Theme on Character Analysis
Ch 4 in Thinking and Writing about Literature
Character = a person, human being, literary figure
Individual’s ___________________________and characteristics
Psyche, ego, soul, consciousness, ____________________, being
Figure out the outstanding traits:
e.g. lazy, ambitious, anxious, serene, pugnacious, fearful, self-assertive, bashful, confident selfdoubting, adventurous, timid, noisy, quiet, truthful, careless, reasonable, hotheaded, underhanded, etc.
Areas to consider:
Appearance – physical, but relate it to the ________________________________
Character traits may determine outcome:
Hero will be strong, steadfast, realistic, or an enlargement of reality, etc.
Tragic hero – a __________________of character will bring the hero’s downfall
Development or _____________________in character
How is character revealed?
The four ways a writer generally indicates character to the reader are 1. What the character _____________________________________
2. What the character______________________________
3. What other characters say about he/him
4. What the author says about him/her __________________________
(Check the 2 precautions given by Edgar V. Roberts just before the sample writings.)
Assignment -
Using the novel Mark Twain’s The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn ,
analyze one particular character from the novel regarding significance and
importance to the theme/message, evidence of reality, and completeness
of character.
[or compare/contrast two characters regarding the same concerns]
Prewrite – complete notes above and the character activity sheet
____________
collect 5 quotes concerning the chosen character(s) and create a list of his/her traits _________
Outline – complete given form ____________
Rough draft- edited and revised ___________
Final due __________________
Final writing requirements– 2-3 typed pages, MLA style,
parenthetical documentation for at least 3 quotations, Works Cited notation at the end.