1 Character Analysis

Types of characters Protagonist (hero, heroine, anti-hero if negative) Antagonist

More characters Round characters experience a change, sometimes called dynamic Flat or static characters do not change, though they may cause a change in the protagonist. Stereotypes and stock characters are often used to contrast the protagonist

Actions and choices of a character Authors try to keep characters’ actions consistent. Conflicts are present for fictional characters, and their actions and choices provide insight into a character’s personality

Speech, thoughts, and feelings Everything said by a character provides insight to his nature. Authors tend to only use statements to reveal character and advance a plot. Statements must be interpreted within the context of the story Knowing a character’s thoughts and feelings teaches about human personality and about complexity of human motivation (love, hate, fear, revenge, status, power, fame, or fortune).

Character’s past Because people are products of their environments, characters often have a past that is discussed to give readers and idea about them. The past can be a clue to the present and present actions of people (characters).

Comments about other characters (by character or narrator) Reveal significant ideas about characters. Determine reliability of speaker. Narrators often give clues that characters don’t reveal.

Step by step character analysis Choose a character who interests you or who you want to explore in greater depth Choose an organizational approach and combine two or more  Major traits exhibited  Causes of a character’s actions, choices, thoughts and feelings  Changes a character undergoes  Significant actions, speeches, choices, objects, or places that reveal character’s traits  Points of likeness or difference between two characters  Things said about a character by narrator or other characters  Significance of a minor or flat character

Step by step, continued Locate specific pages and quotations that prove your thesis points Determine a logical order for your points (could be chronological or order of importance, saving most important for last). Organize into body paragraphs (as discussed in last power point). Conclude the essay by restating points and emphasize the importance of the character in the work.

One more thing… To make characters seem more real to you, you might ask if they remind you of someone you know, for the traits characters in literature exhibit are probably similar to the personality traits your friends, family, and co- workers possess. Making these kinds of connections will make literature more enjoyable and more meaningful and will be of value on the job or in social situations where you often make judgments about others based on their appearance, their words, their actions, their choices, or their past.