 |
Traits | Paper
Character Analysis: Traits*
Methods/techniques of characterization. Places to look for analysis. Before writing a character analysis paper, you need to list the characteristics that you will analyze.
1. APPEARANCE AND NAME.
- A possible place to look for analysis is in the names of the characters.
- List the direct characterization of a character's appearance. Before writing a character analysis paper, list the qualities of appearance that the author has given you. Then try to analyze how the appearance develops the character.
2. ACTIONS
- We know a lot about a person by the way he or she behaves. If the person cries a lot, we assume something about his or her character. If a man is always breaking up with his girlfriends, there is something we can assume about him.
- To begin, list actions of each characters. Then analyze how these actions define the characteristics of each characters.
3. SPEECH
- As with action, we know a lot about a person by what he or she says. Also, we know a lot about a person by how the person says something. Is the character extremely ironic?
- To begin, list some dialogue that shows some characteristics of the character.
4. THOUGHTS AND FEELINGS
- Look for thoughts and feelings of
a character that demonstrates to you some characteristics of the character.
- If a character always feels guilty, what does this say about the person? Does he have a low self-esteem? Is he extremely religious?
- List thoughts and feelings of each characters. Then analyze how these thoughts and feelings define the characteristics of each characters.
5. CHOICES
- As choices are made, they reveal
the character's value and self-concept.
- If a character decides to help volunteer at the shelter, what does this say about her? If she decides to cheat on her husband, what does this say about?
- List the choices of each characters. Then analyze what these choices say about the character. How do they add to the indirect characterization?
6. PAST/BIOGRAPHY
- We are often told that we are the products of our early environment and our past experiences. If a character comes from an abusive family, does this make sense out of how he is today?
- Examine family history, nationality, education, significant life experiences. Remember that when writing a character analysis paper you are thinking like a psychiatrist or a detective. You are trying to figure out what makes the character tick.
7. COMMENTS ABOUT OTHER CHARACTERS
- We can learn a lot about a character when another character or the narrator says something about him or her.
*A lot of the above comes from chapter 4 in Writing about Literature: Step by Step by Pat McKeague.
HOME | LITERARY TERMS | CHARACTER ANALYSIS | TIQA
