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Great Expectations: Characterization Paper
Claim: The beginnings of an argument. Your claim is an analytical statement that requires evidence to be
proven—without evidence, it is merely an assertion. Your claim is the first step in building an argument.
Evidence: What you supply to prove your claim. Textual evidence should be used and properly cited.
Signal Phrase, “Direct Quote” (Author #).
Analysis/Interpretation: It is your responsibility as a writer to explain clearly the relationship between
your supplied evidence and your stated claim. to form an opinion or reach a conclusion through reasoning
of information. You must infer ideas or greater insights from your evidence. This may also be referred to
as developing your evidence.
THE PROMPT: How does Dickens’s detailed description using indirect characterization contribute
to the reader’s understanding of the character’s personality?
Introductory Paragraph [Paragraph #1]:
Attention Getter: (A shocking fact, a quote by a famous person, an anecdote etc)
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Brief Summary and/or Background Information: (A statement that connects the attention getter to
the claim below)
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Claim:
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Claim Stem: In Great Expectations, Charles Dickens uses _________________________ (character)
_______________________(specific indirect characterization [speech, effect on others, actions, etc.]) to
exhibit ______________________________ (character’s personality trait).
Body Paragraph [Paragraph #2]: How does characterization reveals personality traits to the
reader?
Topic Sentence: State the direction of the paragraph. (Similar to claim. Give context leading up to
the evidence.)
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Evidence #1 (Example of indirect characterization): Signal Phrase, “Quote” (Author #).
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Analysis/Interpretation #1: Analyze this example. Using detail, explain how this characterization
helps develop the character’s personality. What does this tell the reader? Why would Dickens
describe the character this way?
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How does this example relate back to your claim? Make sure your topic is developing!
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Evidence #2 (Example of indirect characterization): Signal Phrase, “Quote” (Author #).
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Analysis/Interpretation #2: Analyze this example. Using detail, explain how the quote helps develop
the character’s personality. What does this tell the reader? Why would Dickens describe the
character this way?
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How does this example relate back to your claim? Make sure your topic is developing!
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Conclusion Paragraph [Paragraph #3]
Restate Claim:
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Clincher: (Leave the audience thinking. How can you challenge people’s thoughts based on the
topics discussed in your analysis of the character? How can this be applied to the everyone or the
world as a whole?)
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Example claim:
In Great Expectations, Charles Dickens uses Joe Gargery’s (character) dialect or pattern of speech
(specific indirect characterization) to exhibit Joe’s ignorance and social-economic status
(character’s personality trait).
Topic Sentence: State the direction of the paragraph. (Similar to claim)
Dickens portrays Joe Gargery as a simpleton – a man as simple as his name! Dickens does so by
providing Joe with a broken way of talking to show that he was not educated.
Evidence #1 (Example of indirect characterization): (Direct quote with signal phrase) + Citation from
novel in MLA
Joe’s ignorance can be seen in chapter seven, when Joe explains to Pip why he did not receive a proper
education: “My father, Pip, he were given to drink, and when he were overtook with drink, he hammered
away at my mother most onmerciful. It were a’most the only hammering he did, indeed, ‘xcepting at
myself” (Dickens 45).
Analysis #1: Analyze this example. Using detail, explain how this characterization helps develop the
character’s personality. What does this tell the reader? Why would Dickens describe the character
this way?
The context of this quote not only proves that Joe did not attend school, but Joe’s dialect reinforces this
conclusion. By using improper grammar such as “he were” instead of “he was,” it is obvious that Joe did
not take pride in his school work. Likewise, by excluding part the first part of the word “excepting”
Dickens signifies that Joe’s has never been taught the correct pronunciation because of his lack of
education.
How does this example relate back to your claim?
For these reason the reader can conclude that Joe is ignorant and unworldly because he has never been
exposed to education.
Evidence #2 (Example of indirect characterization): (Direct quote with signal phrase) + Citation from
novel in MLA
Joe’s low status of class can also be inferred through his pattern of speech, especially when talking to
Miss Havisham, a woman of high social status: “‘ Well, Pip, you know,’ replied Joe, as if that were a little
unreasonable, ‘ you yourself see me put ‘em in my ‘at, and therefore you know as they are here.; With
which he took them out, and gave them , not to Miss Havisham, but to me. I am afraid I was ashamed of
the dear good fellow” (Dickens 100).
Analysis #2: Analyze this example. Using detail, explain how the quote helps develop the
character’s personality. What does this tell the reader? Why would Dickens describe the character
this way?
This excerpt not only tells the reader that Pip is ashamed of Joe’s simpleton ways, but also Joe’s speech
pattern gives way to this concept. When Joe is answering Miss Havisham’s questions, he does not turn to
face the speaker, instead he addresses Pip. In this except, like the previous, Joe uses improper grammar by
flipping what should be past tense into present tense. Additionally, he shortens many of his words like
“them” to “em” or “hat” to “‘at”. By shortening his words, it is obvious that Joe is not of the effluent class
because Miss Havisham does not use a broken dialect and uses proper tense.
How does this example relate back to your claim?
Dickens uses Joe’s broken dialect as a vehicle to convey his social standing, which is much lower than
Miss Havisham’s.
Restate Claim:
Joe admits that he had an uneducated childhood, but even if he had not it would be just as clear through
his way of speaking that Joe is of low social class. His low social-economic status is depicted through his
improper use of the English language and his inability to pronounce common words because of his
ignorant dialect.
Clincher: (Leave the audience thinking. How can you challenge people’s thoughts based on the
topics discussed in your analysis of the character?)
Although Joe’s simple way of speaking might embarrass Pip, one might claim that his broken speech
makes him more relatable to all “average Joes” reading Great Expectations.