Character Character AnalysisAnalysis English 116English 116

Nicola Fuller

Why analyze characters?Why analyze characters?

One of the ongoing tasks of life is trying One of the ongoing tasks of life is trying to understand ourselves, our to understand ourselves, our reactions, our motives, our values. reactions, our motives, our values. Fiction can help us do that by showing Fiction can help us do that by showing characters caught in conflict with characters caught in conflict with themselves or the world around them. themselves or the world around them. By understanding their actions, we By understanding their actions, we sometimes gain insight into our own.sometimes gain insight into our own.

How to analyze a characterHow to analyze a character

To analyze a character, you must find To analyze a character, you must find out what makes him/her “tick.” out what makes him/her “tick.”

Like people fictional characters have Like people fictional characters have personality traits and motivations. personality traits and motivations.

Characters are revealed in the following Characters are revealed in the following ways.ways.

Physical Appearance and Physical Appearance and NameName

It is impossible to judge a person totally It is impossible to judge a person totally on his or her appearance in real life, on his or her appearance in real life, but in fiction we can because an but in fiction we can because an author’s descriptions and names of author’s descriptions and names of characters are designed to evoke a characters are designed to evoke a response in the reader.response in the reader.

The names of characters are often a The names of characters are often a clue to their personality.clue to their personality.

Character’s ActionsCharacter’s Actions

The actions of a character in a story are The actions of a character in a story are also clues to his or her personality.also clues to his or her personality.

A character’s behavior is usually A character’s behavior is usually motivated by his or her attitudes and motivated by his or her attitudes and values, so by examining behavior, values, so by examining behavior, readers can get to the heart and soul readers can get to the heart and soul of a character.of a character.

Character’s ChoicesCharacter’s Choices

Since stories are structured around Since stories are structured around conflicts, the characters involved will conflicts, the characters involved will always have to make choices as they always have to make choices as they deal with their problems. deal with their problems.

As those choices are made, they reveal As those choices are made, they reveal the character’s values and self-the character’s values and self-concept and serve as a basis for our concept and serve as a basis for our judgements about him or her.judgements about him or her.

Character’s PastCharacter’s Past

Authors are aware of the significance of Authors are aware of the significance of a person’s background and the a person’s background and the biographical details they give the biographical details they give the reader are insights into a character’s reader are insights into a character’s makeup and motivationmakeup and motivation

Character’s SpeechCharacter’s Speech Every word spoken by a character is a Every word spoken by a character is a

clue to some part of his or her clue to some part of his or her personality. But a character’s personality. But a character’s statements will not tell you that he or statements will not tell you that he or she is unhappy, domineering selfish or she is unhappy, domineering selfish or crazy. As a reader your must look for crazy. As a reader your must look for the personality trait statements reveal, the personality trait statements reveal, making inferences about the mind making inferences about the mind behind it.behind it.

Character’s comments about Character’s comments about other charactersother characters

Characters in fiction talk about each Characters in fiction talk about each other and their statements are most other and their statements are most often designed to reveal significant often designed to reveal significant things about themselves and the things about themselves and the personalities and motivations of other personalities and motivations of other characters.characters.

Narrator’s comments about a Narrator’s comments about a charactercharacter

When the third-person narrator, (like When the third-person narrator, (like the narrator in the narrator in WickedWicked ) describes a ) describes a character’s motivation or actions this character’s motivation or actions this is a big clue to what makes his or her is a big clue to what makes his or her personality “tick.”personality “tick.”

Character’s thoughts and Character’s thoughts and feelingsfeelings

Although we can’t get into the mind of Although we can’t get into the mind of another person, the another person, the omniscientomniscient narrator narrator can and often does reveal the thoughts can and often does reveal the thoughts and feelings of a character. and feelings of a character.

This allows us to see in greater depth This allows us to see in greater depth how their minds work and how they how their minds work and how they arrive at decisions that affect their lives arrive at decisions that affect their lives and reveal their personality.and reveal their personality.

Character’s ChangesCharacter’s Changes

Most main characters go through some Most main characters go through some transformation in the course of the story. transformation in the course of the story. This is called the character’s arc.This is called the character’s arc.

A character may change from being A character may change from being afraid of everything to being courageous, afraid of everything to being courageous, or from being selfish to caring. or from being selfish to caring. Identifying the changes a character Identifying the changes a character reveals the core of their personality.reveals the core of their personality.

SummarySummary To analyze a character in a story examine the To analyze a character in a story examine the

details the author provides about:details the author provides about: Physical appearance and namesPhysical appearance and names ActionsActions ChoicesChoices PastPast Speech Speech Comments by other charactersComments by other characters Narrator’s comments about the characterNarrator’s comments about the character Thought and feelingsThought and feelings ChangesChanges