The Character Sketch Essay Gayla S. Keesee Education Specialist Paine College, Augusta, GA Mack Gipson, Jr. Tutorial & Enrichment Center rev. 10/2006

Writing about character Writing about a character, whether fictional or real, involves noting and analyzing a character’s –personality –actions –values –motives

Writing about character When we analyze characters, we record their responses to the world around them. By analyzing characters and their actions, we sometimes gain insight about ourselves.

Writing about character A character’s personality traits A character’s physical appearance and name A character’s actions A character’s choices A character’s speech A character’s thoughts and feelings A character’s past A character’s comments about others

A character’s personality traits Traits refer to one’s attitudes or behaviors that reflect personality qualities. –a character may be curious, brave, cold, loving, aggressive, open-minded, or naïve. Personality traits are also qualities that make us find people likeable, lovable, etc.

A character’s appearance & name Physical appearance is important if it brings out a person’s unique personality qualities, culture, traditions, or influences. –His warm green eyes lead me right to his soul. A name is often significant as it may reveal information about one’s family background, tradition, influences, or personality traits.

A character’s actions Remember the old cliché “Actions speak louder than words.” A character’s behavior (actions) is usually motivated by his or her attitudes and values. By examining potential reasons behind the actions, you can reveal a great deal about the inner world of a character.

A character’s choices The choices people make regarding how they deal with obstacles, resolve conflicts, or overcome difficulties reveal character strengths or weaknesses. We make judgments about people based on the choices they make every day.

A character’s speech Based on what he/she says and how he/she says it, you can determine important qualities. –He/she is unhappy, selfish, sarcastic, or domineering, uneducated. The choice of words spoken can also reveal important information about the character’s age, education, culture, and values.

A character’s thoughts & feelings The saying “A penny for your thoughts” shows how much we wish to know others’ inner worlds. By sharing their thoughts and emotions, people often reveal a great deal about themselves—motives and qualities. – love, hate, fear, revenge, etc.

A character’s past Setting of one’s upbringing is important; we are the products of our early environment. Significant past experiences influence who we are and shape our personalities. Family background may also be important as it reveals values and traditions that are passed on from generation to generation.

A character’s comments about others What people say about others often reveals important information about them as well. –How judgmental are they? How supportive?

The Character Sketch Essay Organization

Introduction Introduce the character in a creative way. –Take the reader to the time and setting where you met your character. –Begin with a colorful illustration. Introduce major personality characteristics to be developed and supported in the body. Share why this individual is significant enough to you to write about. (Central idea)

Body First, you may want to touch on physical characteristics, if important. Next, develop and support each personality trait you mentioned in the introduction. Provide incidents, actions, and behaviors to support your character’s qualities. Make sure you develop at least one full paragraph per personality trait.

What to watch for... Do not just tell what a person is like; show qualities through the use of incidents. Do not describe a story or event that you experienced with someone without drawing some conclusion about your character. Avoid developing points about a character that you did not list in the introduction.

Conclusion Tell the reader why you are writing about this wonderful or terrible human being. Consider discussing why this individual is significant to you—if at all. You may want to share how this person has influenced you--positively or negatively.

Summary Introduction –Be creative; discuss significance of individual –Provide time and setting of original meeting –Begin with a colorful illustration Body –Touch on physical appearance, if important –Develop each personality characteristic Conclusion –Discuss why this individual is significant to you

Now it’s your turn!