1. Character Traits
Learning Goal: Literary Elements-describe in depth a character, setting or even in a story or drama drawing on specific details in the text (character’s thoughts, words, or actions)

2. What is a character trait?
A character trait is a word that describes a person. A physical trait describes a person’s physical features and physical abilities, but a character trait focuses on a character’s personality/demeanor.
*One physical trait would be “tall” and one character trait would be “funny.”
*When you are asked to write about a person’s character traits, focus on personality/demeanor and try to stay away from physical traits.
*Try to identify PERMANENT traits and not just a temporary emotion that goes against the person’s normal character makeup. An accurate character trait is to identify traits that you can supply plenty of examples for and not just one.

3. How do you identify character traits in literature (a story)?
The traits of a character can be stated, or they can be shown to you by the character’s actions.
*When you are reading a story, the writer might tell you that the main character is a generous person. Or the could show you that the character is generous by telling about a time when the character donated money or time to a charity. Well-developed characters help to make very powerful stories.

4. Five ways to identify a character’s traits in a story:
What the character says and thinks
What the character does
What the character looks like (physical traits)
What others say & think about the character
How others react to the character

5. How to explain/prove a person’s character traits:
When you are asked to explain a person or character’s traits, you must remember to use specific examples and then make the connection between the example and the trait.
*If you say Melody is smart, it is not good enough to say she remembers lots of things. Instead, you must specifically explain some things she remembers (commercials, books, words) and THEN explain how this makes her smarter than the average person. So:
State trait – give example – make connection

6. “Protagonist, Dominant” & Prominent”
Often, a writing prompt will ask you to
identify the protagonist’s “dominant” or
“prominent” trait.
*Protagonist = main character in the story; faces a conflict in the story
*Dominant or Prominent = protagonist’s #1 or biggest character trait. Or think of it this way, what one word best describes the protagonist more than any other?

7. Using Different Traits:
Instead of using words like “nice” and “kind,” try to switch it up by using different, more advanced words. To do this, use your “List of Character Traits.”
NICE
KIND