1. The following passage is from the short story “Interpreter of Maladies” by Jhumpa Lahiri. Read the passage carefully. Then, in a well-organized essay, analyze how the author reveals the character of Mrs. Das. In your analysis, you may wish to consider such literary elements as point of view, selection of detail, and imagery.
Mr. Kapasi found it strange that Mr. Das should refer to his wife by her first name when speaking to the little girl. Tina pointed to where Mrs. Das was purchasing something from one of the shirtless men who worked at the tea stall. Mr. Kapasi heard one of the shirtless men sing a phrase from a popular Hindu love song as Mrs. Das walked back to the car, but she did not appear to understand the words of the song, for she did not express irritation , or embarrassment, or react in any other way to the man’s declarations.
He observed her. She wore a red-and-white-checkered shirt that stopped about her knees, slip-on shoes with a square wooden heel, and a close-fitting blouse styled like a man’s undershirt. The blouse was decorated at chest-level with a calico applique in the shape of a strawberry. She was a short woman, with small hands like paws, her frosty pink fingernails painted to match her lips, and was slightly plump in her figure. Her hair, shorn only a little longer than her husband’s, was parted far to one side. She was wearing large dark brown sunglasses with a pinkish tint to them, and carried a bit straw bag, almost as big as her torso, shaped like a bowl, with a water bottle poking out of it. She walked slowly, carrying some puffed rise tossed with peanuts and chili peppers in a large packet made from newspapers.

2. Examples:
The following is an excerpt from A Dollhouse, a play by Henrik Ibsen produced in Read the passage carefully. Then write a well-organized essay in which you analyze how the playwright reveals the values of the characters and the nature of their marriage.
The following passage is an excerpt from Katherine Anne Porter’s short story “The Jilting of Granny Weatherall.” Read the passage carefully. Then write an essay in which you analyze how such choices as figurative language, imagery, and dialogue develop the complex emotions the character is feeling.
The following passage is from Amy Tan’s short story “Two Kinds.” Read the passage closely. Then write a well-organized essay analyzing how language is used to develop the characters and how their changes reveal meaning.
The following passage is from D. H. Lawrence's 1915 novel, The Rainbow, which focuses on the lives of the Brangwens, a farming family who lived in rural England during the late nineteenth century. Read the passage carefully. Then write an essay in which you analyze how Lawrence employs literary devices to characterize the woman and capture her situation.
The following passage is from the novel The Known World by Edward P. Jones. Read the passage carefully. Then, in a well-organized essay, analyze how the author reveals the character of Moses. In your analysis, you may wish to consider such literary elements as point of view, selection of detail, and imagery.
Carefully read the following excerpt from the novel Under the Feet of Jesus by Helena María Viramontes. Then write a well-organized essay in which you analyze the development of Estrella’s character. In your analysis, you may wish to consider such literary elements as selection of detail, figurative language, and tone.