested in a synthesis essay example .

Now that you know what is character analysis, it might be time to choose a character to write about. If you find yourself in a situation where you need to type ' do my homework for me ,' you should contact our writers. You also get a free plagiarism report, formatting, and citing when buying an essay from us!

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How to Write a Policy Analysis Paper Step-by-Step

character analysis essay assignment high school

Tips and ideas for teaching high school ELA

5 Engaging Characterization Activities for High School Students to Try Today

One of my favorite things to do with a text – especially a longer one like a novel or play – is to analyze the characters. I like to start with pre-reading characterization activities to allow my students to review and practice character analysis before jumping into the text.

During reading, we pause to discuss the characters – their motivations, their conflicts, their growth. As part of my final assessment for the text, I try to include a way for students to demonstrate their understanding of a character.

Keep reading for some of my favorite characterization activities to use for after reading.

Characterization Activity 1: character analysis flip books

One engaging characterization activity is flip books. You can create whole-sheet flipbooks or mini ones (these are perfect for classes that use interactive notebooks).

Each character in the story gets his or her own tab/flap. Within these tabs, students can track whatever elements you want them to focus on.

I’ve used this template to create character analysis mini flip books for Romeo and Juliet , A Midsummer Night’s Dream , and The Great Gatsby . I like to focus on the following for each character:

Background information (this helps explain their actions)
Quote analysis: one important quote and how it impacts the text
Theme: how the character helps develop the theme
Characterization: provide textual evidence for direct and indirect characterization
Static or Dynamic? Round or Flat?: Choose and provide an explanation

Flip books can also be used during reading to track multiple characters.

characterization Activity 2: different perspectives

In most traditional plot structures, the reader only gets the perspective of one, maybe two, characters . One way for students to demonstrate their understanding of a character is to write part (or all, if the text is short enough) of the story from the perspective of a character other than the protagonist. Have students maintain the voice of the chosen character. This allows them to not only show that they understand their character of choice, but also how that character interacts with the other characters, drives the plot, and impacts the theme.

characterization activity 3: body biographies

This is one of my favorites. Assign students a character or let them choose from themselves. Students draw a illustration of the character and have them include the following:

Character name
Quotations: 2-3 direct quotes from the character that add understanding to the character.
Song lyrics: Choose a song whose lyrics apply to the character.
Backbone: motivation
Feet: fundamental beliefs about life
Legs: virtues and vices (with textual evidence)
Gut: what the character learns and/or feels about himself/herself
Head: something the character learns throughout the story

The last time I taught “The Most Dangerous Game”, I used this activity; it was a huge success. I gave each group a giant piece of paper (the type that’s like a giant sticky note) to use. One group got creative and actually traced another student to use as their “body”. Hands down – top 3 lessons that year.

characterization Activity 4: social media accounts

Our students are obsessed with social media. Instagram. TikTok. Why not lean into that?

Have students choose a character and create a social media account for them. Include a biography, posts, images, etc. Make a video as that character.

Another angle is the use of text messages. Have students create an imaginary conversation between two characters, making sure to keep that character’s tone and voice in each text.

characterization activity 5: choice projects

Another one of my go-to characterization activities is projects – specifically choice boards. With all of the mandated curriculums/pacing guides/scope and sequences and testing we do, students are oftentimes left with little to no choice when it comes to what happens in class. Therefore, I like to provide students with choices when possible.

In Florida, we take the state test the first week in May. We then have roughly 3 weeks of school before summer break. My first year at my current school, we used those weeks to teach Edgar Allan Poe’s “The Cask of Amontillado”. I love pretty much all things Poe, so I was excited. However, I knew that I couldn’t give my students yet another typical multiple choice test; they were burnt out with those – and so was I. So choice board projects to the rescue.

In lieu of the dreaded multiple choice quiz, I created a choice board of six projects, each of varying levels of difficulty, time requirement, and point value. The only requirement was that the project(s) that they chose had to add up to 50 points. Projects included:

Soundtrack
Rewrite a scene and set it in modern times (I’ve also done this with Beowulf and gotten some great responses)
Design a storyboard for one scene
Create a movie poster for a film adaptation of the text
Create a social media account with bio, photo, and at least 5 posts (see above)
Create a newspaper that details the events of the story

The students were given the choice board, some resources (links to Canva and StoryBoard that as well as templates), and two class periods.

I’ve also used a similar set-up for other stories, adding in projects such as creating a scrapbook for the character or a journal written from the character’s point of view.

The great thing about using projects is that you tackle not just characterization, but theme, plot, setting, symbolism, and much more. Plus, they allow students to tap into their creativity. Win-win.

There you go. Five characterization activities for high school students. What’s your favorite way to teach characterization? Comment below.

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Character Analysis

Writing Character Analysis - Outline, Steps, and Examples

12 min read

What is Character Analysis

This type of analytical essay involves examining the traits, motivations, behaviors, and development of a character within a story or literary work.

Its purpose is to deeply understand and interpret the complexities of a character, going beyond surface-level descriptions.

Purpose of a Character Analysis

The key objectives of character analysis are:

Understanding Depth: It aims to uncover the layers of a character's personality, motivations, and emotions to comprehend their role in the story comprehensively.
Exploring Development: It involves tracking the character's journey throughout the narrative, identifying changes in their beliefs, attitudes, or actions.
Identifying Motivations: Character analysis seeks to unearth the driving forces behind a character's choices, behaviors, and relationships within the story.
Relating to Themes: Dissecting characters helps in exploring and understanding the themes, messages, and conflicts within the story.
Enhancing Engagement: It encourages readers or students to engage more deeply with the narrative, fostering empathy and connection with the characters.
Interpreting Author's Intentions: It aids in deciphering the author's purpose in creating specific characters, adding depth to the understanding of the literary work.

How to Write Character Analysis

Writing a good character analysis goes beyond just describing how a character looks or acts. It's like peeking into their thoughts, and feelings, and how they change as the story goes on.

Here are some steps you can follow to write a compelling character analysis;

Step 1: Choose a Character

When you pick a character to study, think if they change or if they stay the same throughout. Each character type brings its significance to the story.

When analyzing characters, knowing their type helps in understanding their roles, motivations, and impact on the narrative.

Here are different types of characters you can encounter:

Step 2: Gather Information

Gathering information is crucial for character analysis because it helps us understand the character better. By knowing about their physical attributes, personality traits, and what they do in the story to move the plot, we can identify the character better.

Look at the example of Harry Potter, the protagonist in J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter series:

Step 3: Outline Your Analysis

Create a structured plan for your character analysis essay. Begin with an engaging introduction, introducing the character and their significance.

Proceed to discuss the character's development throughout the story and their interactions with other characters in the story.

Here is a basic outline structure you can follow for your essay:

Here is a template you can look at to understand the structure and flow of the analysis essay:

Character Analysis Template

Step 4: Support with Evidence

While analyzing characters, substantiate your observations with evidence from the text.

Quotes, descriptions, or scenes that depict the character's actions or character relationships provide strong evidence for your analysis.

Let’s take a look at the example below of a character analysis of Hamlet:

Step 5: Analyze, Don't Summarize

Remember, your goal is to analyze the character, not summarize the plot. Focus on interpreting their actions, decisions, and the types of characters they represent.

Let’s take a look at the example of character analysis of ‘Waiting for Godot’:

Step 6: Incorporate Critical Perspectives

Consider different interpretations of the character. Acknowledge how their character development influences the story's themes and the author's intentions for including them.

The character analysis of Joseph Andrews is a great example of understanding this factor:

Step 7: Write Your Character Analysis

Craft your analysis into a structured and coherent essay. Ensure your analysis contributes to a broader literary analysis of the work.

Here are some tips to help you:

Avoid summarizing the plot extensively. Concentrate on interpreting the character's traits, actions, and their significance within the story.
Contextualize your analysis within the broader themes or messages of the literary work.

Step 8: Conclusion

Conclude your analysis by summarizing the character's evolution, the impact of their character traits on the story, and their significance to the overall narrative.

Let’s take a look at the conclusion in the character analysis of Kurtz in Heart of Darkness:

Step 9 - Proofread and Refine

Though conclusions mark the end of an essay, it is considered a good practice to proofread. This step ensures the quality and readability of your essay.

Here are some tips to help you proofread and refine:

Look for unclear or difficult sentences that might confuse the reader.
Double-check formatting guidelines, citation styles, and bibliography entries if applicable.
Correct any grammatical errors, punctuation mistakes, or spelling issues.
Check that the quotes or scenes you've mentioned actually support your ideas.

Character Analysis Example

Examples of character analyses offer valuable insights into structuring an essay. They help to demonstrate how to organize thoughts systematically, from the introduction to the conclusion:

Let’s take a look at the character analysis of Oedipus Rex:

Let’s take a look at some more examples:

Character Analysis of Antigone

Mr. Birling's Character Analysis

The Crucible Character Analysis

Lady Macbeth Character Analysis

Jay Gatsby Character Analysis

Othello Character Analysis

Okonkwo Character Analysis

John Proctor Character Analysis

Tips for Writing a Character Analysis

Here are some tips that can help you improve your analysis:

Focus on Subtleties: Pay attention to subtle character traits, gestures, or speech patterns that reveal deeper insights into the character's personality.
Contextual Analysis: Consider the character within the context of their environment, era, or social background to understand how these factors shape their actions and beliefs.
Contrast and Compare: Compare the character with others in the story to highlight unique attributes or to showcase how they contrast with different personalities.
Symbolism and Imagery: Explore any symbolic elements or imagery associated with the character, as these can often convey deeper meanings or themes.
Evolution over Time: Analyze how the character evolves or changes throughout the narrative, focusing on pivotal moments that drive their development.
Impact on Plot Development: Highlight the character's role in advancing the story, influencing other characters, or triggering significant events.
Narrative Perspective: Consider how the character's portrayal might differ based on the narrator's perspective or point of view.

So, there you have it!

By now you must have gotten an idea of how to write a character analysis.

By following these steps and tips, you'll grasp how to craft a thorough character analysis. You'll be able to understand and explain the complexities of the character effectively.

However, if you need help with it, then working with a professional essay writing service like MyPerfectWords.com, will save you time and help you learn better.

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How to Write a Character Analysis Essay: Examples & Outline

A character analysis is an examination of the personalities and actions of protagonists and antagonists that make up a story. It discusses their role in the story, evaluates their traits, and looks at their conflicts and experiences. You might need to write this assignment in school or college. Like any other essay, your character analysis should contain an introduction, a conclusion, and a thesis.

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Want to know how to write a character analysis essay? Not sure how to start? We understand. Whichever piece you choose – Lady Macbeth, A Rose for Emily, or something else, – analyzing a character for the first time might be challenging. No worries, we are here to help! In this guide by our custom writing experts, you will find a step-by-step guide, outlining and writing tips, as well as a number of character analysis examples.

📔 Character Analysis Definition
🧙 Types of Characters
📝 Writing Guide
🖥️ Formatting Tips

📑 Character Analysis Essay Examples

📔 what is a character analysis essay.

A character analysis essay is an assignment where you evaluate a character’s traits, behaviors, and motivations. It requires critical thinking and attention to detail. Unlike descriptions, analyses focus on a character’s personality and internal drives. It explains how those factors shape the narrated events.

The picture shows the definition of character analysis.

So, what you need to do is to see the characters as if they were real people who feel and act just as we do. Ensure there are no baseless assumptions and interpretations: the ideas you present should be supported by quotes from the text.

Character: Definition (Literature)

How do you define a character? It is a person, a creature, or an animal that makes up the story’s world. A character can be based on a real-life person, or it can be entirely fictional. It is someone who thinks, feels, and acts.

We use the word “character” in many different contexts. For instance, it can denote someone eccentric or worthy of our admiration. In both contexts, the term “character” means a distinctive personality. Similarly, in an analysis, your task is to show what makes a character stand out.

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Characterization: Literary Definition & Examples

Characterization is the process by which a character’s personality is revealed. It presents characters’ traits, feelings, and motives to the reader. For this reason, characterization is closely connected to character analysis. It helps us to understand the characters better throughout the reading process.

Characterization can be direct and indirect .

Direct characterization is when the narrator directly tells the audience what the personality of a character is.
In contrast, indirect characterization shows things that hint at a character’s nature.

Here are some examples of direct characterization taken from Patti Smith’s Just Kids :

“But he always suppressed his real feelings, mimicking the stoic nature of his father.”

Here we see a direct description of a character. The author straightforwardly talks about Robert’s feelings. In comparison, look at the description of a woman taken from John Steinbeck’s The Snake :

“He looked around at her again. Her dark eyes seemed veiled with dust. She looked without expression at the cat’s open throat.”

These lines don’t directly reveal anything about the woman, but the reader can understand that she is cold and dangerous. It’s an indirect characterization that focuses on looks and actions to convey the message to the reader.

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🧙 Types of Characters for Your Essay

When it comes to characters, they can be divided into several groups. For example, characters can be:

Protagonists or antagonists,
Static or dynamic,
Flat or round.

These types define how much the characters change through the course of the story and their role in it.

Character Type: Definition

In psychology, a character type is defined by a combination of personality traits that coexist in an individual. Authors incorporate different types of characters into their works to convey the message and make the story more exciting or relatable to the reader.

There are three ways to categorize a character type:

by archetypes,
by their role in the narrative,
by their ability to change throughout the story.

If you are about to write a character analysis essay, being familiar with character archetypes is essential. They have been categorized by a generation of writers, including the Swiss psychologist Carl Jung and the American literary theorist Joseph Campbell. A lot of characters we see in today’s literary works are rooted in them.

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Archetypes include the Trickster, the Ruler, the Lover, the Sage, and others. The Hero is one of the most notable archetypes. Hercules or Achilles can be good examples of heroic protagonists. They are strong and courageous; they meet challenges and save the day by helping others.

Main Character: Definition & Examples

The main character and the protagonist often get mixed up. Most narratives also have the figure of the antagonist , whose actions affect the plot and stimulate change. Let’s have a look at the similarities and differences between these types.

The main character is central in the narrative. We experience the story through their eyes. They don’t necessarily have to be protagonists, though it happens in many cases.

The crucial difference between the main character and the protagonist is that the protagonist goes through changes throughout the story. The main character, however, is there to guide the reader through the experience. Often they help to show a different, darker side of the protagonist.

To understand the difference better, let’s turn to some examples.

What’s a Static Character?

Now that we’ve learned about the main character and the protagonist, we will closely look at other types of character classifications. One of the ways to categorize a character is by their ability to change throughout the story.

A static or simple character is someone who undergoes little or no significant changes. They often exist for comedic purposes. Here are some examples:

Complex Character: Definition & Examples

Complex or dynamic characters are the opposite of static characters. Characters of this type change as the book progresses. They display different qualities, emotions, and motives. They become more complicated and interesting to the reader as the story unfolds.

Check out these examples of dynamic characters:

Other Kinds of Characters

You already know about several ways to define a type of character. Now, let’s go over some other types, starting with flat and round characters.

Similar to dynamic and static ones, round and flat characters represent two different ends of a spectrum. Round characters usually come with an in-depth background. They are traditionally protagonists, antagonists, or those close to them. In contrast, flat characters are two-dimensional, and there is not much depth to them.

For the examples, we will turn to the novel Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen.

Finally, here are some bonus character types for you:

Stock characters have a fixed set of traits and are flat. Most of the time, they exist for comical relief.
Symbolic characters represent a concept or a theme that goes beyond them. They can be round and flat as long as they symbolize a particular notion or phenomena.
Sidekick is a secondary character who supports the protagonist.
The love interest is someone with whom the main character is infatuated.
Foil is someone who’s set in contrast with the protagonist, thus putting more emphasis on the latter’s qualities.

Characterization Essay: Which Character Type to Choose

Before you start writing a paper, it essential to decide on the character you’re going to analyze. There are different types of characters in every story, so you need to choose which one suits your essay topic the best.

Usually, it’s best to choose a dynamic and round character . With static and flat ones, there may not be enough substance for you to analyze. However, some such personalities can be interesting to work with. For instance, a flat character such as Mr. Collins can be symbolic of something. Then, you can talk about how it embodies a specific idea or notion. You can also look at how they affect other characters in the story.

📝 How to Write a Character Analysis Step by Step

Now, we’re going to discuss how to write your paper step-by-step. But first, here are some pre-writing steps for you to consider:

Choose a character for analysis.
Take notes while reading;
Define the type of the character and their role in the story;
Pay attention to their descriptions and actions.

How to Analyze a Character: Description Examples

Knowing how to organize your work is an essential skill. Certain things need special attention if you are describing a character:

physical appearance,
emotional state,
how the character speaks,
behavior and personality traits,
relationships with other characters.

When you analyze a character, try to look at them as if they were a real-life person. You want to know their motive, learn about how they feel, and understand why they think in a certain way. Ask yourself:

How did the character change throughout the story (if at all)?
What do other characters say about them? Can their words be trusted?
Where is the character physically and emotionally? What brought them here?
What is the character ready to do to achieve their goal?

Now, let’s look at the character of Franklin from the short story Just Before the War with the Eskimos by J.D. Salinger:

Character Profile Template for Writing

When writing your essay, use this character analysis template:

The picture shows the main steps in writing a character analysis essay.

In the following sections, we’ll discuss each step in detail.

Character Analysis Outline: How to Start a Character Analysis

The beginning of your essay is its crucial part. It sets the mood and grabs the reader’s attention. There are many different ways to write a character analysis introduction, but here are the most effective ones:

Use a quotation. It’s a great way to make a catchy hook. If it relates to the character and reflects their nature, it can also help to set the tone for analysis. In case you are using a quotation from somewhere else, mention the source in parentheses.
Talk about the book or story. Mention the author, the name of the story, and the genre. Briefly describe the main events that are taking place in the story.
Introduce the character. State their role in the story (define whether they are a protagonist, an antagonist, etc.) Then, explain whether the character is static or dynamic. Finally, describe them in 2-3 sentences.

The final part of an introduction is a thesis statement.Read on to learn how to write one!

Character Analysis Thesis Statement & Examples

A thesis is the key component of every essay, and character analysis is not an exception. It’s crucial to develop a good and clear thesis statement that includes all the aspects of your paper. For instance, if you plan to write a 4-paragraph body, including 4 points in your thesis.

What should a character analysis thesis include? Well, try to think of any trait that the character possesses that has to do with their downfall or somehow influences the story. Think about how this trait affects the character’s relationship with others or how it contributes to their motive or aspiration.

Take a look at the following examples:

How to Write Character Analysis Paragraphs for the Main Body

The main body of your essay can include as many paragraphs as you need. In this part, you introduce the character and analyze them. We have already talked in this article about what kind of questions should be answered in these paragraphs. The most important points are:

Describe the character and their role within the story.
Give the audience an explanation of the character’s motives.
Show what message the author wanted to convey through this character.

Keep in mind that every paragraph should have a topic sentence that captures its main idea.

Tsukuru Tazaki’s spiritual rebirth also affects his physical appearance.

Character Analysis Conclusion: How to Write

The conclusion part of your essay summarizes all the information you have mentioned and restates the thesis. Here is some advice for your conclusion paragraph:

🖥️ Character Analysis Essay Format

Most college assignments and essays are written according to the APA or MLA format. Both styles have the same formatting, which requires:

a double-spaced paper with 1-inch margins,
a page header with page numbers flush right,
an 11-12-point font.

While writing an essay on characters, pay special attention to quotations. Here are some tips for APA in-text citations:

When you summarize or paraphrase the information, mention the author’s name and publication date in brackets. Example: According to Collins (1997.)
When you quote directly from the source, add the number of the page, as well. Example: “There is a view that…” (Collins, 1997, pp. 134-135.)
If the source includes three or more authors, use the abbreviation “et al.” after the first author’s name. Example: (Collins et al., 1997)

As for MLA format:

You can write the author’s name in the sentence. Example: As Collins mentions in his essay<…>.
You can mention the author’s name in the parentheses at the end of the sentence. Example: (Collins, J.K.)
The last option is to use either footnotes or endnotes.

Below you’ll find a collection of character analysis essay examples and a downloadable sample to inspire you even more.

The Grandmother in A Good Man Is Hard to Find: Character Analysis
Willy Loman in Death of a Salesman: Character Analysis
Jay Gatsby and Nick Carraway: Character Analysis
Prospero in The Tempest: Character Analysis
Agamemnon in the Iliad: Character Analysis
Lord Pococurante in Candide: Character Analysis
Andromache in the Iliad: Character Analysis
Character Analysis of the Knight from The Canterbury Tales
Essay on Soldier’s Home: Analysis of the Characters

Character Analysis Example (Downloadable)

Roald Dahl’s Matilda is one of the most famous children’s novels of the 20th century. The protagonist of this tale is Matilda Wormwood, a five and a half-year-old girl with a brilliant and lively mind that distances her from the rest of the family. Matilda’s character is particularly interesting as she has a powerful personality with extraordinary mental abilities, and she manages to overcome all the obstacles that surround her.

Character Analysis Essay Topics

Character analysis of Abbas from A.D.: New Orleans After the Deluge .
Jay Gatsby in The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald.
Beowulf and Hamlet : similarity and diversity of the characters.
Personal and social failures of Willy Loman in Death of a Salesman by Arthur Miller.
Character analysis of Othello .
Analyze the characters of Stanley and Blanche from A Streetcar Named Desire .
The tragedy of Mathilde Loisel from The Necklace by Guy de Maupassant.
Character analysis of Huck Finn from Mark Twain’s The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn .
Moral force of Kate Lipton from Double Helix by Nancy Parker.
Character analysis of Thorvald and Nora in Henrik Ibsen’s A Doll’s House .
Discuss the character of king Creon in Antigone .
Analyze the personality of Lydia from Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice .
Compare Nick Carraway and Tom Buchanan from The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald.
Describe the peculiarities of Lord Pococurante in Candide .
Sarty Snopes in William Faulkner’s Barn Burning : character analysis.
Analyze the character of Biff Loman in Death of a Salesman.
Personality of Nora in A Doll House by Henrik Ibsen.
Examine the main characters of The Yellow Paper by Charlotte Perkins Gilman.
Personality change of the main character in Edgar Alan Poe’s The Black Cat .
Analyze the characters of E. Hemingway’s A Clean, Well-Lighted Place .
Describe the main characters of the novel The Overstory by Richard Powers.
Controversial personality of Vladek in Maus: A Survivor’s Tale by Art Spiegelman.
Character analysis of Victor Frankenstein in Frankenstein by Mary Shelley .
Discuss the character of Creon in Oedipus the King .
The manipulative character of Iago in Willian Shakespeare’s Othello .
Analyze the characters of Nil and Kristine in A Doll’s House .
Eccentricity of Grendel’s character in Beowulf .
Describe the main characters of Four Summers by Joyce Carol Oates.
Examine the characters of Harold Krebs and his mother in Ernest Hemingway’s Soldier’s Home .
Analyze common and different traits of the characters in The Monkey’s Paw .
Character peculiarities of Rostam and Sohrab in Shahnameh by Ferdowsi Tousi.
How does the character of Elizabeth Bennet in Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen differ from the rest of her family?
The behavior and meaning of the characters in Nicholas Rowe’s The Tragedy of Jane Shore.
Compare the characters of Victor Frankenstein and the monster in Frankenstein or the Modern Prometheus by Mary Shelley.
Discuss the differences of main characters in Everyday Use by Alice Walker.
Examine the character of Connie in Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been by Joyce Carol Oates.
The influence of social pressure on the characters of Chopin’s Desirée’s Baby and Sedaris’ A Modest Proposal .
Dynamic feminist characters of Delia and Jig in Sweat by Z. Hurston and Hills Like White Elephants by E. Hemingway.
Analyze the personality traits of Emily in William Faulkner’s A Rose for Emily .
Examine the characters of The Quiet American by Graham Greene.
Henry ΙV by William Shakespeare : analysis of main characters.

Now you know everything necessary for writing an excellent character analysis. What character would you like to analyze? Let us know in the comments!

❓ Character Analysis FAQ

A character analysis involves:

1. description of a character; 2. explanation of how they change throughout the story; 3. their role in the narrative; 4. relationships with other characters; 5. what idea the author wanted to convey through the character.

A character analysis creates a description that contains their most important qualities. It provides a new perspective of a character that reveals more about what it’s like to be human. It can also point to a moral or a lesson.

Literary analysis uses the technique of tracing the character development. This technique is usually used to understand the theme of the work better. Through tracing a character’s development, we can learn more about the story’s message and how it’s conveyed.

A summary paragraph in a character study should include answers to the questions “what,” “who,” “where,” and “why.” You should mention who narrates the story, where the story is set, its theme, and the message it conveys.

Critical Concepts: Character and Characterization: Kansas State University
Analyzing Novels & Short Stories: Texas A&M University
Guidelines for Writing a Character Analysis Essay: Tidewater Communite College
Literary Criticism: Thesis Examples: The University of Texas at Arlington
Writing a Literary Analysis Paper: Germanna Community College
Flat and Round Characters: Encyclopedia Britannica
Literature: University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
How to Write a Book Analysis: Kean University
Elements of Literary Analysis: Alamo Colleges District
Defining Characterization: Read Write Think
APA Style: General Format: Purdue University
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Book Guides

Familiar with the characters of The Great Gatsby , but need to analyze one or more of them for an essay or class assignment? This article has got your back! In it, we'll discuss what the point of analyzing a book character is. We'll also talk about the dos and donts of writing a character analysis, essay, explaining how to go from an argument to finding evidence. Finally, we'll give you an example of how to develop an essay of this type by constructing one around the old money characters (Tom, Daisy, and Jordan).

You'll also find links to our in-depth articles on each of The Great Gatsby 's main characters, explaining their role and significance in the novel, key quotes for each, and some ideas for essay topics, really helping you pull together your thoughts about these characters!

Why Write a The Great Gatsby Character Analysis Essay?

By assigning a character analysis, your teacher is giving you the chance to practice many different writing and analysis skills, including:

close reading
incorporating evidence from the novel into an essay
building a larger argument
tying small details you notice while reading into one of the book’s larger themes

The Great Gatsby is the perfect book for character analysis since it features seven major characters that interact in interesting ways across gender and class lines. Since this novel has so many beautiful and fascinating bits of character description, it will also get you to practice using evidence from the text in an argument.

So make sure that any character analysis you write builds on the skills you are learning in class! We will go over some do’s and don’t of character analysis below.

Character Analysis Do's

Here are some tips for constructing an excellent The Great Gatsby character analysis essay.

Create an Argument, Not Just a Topic

There is a big difference between an essay topic and an essay argument.

Most of the time, your teacher will give you an essay topic - in other words, what your essay should be about generally . Normally a topic will involve connecting the character to one of the novel’s larger themes, especially money and materialism , the American Dream , love and desire , or the relationship between upper and lower classes in society. If you design your own topic, you could explain how your chosen character illuminates one of the novel's symbols motifs.

For our example, let's take the common prompt, “Write an essay about how either Tom, Daisy, or Jordan represents old money.” This essay assignment has the topic built in: it wants you to take one of those characters and explain how their individual qualities tie them to the bigger abstract idea of the old money class.

But you still have to come up with the argument yourself. An argument is exactly what it sounds like - it's a point that you're trying to make by using reasons and evidence. There's an easy test for figuring out whether you're working with an argument. Could someone argue the opposite of what you're saying? Then yes, that's an argument. Otherwise, it's just a statement of fact. Plus, an essay anchored by a surprising assertion will immediately seem more interesting - how on earth are you going to prove this, your reader will be wondering.

In our example essay, let's say that we've decided to analyze Tom. It's tempting to use something like this as the "argument":

Tom's wealth and privilege show that he is part of the old money class.

But could anyone argue the opposite? Not at all - because this is a factual description, not a contentious statement.

Instead, an argument should make some kind of provocative, challengeable point:

Tom Buchanan is an example of Nick’s scathing depiction of the old money class as fearful and insecure despite enormous privilege.

Now, that someone could argue with! After all, Tom doesn't at first glance seem like someone who is fearful or insecure.

Outline How You Will Prove Your Argument

Make sure each paragraph is anchored by a thesis statement - a one-sentence summary of what part of your argument this particular paragraph is going to prove. Also, loosely plan out what evidence you will use to back up each paragraph's thesis statement.

It can be helpful to create a simple outline before hand to guide how you’ll go about your essay. This will keep your essay clearly organized, and make writing easier.

In our example essay, an outline could look like:

Argument: Tom Buchanan is an example of Nick’s scathing depiction of the old money class as fearful and insecure despite enormous privilege.

Paragraph 1: The trappings of Tom’s life show his privilege and his insecurity. Evidence:

fancy house
polo horses
enormous wealth
year in France

Paragraph 2: Tom actions constantly hint at his insecurity about his status. Evidence:

depressed that his football glory days are behind him
racist tirade shows he thinks the elite is about to be swept off the map
has affairs only with lower-class women he can dominate

Paragraph 3: Tom's constant policing of other people's behavior shows how much he wants to reinforce class divisions in the face of them eroding. Evidence:

throwing money at Myrtle to buy ten dogs
grousing about Gatsby misinterpreting the invitation from the Sloanes and mocking the pink suit
investigating Gatsby's criminal dealings even when already pretty sure Gatsby is a bootlegger

Paragraph 4: Tom decisions around Myrtle's murder show that he is more cowardly than his intimidating physical presence leads us to believe. Evidence:

manipulating George to kill Gatsby rather because he was scared of George's gun
running away with Daisy rather than sticking around to face consequences

Conclusion: Tom's privilege only heightens his sense of himself as a victim whose status is in danger of being usurped. Tom is a scathing portrait of old money royalty.

Use and Analyze Evidence to Support Your Argument

Bold arguments depend on a solid use of evidence to back them up. That means you can't just throw a quote into your writing and move on! Instead, use this rule of thumb: for each line of quoted text you insert, make sure you have 2-4 lines of your own explaining and interpreting the meaning of the quote as it relates to your argument .

To back up our example argument, we would now scour the book to find evidence of Tom being insecure or fearful. Once we've got something, though, it can't just be thrown into the essay willy nilly like this:

Nick says that Tom was "one of those men who reach such an acute limited excellence at twenty-one that everything afterward savors of anti-climax" (1.16).

Instead, we have to connect this description to the larger argument, using close reading to really get at the meaning of the words Nick is choosing:

Nick is pointing out that Tom's athletic achievements happened too long ago to keep feeding Tom's ego, Instead, because nothing has ever lived up to his football glory days, Tom is spending his time trying to avoid the depressing feeling of "anti-climax."

Use Evidence to Address Counterarguments

Because you've created an actually disputable argument, you can take the time to swat away the opposite position .

In the example essay we've been constructing, we're arguing that Tom Buchanan represents Fitzgerald’s critique of old money and is essentially an antagonist. We should address the idea that Tom is the novel's sharpest observer of people. (After all, unlike Nick, Tom immediately pegs Gatsby as a bootlegger.) This seemingly positive quality could be spun to be yet another example of Tom's insecurity - he is very quick to leap to judgment rather than giving people the benefit of the doubt.

Character Analysis Don'ts

Now that we've covered what you should do in a Gatsby character analysis essay, let's go over some mistakes you should avoid.

Avoid Stating the Obvious

Don’t just say what the character is like, list descriptions from the book, or summarize what the character did without adding any analysis. For example, don’t just say “Gatsby is flamboyant, throws big parties, and even wears a pink suit sometimes. He does all of this to try and win back Daisy, the love of his life.” All that does is summarize something that is obvious from the book.

Instead, tie those observations to a larger idea. For example, “the extravagance of Jay’s parties and dress marks him as a member of the newly rich, allowing Fitzgerald to satirize the newly rich in America as he also critiques the cruelty of old money” or “Jay’s obsessive pursuit of Daisy reveals an unrealistic obsession with reliving the past.”

Don’t Make All or Nothing Claims About a Character

The beauty of this novel is that the statements “Daisy is a horrible person” or “Daisy is a misunderstood martyr” are both wrong.

Instead, try and find the nuances, the good and the bad points of each character, and make them work for your bigger argument. For example, if you’re writing an essay about how Daisy represents the limited options available to women in the 1920s, you would likely be more sympathetic to some of her behavior, but you still shouldn’t excuse her hit-and-run!

Don’t Focus on Including Every Single Scene or Line That Features Your Character

Even for a short novel, Gatsby is jam-packed with meaningful dialogue, imagery, and plot events, and you couldn’t possibly analyze every single key moment for each character in one essay! (You could – and people have – write whole books on the subject!) Instead, focus on finding a few moments and analyzing them in detail, then tying them to your main point. Remember that the quality of analysis is worth more than the quantity of evidence!

Character Analysis Links

Each of our character pages has a detailed section with analysis of each character.

You can also get some helpful background information, a summary of the character’s actions in the book, and important quotes by and about them:

Nick Carraway

Daisy Buchanan

Tom Buchanan

Jordan Baker

Myrtle Wilson

George Wilson

The Bottom Line on The Great Gatsby Character Analysis

Character analysis is a chance to practice many different writing and analysis skills.
Create an argument - a debatable, provocative point that you're trying to make by using reasons and evidence.
Anchor each paragraph by a thesis statement - a one-sentence summary of what part of your argument this particular paragraph is going to prove.
Loosely plan out what evidence you will use to back up each paragraph's thesis statement.
For each line of quoted text, have 2-4 lines of your own explanation relating to your argument.
Take the time to swat away the counterarguments.
Avoid stating the obvious. Instead, tie observations to a larger idea.
Don’t make all or nothing claims about a character. Instead, find the nuances in each character, and make them work for your bigger argument.
Don’t feel like you have to include every single scene or line that features your character.

What’s Next?

Want to get advice about comparing and contrasting characters? Head on over to our Compare/Contrast post to learn how to best write about common character pairings.

Need a little more background on novel’s plot? Check out our Great Gatsby summary , or look at a timeline of all of the events in chronological order .

Interested in getting help analyzing important symbols and motifs? Get an introduction to symbols in The Great Gatsby and an overview of the novel's motifs to get started.

Want to improve your SAT score by 160 points or your ACT score by 4 points? We've written a guide for each test about the top 5 strategies you must be using to have a shot at improving your score. Download it for free now:

Anna scored in the 99th percentile on her SATs in high school, and went on to major in English at Princeton and to get her doctorate in English Literature at Columbia. She is passionate about improving student access to higher education.

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Writing a Character Analysis

After you've gathered many pieces of evidence and written a working thesis statement about your character, you are ready to create the first draft of your analysis. Start by writing a compelling lead sentence and using it to introduce a beginning paragraph. Or you can develop the middle paragraphs first and return to write the beginning and ending. If you need inspiration along the way, look at the end of this lesson to find another student's character analysis based on Wilson from The Great Gatsby .

Writing the Beginning Paragraph

Start your essay with a lead that gets readers' attention and orients them to the piece of literature you will analyze. After your lead sentence, you will develop a paragraph that ends with your thesis statement.

Write a lead sentence.

Try out at least two of these strategies for introducing the topic of your analysis. Read the examples for ideas. Make a copy of this Google doc or download a Word template .

Cry, the Beloved Country by Alan Paton unflinchingly portrays the deep societal divisions in 1948 South Africa, divisions that would lead to apartheid.

Why do most people consider The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald to be the quintessential "Great American Novel?"

“Show me a hero and I’ll write you a tragedy.” —F. Scott Fitzgerald

Nelson Mandela spent his youth as a political dissident, his middle age as a political prisoner, and his old age as president of a post-apartheid South Africa.

Write your beginning paragraph.

Start with your lead, and then provide background and develop a paragraph leading to your thesis statement.

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How to Write a Character Analysis Essay?

14 August, 2020

14 minutes read

Author: Kate Smith

A character analysis essay is one of the most complicated academic assignments that students usually write for Literature or English classes. Generally, this kind of essay writing requires you to describe the character in the context of the story. This can be done through the analysis of the relationship between the major and secondary characters or through your personal opinion of a particular character.

So, there is something you should learn before getting down to work. What is a character analysis and how to approach it? Let’s try to find the answers in the information below.

What is a Character Analysis?

A character analysis is a kind of essay where you examine behaviors, motivations, and actions of characters. Also, a character analysis is an in-depth assignment that makes you think critically about one or more characters and make judgements after analyzing the text. In most cases, it is used for the analysis of literary works. This form of academic writing involves personalities’ descriptions and conflicts with others they experience throughout a story. This analysis aims to provide a critical assessment of characters and build up conclusions based on the storyline. You may analyze a personality through his or her behavioral patterns or internal and external conflicts.

When you’re asked to write a character analysis, you must look at that story from a different angle. How? This is not your average reading for fun. Your task is to focus on the character synopsis and everything that’s associated with the people involved in the story.

Aim of a Character Analysis

A character analysis aims to evaluate a character’s traits, their functions, and the conflicts they have to deal with throughout the story. During the analysis, you will need to think critically, ask questions, and make conclusions about the character. To make your analysis informative, you will have to go beyond available descriptions that are written by the author. To understand the meaning of every event, phrase, and action, you will have to read between the lines. Don’t be afraid of using some additional resources if you feel like knowing more about the epoch a character lives in. If you want to gain an alternative opinion about a character, do not hesitate to find out your friends’ or internet users’ thoughts. Thus, thorough research may help you develop some creative ideas that will add great value to your future paper.

General Types of Characters

You should have a deep understanding of a character before starting an in-depth analysis. While a good character has many sides, there are some standard features to be considered:

Protagonist: Being the main figure in a story, this character has the whole plot based on their life, actions, events, and feelings.
Antagonist: Being a villain in a story, this character is positioned as the opposite figure to the major hero. Their basic nature remains negative, which makes them even more interesting than the main character. An antagonist plays a significant role even in short stories.
Major: This character dominates the story. While they are not the main one in the story, they are involved in all the events.
Minor: This character appears in a story from time to time. Their role may be significant for the plot development, but then they may disappear for some time and pop up again.
Dynamic and static characters: The existence of these two opposite characters is determined by their reflection of each other’s specifications. While one character of a story goes through an internal or external transformation, another one may have their basic characteristics unchanged. There is a common idea that an evolving character tends to be more interesting than a static one. However, you can also analyze a static character from the perspective that they are not sympathetic, smart, or deep enough to learn their lessons. Or on the contrary, they remain strong enough and can resist the system without going under it.
Stereotypical: If you are familiar with stereotypes, you will know what type of character is meant here. Generally, this particular character serves as the representation of the social, national, as well as demographic background of the story.
Foils: The main goal of this hero in the story is to stay in contrast with main characters and a protagonist in order to highlight the features of the main character.
Multi-dimensional characters: This group of characters involves an unlimited number of personalities. They are one-dimensional characters in the story who usually are not particularly interesting for the reader or viewer and do not play a crucial role in the storyline.

How Do You Start a Character Analysis Essay?

Before you start writing, you may wonder how to do a character analysis. Of course, you need to select a character to describe. In some cases, your professor will give you a character to talk about. By reading a story several times, you may notice the tiniest details. Ideally, you can use a highlighter or marker to mark each spot where your character is mentioned. Here are some more details of how to start with a character analysis:

Take notes while reading. Take notes by highlighting every significant element of the story.
Introduce your character. Introduce your character by providing their detailed description.
Describe your character. Provide a smooth transition from the general description of your character to the point of convergence of the story.
Build up a thesis statement. Finish the presentation with your paper’s proposal.

Main Points of a Character Analysis

When you need to analyze one character, you can make it from the perspective of several types at once. The character’s ability to change can create an additional source of analysis. At the same time, the complex and changing personality will be more interesting for the detailed analysis. To make it easier to work with such characters, you should focus on their characteristics, namely their importance for a story, actions, events, and so on. In most cases, you have to cover three major points:

Personality

Reveal the main features of a character to provide the reader with a portrait. By adding some facts and descriptions of actions, you will enable a deeper understanding of the analyzed hero. There is no need to use some words with broad meanings like “bad,” “nice,” “honest,” etc.

Role in a story

Describe the importance of the particular character in the context of the general story. Also, you should pay attention to their actions and their ability to move the events forward.

Character development

Analyze the changes the character has gone through and what features they have now. You should focus on the progress of a person, even if it is regressive.

Character Analysis Outline

In the character analysis essay outline, you should describe two or maybe even three specific character categories. Your mission is to describe the personality of the character, their function in the story, and the value they have.

Describe the personality of the character. The reader gets familiar with the characters of the story through the words the characters use, the emotions they express, and the actions they take. It is quite easy to build up an opinion about the personality of a character through the prism of their outward behaviors. Eventually, you will understand that the character fits into one of the character categories mentioned above.
Explore the character’s role . While writing a character analysis, it is important to describe the role of that character in detail. Apart from expressing unique character traits, the character will also perform a specific function in the story. Whether it will be the major or minor role, the analysis should address all the aspects of the performed role.
Outline the growth and development of the character . In order to write a professional analysis, you will explain how the character matures and transforms as the plot progresses.

The majority of characters will have to go through particular transformations until the end of the story. You should pay special attention to whether the character becomes better or worse, stronger or weaker, rich or poor. Mention any areas or scenes where these transformations occur. In the story, you will recognize them from the cues like “it was then that she understood…” or “for the first time in months, he…”

Do you need a more detailed analysis of your character?

To make your analysis essay correct, you need to explore your character deeply. If you set some points you will follow in your work, you will manage to be consequential in your analysis. So here are some crucial nuances you should remember to describe the character:

You should focus on the reasons that make the character in a story to make a particular decision or take a specific action. You have an opportunity to explore the rightfulness of those actions as well as their reasonability. While you are asked to express your thoughts about certain events and feelings, you should be objective by looking beyond the cover.

Every action taken by a character can say a lot about his/her personality. You should not skip any events because it can be important for the general story and reveal some info about the character, his/her attitude to things, etc.

You should pay attention to the words the person uses because they can say a lot about their personality. Their accents and phrases may provide you with valuable information about nationality, social status, education, or even age of a character.

Descriptions

There are two major sources of the description: from other people in a story and the author. The author can provide the reader with one attitude and description of the major character, while secondary heroes in a story may describe them from their own perspective. At that point, their conclusions may be totally different, yet they’ll provide you with an understanding of the person’s nature.

The way people refer to a person also determines the features of a character. They may have nicknames or other names that will demonstrate their background and the attitude of other characters toward them. You can also define the origin as well as other important nuances.

Character Analysis Examples

By using a readymade character analysis example, you can concentrate on the creative process itself. Here are some nice examples of written character analysis based on a couple of popular stories:

https://literatureessaysamples.com/joe-gargerys-character-analysis/

http://jmendelis.blogspot.com/p/sample-character-analysis-essay.html

Tips on Writing a Character Analysis from Handmadewriting Experts

Whether you follow a character analysis template yourself or ask a professional essay writer to complete this paper for you, you should not forget the common principles of work. Luckily, Handmadewriting’s specialists always follow the standard rules for character analysis writing:

Support all your statements with evidence. Y ou should incorporate evidence for every single point you make, although it must be relevant to the story. By means of quotes taken from the story, you can easily support your ideas and increase your credibility.
Point, illustrate, and explain. The so-called PIE method is a must for character analysis writing. Make sure to make a point, integrate quotations to support it, and explain how every quote creates the point.
Use your own words to anchor the quote. A quotation should not be left alone in the sentence. You need to explain the eligibility of this quote and its meaning.
Do not overuse quotes. You are allowed to use up to 10% of quotations in an academic paper, so remember this number. If you overuse quotes, you can hardly hope for a good grade.

Are you ready to proceed with your character analysis paper? Once you learn all writing rules and tips, you will be able to finish an excellent paper before the set deadline.

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10 Steps to Creating an Outstanding Character Essay Analysis

Character analysis is an essay, which aims to describe a certain character from a book or a popular figure that exists in reality. Such paper is concentrated on personal features and character of an analyzed person. However, a high school character analysis greatly differs from a college one, because it requires more detailed research and has specific demands. Moreover, you also need to follow one of the formatting styles:

Chicago/Turabian .

If you are a college freshman or have never written a university character analysis before, you should be ready to face lots of requirements, including context, structure and thoughtful analysis. You can include personal stories and experience to support the topic. Below we have gathered the best 10 tips to write a flawless character analysis.

How to write the best character analysis

A thorough research

You must know every feature of the analyzed character, his personal qualities and background. That is why you should gather as much opinions and views, as possible. You should understand that the same character looks completely different in various sources, so it is important to stick not only to the initial book but also to other credible sources. They include:

Newspapers;

Shape your ideas with the help of an outline

Outline is not a compulsory part of your character analysis if the opposite is not indicated by your professor. However, it is a very important section for your own convenience, because with its help you will always know what to write about, step-by-step.

Without an outline you can lose track of the general flow of your essay and won’t be able to deliver a quality text. An outline is a plan, a list of all the ideas you want to share with the reader.

Strong introduction and a thesis statement

Every written assignment should always start with an introduction paragraph, which contains a thesis statement in the last sentence. Your goal is to prove the audience that you have serious reasons to write about a chosen character.

You can insert a quote from the source text or provide interesting and unknown details about a person you want to tell about. However, such information should be general, without too much information.

Describe hero’s character

Your body paragraphs should contain information on all of the features you have found about the discussed person. Start with a powerful statement and then support it with evidence. Remind all of the episodes, which prove your point of view. For that purpose you will have to read the book from the first page to the last one.

Write about the key conflict

Even though your task is to discuss a person or a character, you should still explain what the main conflict of the analyzed piece is. This will help you to explain the reader why the analyzed character is good or bad, acts right or wrong, etc. If you are not able to identify the conflict on your own, turn to your professor or a professional writing company !

Use clear language

Some students think that a character analysis doesn’t require academic language and decide to use slang instead. However, your essay should always remain academic and contain clear English. Never use words, which you are not able to find in the vocabulary, as it may greatly lower your final marks.

Make sure you choose a proper character type

Every literature assignment should include specific terms, so when you analyze a character you should always define what his type is:

Protagonist (the main hero);
Antagonist;
Major character;
Minor character;
Stereotypical;
Single-dimensional;
Three-dimensional.

State your position

You need to process various opinions and arguments to show the character both from good and bad sides. In addition, you need to present a fresh look on the plot of the story and on the character himself to interest the reader.

Include questions without an answer

You can tell the audience about unanswered questions from the text or ask them yourself. In such a way, your reader will think about your essay even after finishing it and may even want to continue the research.

Get quality assistance

If you are limited in time and have tens of other assignments to be delivered, we are there to help! Even if you don’t have a wish to work on a character analysis or have no ideas what to write about, there is no need to panic.

Our professional writers and editors are always ready to create an original character analysis for you, meeting all of the demands and requirements.

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Character Analysis Worksheet Templates

Customize character analysis templates.

If you're assigning this to your students, copy the worksheet to your account and save. When creating an assignment, just select it as a template!

Character Analysis Templates | Character Worksheets

What is a Character Analysis Essay Worksheet?

A character study is an important aspect of literary analysis, and our character analysis worksheets provide a comprehensive framework for analyzing and understanding characters in a story. These templates allow students to create detailed profiles that explore various elements, such as development, traits, and interactions with other characters.

By using our character analysis chart templates, students can easily identify and describe the key traits. They can analyze the character's development throughout the story, examining how their experiences and choices shape their journey. Additionally, students can explore the relationships with other characters, uncovering the dynamics and impact of these interactions.

With our character development worksheet, a student can dive deeper into the life of a character, gaining a greater appreciation for their complexities and motivations. This in-depth exploration enhances their understanding of the story and encourages critical thinking skills.

How To Analyze Character Traits

Analyzing traits is a crucial aspect of understanding and interpreting literature. By examining the traits of a character, readers can gain deeper insights into their motivations, behaviors, and overall significance within a narrative. In this section, we will explore how to effectively analyze character traits using various strategies and tools, including character analysis worksheets and the concept of indirect characterization.

Start with a Character Study Worksheet: Begin by utilizing a character worksheet, including character study worksheet, character analysis chart, or character profile worksheet, which serves as a structured framework to gather and organize information. This worksheet typically includes sections to record the character's physical attributes, personality traits, actions, relationships with other characters, and their overall role in the story. By filling out the worksheet, you can develop a comprehensive profile and identify key traits that shape their behavior.
Identify Key Character Traits: As readers, pay close attention to the author's descriptions and the character's actions, dialogue, and how they interact with others. Look for recurring patterns or specific behaviors that reveal their personality. These can include traits such as kindness, courage, honesty, or cunningness.
Consider Indirect Characterization: Indirect characterization refers to the author's use of subtle clues, such as a character's thoughts, speech, appearance, or the opinions of other characters, to reveal their traits. Analyzing indirect characterization requires reading between the lines and inferring the character's traits based on these subtle cues. Look for instances where the author indirectly explains or shows the character's traits, and use them to deepen your understanding of the character.
Examine the Character's Actions and Choices: A character's actions and choices can provide significant insights into their traits. Consider how the character behaves in different situations and what motivates their actions. Reflect on whether their actions align with their stated beliefs or if they exhibit any contradictions. This analysis can help you identify the character's values, strengths, weaknesses, and overall character development and analysis throughout the narrative.
Connect Traits to the Character's Role and the Narrative: Analyzing traits is not only about describing them but also understanding their significance in the context of the story. Consider how the character's traits contribute to their role within the narrative and their relationships with other characters. Reflect on how their traits impact the plot, conflict, and overall themes of the literature. This deeper understanding will enrich your analysis and interpretation.

By following these steps and utilizing a variety of our character analysis worksheets, you can effectively analyze character traits, explain their development, and gain a deeper appreciation for the complexities of the characters in literature. Remember to support your analysis with evidence from the text, such as specific quotes or examples, to provide a strong foundation for your insights and interpretations.

How To Write Character Analysis Essay

Now that you're armed with the knowledge and skills to analyze a trait, explore the world of literature with confidence and embark on your own captivating character analysis essays. When it comes to writing an analysis essay, having a well-structured outline is essential. The outline serves as a guide to help you organize your thoughts and ideas, ensuring that your essay effectively captures the complexities of the character and their traits. Let's explore how to create an outline using a character analysis outline worksheet, and how to incorporate the right words and language to showcase your analytical skills.

Begin with a Character Profile: Before diving into the essay, it's helpful to create a profile that includes important details about the character's background, traits, and development. This profile can serve as a reference point and provide you with a clear understanding of the character's journey. You can refer to a profile example or use the character analysis outline worksheet to organize your thoughts.
Introduction: Start your essay with an engaging introduction that provides a brief overview of the character and their significance within the narrative. Grab the reader's attention by highlighting the character's key traits or an intriguing aspect of their personality.
Thesis Statement: Craft a strong thesis statement that presents your main argument or interpretation about the character. Your thesis statement should reflect the character's traits and their impact on the story, while also setting the tone for your essay.
Body Paragraphs: Organize your analysis into coherent body paragraphs that focus on specific traits. Each paragraph should begin with a topic sentence that introduces the trait you will discuss. Use evidence from the text, such as quotes or specific examples, to support your analysis. Analyze how the character exhibits the trait and provide insights into their motivations, actions, and relationships with other characters. Be sure to incorporate the right words and language to showcase your analytical skills.
Conclusion: Summarize your main points and restate your thesis in the conclusion. Emphasize the significance of the character's traits and their contribution to the overall narrative. You can also leave the reader with a thought-provoking question or a broader reflection on the character's impact.

By following these guidelines and incorporating the profile, a strong thesis statement, well-structured body paragraphs, and a concise conclusion, you can create a compelling character analysis essay that showcases your understanding of the character's traits and their significance in the story.

Example of Character Analysis Literature: Engaging Texts for In-Depth Study

Explore these recommended engaging texts that serve as excellent examples for an in-depth analysis. These literary works offer rich and complex characters that your class can delve into and analyze, allowing for a deeper understanding of character development, motivations, and relationships.

Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen

This novel offers valuable lessons on social class, prejudice, and the complexities of human relationships, making it an ideal choice for teaching character analysis skills in the classroom. Use a character map to help kids analyze the traits and relationships of characters like Elizabeth Bennet and Mr. Darcy.

To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee

Through the characters of Scout, Atticus Finch, and Boo Radley, this novel will teach important themes of justice, morality, and empathy, providing ample opportunities to analyze their traits and motivations. Our digital worksheets can be used to engage students in interactive character analysis activities.

The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald

The characters in this novel, such as Jay Gatsby, Daisy Buchanan, and Nick Carraway, exemplify the pursuit of the American Dream and the complexities of love and identity. Analyzing their traits can deepen students' understanding of human nature and societal expectations. A critical analysis template can help while examining the characters' motivations and the author's use of symbolism and imagery.

Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë

Jane Eyre's journey of self-discovery and her interactions with other characters, such as Mr. Rochester and Mrs. Reed, offer rich material for character analysis discussions. This novel explores themes of independence, morality, and the role of women in society.

Using these classic novels not only teaches students valuable skills in analysis but also exposes them to timeless themes, diverse perspectives, and literary techniques.

How to Make a Character Analysis Worksheet

Choose One of the Premade Templates

We have lots of templates to choose from. Take a look at our example for inspiration!

Click on "Copy Template"

Once you do this, you will be directed to the storyboard creator.

Give Your Worksheet a Name!

Be sure to call it something related to the topic so that you can easily find it in the future.

Edit Your Worksheet

This is where you will include directions, specific images, and make any aesthetic changes that you would like. The options are endless!

Click "Save and Exit"

When you are finished, click this button in the lower right hand corner to exit your storyboard.

From here you can print, download as a PDF, attach it to an assignment and use it digitally, and more!

Happy Creating!

Frequently Asked Questions About Character Analysis Worksheets

What is a character trait.

A character trait refers to the qualities, characteristics, or attributes that define a character in a literary work. These traits can include physical attributes, personality traits, values, beliefs, motivations, and more. Character traits help readers understand the motivations and actions of characters, and they play a crucial role in character analysis.

Can I create a character worksheet on my own?

Absolutely! Our worksheets provide a framework for analyzing characters, but you can also create your own customized character worksheets. You can tailor the questions and prompts to fit the specific needs of your students or the literary work you are studying. This flexibility allows you to focus on specific character traits or aspects that you want your students to explore.

How can character analysis worksheets help with writing a character analysis essay?

They serve as a valuable tool to gather and organize information about characters, which can then be used as evidence or supporting details in a character analysis essay. These worksheets help students identify and describe character traits, analyze character development, and explore the relationships between characters. By using the information from the worksheets, students can write a well-supported and insightful character analysis essay.

Can character analysis worksheets be used for different grade levels and texts?

Absolutely! They can be adapted for different grade levels and used with a wide range of literary works. Whether you are teaching elementary, middle school, or high school, you can modify the complexity and depth of the questions and prompts to suit the needs and abilities of all learners. Additionally, the they can be used with various texts, including novels, short stories, plays, and even films, allowing for versatility in the classroom.

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Character Analysis / Study and Characterization Activity

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Description

Help your students write a character study or character analysis with this ready to use resource. Works with any novel or short story!

These worksheets are easy to differentiate for students of varying abilities and ages and lead students through the process of writing a paragraph or a full essay. A great way to dig deep into a character in a novel or short story. Uses the STEAL acronym to teach students about indirect characterization (Speech, Thoughts, Effect on other, Actions, Looks).

FOR A DIGITAL VERSION OF THIS RESOURCE - CLICK HERE !

· STEAL Acronym Reference Sheet

· STEAL Acronym Planning page

· Character Chart for the main characters x 2

· Character Comparison Chart

· Note Taking Sheet

· Character Development

· Character Analysis Paragraph Planner— Organizer #1

· Character Analysis Paragraph Assignment

· Paragraph Outline

· Character Analysis Essay Planner—2 pages

· Essay Assignment Page

· Character Analysis Essay Outline - 3 pages

· List of Common Character Traits

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How to Write a Character Analysis Essay: Outline, Tips, & Character
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Writing a Character Analysis Essay
Character analysis essays do not have just one format. However, let me offer some advice that might act as a character analysis essay outline or 'checklist' of possible things you could discuss: 1. Start with the Simple Details. You can start a character analysis by providing a simple, clear description of who your character is.
How to Write a Character Analysis: Outline, Examples
One of the essential purposes of a character analysis essay is to look at the anatomy of a character in the story and dissect who they are. We must be able to study how the character was shaped and then learn from their life. A good example of a character for a character analysis essay is Daisy Buchanan from 'The Great Gatsby.'.
5 Engaging Characterization Activities for High School Students to Try
One of my favorite things to do with a text - especially a longer one like a novel or play - is to analyze the characters. I like to start with a pre-reading characterization activity to allow my students to review and practice character analysis before jumping into the text. Keep reading for some of my favorite characterization activities to use for after reading.
How to Write a Character Analysis
Step 3: Outline Your Analysis. Create a structured plan for your character analysis essay. Begin with an engaging introduction, introducing the character and their significance. Proceed to discuss the character's development throughout the story and their interactions with other characters in the story.
Characterization Activities for ANY TEXT!
In this mini-lesson, students analyze character traits in the form of a star in order to analyze the many complex facets of complex characters. It culminates in the writing of an analytical paragraph, and this mini-lesson includes a paragraph-shaping sheet to help students organize their analysis into proper paragraph structure.
How to Write a Character Analysis Essay: Examples & Outline
If the source includes three or more authors, use the abbreviation "et al." after the first author's name. Example: (Collins et al., 1997) As for MLA format: You can write the author's name in the sentence. Example: As Collins mentions in his essay<…>.
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How to do a Character Analysis
In order to write a character analysis, the first task is to choose the subject, if not already determined in the assignment question. It is easier to pick if the writer is already familiar with the text in which the character exists. Recognizing the types of characters also helps during the selection. Once the subject character has been ...
PDF Writing Center Tidewater Community College
Guidelines for Writing a Character Analysis Essay. Characters are the essence of a work of fiction. Fictional characters are portrayed through the characters' actions and reactions as well as other characters' actions and reactions to them. You develop a character by telling the reader about that character, what he is doing or thinking.
How to Write a Character Analysis Essay in Simple Steps
If you're wondering how to get started writing a character analysis essay, look no further. Follow our simple steps to create an in-depth character analysis! ... A character analysis is a common school assignment where you break down a character from a novel or other story to get to know them better. If you've got a character to analyze, walk ...
Best Great Gatsby Character Analysis
By assigning a character analysis, your teacher is giving you the chance to practice many different writing and analysis skills, including: close reading. incorporating evidence from the novel into an essay. building a larger argument. tying small details you notice while reading into one of the book's larger themes.
How to Write a Character Analysis: Tips and Examples from Literature
Introduction: Introduce the character you are writing about using a good hook to get your reader curious. Body: In this section, use a few paragraphs to describe the character's traits, their role, and the transformation they undergo (you could write one paragraph for each of the sections outlined above). Conclusion: Summarize your essay in ...
Expert Tips For Writing Character Analysis Designed For High-School And
There are two types of descriptions that are given in a novel. The first is how an author describe a character and the second is how other book characters speak about it. Pay great attention at descriptions. Remember, it's important to read between lines, trying to see more than what is obvious. Names.
Writing a Character Analysis
Writing a Character Analysis After you've gathered many pieces of evidence and written a working thesis statement about your character, you are ready to create the first draft of your analysis. Start by writing a compelling lead sentence and using it to introduce a beginning paragraph. Or you can develop the middle paragraphs first and return to write the beginning and ending. If you need ...
Character Analysis Essay: Outline, Topics and Writing Tips
A character analysis is a kind of essay where you examine behaviors, motivations, and actions of characters. Also, a character analysis is an in-depth assignment that makes you think critically about one or more characters and make judgements after analyzing the text. In most cases, it is used for the analysis of literary works.
2 Character Analysis Essay Examples With Character
Character analysis essay example #1: Character Analysis of Anders in Bullet in the Brain, a Book by Tobias Wolff. The first essay is a brief analysis. It focuses on how readers see the character of Anders in the short story "Bullet in the Brain" develops. *Click images below to enlarge. In the above character analysis essay example, I noted ...
PDF Character Analysis Rubric
Characterization is the name for the techniques a writer uses to reveal the personality of characters to the reader. Characterization is achieved in a number of different ways: Your task is to compose and type/word process a five-paragraph essay analyzing the main character of your novel. Using evidence from the text to support your conclusions ...
10 Steps to Creating an Outstanding Character Essay Analysis
Character analysis is an essay, which aims to describe a certain character from a book or a popular figure that exists in reality. Such paper is concentrated on personal features and character of an analyzed person. However, a high school character analysis greatly differs from a college one, because it requires more detailed research and has ...
Ultimate Character Analysis Worksheet & Template Guide
When creating an assignment, just select it as a template! What is a Character Analysis Essay Worksheet? ... Whether you are teaching elementary, middle school, or high school, you can modify the complexity and depth of the questions and prompts to suit the needs and abilities of all learners. Additionally, the they can be used with various ...
PDF Character Analysis Graphic Organizers
Provide each student with a copy of the text and a character student sheet. Provide students with one character comparison sheet that they will complete together. The students read or review the text. Name the characters in the story. (Each student selects a different character.) Write the name of the selected character on the character student ...
How to Write a Character Analysis Essay: 8 Helpful Tips & Tricks!
It might be a rather complicated and tricky experience for many people, but here we are to help you when essay writing. Learn how to write a character analysis from these 8 tips and step by step guide: Fill in the character analysis form. (Write about the main idea, plot, main heroes, critique, conflict, compare and contrast). Identify the hero.
PDF Writing Assessment and Evaluation Rubrics
Guide to Writing Assignments and Corresponding Rubrics Writer's ChoiceAssignments Rubrics Writer 's ChoiceAssignments Rubrics p. 11 Freewrite About Yourself 10, 14, 17 p. 11 Cross-Curricular Activity 10, 14, 17 p. 15 Write a Journal Entry 10, 14, 17 p. 19 Write a Personal Essay 10, 14, 17 p. 19 Viewing and Representing 10, 14, 17
Character Analysis / Study and Characterization Activity
Description. Help your students write a character study or character analysis with this ready to use resource. Works with any novel or short story! These worksheets are easy to differentiate for students of varying abilities and ages and lead students through the process of writing a paragraph or a full essay.

Writing a Character Analysis Essay | Step-by-Step Guide

1. What is a Character Analysis Essay?

2. What is the best Character Analysis Essay Format?

1. Start with the Simple Details.

2. What are the character’s distinctive personality features?

3. What are the character’s key relationships?

4. What are the character’s motivations?

5. What are the character’s key conflicts?

6. What are the character’s epiphanies?

7. Examine the moral message the character teaches us.

3. Here’s 13 Example Character Analysis Essay Ideas.

4. Here’s an Example Template for your own Character Analysis Essay

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How to Write a Character Analysis Essay

What Is a Character Analysis Essay?

What Is the Purpose of a Character Analysis Essay

Still Need Help with Your Character Analysis Essay?

How to Analyze a Character

How to Write a Character Analysis Essay?

How Do You Start a Character Analysis Essay

Read the Story

Choose a Dynamic Character

Choose a Main Idea

Character Analysis Questions

Make a Character Analysis Essay Outline

Character Analysis Essay Introduction:

Character Analysis Essay Body:

Character Analysis Essay Conclusion:

Character Analysis Essay Example

STRUGGLE with Writing an Essay?

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Writing Character Analysis - Outline, Steps, and Examples

What is Character Analysis

Purpose of a Character Analysis

How to Write Character Analysis

Step 1: Choose a Character

Step 2: Gather Information

Step 3: Outline Your Analysis

Step 4: Support with Evidence

Step 5: Analyze, Don't Summarize

Step 6: Incorporate Critical Perspectives

Step 7: Write Your Character Analysis

Step 8: Conclusion

Step 9 - Proofread and Refine

Character Analysis Example

Tips for Writing a Character Analysis

Keep reading

How to Write a Character Analysis Essay: Examples & Outline

📑 Character Analysis Essay Examples

Character: Definition (Literature)

Characterization: Literary Definition & Examples

🧙 Types of Characters for Your Essay

Character Type: Definition

Main Character: Definition & Examples

What’s a Static Character?

Complex Character: Definition & Examples

Other Kinds of Characters

Characterization Essay: Which Character Type to Choose

📝 How to Write a Character Analysis Step by Step

How to Analyze a Character: Description Examples

Character Profile Template for Writing

Character Analysis Outline: How to Start a Character Analysis

Character Analysis Thesis Statement & Examples

How to Write Character Analysis Paragraphs for the Main Body

Character Analysis Conclusion: How to Write

🖥️ Character Analysis Essay Format

Character Analysis Example (Downloadable)

Character Analysis Essay Topics

❓ Character Analysis FAQ

Choose Your Test

Why Write a The Great Gatsby Character Analysis Essay?

Character Analysis Do's