What Is a Character Analysis Essay?
This is a type of essay in which you are asked to analyze characters in a literary piece. The aim when writing this type of essay is to make a profile of your character and analyze the characters thoroughly to help the audience understand their role in the book and how they contribute to the overall theme` of the book.
A character analysis essay helps your readers to understand the character and the world that he or she lives in. One of the essential purposes of the character essay is to look at the anatomy of a character in the story and dissect who he or he is. a character analysis essay must help your readers to understand how the character was shaped and then learn from their life.
Character Analysis Essay Outline
Introduction
Some of the things that your introduction should have include:
- Title and author (date) of the book or novel
- Name of character and brief description of the character being analyzed
- Thesis- The thesis statement of a character analysis paper should state the significance of the character in relation to the story.
First Body Paragraph
This should not be a summary of the plot for the book. It should, instead, be a summary of the novel, its characters, the setting of the novel, and a general statement of conflict as well as a description of the primary conflict, and finally the main themes present in the novel or book.
Second Body Paragraph
You should dedicate the second paragraph to discussing the character who will be analyzed in the novel. There are seven types of characters you can choose to analyze in your essay. These are:
- Protagonists (heroes): This is the main character around whom most of the plot revolves.
- Antagonists: This is usually the person, usually a villain, who works against the protagonist. It can also be a natural power, set of circumstances, majestic being.
- Major: These are the main characters in the book. A book can have two or more main characters who run the story.
- Dynamic – is one who changes significantly throughout the story)
- Static is one who doesn't undergo any significant change in character, personality or perspective over the course of a story
- Minor: These are the figures who help tell the major character’s tale by letting them interact and reveal their personalities, situations, stories. They are commonly static (unchanging).
- Foils: These are the people whose job is to contrast with the major character.
The best way of analyzing a character is by characterization. The two types of characterization are:
Interior characterization involves showing, or telling, the reader about aspects of your characters’ personalities and lives. You do this through their interactions with their immediate surroundings, their body language, their thoughts, and dialogue. You can use all of these in a paragraph.
Exterior characterization, on the other hand, involves using their behavior towards other characters, and their attitude to their worlds, to describe them. For example, you can show who your characters are by the way they treat other people and the way others treat them.
Third and Subsequent Body Paragraphs
In the third and subsequent paragraphs, describe the forces (conflicts) that impact the character, and how he or she responds to these forces. You should also describe the changes that do or do not take place
Last Body Paragraph
Description of the terminal character Analysis of how/ why & suitability of change
Conclusion
Relates the character’s change (or lack thereof) to the theme; to the analyzer’s life. Finally, you should expand the novel to the world at large