- Choose a literary character from a novel, short story, or play that you have read.
- Read the text carefully, focusing on the character you have chosen. Take note of the character’s actions, thoughts, dialogue, and interactions with other characters.
- Conduct research on the character’s cultural and historical context, if necessary. This can help you understand the character’s motivations, beliefs, and values.
- Write a 3-4 page character analysis essay that includes the following: a. Introduction: Provide an overview of the character you have chosen and the text in which the character appears. Briefly explain the character’s role in the story and why you have chosen him or her for analysis. b. Body Paragraphs: In this section, analyze the character’s personality, traits, and behaviors. Use specific examples from the text to support your analysis. Discuss how the character develops throughout the story, and how his or her actions contribute to the overall meaning of the text. You may also want to discuss the character’s relationships with other characters, and how these relationships affect his or her development. c. Conclusion: Summarize your analysis of the character and explain why his or her role is important to the overall meaning of the text.
