HONORS BRITISH LITERATURE

INDEPENDENT READING GUIDELINES

Required components of a Character Analysis Paper:

Submit a 2-3 page character analysis paper featuring an analysis of one of the main characters.

Beware: Do not summarize your book in this character analysis. Only provide enough
information from the novel to support your arguments.

A character analysis is just that—an analysis, not a summary of events. Do not simply report. Be sure to incorporate relevant quotations from the novel within the body paragraphs to support your arguments. To help formulate your thesis, consider the following information about the character:

  1. Character's physical traits
  2. Character's goals, conflicts, and background
  3. Character's environment
  4. Significant statements made by the character
  5. How the character speaks
  6. What the character thinks (if possible)
  7. What motivates the character
  8. What others say about the character
  9. Significant actions of the character

NOTE: If the novel you have chosen to read does not have a character, please see me.

Character Analysis Essay Worksheet

To determine the nature of the character, study the evidence the writer gives the reader, deleting nothing from the character’s own actions, dialogue, attitudes, or thoughts, or from the other character’s attitudes toward him or her. Watch for ironies, inconsistencies, and the character’s own bias. After looking at the author’s presentation of the character, try to find some consistent characteristics that are significant in terms of the whole work. Any reader can compile a list of characteristics; but, the purpose of the character analysis essay is to show why the character is important in terms of the whole work. For example, the following statement simply lists characteristics: “Bibi is Calixta and Bobinot’s young and curious son.” However, the following is much more effective: “Bibi’s youthfulness and curiosity echo his mother’s qualities, and his purity and innocence resemble his father’s personality; therefore, Bibi’s characteristics highlight the struggle between responsible decisions and personal desires.” (These characters are found in Kate Chopin’s short story “The Storm”.)

Here are the steps you should follow for prewriting and planning the character analysis essay:

  1. Name the character you are analyzing. Is this character an antagonist or a protagonist?
  1. Give a physical description of the character and quote the lines from the story that give you the physical descriptions.
  1. Describe the character’s goals, interests, conflicts, and background (in complete sentences) and quote lines from the story that support your answers.
  1. Describe where the character lives, what he/she owns or values, and what he/she wears; quote lines from the story to support your statements.
  1. Find three significant statements made by the character; quote them; describe the context in which they are made, and describe what they reveal about the character.
  1. Quote a significant passage that reveals your character’s thoughts. Describe what this passage reveals about your character or your character’s attitude.
  1. Find one significant statement made to the character by another character. Quote it; explain its context and what it reveals about the character.
  1. What do other characters say about your character? Does the narrator often describe him or her?
  1. What do other characters do around your character? Their actions may help to indicate what your character could do but does not do.
  1. Briefly list three significant actions performed by the character. Explain what each reveals about the character and what motivates the character to take these actions.
  1. Finally: Who is this character? What is his/her meaning and significance?

Writing a Character Analysis Essay

After answering these questions, you should have a list of quotations and characteristics that define this character. Look over your list. Choose three or four of these characteristics that you consider to be the most important and/or the most related. These will be the characteristics on which you focus. What do these characteristics mean in terms of the whole story? How do they affect your interpretation of the work as a reader? How does the author use this character to achieve the overall theme of the work? Once you have considered these questions, you are ready to write the character analysis essay.

Here are some steps to follow:

  1. Place the details you plan to cover in groups--perhaps by character traits.
  1. Formulate a thesis:
  2. In your thesis, you will have a statement, or REASON, which will be the basis for your opinion.
  3. You will also have a comment, or IDEA, a part that states your opinion or interpretation of some specific element of the work.
  4. Your necessary and supporting CONCRETE EVIDENCE is drawn primarily from the literary work being studied.
  5. Remember the literary thesis for a Character Analysis is NEVER merely a retelling of the plot.
  1. Write a rough outline--use topic sentences for each major heading.
  1. Write a rough draft--develop an effective introductory paragraph, which includes your thesis, and a concluding paragraph that at least paraphrases the main idea of your paper.
  1. Make sure you include sufficient supporting quotations and details.
  1. Have a knowledgeable individual edit your work.
  1. Revise your final paper carefully, making sure to have appropriate use of transitions and quotations.