How to Write Character Analysis?

A character analysis essay is a rather laborious kind of work that requires special skills. To make a thorough description of the character, you should be acquainted with the chosen source carefully – a book or a movie. It is important to penetrate what the author was able to reveal about the character. Here it is necessary to use the dialogues, monologues and a plot. As a literary critic, you should also study and analyze each character that plays a role in your work. The main character, of course, is the most important character. Villains and other conflict characters are called antagonists. Great authors create characters with rich and deep aspects, so your analysis should be focused on these complexities.

What kind of people do you know? Think about what is “good”: about their feelings, distinctive features, personality traits, behavior patterns, etc. Dozens of? A few hundred? We are ready to argue that you are not fully aware of how many people you really know well. Wonder Woman, Dorian Gray, Spider-Man, Harry Potter, Batman and Mickey Mouse – we can continue it, but you probably got our message. Are they not people? Each of us knows how they look, their behavior and actions. Now think again about the number of people you know.

You may believe that these characters are fictional and not real. Nevertheless, what is the difference? The only difference is that you cannot communicate and interact with them. However, this does not prevent you from sharing your opinions and beliefs, expressing feelings and experiences, drawing important lessons and conclusions.

How to choose the right character for analysis? The analysis is always needed when it comes to our favorite characters. The more we are interested in this analysis, the easier it will be to produce it. A strict instructor will require an essay that will arouse warm feelings. This is a good task for students studying literature in combination with psychology. Now it is important to understand how to write a character analysis essay.

Identify the Character

Writing analysis has its content and format features. Before writing, you need to form a complete picture of the character you are going to analyze. You should break into some important issues:

• Disassemble the role of a particular character in this story. Determine what role the hero plays – the main or secondary;
• Consider whom the selected character interacts with. Find out who is important to him;
• Disassemble the things possessed by the hero. It is important to tell the attitude towards them.
• These aspects are extremely important. They need to be considered before the writing begins. It is also important to identify the character types of heroes and their role in the story correctly:
• Flat character. This is a one-dimensional character with a small number of personal traits. Usually, it is static. It does not change throughout the text;
• Round character. This is a more complex character with own motives, origins, and character;
• Dynamic character. It brings dramatic changes in the course of work.
• Static character. It does not change throughout the text. It is static and permanent, remains as originally described.
• The work with the analysis is written based on the type of hero:
• The main character. This is the main figure in the selected story. The context tells about the life and actions of the character;
• These are heroes, often identified as villains. This is the complete opposite of the main characters. They tend to change throughout the storyline. Their nature and personality traits are usually more interesting to describe. It should be noted that each selected hero does not have to be human. The antagonist can be a force of nature, an animal, and a fictional monster;
• Major – these heroes dominate the whole plot;
• Minor – these characters are found in a couple of episodes or the plot chapters. However, they play a significant fateful role in the development of other figures. They have a tremendous influence on the development of the whole plot;
• Dynamic and static characters are real opposites. The first type of characters is constantly changing throughout the plot. Static characters remain unchanged;
• Stereotypical – it seems that everyone knows about such a concept as a stereotype. Such characters are always present in the plot;
• Foil – these heroes are necessary in order to counter them to the main characters throughout the plot;
• Three-dimensional characters. These are individuals whose consciousness includes several different characters;
• One-dimensional individuals – they are not interesting to discuss and play a small role in the plot.
• For our readers, we have prepared the best tips and differential principles that will help to deal with the type of hero:
• The protagonist – these characters are overwhelmingly dynamic, and usually round;
• The flat hero may also be stereotypical;
• The antagonist often acts as a foil.

Nevertheless, there are exceptions to the rule. You should carefully consider your character and determine its correct type. This information will be enough for you to start writing the analysis. Consider the following work steps in more detail.

Character Analysis Writing Steps

A student performing a task must not strictly follow all the instructions. Everyone can analyze the character from several sides.

Your ideal analysis should:

• Determine the type of hero provided. Sometimes, the same character may have characteristics of several types. Indeed, there are many categories;
• Tell the reader about the character you have chosen. You can use epithets and adjectives;
• You can turn to the selected plot. Concentrate on the main conflict. Determine the role of your character in this situation. Tell the reader about the development of this story.

It is extremely important to choose your character correctly. If the teacher allows you to make this choice on your own, give preference to the one that plays a dynamic role in the plot. Flat heroes will be too one-dimensional. Usually, they have no interesting motives for analysis.

It is also important to study the story with your hero thoroughly. Even if you have already read it, you need to re-read it again. Now you will notice new aspects, as you are facing a specific task. You should pay attention to every little thing, place, and event. Pay attention to how the author describes them. Find the problems that the hero is struggling with. Examine his interaction with other characters. How does this all affect a person?

The next step is taking notes. Take notes and write down everything that seems important to you. This will help you to know the character of the hero, his depth. Reread the notes several times. Highlight important points. Watch your thoughts while you work.

Work through the main idea. Push off your notes. This is a thesis character analysis. Describe his motives and actions. The idea of a thesis can be about the struggle of character, age. Most likely, the character embodies some terrible mistakes, but at the same time, they deserve redemption. In contradiction lies the main essence of any plot.

You should make a sketch after you decide on the topic and idea. Write down the additional materials that will help you. Make a map of events and describe each place that is associated with your character. Include all the complex evidence and corroboration that will make the analysis more profound. Sketches will help to collect thoughts in a heap, organize them and form the correct flow of analysis.

Writing character analysis contains several steps:

• Write a character analysis introduction. Here will be the idea of a thesis. Work on the introduction paragraph. Ponder its role in the plot. Dilute your introduction by intriguing the reader;
• Stop at the appearance of the character. Describe it and accentuate the details. Use the quotes. You can rephrase them. Think about the clothes and their effect on the character analysis;
• Discuss the background. You should go into the details of the personal life of the hero. All the stories that took place in a person’s life certainly influenced the development of the character, his individuality, and personality. It is worth discussing in detail the place of birth of the hero, his past experience and his influence on the situation in the present;
• Pay attention to the language. Make an analysis of it; learn how it changes throughout the work. Find out how it changes from the beginning till the conclusion;
• Focus on the personality of the hero. Find out how his emotions affect actions and mind. Specify what he is guided more. Write about the personality of the character. Work on his ambitions, aspirations, and goals. Use quotes and statements from the plot;
• Find the relationship of the hero with other characters. Tell us about the relationship. Indicate how he communicates with other people, his family, and friends. Use a few examples found in the plot;
• Pay attention to the changes in the hero. Tell us about his difficulties, what events affect its development. Examine the conflicts that the character encounters during the plot. Point to external conflicts – forces that are beyond the control of the hero. Describe his struggle with your own emotions, feelings, and sensations. Make a conclusion about how the character became at the finish. How has his personality changed?
• Analyze all the evidence. Review your text and make sure that all materials are supported by examples and confirmations. Engage quotes and phrases from the text.
• In addition, here are some writing tips:
• Attach as much reliable evidence as possible. Use direct statements, phrases, and quotes from the plot. Support your statements. This will increase credibility to the audience;
• You can use the effective PIE method. Having created a point of view, strengthen it and illustrate with a quote;
• Rewrite the statement in your own words. The quotation cannot stand alone as a sentence. Just add your own words instead;
• Do not overdo. Exaggerations are fraught with consequences. Your words should make up 90% of the work, and 10% is a direct quote. Too many quotes will not bring the cherished A +.

Do not skimp on evidence from reliable sources. It is a great support to every element of the analysis. Since you have to deal with a fictional hero, scientific publications will not work. Attach evidence only from the literary sources, their stories, and plot. Prove your point of view by source quotations from which your hero comes.

The structure of Character Analysis

The general structure and format are standard for all types of academic work:

• Here we should formulate a thesis and justify the choice of this particular plot;
• 3-5 paragraphs;
• Conclusion;

Like any other academic work, the character analysis begins with an introduction where the hero is presented. It is best to put a catchy and bright phrase that will catch the attention of the audience. Your thesis should include general information about the hero, about his type.

The main body consists of several main parts. First, you must describe the hero in detail and in accordance with the essay outline. It is necessary to identify and characterize the conflict that occurred in the plot, which hooked the hero. Divide the work into several paragraphs – this will significantly improve the readability of the text and help your listeners to understand it. Do not forget to back up your thematic sentences with evidence.

Finally, review each part of the work and the last paragraph. Do not use the template thesis words, copying other authors. Be sure to rephrase sentences; do not allow self-plagiarism. Try to create the strongest statement that will be the result of the character of your hero.

To test yourself and your work, at the end of the essay, try to find out whether the information you provided in the analysis can be used by detectives. Can detectives identify a character using your assignment? Make sure you mentioned the most important, distinctive, and outstanding features of your chosen character.

Now our leadership has come to the end! Many students are delighted with such tasks and find them much more useful than others. If you can learn how to analyze fictional characters, you can analyze the people around you with the same ease. You can start right now with your friends!

If writing character analysis is still difficult for you, do not panic. You can always ask our specialists for help. Our staff consists exclusively of experienced writers who constantly work with different academic tasks. Each analysis will be structured and logically accurate. You can feel free to contact us at any time using the contact form.