1. Protagonists (heroes): The main character around whom most of the work revolves.
Antagonists: The person who the protagonist is against. This is often the villain, but could be a force of nature, set of circumstances, an animal, etc.
Major: These are the main characters. They dominate the story. Often there are only one or two major characters.
Minor: These are the characters who help tell the major character’s tale by letting major characters interact and reveal their personalities, situations, stories. They are usually static (unchanging).
Dynamic (changing)
Static (unchanging)
Stereotypical (stock): This is the absent minded professor, the jolly fat person, the clueless blonde.
Foils: These are the people whose job is to contrast with the major character. This can happen in two ways. One: The foil can be the opposite of the major character, so the major’s virtues and strengths are that much “brighter” in reflection. Two: The foil can be someone like the major character, with versions of the major’s virtues and strengths so that the major comes off as even stronger.
Round (3 dimensional): This means the character has more than one facet to their personality. They are not just a hardcore gamer, but they also play basketball on the weekends.
Flat (1 dimensional), This is the character who is only viewed through one side. This is the hardcore gamer. That’s all there is to the character.
Who is your character?

2. The Literary Hero
The anti-hero (Holden Caufield): This is the guy your mother would not want you or your sister to date. They are often graceless, inept, and actually dishonest.
The tragic hero (Oedipus, Macbeth): This is the guy whose bad end is a result of flaws within himself.
The romantic hero (Don Juan, James Bond): This is the guy the girls all swoon over. He gets the girls, even when he doesn’t want to keep them.
The modern hero (Chuck Bartowski): This is the average guy who is put in extraordinary circumstances and rises to the challenge.
The Hemingway hero: This is the guy who has been in a war, drinks too much, gets his girlfriend pregnant, and she dies.

3. Look for these things within the creation of the character:
Psychological/personality traits
Do these characteristics aid in the character being consistent (in character), believable, adequately motivated, and interesting?
Do the characteristics of the character emphasize and focus on the character’s role in the story’s plot?
Motivation
Is the character ethical? Is he/she trying to do the right thing, but going about it in the wrong way?
Is the motivation because of emotion (love, hate) or a decision (revenge, promotion)?
Behavior /actions
Does the character act in a certain way consistently?
Or is the character erratic?
Could one pluck the character from the story, put them in another story, and know how they would react?
Relationships
With other characters in the story.
How others see/react to him/her.
Weaknesses/faults
Typical tragic weakness is pride. Oedipus is proud.
Weakness could be anything. In “Little Red Riding Hood,” the girl talks to a stranger. That’s a weakness.

4. Look for these things within the creation of the character:
Strengths/virtues
There are many different strengths and virtues.
One strength/virtue is being good in trying times, like Cinderella.
Another strength/virtue is caring for family, like Little Red Riding Hood.
Another strength/virtue is being smart, like Oedipus.
Most protagonists have more than one strength/virtue.
Moral constitution
Often a character will agonize over right and wrong.
If a character doesn’t agonize and chooses one or the other easily, that is also significant.
History and background
Sometimes a character analysis looks at the history of the individual character. Was that person mistreated? abused? well-loved? liked?
Sometimes the history of the work matters more. Is the story set in World War II? In ancient Greece? That makes a difference because culture changes stories. If you don’t know the culture, though, you may not be able to comment on this.
Character’s function in story
Is the character an integral character? (Cinderella)
Is the character a minor character? (The wicked stepmother in “Cinderella”)
Is the character someone who could have been left out or is gratuitous? (The second wicked stepsister in “Cinderella.”)

5. Consider the character’s name and appearance.
Is the author taking advantage of stereotypes? The hot-tempered redhead, the boring brunette, the playboy fraternity guy.
Is the author going against stereotypes? The brilliant blonde, the socially adept professor, the rich but lazy immigrant.
Is the author repeating a description of the character? If so, then it is important. For example, Kathy in  East of Eden is described as rodent-like and snake-like, “sharp little teeth” and a “flickering tongue.”
Is their name significant? Is it a word that means something, like Honor or Hero? Does it come from a particular place or time and make reference to that? Scarlett, Beowulf.
Appearance and visual attributes are usually far less important than other factors, unless their appearance is the point, such as in The Hunchback of Notre Dame. Clothing also rarely matters, except to make him/her easier to visualize.

6. Layer three Layer one Layer four Layer two Layer five
Surface Meaning 
What is the literal/basic meaning of your power word/phrase from the text?
Layer three
What attitudes and feelings are presented /inferred from or can be linked to your chosen power word or phrase (tenderness, love, anger, sympathy)?
Layer one
How do you interpret your chosen power word or phrase? How does it link to the character presented in the text (revenge, growing up)?
Layer four
Can this quote be linked to another section of the poem or novel to show character development or change?
Layer two
Does the poet / writer use any techniques (metaphors, similes, personification etc) within your chosen quotation to describe the character? How are they effective and impact on the reader?
Layer five
Evaluate the power word or phrase and make connections to the poet’s/writer’s message.

7. Explanation 1: The writer’s intentions. Explanation 2: Language zoom.
Character Report: How to structure them.
Your findings:
Statement that tells the examiner what this paragraph is going to address and links to the question. Priestley has presented Mr Birling as a gluttonous character.
Evidence
Select appropriate quote(s) from a source or supplementary text. Remember to build up to the quote and to use quotation marks. Embed your quotes. This is exemplified in the quotation… As highlighted when __________ says… This is demonstrated when he says…
Explanation 1: The writer’s intentions.
Statement that tells the examiner what you believe the writer want to achieve. What is he or she trying to make us understand with this quotation? Here Priestley highlights that Eva Smith is actually a symbol – a representative for all other poor citizens in the community.
Explanation 2: Language zoom.
Statement about your inferences. Comment on a single word(s) and analyse it, explaining what is suggested to the audience – what the connotations are. Identify the technique used in the quotation, e.g. creating atmosphere, telling us about a character’s inner thoughts, foreshadowing, repetition, simile. The noun … connotes… The adjective… might suggest… This implies… This connotes… This suggests… The writer had used this technique to…
To achieve top marks you need to offer a variety of interpretations on one word or phrase and if you can an alternative.
Reader Audience
What is the impact on the reader – what does the writer want the reader to imagine, understand and/or feel. The writer is suggesting that… It seems that the character feels… This quotation is saying that…. We can infer… The writer allows the reader to… The reader can tell that… The word ______ suggests to the reader that… This makes the reader feel… An audience in would understand that Mr. Birling is a pompous character and may find him difficult to relate to. A 1945 audience would relate to the struggle of character like Eva Smith, particularly in the aftermath of war, and would feel resentment towards the Birlings, specifically Mr and Mrs Birling who show no remorse for their actions.
Context and time
Time – how does this relate to the wider context? Would this character be different if they were in a different time or context? Are they a product of their time or context?