The Outsiders by S. E. Hinton
Character Analysis Essay
Name:
Class: 2
4
5
7
In literature, readers often encounter a variety of basic character types. These standard or stock
characters are called archetypes, a word whose origin is in the Greek language and translates as
"original model." Writers use archetypes (see below) because readers are so familiar with these kinds
of characters and can relate to them in their daily lives.
Assignment:
Write a well-developed five-paragraph essay on a character from The Outsiders that categorizes him/her as
an archetype. Your essay must have an interesting introduction with a three-part thesis statement (see
below), which includes the three personality traits that make this character a specific archetype. Each of the
three body paragraphs should have a strong topic sentence dealing with each personality trait in your
thesis. You must support or give evidence of these personality traits with quotes from the text. The quotes
may show what the character does and says, what other characters say about him/her, and how he interacts
with other characters (direct and indirect characterization). Please cite a page number in parentheses
following each quote. Your conclusion should be a summary of your main points with a strong clincher or
closing statement.
Pre-writing:
1. Choose a character whom you would like to use as the subject of your essay—refer to your
Character Chart.
2. Complete the “Inspiration” organizer based on everything you know about the character—refer to your
Character Chart.
3. Think about your character’s significance to the story, and complete the statement below—consider
static and dynamic characters.
In S. E. Hinton’s novel The Outsiders,
(name of the
character) is the kind of person who
. The three
main personality traits that show this behavior are
,
, and
.
These
traits make this character significant to the story because he/she functions as a(n)
(Choose one of the literary archetypes listed below).
Literary Archetypes:
The Confidant
Someone in whom the central character confides, thus revealing the main character’s personality, thoughts and
intentions.
The Foil is a character who is used to develop another character through contrasting actions.
The Sidekick is a person who provides companionship and advice to the main character.
The Underdog
A character who is always in the wrong place at the wrong time, but who usually wins something of value in the
end.
The Hero
The main character who leaves his or her community to go on an adventure, performing deeds that bring honor
to himself, his family, and his community.
The Villain/Monster is an evil antagonist who fights against the hero and opposes him/her.
The Reluctant Hero
The reluctant hero is an ordinary person thrust into extraordinary circumstances which require him/her to rise
to heroism.
The Hotshot
The hotshot is a character known for taking more risks, actions and pain than the other characters in the story.
The Hotshot is not always the main hero or protagonist of the story. He/she is also not always the leader of the
team. Frequent characteristics of the hotshot character includes some level of arrogance, abrasive manners,
aggressiveness, a tendency to prefer to be alone even to the point of working alone, and sometimes an inability
to work with his/her teammates.
The Know-it-all
The know-it-all is any person who exhibits the belief that he or she possesses a superior intellect and wealth of
knowledge, and shows a determination to demonstrate their perceived superiority at every opportunity. A
know-it-all boasts about being an expert on one or several given subjects, although their actual knowledge may
often be limited or even non-existent. A know-it-all may also disregard or devalue advice from someone who
actually has the knowledge the know-it-all purports to have.
The Town Bully
The town bully generally oppresses meeker residents of the community. Usually he's the ringleader of a pack of
lesser bullies. The town bully usually achieves and maintains his power in large part because of the smallness of
the town where he resides, and because of the collective apathy or timidity of the rest of the town residents.
Often, the moral of movies featuring a town bully is that if the rest of the town bands together, they can rid
themselves of the town bully.
The Town Drunk is a stock character, almost always male, who is drunk more often than sober.
The Tragic Hero
A tragic hero is a literary character who makes a judgment error that inevitably leads to his/her own
destruction.
The Peace maker or Mediator is a character who works to bring two opposing sides or people together.
The victim is doomed to a tragic or bad ending from the very beginning of the story.
The Scape Goat is a character who always gets blamed for everything whether he/she did it or not.
The trickster plays tricks or pranks for attention and otherwise disobeys normal rules and norms - a smart
aleck or jokester.