13Jun

What Is A Character Sketch Essay?

How Do I Start An Introduction Of A Character Sketch Essay Or Write Character Sketch Essay?

A character sketch essay is a piece of writing that describes a person’s life. This person may be your friend, a family member, or a character in a literary work. A writer has the freedom to be inquisitive of what the author is trying to express through his characters. For example, you can give a sketch of the hero/heroine or of the character causing conflict to the main character. Writing character sketch essays has the advantage of improving observation and not-taking skills of the writer.

A step-by-step guide for writing a character sketch essay

Choose a Character

  • Your choice of character should be someone you know. Moreover, use a character that everyone will anticipate on meeting.
  • Capitalize on one or two traits that will help you in your essay. Avoid giving too much information about your character that is not helpful in building your essay.
  • Mind your audience as you write since you have knowledge of your character and they do not.

Building the character

  • Use details that will help in maintaining the emphasis of your essay. Your main interest is in showing and not telling.
  • Give your character’s physical description in terms of appearance and dressing. Characters also reveal themselves repeated movements, gestures, and facial expressions.
  • Quote your character’s words in the essay. By letting your character speak, readers understand him/her better.
  • Describedifferent settings showing how your character relates with others.

Create Emotion

  • You can describe a scene or use an anecdote to disclose your character's personality.
  • Do not interpret your characters to the readers. It is more interesting when they derive their own conclusions.
  • If a reader reflects on a familiar episode similar to that involving your character then the writer has succeeded in creating emotion.
  • Avoid connecting emotionally with your subject character. This can be a temptation when your character is someone you know very well. You can be creative in your description but remember your role is that of an interested observer.