Character Analysis

What is Character Analysis?

Character analysis means studying a character to understand WHO they are, WHY they act a certain way, and HOW they change. Good readers look at what characters say, do, think, and feel to figure out their personality!

Character Traits vs. Character Feelings

CHARACTER TRAITS

Who the character IS

Stays the same most of the time

Example: "brave, kind, stubborn, creative"

CHARACTER FEELINGS

How the character FEELS

Changes throughout the story

Example: "nervous, excited, sad, relieved"

Quick Test: Ask "Is this true about them MOST of the time?" If YES = trait. If NO = feeling.

How to Find Character Traits: Look for Evidence!

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ACTIONS: What does the character DO? (Actions show who they really are)

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DIALOGUE: What does the character SAY? (Words reveal personality)

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THOUGHTS: What does the character THINK? (Inner thoughts show true feelings)

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REACTIONS: How do OTHER characters respond to them?

Let's Practice: "The Science Fair"

Elena had been working on her volcano project for three weeks. Every night after homework, she tested different mixtures to get the perfect eruption. When her best friend Mia asked to copy her notes, Elena hesitated.

"I really want to help you," Elena said, "but if I give you my notes, you won't learn anything. How about I teach you instead?"

On the day of the science fair, Elena's hands shook as she waited for the judges. What if the volcano didn't work? She had triple-checked everything, but still felt nervous.

When it was her turn, Elena took a deep breath and began her presentation with confidence. The volcano erupted perfectly! Even better, Mia's project on plants worked great too - because she had learned how to do research herself.

"I'm so glad I listened to you," Mia told Elena. "I'm proud of what I made!"

Elena smiled. "That's what friends are for."

Finding Elena's Character Traits

Let's find evidence for each trait:

Trait	Evidence from the Story
Hardworking	She worked on her project for three weeks, testing mixtures every night.
Honest	She wouldn't let Mia copy her notes because it wouldn't help Mia learn.
Helpful	She offered to teach Mia instead of just giving her the answers.

Elena's feeling: She felt nervous before her presentation (her hands shook). But nervous is a FEELING, not a trait - it changed when she got confident!

What is Character Motivation?

Motivation is the reason WHY a character does something. It's what they want, need, or care about.

Elena's Motivation: She wanted to help Mia succeed on her own. She cared about Mia actually learning, not just getting a good grade.

To find motivation, ask: "What does this character want?" and "Why do they want it?"

Your Turn!

1. Is "nervous" a character TRAIT or a character FEELING? How do you know?

2. What is ONE character trait that describes Elena? Give evidence from the story.

Trait:

Evidence:

3. Why did Elena refuse to give Mia her notes? (What was her motivation?)

4. Which type of evidence is BEST for showing character traits?

A. What the character looks like B. What the character says, does, and thinks C. Where the story takes place D. How old the character is

Remember the ACE Method!

When writing about characters, use ACE:

Answer the question (state the trait)
Cite evidence (quote or describe what happens)
Explain how the evidence proves your answer

Example: Elena is hardworking (A) because she spent three weeks testing different mixtures every night (C). This shows she puts in extra effort to do her best work (E).