Character Analysis Argument Essay
Objectives and Standards:
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.9-10.3: Analyze how complex characters (e.g., those with
multiple or conflicting motivations) develop over the course of a text, interact with
other characters, and advance the plot of develop the theme.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.9-10.1: Write arguments to support claims in an analysis of
substantive topics or texts, using valid reasoning and relevant and sufficient
evidence.
A character analysis is more than a character description. It is an examination of a complex
character’s motivations and how conflicts arise from more than one motivation, and it is an
analysis of how a character’s personality and growth (or lack of growth) help convey the
ideas and themes of the work as a whole. As with any formal essay, there are necessary
elements to include (see below).
Prompt:
Examine the motivations of a main character in The Piano Lesson, and how the conflict
between these motivations, and the development or growth of the character, convey the
meaning of the play as a whole.
Honors Designation:
To earn honors on this assignment, you will make your character analysis more rigorous
and complex in one of two ways:
1) Synthesis and Compare/Contrast Option: Examine at least two characters from
The Piano Lesson, and connect your character analyses to August Wilson’s
ambitions and intentions in the Century Cycle, as discussed in the Preface to
King Hedley II (the essay we read the first day of the new semester).
2) Compare/Contrast Option: Read Fences, the other play in Wilson’s Century Cycle
that won a Pulitzer Prize (available to check out from the BHS book room).
Examine the motivations of at least one character from Fences, and at least one
character from The Piano Lesson, and analyze how the development of the
characters conveys the meaning of each play as a whole.
Required Elements:
_____ A hook that is NOT a question or a quote.
_____ At the beginning of your bridge, introduce the name of the play(s) you are
analyzing, as well as the author’s name and characters’ names.
_____ In the bridge, give general information about the story-line and setting of the
play(s), and focused information on the background, personality, and attitudes of the
character(s).
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_____ Your thesis statement must be arguable and interpretive, and should focus on
how the character’s (or characters’) conflicting motivations contribute to the work as a
whole.
_____ Each body paragraph should begin with a topic sentence that clearly relates to
an aspect of the thesis. Begin with an analytic point, not a plot point.
_____ Each body paragraph needs at least two quoted examples from the text(s) that
help prove the point of the paragraph and the thesis.
_____ Each quote needs a quote sandwich, including MLA in-text citations. The top
piece of bread: introduce the speaker and situation so that your reader is oriented to the
scene; blend the quote into your own sentence. The bottom piece of bread: commentary and
explanation of the quote; “this evidence illustrates …”; “because of this …”.
_____ Each body paragraph needs a concluding statement that echoes your thesis.
Stretch yourself to change the word choice and sentence structure.
_____ Stay in present tense.
_____ Use complete sentences without fragments or run-ons.
_____ Do not use 1st person (“I think …”) or 2nd person (“you can see that …”).
Rubric:
Criterion
Introductory
Paragraph
2
5
Introductory
statement that
includes the name
of the play, the
author’s name,
and character’s
name.
Contains general
information
describing the
appearance of the
character and
their relationship
to others in the
play.
Gives more
focused
information
describing the
background,
personality, and
attitudes of the
character.
Contains strong,
arguable, focused
thesis statement.
4
Introductory
statement that
includes the name
of the play, the
author’s name,
and character’s
name.
Contains general
information
describing the
appearance of the
character and
their relationship
to others in the
play.
Gives more
focused
information
describing the
background,
personality, and
attitudes of the
character.
Contains an
arguable thesis
statement.
3
Introductory
statement that
includes the name
of the play, the
author’s name,
and character’s
name.
Contains general
information
describing the
appearance of the
character and
their relationship
to others in the
play.
Gives more
focused
information
describing the
background,
personality, and
attitudes of the
character.
Contains a broad
thesis statement.
2
Introductory
statement is
missing one
or more of the
following: the
name of the
play, the
author’s
name, and
character’s
name.
Contains
minimal
general
information
describing the
appearance of
the character
and their
relationship to
others in the
play.
Gives minimal
information
describing the
background,
personality,
and attitudes
of the
character.
Contains a
vague thesis
statement.
1
Introductory
statement is
missing more
than one of
the following:
the name of
the play, the
author’s
name, and
character’s
name.
Contains
incorrect
general
information
describing the
appearance of
the character
and their
relationship to
others in the
play.
Gives
incorrect
information
describing the
background,
personality,
and attitudes
of the
character.
Does not
contain a
thesis
statement.
Thesis/
Claim
Claim is precise
and arguable;
Claim
can be supported
by
reasons/warrants
and textual
evidence;
Writer thoroughly
develops claim.
Claim is fairly
clear but not
precise;
Claim is arguable;
Claim can be
supported by
reasons/warrants
and textual
evidence;
Writer adequately
develops claim
Claim is emerging
but not clear;
Claim suggests a
position that is not
clearly arguable;
Claim is
supported by
vague textual
references
Claim is
vague;
Claim is not
arguable;
Claim is
supported by
vague textual
references
Claim is
unidentifiable
Textual
Evidence
Ample evidence
that clearly
supports claim;
Writer uses at
least three
specific separate
quotes from the
text
Adequate
evidence
that supports
claim; Writer uses
three specific
quotes but the
power of the
argument is
reduced by taking
more than one of
them from nearly
the same place in
the text
Inadequate
amount of
evidence that
supports claim;
two separate
quotes may be
used or a third
may be only
alluded to
Scant
evidence that
supports
claim only
obliquely; no
quotes but
rather
allusions and
descriptions
of what takes
place in the
text
Unidentifiable
textual
evidence
Organization
Writer uses
sophisticated
transitions to link
and build ideas
within and
between
paragraphs;
Body paragraphs
contain relevant
and specific
examples and/or
details with
thorough and
logical
explanations;
Powerful
concluding
paragraph
enhances the
cohesion of the
overall work and
strengthens claim
and evidence
Writer uses
appropriate
transitions to link
ideas within and
between
paragraphs;
Body paragraphs
contain relevant
and specific
examples and/or
details with clear
explanations;
Concluding
paragraph
contributes to the
cohesion of the
overall work
Writer uses
transitions
between ideas
and/or
paragraphs;
Body paragraphs
contain
examples related
to task/topic;
Concluding
paragraph mostly
restates
introduction
Organization
is evident but
lacks
cohesion and
does not
strengthen the
argument
Unidentifiable
organization
Style/Tone
Strong voice;
Objective, formal,
and engaging
tone
Strong voice;
Objective and
formal tone
Uneven voice;
Uneven use of
objective and
formal tone
Appropriate
style and
formal tone
are emerging
Limited use of
formal tone
Word Choice
Writer employs
the use of rich,
colorful, precise
language that
communicates not
just in a functional
way, but in a way
that moves and
enlightens the
Writer employs
appropriate
language that
effectively
communicates the
writer’s ideas to
the reader.
Writer employs
somewhat vague
word choices that
convey writer’s
ideas in a limited
way.
Word choice
does not help
reader
understand
and
appreciate the
topic
Word choice
detracts from
readers’
understanding
of the topic
3
reader.
Writing
mechanics and
conventions
Exemplary use of
capitalization,
punctuation,
grammar, and
proofreading
Proficient use of
capitalization,
punctuation,
grammar, and
proofreading
Basic use of
capitalization,
punctuation,
grammar, and
proofreading
Limited use of
capitalization,
punctuation,
grammar, and
proofreading
Inaccurate
writing
mechanics and
conventions
detracts from
readers’
understanding
of the topic
MLA format
Command of MLA
format for
citations
Use of MLA
format for
citations has one
or two errors
Partial use of MLA
format for
citations
Limited use of
MLA format
citations
No use of citations
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