Character Analysis

1. Writing about Characteristics and Attributes of a character to understand literature and perhaps, ourselves. (oooh…that’s deep) Character Analysis

2. Personality of the Character • When you write a character analysis, you will be expected to describe a character's personality. • We get to know characters in our stories through the things they say, feel, and do. It's not as difficult as it may seem to figure out a character's personality traits based on his/her thoughts and behaviors.

3. The Four Attributesor Characteristics • Attributes -- Qualities a person has • Characteristics – Individualities or defining features of a person

4. What do we look at? • Emotional • Intellectual • Physical • Spiritual • DEFINE THESE

5. Read this: • "Say cheese!" the exasperated photographer shouted, as she pointed her camera toward the group of squirming children. Margot displayed her broadest, most convincing fake smile as she inched ever-closer to her younger cousin. Just as the photographer's finger twitched over the shutter button, Margot leaned into her young cousin's side and pinched hard. The boy let out a yelp, just as the camera clicked."

6. What do we know? • You can probably make some assumptions about Margot from the brief segment above. If you had to name three character traits to describe her, what would they be? Is she a nice, innocent girl? Hardly! • From the brief paragraph we know she's sneaky, mean, and Deceptive.

7. Clues • Words • Actions • Reactions • Feelings • Movements • Thoughts • Description

8. Character Role • When you write a character analysis, you must also define each character's role. • In addition to having personality traits, characters also fill certain roles in a story. They either play a major role, as a central element to the story, or they play a minor role to serve a supporting role in the story.

9. Protagonist • The protagonist of a story is often called the main character. The plot revolves around the protagonist. There may be more than one main character. • Examples?

10. Antagonist • The antagonist is the character who represents a challenge or an obstacle to the protagonist in a story. In some stories, the antagonist is not a person! • Who are your favorite ANTAGONISTS?

11. A Character Foil • A FOIL is a character who provides contrast to the main character (protagonist), in order to emphasize the main character's traits. • For example -- In the movie CAPTAIN AMERICA, the supporting character of Bucky shows how weak Steve Rogers is before he becomes Captain America. He points up the differences between Steve and other men.

12. Character Development • When you are asked to write a character analysis, you will be expected to explain how a character changes and grows. Most characters go through changes as a story unfolds-otherwise, stories would be pretty boring. • Perhaps it is the lesson learned…?

13. Varieties of Characters • Flat Character • Round Character • Stock or Stereotype Character • Static Character • Dynamic Character

14. Flat Character • A flat character has one or two personality traits that don't change. The flat character can play a major or a minor role.

15. Round Character • Round Character: A round character has many complex traits-and those traits develop and change in a story. A round character will seem more real than a flat character, because people are complex.

16. Stereotypes • Stereotype Character: A character who represents a stereotype (oversimplified generalization) is a stock character. These characters exist to maintain widespread belief in "types," such as dumb blondes, stingy businessmen and absent-minded professors.

17. Static Character • A static character never changes. • A loud, obnoxious "background" character who remains the same throughout the story is static. • A boring character who is never changed by events is also static. • Someone who NEVER LEARNS A LESSON

18. Dynamic Character • Unlike a static character, a dynamic character changes and grows as the story unfolds. • Dynamic characters respond to events and experience a change in attitude or outlook. • They LEARN THE LESSON

20. INTRO • The name of the character, the title of the book, the author’s name • Brief description of the character (strengths and weaknesses) • Why you chose this particular character • Thesis statement (what is important about this character and their “journey” during the story?) • Explanation of thesis statement

21. Body paragraphs (#2/#3/#4) • Thesis of the paragraph (what you are going to explain in THIS SPECIFIC PARAGRAPH) • Strength/weakness #1 of the character • Quotation that supports #1 • Explanation of the quote • IF NEEDED – one more sentence of explanation of the quote • Concluding sentence for THIS PARAGRAPH ONLY • Wash, rinse, repeat

22. Conclusion • Restate thesis • Restate explanation of thesis • Final thoughts (but no new ideas!!) • Concluding sentence for the paper • Explanation of the concluding sentence • Button

23. Choose one character from one of the 13 • short stories we have read in the past 2 weeks and write your Character Analysis on him/her. • Yes, it is your choice. • First draft is due Monday • Have a nice day.