What is a Character Analysis?
A character analysis essay is a type of essay in which the writer explains the main traits of the character. It is based on the analysis and breakdown of the chosen character. It could be based on a drama, novel, or even poetry.
An essay analyzing a character is typically structured in the same way as other essays. Begin with an intro of that person. Later, discuss their traits and backstory. Then finish by explaining why you chose this particular character.
An analysis essay discusses the comprehensive characteristics of a character. These characters are from literature and art.
However, sum up everything clearly and explain the character’s role and purpose in the story. Avoid writing irrelevant and obscure details in the essay.
Purpose of a Character Analysis
The main purpose of the character analysis essay is to:
- Help the readers understand the characters better.
- Tell the people who the character is and what role they play.
- Make the people in the story more engaging.
- Give your personal opinion of a certain character.
- Allows you to analyze the relationship between a character with other characters.
How to do a Character Analysis?
It can be fun to learn more about a character by analyzing them. However, this is not the same as writing about them. In order to write a good analysis, you need to understand their personality.
You need to think about a few important things when doing a character analysis.
Actions: You need to know what are the actions of the character? Are the actions mindful or evil of others?
Inspiration: What are the motivations behind the character's actions? How do their choices reflect their personality? What ethical implications does their behavior have?
Choice of Words: Pay attention to these words as they will help you know more about the character.
Characters Names: The name and title of the story also help in understanding both minor as well major characters.
Different Types of Characters
There are many types of characters in stories, and each has its own traits, roles, or behaviors. Here is a list to help you know more about them:
| Type | Description |
| Dynamic | These characters may change fundamentally. |
Static | Static characters don’t change much and remain the same throughout the entire plot. |
Protagonist | It is the main character around which the whole story revolves. |
Antagonist | The antagonist is in opposition to the protagonist. For example, it could be a villain whose aim is to destroy the protagonist's good intentions. |
Main | The main characters are more than one. It can be a protagonist or an antagonist. |
Major | A major character is often the most important role in the story. This person may conflict with other characters to get what they want. |
Stereotypes | Authors often use stereotypes to fill space in their stories. These are the typical jocks, geeks, and boring homemakers that everyone knows about. There is no need to explain them any further. |
Character Analysis Outline
One of the most critical steps in writing a good character analysis is organizing your thoughts and ideas. A well-constructed outline will help you stay on track with everything.
A good character analysis outline consists of an introduction, the main body, and a conclusion.
Let’s discuss them in detail.
Introduction
Your introduction should spark the interest of your audience and hold together all that follows. Use short sentences and interesting facts about the characters. Describe them clearly for people who might be reading this but haven't met those particular individuals before.
Main Body
To write a well-structured analysis, you should first divide your body paragraphs into different areas or ideas according to the character. Make sure that all of the points are covered.
The body section should cover the below-mentioned questions:
- What does the character do?
- What’s the character’s physical appearance?
- How does the character describe themselves?
- What lesson do the characters give to the readers?
- What motivates the readers?
Conclusion
The conclusion of your character analysis should be well-written and cohesive. It’s time to take one last look at how the story unfolds, then draw some conclusions about what readers learn from it. Lastly, do not insert new details here and end it with closure instead.
How to Write a Character Analysis?
To understand these characters better, you need to immerse yourself in the story or piece of literature. Pay attention to its important parts, such as the setting, climax, and others. You need to be able to feel and see what the characters are going through.
Notice how the author developed the characters in the story. The writer can see how the characters were shaped and formed. The amount of information given about their identities is up to the writer.
Sometimes, writers can look at the different behaviors and morals of the characters. They are also able to see how these have affected different situations throughout the story.
When you start writing a character analysis essay, you have to do some planning and preparation. Without it, you will never create a well-written essay.
For your help, we have gathered some steps that you should follow when you start writing the essay.
1. Read the Story
Reading is the key to all essay writing. It can give you insights into their development as a person or in life. You should read before you start describing the character.
2. Choose a Dynamic Character
Choosing the right character seems like the easiest part of writing a story, but it can be difficult. First, you need to understand what motivates your characters and what role they play.
If you choose to make your protagonist static and boring. In that case, the essay will likely turn out monotonous. It is because they won't undergo any changes during their journey throughout the story.
However, if you have characters with more depth than your main protagonists that are constantly changing and growing in different ways, there's no doubt that engaging content will appear in your work.
3. Take Proper Notes
When you are reading a book, you must take notes and highlight all the critical elements of the story. It will help in your entire writing phase, and you won’t forget any main points.
Therefore, when you take notes, you should cover;
- Childhood facts
- Physical traits
- Character traits
- Intonations, and Expressions
4. Create the Thesis Statement
In this step, create the thesis statement that covers the main essay purpose, which will be explained in the essay. A perfect character analysis thesis statement contains an idea about the character. Also, try to write it in an attention-grabbing way.
5. Create the Character Analysis Outline
Creating an outline is necessary for a character analysis essay, like all other essay types. The outline structure is also the same, but only the content is changed.
6. Write the Introduction
A good essay introduction is necessary to make the reader feel like part of what you're saying. Therefore, an introduction should have some kind of statement, question, or preview about your essay's content. It makes it effective and engaging.
To get readers interested before diving into an analysis, start by describing who that character is being analyzed? What motivates them? What makes their personality unique from others?
Give a brief introduction about the character, but don’t go into depth.
7. Write the Main Body Paragraphs
Your essay should be divided into three sections, each discussing a different important aspect of the character. The body paragraphs should answer the following questions:
- What can we learn from this character
- What are the main physical attributes
- What are the conflicts the character experiences?
- What does the character say?
- What is their background?
Therefore, keep these questions in your mind and answer them precisely without any confusion.
8. Write the Conclusion
The conclusion of a character analysis should conclude the character’s conflicts and what the reader can learn from them. Also, highlight the important personality traits of the character.
9. Proofreading and Editing
Proofreading is the last step of the essay. In this step, remove all the grammatical, punctuation, and vocabulary mistakes. Try to make it error-free and leave a good impression on the readers.
Character Analysis Examples
Examples always make the writing task easier. Therefore, for your help, we gathered some professionally written examples that give you a better idea of a character analysis essay.
Character Analysis of Hamlet
Character Analysis Worksheet
Character Analysis of Oedipus Rex
Character Analysis of King Lear
Character Analysis of Maggie in Mill on the Floss
Character Analysis of Joseph Andrews
Character Analysis of Waiting for Godot
Lady Macbeth Character Analysis
Othello Character Analysis
Iago Character Analysis
Tips for Writing the Character Analysis
For your help, we compiled some great tips that will make your writing process easy. These are;
- Read the text carefully and pay attention to the major character.
- Explain the personality of the character in detail.
- Discuss the character's interaction with other characters.
- Elaborate on each character's role in the story.
- Never ignore the minor roles that the characters play.
- Character study is essential for writing a great essay.
Now you have a detailed guide on a character analysis essay. However, if you still need any help, consult MyPerfectPaper.net. All your ‘write my paper’ requests are managed by expert writers.
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