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How to Write a Character Analysis: Helpful Tips & Tricks!

What is a character analysis

A character analysis is a very peculiar and specific form of writing. Its task is to describe, evaluate and highlight the major characters trait of a literary hero. Often you may have to write dynamic characters analysis essay while doing the academic assignment. This type of activity will help to express your thoughts better and improve other skills.

The main hero is a key figure of any composition. His major role in the story develops throughout the narration. Acts usually depend on the character and the way of thinking. The author needs to describe in detail many aspects that relate to the selected character and his role in the story. Static characters are no less important, since a description of their interaction with each other, as well as various conflicts and resolution methods, occupy a huge part of the plot.

In this article, you can discover the learning how to write a character analysis and deal with all the necessary details. You can learn secrets of writing a comparative essay in the next article.

Types of Character Analysis Essays

Character plays his role and has a unique story. However, sometimes you can meet a similar personality in real life. Heroes without flaws often seem boring and do not cause interest.

You need to find out what types of characters can be and understand the features of each of them. 

Protagonist

This hero occupies a leading position in the narration. Throughout the text, the reader can observe his story and analyze the possible changes in character, caused by certain events.

Antagonists

This kind of character is the opposite of the main here and his worst enemy. Often, the resolution of the conflict between the protagonist and villains is the climax. However, these heroes are also prone to change. For instance, the transformation of an evil person into good after a series of certain situations is a very popular phenomenon.

Major

This hero can affect many events in your story. Often he is not limited to just one category. For instance, the protagonist can have a few close friends. However, throughout the story, it may turn out that only one can play the role of a major character. 

Minor

These characters do not have much influence on the plot. They appear in several sections and then disappear. Nevertheless, even short-term participation in the life of another person can significantly change it. For instance, the protagonist can fall in love with a beautiful stranger and then never meet her again.

Dynamic and static characters

All the characters of the work can be both static and dynamic. While the first one means a person who does not change throughout the story, the dynamic character experiences various changes in his personality or perception of the world.

Stereotypical

A stock character plays the role of a certain archetype and often lends itself to criticism and parodies. Its purpose is to promote the narrative to reveal the various sides of the hero.

Foils

Often the foil means a hero, which is the opposite of another one. Due to this, certain features and characteristics of another person stand out and become more understandable to readers. The main task of this character is to emphasize and draw attention to another hero.

Three-dimensional

This type of literary heroes combines a huge number of different character traits or even personalities!

Character analysis outline

 Writing this type of essay is very exciting and even fun. Also, this creative process requires careful preparation.

How to do a character analysis

First of all, the student needs to sketch out the future work and highlight key points. Below we have painted some of the main aspects, after familiarizing with which you will be able to write an excellent text step by step.

Surely, you already have some ideas regarding the future composition. You should be more than responsible and consider some following details:

Read the story with your character in mind

After much thought and preparation, do you know what the future text will look like? Try to distract from the background story and answer the following questions:

Take notes

Short notes are a very effective way to remember all the characters and create a platform for their description. Notes will not allow any idea to disappear!

Choose a main idea

This item has great importance for the text. It concerns each part and carries the main idea of the author. Think carefully about this point.

Make an outline

Planning is your good ally in many tasks. This function does not pass by and help with an academic paper. Transfer your thoughts to paper and highlight the most basic.

Writing the Character Analysis

After deliberation, you finally have a more or less clear picture of the future story. The next stage of work is writing, which we have divided into several parts.

Write your introduction

Starting a story with a character description is not a prerequisite. You can describe the surroundings or focus on specific details that will help readers immerse themselves in the atmosphere.

Describe the physical appearance of the character

At this stage, your task is to make an accent and write about the character’s facial features, figure, and unique style. Meanwhile, even if your character prefers not to stand out and looks too simple, this can become his highlight! Keep a neutral position and use every detail as an opportunity to better reveal the hero.

Discuss your character’s background

Here, the author should think over the life story of the hero and highlight the key points that had the greatest impact on him. Tell about his childhood, relationships with family members and friends, etc.

Discuss the character’s language use

The specific manner of speech makes the hero more unique. He can use non-existent words related to hobbies and other activities.

Write about the personality of the character

This stage is one of the most significant since character traits determine the person’s behavior and actions. Try to find out and indicate the reasons for the appearance of certain features. 

Analyze the character’s relationships with others

Here the student needs to compare how the hero communicates with others and how he feels or behaves alone. You can also indicate how his behavior changes depending on another person. For instance, with relatives, the character can behave more openly than with colleagues at the university.

Describe how the character changes or grows throughout the plot of the story

All the previous points with each other and analyze the character’s development. Be especially careful, because sometimes it may seem that the hero has remained the same inside. However, it is not so!

Collect supporting material or evidence for the analysis

Using additional materials during writing a character analysis is not a forbidden option. Moreover, thanks to this, you can make your work more detailed and interesting.

Using Evidence in Your Writing

Like any other type of work writing, this essay needs the implementation of several facts, that can expand sentences. 

Support your writing with textual evidence

Can find the papers written by other people and use their interpretations while creating your essay. Even if you do not like the sound or presentation of the author’s thoughts, remember that without evidence your essay will not be complete.

Use the PIE method

This technique is very popular when writing various works in college. Its essence is splitting paragraphs into Point, Illustration, and Explanation for structuring.

Anchor the quote within your own words

Using quotes will help you not only improve the essay but also to develop the skills of persuasion. Analysis of the character and actions of the hero is practically impossible without connection with the original work.

Do not over-quote

However, you should not turn your work into a collection of quotes. Remember that your task is to conduct your analysis and reinforce specific examples in the form of citations.

Get Professional Writing Help!

If you have familiarized yourself with all aspects, but are still confused, do not despair. Various services can help with writing editing slides to choose your academic level. Contact us and be convinced of the highest professionalism and quality. A huge number of high school students have already received their works and enjoy the description of the main character.