Character Analysis Tips and Tricks

Character Analysis: Evaluating a character's traits, role, and conflicts he/she experiences within a text. 

There are multiple ways to approach character analysis; here are a few examples: 

S.T.E.A.L. Characterization 

Analyze a Character's Inside/Internal Traits

Character Development Tracker

Don't forget to ALWAYS include textual evidence to support your claims!

Literary Analysis Evidence Tracker

Using a Literary Analysis Evidence Tracker helps us organize and analyze different literary devices and evidence within any text. 

This is what a Literary Analysis Evidence Tracker looks like:

Here is an example of how to track and analyze a literary device in a text:

Symbolism

Irony

Authors use irony to get their audiences to stop and think about what was said or what has occurred within a text.

To view notes on Irony, click here.

Elements of Suspense

Authors use very similar techniques from producers and directors to create a sense of suspense in literature, 

To view notes on Elements of Suspense, click here.

Narrator Reliability

To view the notes on Narrator Reliability, click here.

Point of View helps us determine who is telling the story.

 We can also use a F.A.S.T. Characterization Chart for the Narrator in "The Tell Tale Heart" to help us determine whether he is reliable or not.

Visualizing Characterization!

Students created a visual interpretation (Character Map) of a character from one of the texts they read in their reading groups to demonstrate their understanding of characterization.

Here is an example of Mary Maloney from "Lamb to the Slaughter" by Roald Dahl

Here are some examples of students and their incredible work!

Character Development

Remember: Round/Dynamic characters are the ones that change throughout a text. 

First, we need to think about what kinds of events might change a person

Here are some examples of what students came up with: 

Then we can track exactly how a character changes from beginning to end.

Here's an example of showing the character development of Mary Maloney from "Lamb to the Slaughter" by Roald Dahl

Character Traits and Character Types

Character Traits:

Character Types: 

F.A.S.T. Characterization:

Literary Analysis Tips and Tricks: Double Entry Journals

Create a Double Entry Journal when reading a text to help with literary analysis!

Characterization -- Dialogue

Characterization is another important literary device that helps us understand the overall message or theme of a text.

Dialogue is an aspect of Characterization that is often overlooked, but is in fact a very useful tool that can reinforce what we learn about a character. 

To view the notes on Characterization and Dialogue, click here.

Identifying Perspective

Perspective is another literary device we can use to help us understand the overall message of a text.

These two versions of Aloe Blacc's "The Man" demonstrate how easily perspective can change and affect our understanding of a text.

We can use tone, mood, and perspective to shape the theme and help us understand the meaning of a text.