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January 16, 2021

Teaching characterization to middle & high school students.

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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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Dr. Chris Drew is the founder of the Helpful Professor. He holds a PhD in education and has published over 20 articles in scholarly journals. He is the former editor of the Journal of Learning Development in Higher Education. [Image Descriptor: Photo of Chris]

• Chris Drew (PhD) https://helpfulprofessor.com/author/chris-drew-phd/ 5 Top Tips for Succeeding at University
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• Characterization Worksheets

Well-developed characters are like people: they have traits, opinions, and motivations. Characterizations are the methods by which story tellers reveal the traits of characters. There are two types of characterizations: direct and indirect. Direct characterization is when a narrator or character describes another character directly. Indirect characterization is when character traits are revealed through a character's behavior.

Most of my characterization worksheets deal with indirect or implicit characterizations. Recognizing these characterizations is a higher order thinking skill, whereby the student must make an inference based on textual details. These free characterization worksheets will help students better understand characterizations and ultimately become better readers.

Characterization Common Core State Standards

55 comments.

The work sheets are really helpful! Thank you.

Grateful English teacher from Germany

Thank you so much for sharing your material! It helps me a lot with my English students. It’s greatly appreciated!

Leigh Cheri

On behalf of the countless teachers I know use these resources as staple pieces in their lessons each year, thank you for your generosity, support and time. We appreciate that these are not only skill-focused, engaging and editable but that they are rigorous among today’s state standards as well. Thank you.

Thanks so much for doing all of these. I love that they are rigorous. I use your stuff all the time. I really love the ppts too. Thanks again for providing resources. Our school doesn’t want us using the reading curriculum, so this has helped a lot!

Lisa Brainard

I love the online option as we get ready to go virtual. However, I am unable to figure out where to see their completed work. Could you please assist me?

Thanks so much!

Sure, thing.

At the end of each quiz, students have the option to “Print, Save, or Email” their results. They could even post their scores to Facebook. I don’t think many people do that though.

What I would do, if I were you, is require each student to SAVE A COPY OF THEIR RESPONSES AND SCORES to their machine or file system. Then, I would have them email the results to your email address.

The reason why I would require them to save their scores is that sometimes there are delivery issues. Students enter the wrong address, firewalls stop the emails, etc. This is a tough situation for both teacher and student. The answer is to require students to maintain records of their work. Then, if there is a delivery issue, they just need to send the results again.

I hope that helps.

Rathnathilaka

It is great.You are a real teacher for teachers world wide.Thank you very much.

Peter the Great.

Thank you very much for your time and effort in doing these works. They are great to make students produce the language. Sometimes I have run out of ideas on how to persuade my students but with this exercises I can push them again. God bless you.

I’m so happy to hear it. Thank you for taking the time to comment!

This is a fabulous and very useful resource! Thank you!

A wonderful resource – perfect for honing English skills.

Many thanks !

What a wonderful site with numerous resources!

Mary Klinger

Thank you. The short vignettes are just what I needed for character studies.

I love your work! Thank you for sharing. I have a question on characterization. Other sites I look at describe how indirect characterization can come from what effect the character has on others, what the character thinks, what the character says, and what the character looks like. Why do you only concentrate on how the character acts?

I think that my students need more help with this skill, which requires one to make inferences.

I love this website. Thanks for all the great material; this stuff is perfect for all the extra practice parents ask for before a test.

Is there anywhere I can donate?

No donations necessary. The advertisements pay for the content. Best wishes!

Hi Mr Morton, I’ld like to thank you for sharing your wonderful resources.

Your Resources are invaluable and incomparable to what is available at retail stores, everything has been planned for explicit teaching of the much needed skills and strategies for reading effectively.

Please send details on where to make donations.

Thank you once again,

Kind Regards

That’s really nice of you to say. The site is supported by advertising. The company, Ereading Worksheets Inc., is a for profit entity. Any donations are not tax refundable, but if you really want to buy me a cup of coffee or something (beer), you can PayPal me at [email protected]

Best wishes, and thanks again for using the site.

I was so lucky to come across this. You saved me the time energy of coming up with something myself, and it wouldn’t have been as good. THANKS!

Your worksheets are really great help for moms.

Thank you very much for sharing and your effort, Mr. Morton. 🙂

You are most welcome. Thank you for visiting.

A big thank you for all your reading worksheets. They are a great resource!

Love this. Thanks

cierrascott

helped with a lot of work thanks

This will help me a lot

Thank you! I have found some very helpful activities and worksheets to teach a variety of topics when it comes to reading. I really appreciate you sharing these documents!

You are most welcome.

Thank you SO much for these. I have been using them in my beginning 7/8 grade Theatre class. Trying to develop deep thoughts and ideas about characterization has not only helped them in their acting and understanding of what it takes to become a ‘role,’ but these worksheets have also helped them in their other classes with writing, creativity, and imagination. Thanks again!

You are so welcome. Thank you for visiting and taking the time to comment.

These pages are fantastic; they are well written, modern, and the questions are thorough. I also appreciate the different grade levels you cover. Thank you so much!

You are most welcome. Thank you for taking the time to comment.

can I became the answers?

Hmm… I’m not sure if that’s possible.

dodo daffodils

Really i appreciate your effort.There are so many brilliant exercises that help me as a teacher and very effective with the students.Thanks a million

Thank you for this wonderful website. It is very helpful. My 6th grade ESL students from Puerto Rico like to do the worksheets.

I’m so happy to hear it.

marilyn carter

This is just an excellent resource!!! I am a private tutor and this is very helpful! Thank you.

this was very helpful in my class as we were going over elements of a story

Greetings from Singapore! This series of worksheets is so helpful! Thank you!

Gwenna Neal

Thank you so much!!!!!!!!!!! What a great support for CC characterization!! You ROCK, Mr. Morton!

This is the best resource out there for language arts teachers! I love love LOVE that you give us multiple level worksheets to help differentiate. Additionally, love that there are keys so we don’t have to ‘do’ every worksheet ourselves to make a key. You have given me back tons of time in my life and for that, I am eternally grateful!

Jeanette Alfred

These worksheets are beyond awesome! Even my students like doing them. I have shared them with other English teachers at our school and they love them as well. I keep coming back to them to help my students understand concepts we are covering in class. I even find them helpful to review things I haven’t taught in a while. And to top it off, they are free! Thank you for your hard work!!!

Thank you for the kind words. I am dedicated to improving this website.

This is EXACTLY what I’ve been looking for! it’s amazing! thanks:)

I have been looking for a website like this for our son for a very long time.Thank you,your excellent

This site is phenomenal. I teach 6th grade and it gives a variety of activities, worksheets, powerpoints, pre and post assessments for differentiation in my room. I love it!!

Thank you so much for saying so.

A great site that I use for my middle school LAL students.

Excellent site!!

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WOW! I can’t thank you enough!! These are GREAT!

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Tips and ideas for teaching high school ELA

3 Engaging Ideas for Teaching Characterization to High School Students

Teaching characterization is often one of the first, if not the first, things we do before starting a new short story or novel unit. The ability to understand a character’s motivations helps students understand their actions and the way these characters drive the plot. And it helps us as readers relate to the characters. Who are they? Why do they make the choices they make? How do they impact the overall story? 

Keep reading for engaging characterization activities to use before and during reading. 

Pre-Reading Characterization activities

Teaching characterization with short films .

One of my favorite activities for teaching characterization was always to use short films, such as those produced by Pixar. (Bonus: a lot of these films also double as an introduction to other literary devices such as irony, symbolism, and more). 

• Geri’s Game : A short film about an old man playing chess against himself. Ask students to discuss the man’s mental state? Is he an out-of-the-box thinker, devising a creative solution to being alone? Or is he senile? Take it a step further and discuss the thematic meaning of the film. 
• What are the character traits of the mentor alien? Of the student? 
• How does the mentor influence/impact the actions of the student? 
• How do these interactions relate to the theme? 
• Mike’s New Car : Many students are already familiar with Mike and Sully from the Monsters Inc. franchise. Compare and contrast the reactions of the two friendly and lovable monsters as they attempt to learn the ins and outs of Mike’s new car.
• Pipe r: Follow an adorable young sandpiper as she goes on a shell-hunting journey. Discuss how her character changes and what other elements around her (setting, other characters, etc.) contribute to this change. 

During Reading Characterization Activities

Once students have a grasp of direct and indirect characterization and have practiced identifying both in short films, it’s time to dive into the text. Tracking characterization during reading is especially helpful for longer texts, such as plays or novels, but it can be just as valuable during shorter texts. 

Graphic Organizers and Visuals 

Graphic organizers have been the go-to for ages, and with good reason. The visual layout helps students with the head-to-print connection that so many of our students struggle with. 

You can approach this one of two ways: 

• Traditional graphic organizers: standard chart where a student provides textual evidence of direct characterization and the aspects of indirect characterization (STEAL). Effective, but not necessarily highly engaging. 
• Visual character analysis: Many of our students today are visual learners; they consume content through pictures and videos way more than text. Why not lean into that? 

I used this method while teaching Nadine Gordimer’s “Once Upon a Time”, and got great engagement from even the most reluctant students. Each student was assigned a character: the mom, the dad, the son, or the maid and gardener (the last two were combined because of their limited appearance). As we read, each student was responsible for finding evidence of the following: 

• What thoughts were circling the character’s head? 
• Memorable quote or important comment
• What does the character need to hold on to? 
• How does the character view the world? 
• What burden does the character carry? What does he/she worry about? 
• What does the character care most about? 

I recently created something similar for my  “The Cask of Amontillado” Unit   but switched up the visuals to make it a little more appealing. 

You can focus on basic direct and indirect characterization and quotes with this method too: just add some fun boxes or frames, a character outline, etc. 

Character analysis flip books

Another 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 

These flip books could also be used after reading the text. Assign each student or group a character, then have them “teach” their character to their peers. 

short stories for teaching characterization

• “Marigolds”: This coming-of-age story resonates with high school students because the protagonist, Lizabeth, is a young teenager. In the text, Lizabeth handles the harsh realities of her life (being poor, her father’s limited work) by taking out her frustrations on the marigolds of the neighborhood recluse, only to later realize the impact of her actions on the woman. The story can lead to discussions of the transition from childhood to adulthood, the impact of our actions on others, and the consequences of rash decisions. 
•   “The Scarlet Ibis” Another coming-of-age story. The narrator (who remains nameless) longs desperately for a younger brother that he can play with; what he gets is a brother who is mentally and physically handicapped. The story traces the narrator’s relationship with his brother, nicknamed Doodle. It also contains one of my favorite last lines of any text. This story lends itself to discussions of sibling relationships. It’s also full of imagery and symbolism.
• “The Story of an Hour”: Short but powerful, Kate Chopin’s short story traces a woman’s reaction to learning of her husband’s death. Discuss the impact of Chopin’s choice of time frame (the whole thing takes place in a hour, hence the title) and what the text says about women during the time period in which it was written (1894).
• “The Yellow Wallpaper”: Another story centered around a woman protagonist – this time, one who is locked up in an old nursery to recover from some unnamed illness. This story also lends itself well to a discussion about the treatment of women in the 19th century (it was published in 1892) as well as questions of sanity.
• Pretty much anything but Edgar Allan Poe: The man was a master of unreliable narrators and slightly unhinged protagonists.  

So there you have it. Some of my favorite characterization activities for high school. 

Comment below and let me know your favorite activities for teaching characterization. 

Looking for an engaging way to study not only characterization in a short story but also plot, theme, and more? Subscribe below and receive your FREE short story analysis mini flip book 🙂 

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How to Teach Character Analysis + Free Character Traits List Printable

Having the ability to analyze the character traits of characters in a short story or novel is crucial in grasping the underlying message of the author. Simple texts typically explicitly state these traits, labeling a main character as kind or brave, in order to assist the reader.

Yet, as students tackle more complex texts, they must delve deeper into the characters and their traits. The skill of accurately depicting characters is a fundamental skill that students must conquer before they can examine how a character’s personality is shaped by the storyline and their interactions with others.

Establishing a strong understanding of positive and negative character traits is essential for success with later skills like analyzing character change .

In this post, I aim to provide some resources about the definition, share examples of character traits, and how you can help readers use text evidence to analyze individuals in literature. Additionally, I will provide some helpful printable materials to assist in conducting these lessons in your classroom.

Why teach character analysis?

Character analysis, or identifying character and personality traits, is an approachable way to get students used to the rigorous expectations for deep thinking about literature. Students must use text clues to make inferences, and they must also be able to support their answers with details from the plot.

Character discussions can be great for building vocabulary and helping students build a bank of interesting adjectives they can use as they begin writing their own stories.

You’ll find you can spiral character analysis skill practice throughout the year and can progressively raise your expectations as students become more proficient.

Getting started teaching character traits

Identifying traits is an important foundational skill. Whether this is your first year teaching reading or you’re looking for some new ideas to incorporate into your classroom, my hope is you’ll find some ideas and ready-to-use resources you can add to your lesson plans for this skill.

Before we dive into the lesson plan, here’s some background information on how this skill fits into the larger picture of teaching reading.

What are character traits?

Character traits are the unique qualities and characteristics used to describe characters – including the individual’s personality and behavior. These traits can be either positive or negative, but in this context, we will focus on positive character traits. When we describe a character, whether it is a protagonist in a novel or a friend in real life, we often look at their attitude and the qualities they possess.

For example, a courageous and adventurous character may be willing to take risks and face challenges head-on. On the other hand, a compassionate character may show empathy and kindness towards others.

These traits help shape a fictional character’s development throughout a story and make them relatable to the audience.

What standards address character analysis?

This skill is introduced in very different grade levels depending on what standards you use. This is a second-grade language arts standard in Texas, and students are expected to apply this skill to analyze character relationships by third grade. The Common Core standards introduce character analysis in third grade and expand upon it through the remaining elementary years.

Here are the Texas standards (TEKS) and Common Core State Standards (CCSS to aid with lesson plan documentation:

• TEKS 2.8B  Describe the main character’s internal & external traits
• CCSS RL.3.3 Describe characters in a story (e.g., their traits, motivations, or feelings) and explain how their actions contribute to the sequence of events.
• CCSS RL.4.3 Describe in depth a character, setting, or event in a story or drama, drawing on specific details in the text.

What pre-requisite skills do my students need to have before I begin?

Unlike many higher-level reading comprehension skills, at the basic level identifying these doesn’t require a ton of prerequisite lessons. Once students can recall the main elements of fiction and tell about the main character, they’re ready to begin identifying character traits. In other words, the foundations of comprehension must be solid.

That being said, upper elementary and middle school students will be asked to infer character traits through dialogue and action so the skill itself has multiple layers that progress as students continue through school.

If you’re worried about students’ reading levels or you have a very diverse group of learners, the lesson below outlines a great way to begin teaching this skill because it doesn’t even require students to use text for the initial lessons.

What books are good for introducing & modeling how to identify character traits?

There are so many great books to use with lessons on character analysis. While we tend to look at picture books as mentor texts, biographies are a great option for this skill. The story just needs a strong main character and/or supporting characters that your students can make inferences about.

Here are my 10 favorite books for teaching students to identify character traits:

• Ada Twist, Scientist by Andrea Beaty
• The Paper Bag Princess by Robert Munsch
• The Recess Queen by Alexis O’Neill
• Thank You, Mr. Falker by Patricia Polacco
• The Invisible Boy by Trudy Ludwig
• The Very Impatient Caterpillar by Ross Burach
• A Bad Case of Stripes by David Shannon
• The Good Egg by Jory John
• Sheila Rae the Brave by Kevin Henkes
• Boundless Grace by Mary Hoffman

Before Reading: Introducing Character Traits

Character traits can be hard for younger learners to grasp. While many things are spelled out for them in early readers, character analysis requires students to make inferences based on clues in the text.

When introducing the skill, it is important to begin by helping students define the term. Examples and non-examples can be a powerful strategy for building understanding.

Students must be able to differentiate between what a character looks like – their appearance – and their internal character. You’ll also need to differentiate between emotions and character traits.

One great way to do this is by modeling these differences using yourself or a student in your class. Have students take turns giving examples of physical attributes first. Then transition to discussing the traits of that person. When you finish, compare the two lists to help students internalize the differences between the two.

Here’s a great example of an anchor chart for your class as you begin this foundational work.

See more great examples of great character traits anchor charts.

Once you’ve done this as a group, you can even have students break off into groups. They can complete an example using themselves or another classmate.

The great thing about doing this first is that it doesn’t require text. Your struggling readers get the chance to understand the skill without using all their mental energy on decoding.

You may also consider creating a list of traits as a class. Alternatively, you may share and discuss this free character traits list pdf download . This can help students build vocabulary.

If you feel your students might need additional practice before they identify these traits in text, you can work backward by assigning each student a trait and having them write about how someone with that trait might think, act, or speak to others. This can help students tune into what clues the text might provide.

Transitioning to Text: Guided Practice

Once your students have a solid grasp of what character traits are, you’re likely ready to transition them toward identifying the traits of characters in a short text.

At this point, I like to pick a picture book to use as a mentor text. My favorite for upper elementary is A Bad Case of Stripes by David Shannon. A great alternative for younger students or those with shorter attention spans is No, David! from the same author.

As you read, have students pay attention to the main character’s thoughts, words, actions, and feelings. Stop to discuss what traits they can infer along the way.

After reading, use the free flipbooks to help your students document the traits they observed. Under each flap, they should provide evidence from the text supporting their identified trait.

Depending on the text you select, this can also be a great spot to begin the discussion of positive vs. negative traits. You can even use the cut & paste activity included to help your students sort traits into three categories – positive, negative, and neutral.

Grab the free resources here.

Independent Practice Options

Once students seem to have a solid grasp on this skill, there are many different ways you can incorporate this into independent practice.

One great option is encouraging students to discuss these traits during their literature circles or guided reading. I’ve included a free graphic organizer that students can use to organize their thoughts and record text evidence for their book.

Here are a few ways you can offer some fun additional practice:

• Use free online games to practice the skill & keep students engaged
• Use task cards to have students practice identifying traits
• Have students create a Wordle for a character in a book they’ve read

Grab the free resources for teaching character traits

Now that you’ve read about how you can get students to think deeply about characters and their traits, I’m sure you’re ready to tackle this in your classroom.

That’s why I created a set of free resources for teaching this skill. In this free pack, you’ll find:

• Character traits list for reading journals
• Graphic organizers – internal vs. external, text evidence, comparing characters
• Comparing characters graphic organizer
• Character trait writing task – differentiated options available
• Trait sort – positive, negative, and neutral traits

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5 Ways to Teach Characterization and Character Analysis

• What's your character's name?  How old are they? Where were they born? Where do they live?
• What do they look like? What is important to them in terms of their appearance?
• What is their occupation? Are they married? Do they have children? 
• What is their favorite food? Hobby? Sports? Skills?
• What is their greatest fear? Their greatest love? Biggest regret? Future dreams?
• What would they change about their life if they could? 
• Introvert or extrovert? Pessimist or optimist?
• Best quality? Worst quality? Pet peeves?
• Who do they love? What is important to them?
• What do other people think of them? How do they relate to others?
• What are five words others would use to describe them?

• Create a character t-shirt - what color would it be? what would it look like? why?
• Create a character playlist - what five songs represent this character? explain why?
• What would the character's Instagram / TikTok / Snapchat account look like?
• Become the character and be interviewed by a classmate
• Write a bio-poem in character

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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!

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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Samantha in Secondary

Tips for Teaching the Literary Element CHARACTER in the Secondary ELA Classroom

January 31, 2022 by Samantha H.

Character can be a difficult standard to tackle in the secondary English Language Arts classroom, but it doesn’t have to be. I could talk all day about the importance of understanding character development and why I think breaking down a character’s values and motivations is an important skill students will find applicable in the real world, but I’m an English teacher and this is my bread and butter. My students, on the other hand, sometimes need me to not only give them explicit reasoning, but also make it fun and readily accessible. Read on for some of my top tips for teaching about character. 

1. Class Character Brainstorm

I love class brainstorm sessions. There are a lot of great ways to go about it, depending on your class culture and what you feel works best with your students. Everyone can take some time to write their own thoughts, you can put together a gallery walk to review different ideas, you can put together virtual options using a tool like Jamboard , or you can break out the funky colored dry erase markers and brainstorm on the whiteboard together. Have students think about what makes a “good” character. Not necessarily “good” like a hero, but someone memorable. Discuss their favorite examples to make the definitions stick with them. This creates an excellent list to refer to as you continue instruction or compare to future texts.

2. Provide Explicit Instruction

Be detailed in your instruction. Even secondary students benefit from being explicitly told what to look for and how to define characters. Quick, to-the-point activities with explicit instruction is the best way to hammer in those finer details of characterization. My Character Mini-Lesson helps students learn about the literary element as well as the characterization strategy PAIRS. It’s printable, digital, and easily implemented into learning management systems like Google Classroom, Schoology, Canvas, etc. Providing your students with a strong foundation will allow them to more deeply analyze character in future tasks.

3. “Who Am I” Game

Games sometimes get a bad rap, but this is a perfect option for teaching characterization to students. Put together categories of famous characters and celebrities and coordinate a class-wide “Who Am I” Game. It’s fun, engaging, and helps students identify characters they are already familiar with so they can focus on applying what they’ve learned so far. 

If you download my Character Mini-Lesson , you’ll get the game ready to print-and-go!

4. PAIRS Strategy

“PAIRS” is an easy way for students to recall what they’ve learned about characterization and apply it to any character they need to study. Students look for the following items: Physical Descriptions, Actions, Inner Thoughts, Reactions, and Speech. Use PAIRS as a quick assessment with students, or have them work on various PAIRS for characters they need to remember in a text. You can format this strategy in a variety of ways: bookmarks, flipbooks, charts in your room, posters, group work, or create interactive worksheets to use digitally. There are a lot of acronyms out there for character analysis, but I have found in my years of using most of them that PAIRS has been easiest for my students to understand and remember.

5. Engaging Analysis Activities

Culminate your character studies with engaging analysis activities. Essays are certainly a necessary evil sometimes, but you can break up the pen-to-paper analysis monotony with some other options. My Character Analysis Bundle is a great place to start if you’re looking for a variety of options that you can use all year long and apply to any text. Create an “autopsy” character analysis, craft a musical soundtrack for any character, and build a puzzle that will help students analyze character relationships. These projects can be used for any character or text. Keep them in your back pocket and use them throughout the year. You’ll be amazed at the quality of work you get when your students are invested in an engaging project.

What are your favorite ways to teach character in your secondary ELA classrooms? Share your favorites in the comments below!

Happy teaching!

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Character Project for ANY Novel!

By Mary Montero

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I mentioned in a this post and this post how we have been just knee deep in character study.  We were reading the novel Rules , which my students absolutely loved!  After all of our talk about characters, character traits, character conflicts, and character change, I was trying to encompass all of those things into a final project.  Now that they are turning them in, I think it was a pretty cumulative assessment, which was my goal!

There were three parts to the project, covering character traits, character conflict, and character change.

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On the four outer flaps, the students had to write an example of how each of the four types of conflict was demonstrated in the book.  The paragraphs included the following:

• A description of the conflict
• An explanation that describes the significance of the conflict
• How the character responded to the conflict

In the big middle flap, they wrote a three paragraph essay describing how the main character changed throughout the novel.  We began by identifying several character traits and feelings at the beginning of the book and choosing one or two that they wanted to focus on as a main point of change.  They started each paragraph…

“At the beginning of the book…” “Toward the middle of the book…” “Finally, at the end of the book…”

I really loved how they turned out, and they gave me a great picture of not only the student’s comprehension of the book, but also of how well the students could identify each of these topics that we studied.  I highly recommend it!

You can download the assignment sheet and grading rubric (nothing too fancy at all) for free HERE. Enjoy!

If you are looking for more resources for your character study, stop by my Teachers Pay Teachers store.  I have a huge bundle of Character Study Task Cards that would fit the bill!  It covers character change and development, tons of character traits, character conflict, and more!

{The frames I used are from Mr. Magician, who also has a WONDERFUL Rules novel study guide !  His amazing wife, Kimberly Geswein , made all of the fonts you see on the paper.}

Mary Montero

I’m so glad you are here. I’m a current gifted and talented teacher in a small town in Colorado, and I’ve been in education since 2009. My passion (other than my family and cookies) is for making teachers’ lives easier and classrooms more engaging.

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10 Comments

I love your Character project!! I was curious to see if you have directions for the project. I downloaded your rubric and directions but am wondering if you had directions as to how to construct the actual project. Thanks!!

Hi there! I can put that together! In the meantime, here's a quick description. Each child has a "base" on the back which is a regular piece of construction paper. Fold another piece of regular construction paper in half and cut it down the middle to get your two side pieces, which are then cut in half for the flaps, and the back is mounted onto the base. To get your big middle flap, you'll need to fold a 9×12 piece of construction paper in half long ways, cut it, fold it into thirds, and glue the middle third onto the base. i know that sounds so complicated, so I'll put some pictures together soon!

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Preparing a Character for a New Job: Character Analysis through Job Placement

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In this lesson, students find a job for a character in a text they have read, prepare a resume for their character, and help them prepare for a job interview. Students first identify characteristics of effective resumes. After exploring an online introduction to writing a resume for a character, students search job ads for jobs that would be appropriate for a specific character from a text they have read. They then analyze that character, looking for direct and implied information about the character and textual evidence of the character's strengths and weaknesses. They work in small groups to write a resume for their character, based on their analysis. Finally, they explore interviewing tips and techniques and write ten job interview questions and accompanying answers designed to highlight the character's strengths. Though the examples in this lesson focus on The Glass Menagerie , many other pieces of literature can be used.

Featured Resources

Drama Map : With this online tool, students analyzing a play can map out the key elements of character, setting, conflict, and resolution for a variety purposes.

Writing Resumes for Fictional Characters : This online tool offers tips for writing resumes for fictional characters that could also be applied to resumes for students themselves.

Resume Workshop : Purdue's OWL offers this comprehensive guide to creating an effective resume.

From Theory to Practice

In her English Journal article, "‘Walk with Light': Guiding Students through the Conventions of Literary Analysis," Judith Burdan explains that "For many students, literary analysis is primarily a means by which their teachers demarcate the gap between the students' naïve or inept readings of literature and their own, more sophisticated ones, and students are not reluctant to point out their sense of vulnerability" (23). This lesson plan challenges students to move beyond this understanding of literary analysis to engage in a sophisticated transaction with the texts they read. As students search for details in the text and match the character's personality to potential jobs, they engage in deep textual readings. Teachers not only test student knowledge of plot and character descriptions but also have students learn the important skill of resume preparation and polishing, which will benefit them in their job or college application process.

Further Reading

Common Core Standards

This resource has been aligned to the Common Core State Standards for states in which they have been adopted. If a state does not appear in the drop-down, CCSS alignments are forthcoming.

State Standards

This lesson has been aligned to standards in the following states. If a state does not appear in the drop-down, standard alignments are not currently available for that state.

NCTE/IRA National Standards for the English Language Arts

• 1. Students read a wide range of print and nonprint texts to build an understanding of texts, of themselves, and of the cultures of the United States and the world; to acquire new information; to respond to the needs and demands of society and the workplace; and for personal fulfillment. Among these texts are fiction and nonfiction, classic and contemporary works.
• 2. Students read a wide range of literature from many periods in many genres to build an understanding of the many dimensions (e.g., philosophical, ethical, aesthetic) of human experience.
• 3. Students apply a wide range of strategies to comprehend, interpret, evaluate, and appreciate texts. They draw on their prior experience, their interactions with other readers and writers, their knowledge of word meaning and of other texts, their word identification strategies, and their understanding of textual features (e.g., sound-letter correspondence, sentence structure, context, graphics).
• 4. Students adjust their use of spoken, written, and visual language (e.g., conventions, style, vocabulary) to communicate effectively with a variety of audiences and for different purposes.
• 5. Students employ a wide range of strategies as they write and use different writing process elements appropriately to communicate with different audiences for a variety of purposes.
• 6. Students apply knowledge of language structure, language conventions (e.g., spelling and punctuation), media techniques, figurative language, and genre to create, critique, and discuss print and nonprint texts.
• 7. Students conduct research on issues and interests by generating ideas and questions, and by posing problems. They gather, evaluate, and synthesize data from a variety of sources (e.g., print and nonprint texts, artifacts, people) to communicate their discoveries in ways that suit their purpose and audience.
• 8. Students use a variety of technological and information resources (e.g., libraries, databases, computer networks, video) to gather and synthesize information and to create and communicate knowledge.
• 11. Students participate as knowledgeable, reflective, creative, and critical members of a variety of literacy communities.
• 12. Students use spoken, written, and visual language to accomplish their own purposes (e.g., for learning, enjoyment, persuasion, and the exchange of information).
• Job Placement Assignment
• Client Preparation Rubric
• Resume Writing Tips
• Resume Component Checklist
• Quotations on Laura Wingfield's Shyness

Preparation

• Before this lesson, students will read a book independently, in literature circles, or as a whole class. Students should be familiar with the plot and the major themes of the literary work. The examples in this lesson focus on The Glass Menagerie ; however, many other pieces of literature will also work for this classroom activity. Other dramas that would work well, for instance, include A Streetcar Named Desire, The Crucible, Death of a Salesman, and Our Town.
• Ask students to bring copies of the books that will be the focus of their project to class for reference.
• Make copies of the Assignment , Resume Writing Tips , Resume Checklist , and Rubric .
• Test the resume and job search Websites on your computer so that you can be familiar with problems or concerns students may have when constructing their resumes.
• Test Drama Map and the Writing Resumes for Fictional Characters presentation on your computers to familiarize yourself with the tools and ensure that you have the Flash plug-in installed. You can download the plug-in from the technical support page.

Student Objectives

Students will

• identify basic facts and main ideas in a text and use them as the basis of analysis.
• apply direct and indirect information about a character, noting the context of the reference and the reliability of the speaker.
• compile disparate and/or unconnected information about the chosen character into a coherent format (the resume and interview questions).
• learn appropriate resume techniques.
• use knowledge of standard English conventions in their writing, revising, and editing.
• (optional) examine the way that word choice affects meaning by focusing on using strong, active verbs to describe the character's experience.

Session One

• Pass out the Assignment and Rubric , and explain to students that they will be preparing a resume and interview questions for one of the characters in a literary reading. For instance, for the play, the Glass Menagerie , students might create resumes for Laura Wingfield or for Tom Wingfield. If desired, use the customized version of the assignment focusing on Laura Wingfield to talk about how students can think through the activity for the characters that they have chosen.
• What is a resume?
• Why are resumes used?
• What information does a resume convey?
• Use the Writing Resumes for Fictional Characters presentation to introduce the ideas for character resumes.
• Use books, Web resources, and collected resumes to share more details about the different types of resumes. If desired, go over the components of a resume in more detail, using the Online Workshop: Resume, from Purdue OWL . Invite students to explore the sites further on their own. The resources include sample resumes . Additional sample resumes are available at the sites listed in the Resources section.
• Give students time to look at sample resumes you or your class has collected. Ask them to identify those that have a style or format you might like to imitate or borrow. See how much detail each type of resume includes.
• Explore online classified ads to consider job opportunities. Be sure to consider how the jobs would be different in the setting of your novel.
• Distribute the Resume Writing Tips handout to review what to include and what not to include.
• Arrange students in small groups to complete the activity. Alternatively, students can complete this activity individually.
• Have students choose a character to investigate and jot down preliminary notes they can recall about their characters in their groups.

Session Two

• Review the Assignment and Rubric , answering any questions that students have about the project.
• Amanda, having failed to establish contact with reality, continues to live vitally in her illusions, but Laura's situation is even graver. A childhood illness has left her crippled, one leg slightly shorter than the other, and held in a brace. . . . Stemming from this, Laura's separation increases till she is like a piece of her own glass collection, to exquisitely fragile to move from the shelf. (Character Descriptions, 394)
• "I wonder," she said,"if you could be talking about that terribly shy little girl who dropped out of school after only a few days' attendance?" (Amanda reporting on a conversation with Laura's typing instructor, 407)
• And she said, "No-I remember her perfectly now. Her hands shooks so that she couldn't hit the right keys! The first time we gave a speed-teest, she broke down completely-was sick at the stomach and almost had to be carried into the wash-room!" (Amanda reporting on a conversation with Laura's typing instructor, 407)
• It was the lesser of two evils, Mother. I couldn't go back up. I-threw up-on the floor! (Laura to Amanda, 408)
• Have students return to their small groups from the previous session.
• Ask students to return to text and search for specific literary evidence from the text on the characters they have chosen. For example, students analyzing Laura Wingfield from The Glass Menagerie would return to the first two scenes of the play and look for specific details and search for details on the character. They would discuss Laura's interests and how they are communicated in the scene.
• Next, ask students to search for the strengths and weaknesses of their character and to note how they have identified the qualities. Laura Wingfield, for instance, has no work experience and is painfully shy (weaknesses); but she does have a strong will and can be determined (strengths).
• Ask students to use the Drama Map to fully understand the character of Laura Wingfield.
• Ask students to identify possible career choices for their characters by consulting such resources as the Purdue OWL Job Skills Checklist, O*Net Online , and USAJobs and other job search Websites listed in the Resources section. You may also use such library resources as the Worker Trait Group Guide, Chronicle Guidance Occupational Library, Career Discovery Encyclopedia, OCCU-FACTS, and so forth. Career exploration can continue as homework if desired. By the beginning of the next session, students should have identified the careers for their characters.

Session Three

• Answer any questions about the character analysis from the previous session or the Assignment and Rubric .
• Write an objective for the resume, based on information gathered about the character in previous session. Even if students do not plan to use a Job Objective in their resumes, this step will help them decide what information is needed and what can be safely omitted.
• Distribute the Resume Checklist . Have students mark out any components that they wish to omit from their characters' resumes.
• Explain that during this session, students will arrange the character's resume information in chronological order, functional format, or another appropriate form.
• Have plenty of sample resumes on hand for students to consult as they work (either printed copies or links to the sample Websites listed in the Resources section). Encourage students to try out different formats to fit their texts.
• Remind students to be sure that any names, dates, or places connect to the plot and setting of the literary piece.
• Type final versions of the two documents using a word processor. Alternately, you have studednts continue work on their drafts for homework, asking them to submit their work at the beginning of the next session.
• By the end of the session, groups should have a finished resume for their character. You can collect a copy of the document at this point or ask them to hold the piece until they have the second part of the assignment complete.
• As groups work during this session, circulate through the class, providing feedback and support as appropriate.

Session Four

• Review the next part of the Assignment , which requires students to create ten questions that a potential employer might ask someone applying for a job and then formulate appropriate answers for the characters that they have chosen. Their goal is to help the character through the interview.
• Art of Interviewing Well
• Mock Interview Rubric
• Interviewers' Favorite Questions . . . and Answers
• Typical interview format
• Interview DOs & DON'Ts ,
• What Not to Say in a Job Interview
• After students have had an opportunity to explore the available resources, ask them to brainstorm sample questions that may take place in an interview session. For example, an interviewer might ask, "What do you think your strengths are? What would you say your weaknesses are?"
• Once a list of general questions has been gathered, have students discuss how the character that they have chosen would respond to these questions. If desired, work through an example question and answer for the class as a whole before groups begin their task.
• Remind students to choose ten questions and suggest ten related answers that the character might use. The goal is to prepare the character for potential questions in an interview.
• Collect questions and answers, and, if applicable, character resumes at the end of the session.
• Expand on students' focus on a particular character by having them write a character diary entry from their adopted character's point of view. You might ask students to write the entry for the day before the job interview or the evening after the interview. Alternately, you can use a diary prompt from Traci's Lists of Ten, or let students make up their own topics.
• Based on student need and experience, you might add a mini-lesson that will help students strengthen their word choice. The Purdue OWL resource Some Action Words to Describe Skills in Resumes provides a great list of strong, action verbs that are appropriate for resumes. Demonstrate the process of revising for stronger word choice, using the list and modeling how to use the dictionary and thesaurus as necessary. Divide students into small groups, and challenge them to add at least three action words to each character resume. Students can revise and submit their documents at the end of class or the beginning of the next session.

Student Assessment / Reflections

• Informal feedback can come from students who respond to the character resumes and then search out the related book is excellent feedback for students. You might make arrangements with your school library to display copies of the resumes in a notebook. Students looking for something to read can then browse through the notebook for suggestions.
• Does the student fully understand the character? What evidence in the documents shows the student’s level of understanding?
• Does the resume highlight the character’s strengths? Would it help the character find an appropriate job?
• Would the character enjoy and excel in the job that the group chose?
• Are the interview questions and answers appropriate? Do they reflect the interaction that would take place in a real interview?
• Do the interview questions help the character prepare for difficult questions?
• For more formal assessment, use the Resume Checklist or the Client Preparation Rubric .
• Student Interactives
• Lesson Plans
• Calendar Activities

This tool guides students through the creation of a resume that can be saved and edited. Written and audio tips provide extra support.

Marked by parades, picnics, and other celebrations, Labor Day is a time set aside to recognize the achievements of the American labor movement and the dignity in all work.

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Teaching Guides for K-12 Character Education & Social Emotional Learning

High school, elementary school, middle school, for grades 7-12.

• TRUSTWORTHINESS
• RESPONSIBILITY
• FAIRNESS/JUSTICE
• CITIZENSHIP

For grades 9-12

• ACTING ON YOUR VALUES
• THE POWER OF CHOICE
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• DRUGS & ALCOHOL – Part 1
• DRUGS & ALCOHOL – Part 2
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• RAISING YOUR PARENTS

for grades K-3

• Trustworthiness
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• Working Out Conflicts
• Controlling Anger
• Citizenship

for grades K-5

• Resolving Conflicts
• Being Friends
• Asking for Help
• Appreciating Yourself
• Dealing with Disappointment
• Doing the Right Thing
• Dealing with Feelings
• Being Responsible
• Cooperation

For grades K-3 (en español)

• Confiabilidad
• Responsabilidad
• Controlar el Enojo
• Resolver Conflictos
• Ser Buenos Escuchas
• La Intimidación
• Prejuicio y Respeto

For grades 4-8

For grades 5-9.

• Self-Esteem
• Respecting Others
• You and Your Values
• Setting and Achieving Goals
• Dealing with Pressures
• Getting Along with Parents
• Speaking of Sex
• Saying "No" to Alcohol and Other Drugs
• Preventing Conflicts and Violence
• Handling Emotions
• Responsibility, Self-Respect, Doing the Right Thing

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 Character Analysis Essay?

How to start a character analysis essay, how to write an introduction for a character analysis essay, related articles.

Secondary ELA and Sarcasm

The Character Study One Pager- An Assessment for Any Novel

We need the bigger, better deal

Every English teacher I know is looking for the bigger, better deal when it comes to assessing novels. We’ve moved WAY beyond the simple book report (I hope), and into the realm of critical thinking, analysis, and synthesis. In recent years I’ve tried the mandala ( which you can read about here ), the sociogram, the one pager ( find more info here ), and a host of other activities and assignments in my 20 years of teaching. The character study one pager is a one pager in which the student chooses a main character in the novel or play to analyze and present.

By combining pictures, text evidence, symbols, color, and other representative means, the students creates a complete portrait of the character they have chosen. They have to comment on conflict, relationships, personality, etc. to bring the character to life on paper. They even have to have a representative border!

Here are the components of the Character Study One Pager:

• Title & author
• Name of character
• Four quotes
• Analysis of quotes
• Correct citation of quotes
• Question for character
• Answer to character question

Here are some examples of character study one pagers I got from students past years when we read Romeo and Juliet and did literature circles.

Students use their own drawings, as well as digital components, to create their final product. There is more buy in because they get to choose which character they present (although I gave them a list so they wouldn’t choose secondary characters).

Easy to use, easy to grade

I have created my own set of instructions and a rubric that makes the parameters of this assessment clear for the students. The rubric also makes it easier for me to grade with no confusion as to why points may have been taken off. You can find this product in my TPT store. I’d love to hear from you if you use it!

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Published by johnstonselagems

I've been a secondary English teacher for 19 years. This is a way for me to document the rest of my teaching career. View all posts by johnstonselagems

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