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How to Support Your Ideas in a Character Analysis

How to Support Your Ideas in a Character Analysis. First, start with your thesis statement . A thesis statement is the overall argument you are making in your analysis. . For example: Antigone is a hero because she is intrepid, loyal,and tenacious.

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How to Support Your Ideas in a Character Analysis

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  1. How to Support Your Ideas in a Character Analysis

  2. First, start with your thesis statement. A thesis statement is the overall argument you are making in your analysis. For example: Antigone is a hero because she is intrepid, loyal,and tenacious. In our analysis, we are trying to prove that Antigone IS a hero because she has these qualities. Now we have to prove that she has these qualities by her actions and by her speech.

  3. Let’s start with “intrepid.” This point is going to comprise your 2nd paragraph, the 1st supporting paragraph. Every paragraph must have a TOPIC SENTENCE. A topic sentence summarizes the subject of the paragraph. Everything in this paragraph will support this main idea and will not broach other ideas or subjects.So if it’s not about how Antigone is intrepid or brave, it doesn’t fit.

  4. For our paragraph, we might try: A major quality a hero must possess is fearlessness. So, in our paragraph, we will ONLY discuss HOW Antigone is fearless and show examples of her bravery.

  5. Now, we have to prove that Antigone is fearless. Use the “Quote Formula” to insert evidence into your paragraph. The “Quote Formula” is: 1. Statement 2. Lead-in 3. Quote 4. Commentary

  6. A statement is your reason why you think Antigone is fearless. For example: Antigone faces her duty with strength and determination, even though she knows she’ll be condemned to die for her action. This is proof from the text that backs up our topic sentence that Antigone is fearless. Remember, each statement and topic sentence must directly refer back to your thesis.

  7. Step 2 is to write a lead-in. A lead-in introduces the quote you are using from the text so the reader understands what is going on in the quote. For example: When Antigone is preparing to bury Polyneices, she invites Ismene to help her and cannot understand when she won’t help. Now the reader understands the following quote will be from Antigone when she discusses her plan with Ismene.

  8. The third step in proving Antigone’s valor is to use a quote from the text that backs up your statement. For example: “But I will bury him; and if I must die, I say that this crime is holy: I shall lie down with him in death,” (55-57).

  9. Finally, to complete your argument, you need to include your own opinion or feelings,or commentary about the quote. This means you must explain how the quote proves your statement. For example: Antigone does not fear the consequences of her actions and even Ismene’s fears cannot affect her. NEVER say “this quote shows” in your commentary.

  10. You should always have 2 pieces of commentary to support your views. Our second commentary would be: She does not listen to Ismene and even tells her to tell everyone what she is doing. She doesn’t care who knows because her courage comes from doing what she believes is right. Both sets of commentary explain how the quote proves that Antigone is a very courageous kind of woman. It should be twice as long as the quote itself. Or a 2:1 ratio.

  11. If you put these elements all together, you have 1/2 of your first paragraph that deals with Antigone’s outstanding courage. You should follow this up with 1 more example of Antigone’s fearless attitude. Each supporting body paragraph MUST have at least 2 examples that back up that paragraph’s point.

  12. All together it should look like this: A major quality a hero must possess is fearlessness. Antigone faces her duty with strength and determination, even though she knows she’ll be condemned to die for her action. When Antigone is preparing to bury Polyneices, she invites Ismene to help her and cannot understand when she won’t help. “But I will bury him; and if I must die, I say that this crime is holy: I shall lie down with him in death,” (55-57). Antigone does not fear the consequences of her actions and even Ismene’s fears cannot affect her. She does not listen to Ismene and even tells her to tell everyone what she is doing. She doesn’t care who knows because her courage comes from doing what she believes is right.

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