When students are doing their literature dissertation, they will at some point be required to analyze a story or a poem or a novel. One of the aspects of such an analysis is to describe the personality of one or more of the main characters and write on the courses of action taken by them, their motives, and their method of interaction with other characters in the story. These are some of the tips for doing character analysis.
1. While describing the personality of the character you will receive clues from the words they speak, the actions they take, their reactions to events in the story, their feelings towards other characters, and some unique mannerisms that they display. All these can be used to explain to the readers what the personality of the characters are like.
2. It is essential to describe what role is played by a character. Is he or she the protagonist or are they the antagonist, or are they merely one of the supporting cast albeit be it an important part. One of the most important roles played by the supporting cast is the foil, the person who is in sharp contrast to the main character so that the main character’s personality is better highlighted.
3. A large part of the analysis needs to focus on how the character changes during the course of the story, and how this change has been influenced by other characters and the events that take place around them.
4. The student can also give quotes that highlight the personality of the character and refer to specific situations in the story that emphasise how the character has grown. Giving proper citations and page numbers also displays that that the students has read the story thoroughly and has an in-depth understanding of its content.