how to write an character development essay

Writing a Character Analysis Essay | Step-by-Step Guide

I’m also going to give you a ton of examples.

This post is split into four parts for easy navigation:

• What is a Character Analysis Essay?
• What is the best Format to Use?
• 11 Character Analysis Example Ideas
• Template, Checklist and Outline for Your own Piece

In this post, I’m going to explain to you clearly and in a step-by-step way how to conduct a character analysis.

1. What is a Character Analysis Essay?

Let’s get you started with some really simple details about what a character analysis is:

• A Quick Definition: A character analysis essay zooms-in on a character in a book, movie or even real life. It provides what we sometimes call a ‘sketch’ of a character.
• The Purpose of a Character Analysis: The purpose of a character analysis is to reveal interesting details about the character that might contain a broader moral message about the human condition. For example, Atticus Finch is not just a lawyer in To Kill a Mockingbird. Rather, he provides us with a moral message about the importance of doing what you believe is right even though you know you will likely fail.

2. What is the best Character Analysis Essay Format?

Character analysis essays do not have just one format.

However, let me offer some advice that might act as a character analysis essay outline or ‘checklist’ of possible things you could discuss:

1. Start with the Simple Details.

You can start a character analysis by providing a simple, clear description of who your character is. Look at some basic identity traits such as:

• Race (if relevant)
• Social class (if relevant)
• Protagonist or Antagonist? A protagonist is the character who is our central character in the plot; the antagonist is often the protagonist’s opponent or challenger.
• Major or minor character?

2. What are the character’s distinctive personality features?

Your character might have some really clearly identifiable character traits. It’s best to highlight in your character analysis the exact traits that this character possesses. Some common character traits include:

I recommend you take a moment to write down what you think the top 3 to 5 words are that you’d use to explain your character’s personality traits. These will be important to discuss throughout your character analysis.

Sometimes a character may start out with some personality traits, but change over the course of the text. This is quite common; and one clear example of this is Lady Macbeth she deteriorates from a cutthroat power player to a guilt ridden shell of a person roaming the halls of the castle. This dramatic character change is something that makes her very interesting, and is worthy of discussion!

3. What are the character’s key relationships?

Does your character have a close relationship with a certain person in the storyline?

You might want to discuss the character’s relationships as a part of your character analysis. These relationships may reveal some key personality traits of your character.

For example, in Shakespeare’s play Hamlet, Horatio is the loyal offsider to Hamlet. Through his actions in staying by Hamlet through thick and thin, we learn that he is a deeply loyal character.

Examining the character’s relationships with their friends and foes therefore is very useful for digging deeper into who this character actually is, and what personality traits they have when they are put to the test within the narrative.

4. What are the character’s motivations?

Another thing you might want to examine are the character’s motivations . What do they desire most in the world? Some common motivations for characters in stories are:

• A simple life
• To serve others

This list really could be endless, but I hope the above examples give you a bit of an idea of the sorts of traits to look out for. By mentioning and examining the motivations of the character, we will come closer and closer to learning exactly what moral message this character might be able to tell us.

5. What are the character’s key conflicts?

Stories tend to have a beginning, a complication, and a resolution.

The complication involves conflicts and challenges that need to be overcome. For Edmund in Narnia, it’s cowardice. For Romeo and Juliet, it’s the conflict between love and family loyalty. Here’s some other common conflicts for characters:

• Whether to stay loyal to a friend;
• To overcome obstacles to love;
• To seek a way out of a challenging situation;
• To escape war or poverty;
• To persevere through imprisonment;
• To overcome personal fear

Again, this list is endless.

Knowing the character’s core conflict gets us even closer to knowing the moral that the character is trying to teach us.

For example, in Romeo and Juliet, the challenge of Romeo and Juliet being together despite their families’ objections teaches us something. Personally, I believe it teaches us the importance of letting go of old grudges in order to let love bloom.

This moral lesson was taught to us through conflict: namely, the conflict that Romeo and Juliet were right in the center of.

6. What are the character’s epiphanies?

Sometimes a character has an epiphany. This often happens towards the end of the story and helps the character overcome the challenge or conflict that we discussed in the point above.

Here’s an example of an epiphany:

• In the Lion King, Simba runs away from his tribe to live in exile. After a chance encounter with his childhood friend Nala, he has an epiphany that he has a duty to his tribe. This leads him back home to fight Scar and return freedom to Pride Rock.

Not all characters have an epiphany. But, if they do, I strongly encourage you to write about it in your character analysis.

7. Examine the moral message the character teaches us.

Finally, conclude by examining the moral message behind the character. Nearly every character has something to teach the reader. Authors put a lot of thought into creating complex characters with whom we can relate. We relate to the character and say “wow, they taught me a lesson about something!”

The lesson might be something like:

• Money doesn’t buy happiness;
• Loyalty to family comes above all else;
• Love gives life meaning;
• Honesty is always the best policy

This is the core of your character analysis essay. If you can pick out exactly what moral message the character teaches you, you’ll be well on your way to writing a strong character analysis.

Below I’m going to give you some examples to help you out. I know it can be hard to really get your head around a character, so sometimes the best thing is to look at some samples!

3. Here’s 13 Example Character Analysis Essay Ideas.

Most times when we create a character analysis, we’re exploring the deeper moral stories / aspects of humanity. Here’s some example ideas. I’ve tried to outline in less than a paragraph exactly what your key point will be about each character:

• Atticus Finch from To Kill a Mockingbird: A character who teaches us a lesson about standing up for what’s right, even if you know you’re likely to lose.
• Huckleberry Finn from Huckleberry Finn: A character who reveals our inner desire for freedom from the elements of society that constrain us.
• Dudley from Harry Potter: A character whose personality tells us a cautionary tale of the perils of middle-class narcissism, parents’ desire to wrap their children in cotton wool, and the lack of discipline we perceive in contemporary childhoods.
• Jack from Lord of the Flies: A character who represents the innate desire for power that seems to lurk not too far from the surface of the human condition. When social structures are stripped away, he quickly reverts to violence and superstition to assert control over his peers.
• Lady Macbeth from Macbeth: Lady Macbeth teaches us a valuable lesson about the perils of contravening our own morality. She starts out a cutthroat killer but is increasingly consumed by the guilt of her own actions. While we may be able to escape full punishment from outside forces, it is the inner guilt that might eat us away to our last.
• The Boy who Cried Wolf: The boy who cried wolf is a character whose fatal flaw is his desire for attention and adulation. His repeated attempts at gaining the attention of others leads the townspeople to no longer take him seriously, which causes him harm when he actually needs the villagers to take him seriously to save his life. He teaches us the virtue of honest and humility.
• Nick Carraway from the Great Gatsby: Nick shows us all the inner conflict between the trappings of wealth, glamor and spectacle; and the desire for simplicity, honesty and community. He is drawn by the dazzling world of East Egg, New York, but by the end of the novel sees live in East Egg as shallow and lacking the moral depth of his former life in small town Minnesota.
• Alice from Alice in Wonderland: In many ways, Alice represents the child within all of us. She is a character of goodwill to all and who looks upon the world (or, rather, Wonderland) with awe. Travelling with a cadre of flawed characters, she learns with them the importance of seeking strength from within.
• The Nurse in Romeo and Juliet: Like many Shakespearian characters, the nurse’s role is both as loyal confidante to a central character and comic relief. Shakespeare uses minor characters to regale his crowd and sustain viewer interest between scenes.
• Lucy in The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe: Lucy represents a surprising character whose youthfulness and small stature make her an underrated character by all around her. Nonetheless, she possesses within the bravery and loyalty necessary to carry out the quest for Aslan. Lucy represents the goodness in children and, by extension, all of mankind.
• Anne in Anne of Green Gables: Anne occupies the typical literary role of young girls in many classical novels: she represents innocence and wonder, and her contraventions of rules are seen through a prism of childhood innocence. This frames Anne not as a deviant but as a precious soul.
• Simba from The Lion King: Simba’s story follows his struggle with growing up, embracing his destiny and duty to his family, or fleeing towards freedom and a ‘no worries’ lifestyle. Simba flees Pride Rock and goes through an existential crisis with his existentialist friends Timon and Pumba. When he runs into an old childhood friend, he realizes how shallow his new carefree life has become and reflects upon his obligation to his community back home.
• Woody from Toy Story: Woody starts out Andy’s favorite toy, but when Andy gets a new flashier toy, Woody’s status amongst the toys falls apart. Woody’s key character challenge is to learn to be humble and inclusive living within the group. By the end of the movie, Woody realizes his duty to love and serve Andy is more important than his own status within the group.

4. Here’s an Example Template for your own Character Analysis Essay

Feel free to use this brainstorming template to get you started with your character analysis essay. I recommend filling out as many of these key points as you can, but remember sometimes you might have to skip some of these points if they’re not relevant to your character.

Once you’ve brainstormed the ideas in Table 1, follow the character analysis essay outline in Table 2 to stay on track for your character analysis essay. Do remember though that each assignment will be different and you should adjust it based on your teacher’s requirements.

Here’s Table 1, which is a brainstorming template for your character analysis essay:

And here’s Table 2, which is an example character analysis essay outline. This is for a 1500 word character analysis essay. Change the word count according to how long your essay should be:

Read Also: 39 Better Ways to Write ‘In Conclusion’ in an Essay

Character analyses can be really tough. You need to know your character really well. You might even need to re-read (or watch) your book or movie a few times over to get to know the character really well.

I recommend when you re-read or re-watch the text before you write your character analysis, have the checklist I provided above handy and take notes. Then, use the essay outline I provided above to put all of those notes together into a clear and thorough final character analysis essay.

Chris Drew (PhD)

Dr. Chris Drew is the founder of the Helpful Professor. He holds a PhD in education and has published over 20 articles in scholarly journals. He is the former editor of the Journal of Learning Development in Higher Education. [Image Descriptor: Photo of Chris]

• Chris Drew (PhD) https://helpfulprofessor.com/author/chris-drew-phd/ 5 Top Tips for Succeeding at University
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How to Write a Character Analysis Essay

A character analysis essay is a challenging type of essay students usually write for literature or English courses. In this article, we will explain the definition of character analysis and how to approach it. We will also touch on how to analyze characters and guide you through writing character analysis essays.

Typically, this kind of writing requires students to describe the character in the story's context. This can be fulfilled by analyzing the relationship between the character in question and other personas. Although, sometimes, giving your personal opinion and analysis of a specific character is also appropriate.

Let's explain the specifics of how to do a character analysis by getting straight to defining what is a character analysis. Our term paper writers will have you covered with a thorough guide!

What Is a Character Analysis Essay?

The character analysis definition explains the in-depth personality traits and analyzes characteristics of a certain hero. Mostly, the characters are from literature, but sometimes other art forms, such as cinematography. In a character analysis essay, your main job is to tell the reader who the character is and what role they play in the story. Therefore, despite your personal opinion and preferences, it is really important to use your critical thinking skills and be objective toward the character you are analyzing. A character analysis essay usually involves the character's relationship with others, their behavior, manner of speaking, how they look, and many other characteristics.

Although it's not a section about your job experience or education on a resume, sometimes it is appropriate to give your personal opinion and analysis of a particular character.

What Is the Purpose of a Character Analysis Essay

More than fulfilling a requirement, this type of essay mainly helps the reader understand the character and their world. One of the essential purposes of a character analysis essay is to look at the anatomy of a character in the story and dissect who they are. We must be able to study how the character was shaped and then learn from their life. 

A good example of a character for a character analysis essay is Daisy Buchanan from 'The Great Gatsby.' The essay starts off by explaining who Daisy is and how she relates to the main character, Jay Gatsby. Depending on your audience, you need to decide how much of the plot should be included. If the entire class writes an essay on Daisy Buchanan, it is logical to assume everyone has read the book. Although, if you know for certain that your audience has little to no knowledge of who she is, it is crucial to include as much background information as possible. 

After that, you must explain the character through certain situations involving her and what she said or did. Make sure to explain to the reader why you included certain episodes and how they have showcased the character. Finally, summarize everything by clearly stating the character's purpose and role in the story. 

We also highly recommend reading how to write a hook for an essay .

Still Need Help with Your Character Analysis Essay?

Different types of characters.

To make it clear how a reader learns about a character in the story, you should note that several characters are based on their behaviors, traits, and roles within a story. We have gathered some of them, along with vivid examples from famous literature and cinema pieces:

Types of Characters

• Major : These are the main characters; they run the story. Regularly, there are only one or two major characters. Major characters are usually of two types: the protagonist – the good guy, and the antagonist: the bad guy or the villain. 
• Protagonist (s) (heroes): The main character around whom most of the plot revolves. 

For example, Othello from Shakespeare's play, Frodo from The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien, Harry Potter from the Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling, and Elizabeth Bennet from 'Pride and Prejudice' by Jane Austen.

• Antagonist (s): This is the person that is in opposition to the protagonist. This is usually the villain, but it could also be a natural power, set of circumstances, majestic being, etc. 

For example, Darth Vader from the Star Wars series by George Lucas, King Joffrey from Game of Thrones, or the Wicked Queen from 'Snow White and Seven Dwarfs.'

• Minor : These characters help tell the major character's tale by letting them interact and reveal their personalities, situations, and/or stories. They are commonly static (unchanging). The minor characters in The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien would be the whole Fellowship of the ring. In their own way, each member of the Fellowship helps Frodo get the ring to Mordor; without them, the protagonist would not be a protagonist and would not be able to succeed. In the Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling, minor characters are Ronald Weasley and Hermione Granger. They consistently help Harry Potter on his quests against Voldemort, and, like Frodo, he wouldn't have succeeded without them.

On top of being categorized as a protagonist, antagonist, or minor character, a character can also be dynamic, static, or foil.

• Dynamic (changing): Very often, the main character is dynamic.

An example would also be Harry Potter from the book series by J.K. Rowling. Throughout the series, we see Harry Potter noticing his likeness to Voldemort. Nevertheless, Harry resists these traits because, unlike Voldemort, he is a good person and resists any desire to become a dark wizard.

• Static (unchanging): Someone who does not change throughout the story is static.

A good example of a static character is Atticus Finch from “How to Kill a Mockingbird” by Harper Lee. His character and views do not change throughout the book. He is firm and steady in his beliefs despite controversial circumstances. 

• Foils : These characters' job is to draw attention to the main character(s) to enhance the protagonist's role.

‍ A great example of a foil charact e r is Dr. Watson from the Sherlock Holmes series by Arthur Conan Doyle.

How to Analyze a Character 

While preparing to analyze your character, make sure to read the story carefully.

• Pay attention to the situations where the character is involved, their dialogues, and their role in the plot.
• Make sure you include information about what your character achieves on a big scale and how they influence other characters.
• Despite the categories above, try thinking outside the box and explore your character from around.
• Avoid general statements and being too basic. Instead, focus on exploring the complexities and details of your character(s).

How to Write a Character Analysis Essay?

To learn how to write a character analysis essay and gather a more profound sense of truly understanding these characters, one must completely immerse themself in the story or literary piece.

• Take note of the setting, climax, and other important academic parts.
• You must be able to feel and see through the characters. Observe how analysis essay writer shaped these characters into life.
• Notice how little or how vast the character identities were described.
• Look at the characters' morals and behaviors and how they have affected situations and other characters throughout the story.
• Finally, observe the characters whom you find interesting. 

Meanwhile, if you need help writing a paper, leave us a message ' write my paper .'

How Do You Start a Character Analysis Essay

When writing a character analysis essay, first, you have to choose a character you'd like to write about. Sometimes a character will be readily assigned to you. It's wise to consider characters who play a dynamic role in the story. This will captivate the reader as there will be much information about these personas.

Read the Story

You might think that if you already have read the book, there is no need to do so again; however, now that you know the character you would like to focus on, reading it again will have plenty of benefits. It will give you an opportunity to be more precise while reading the scenes that relate directly to your character and are important for his/her analysis. While reading the book, pay attention to every tiny detail to make sure you grasp the whole array of your character's traits. 

Consider the following things:

• What specific descriptions does the author provide for each character?

For example, when J.K. Rowling describes Harry Potter for the first time, she describes his clothes as old and oversized, his hair untidy, and his glasses as broken. It might seem just like a simple description, but she expresses compassion and pity for an orphan neglected by his only relatives. 

• What kinds of relationships does your character have with others?

Think about how Harry builds up his friendships with others. First, he and Ron do not like Hermione because she acts like a know-it-all, but when she gets stuck in the dungeons with a horrendous troll, he rushes to save her regardless. 

• How do the actions of the character move the plot forward?

In 'The Philosopher's Stone,' Harry is very observant of any events taking place at school. He analyzes people's actions, which builds up the plot around the stone and its importance for the magical world.

Get help with your character analysis from our experts.

Choose a Dynamic Character

Choosing a dynamic character is a great idea. This does not necessarily have to be the protagonist, but a character that undergoes many changes has grown throughout the story and is not boring and/or static. This gives you a perfect advantage to fully show the character and make your paper entertaining and engaging for the reader. If you choose a character that is not very dynamic, your essay might seem monotonous because your character will not end up doing much and will not be very involved in the story.

While you are reading, it is useful to take notes or highlight/underline any of the critical elements of the story. This will add depth to your character description(s). By providing vivid and specific examples, you connect your reader to the character, and the character comes alive in their eyes. Review your notes and formulate the main idea about your character when you're finished reading with your character in mind.

Make an initial draft while taking note of the character analysis essay outline provided by your instructor. You may follow the recommended character analysis essay format if you have not been provided with a sample.

Choose a Main Idea

While reading the story, make sure you keep track of your notes. It is a good idea to look at them, choose the ones that are the most representative of your character and find patterns. This will be your thesis. Then, you must support this idea with examples and situations involving your character. 

If your character were Jem Finch from 'To Kill a Mockingbird' by Harper Lee, the main idea would be how his personal character is shaped through racial conflicts, social inequalities, and internal struggles between public opinion, his own views, and what is actually right. Essaypro offers you history essay help. Leave us a notice if you need to proofread, edit, or write your essay.

Character Analysis Questions

Now that you have jotted down some main concepts about your character, here is a list of questions that can help you fill in the blanks you might still have:

• Where do the events involving your character take place?
• What are the relationships between your character and other significant characters?
• What is the primary change your character has gone through throughout the story?
• What is your character's background?
• What is your character's occupation?
• What kind of emotions does your character go through?
• What are your character's values?
• What is your character's value?
• Does your character have friends?
• Is there a lesson your character has learned by the end of the story?
• Does the character achieve the goals he/she has set for himself/herself?

Make a Character Analysis Essay Outline

When you're unsure how to write a character synopsis, remember that creating a literary analysis outline is one of the most critical steps. A well-constructed character analysis outline will keep your thoughts and ideas organized.

Character Analysis Essay Introduction:

Make the introduction to your paper brief and meaningful. It should hold together your entire essay and spark your audience's interest. Write a short description of the character in question. Don't forget to include a character analysis thesis statement which should make a case for the character's relevance within the narrative context.

Character Analysis Essay Body:

Subdivide your body paragraphs into different ideas or areas regarding the character. Look at your professor's rubric and ensure you'll be able to tackle all the requirements. You should also be provided with questions to be answered to formulate your analysis better. The body should answer the following questions:

• What is the character's physical appearance, personality, and background?
• What are the conflicts the character experiences, and how did he/she overcome them?
• What can we learn from this character?
• What is the meaning behind the character's actions? What motivates him/her?
• What does the character do? How does he/she treat others? Is he/she fair or unjust?
• What does the character say? What is his/her choice of words? Does he/she have a rich vocabulary?
• How does the character describe themself? How do others describe him/her?
• What words do you associate with the character? Perhaps a word like 'hope,' 'bravery,' or maybe even 'freedom'?

Character Analysis Essay Conclusion:

It's time to master the secrets of how to write character analysis essay conclusions. Your ending should also hold your ideas together and shape a final analysis statement. Mention things about the character's conflicts that we could experience in real life. Additionally, you can write about how a character should've reacted to a certain situation.

Character Analysis Essay Example

Read our blogs ‘Character Analysis of Jem Finch', 'The Great Gatsby Book Through Daisy Buchanan Character,' 'Analysis of Characters in Beowulf,' or simply use these character analysis essay examples to reference your paper. You might also be interested in a synthesis essay example .

Now that you know what is character analysis, it might be time to choose a character to write about. If you find yourself in a situation where you need to type ' do my homework for me ,' you should contact our writers. You also get a free plagiarism report, formatting, and citing when  buying an essay from us!

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How to Write a Character Analysis — Tips and Techniques

A great story is often, if not always, synonymous with great characters. Crafting great characters is not an easy feat. So it’s no wonder that readers and writers alike gravitate toward the best characters in storytelling. Analyzing characters can be incredibly helpful for crafting your own characters or simply understanding your favorite story more deeply. In this article, we’ll dive into how to write a character analysis by asking the right questions, analyzing characterization, and retaining curiosity throughout the process.  

How to Write a Character Analysis

First, let’s define character analysis.

Before we dive into the details of how to write a great character analysis let’s make sure we on the same page by looking at the character analysis definition.  

CHARACTER ANALYSIS DEFINITION

What is a character analysis.

A character analysis is a written body of work that analyzes the qualities and traits of a specific character. These characters are primarily from literary works, but can also be from cinema and television. The purpose of a character analysis is to dissect the various intricacies of a character and their role within a story. A character analysis should focus on the quality and function of a character in a story rather than on personal opinions on how the writer might feel about the character. A character analysis should dissect various types of characterization from the writer of the character to form a well-rounded analysis. 

Example character analysis types:

Protagonist.

First and foremost, it’s important to identify the type of character you're writing about. To identify the character type of your analysis here are two questions that are important to address: What is their function in the story? And how do they change or not change throughout the story?

How to Do a Character Analysis

Determine the character’s function.

A character’s function in a story is incredibly important to understand because it gives context as to why the writer made specific choices around the character such as their goals, behavior, and even outward appearance. 

Depending on a character’s function in the story they will fall under one of the following types: protagonist, antagonist, foil, or mentor.

A protagonist is a character who pushes a story forward. He or she is also the central force of the story. Here's a video where break down the main types.

What is a Protagonist  •   Subscribe on YouTube

Derived from the Greek words prōtos and agōnistēs, “protagonist” quite literally translates to “first actor.” In the Harry Potter series, Harry Potter is the protagonist.

An antagonist is the force of a story that the protagonist contends with; whether it be human, natural or supernatural. Every protagonist needs an antagonistic force. Here is a quick rundown on antagonists.

What is a Antagonist  •   Subscribe on YouTube

Derived from the Greek word agonizesthai, “antagonist” literally translates to English as “to contend with.” In the Harry Potter series, "He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named" is the antagonist. Alright we’ll say it for clarity — Lord Voldemort.

A foil character is a fictional character that serves to expose something intrinsic in another character. Oftentimes, the thing that is exposed is a character folly, like cowardice or greed. 

In the Harry Potter series, Draco Malfoy is often Harry’s foil.

A mentor is a character that serves a guide and/or teacher for the story’s protagonist. The mentor is an integral component of Joseph Cambell’s hero’s journey story structure . 

In the Harry Potter series, Albus Dumbledore is Harry’s mentor.

Analyze the character’s development

This second question will help you write a better character analysis because it addresses whether or not your character changes or does not change over the course of the story. 

Static character

A static character is a character that does not undergo any significant internal change over the course of a story. Throughout a story, a static character largely remains the same and does not grow or develop in a substantial way.

Watch our character analysis of Marty McFly and his "flat arc" for a great example of a character who doesn't change.

Dissecting a "flat" character arc  •   Subscribe on YouTube

Dynamic character.

A dynamic character is a character that undergoes significant internal change over the course of a story. This change can happen subtly and gradually throughout the story and can be a change for better or worse. This is a character who often learns a lesson or changes in beliefs or principles. 

For a few examples that will drive home the differences between dynamic and static characters, check out this video breakdown below. 

Analyzing Characters  •  Dynamic vs Static Characters 

Understanding what a character’s function is and what their development is over time will help you determine the focus point of your character development analysis

Related Posts

• What is a Character Study? →
• Character Archetypes in Literature & Movies →
• Character Development: Write Stronger Characters →

How to Write a Proper Character Analysis

Choose a point of focus.

When learning how to write a character analysis choosing a focus point is important for creating a thoughtful, and poignant analysis. Without a solid focus, you run the risk of writing a character synopsis and regurgitating facts and details the reader already knows about the character. 

To reverse engineer a focus point in your character analysis, ask yourself what the reader can learn from this character from a writer’s perspective? Is this character a complex hero ? What makes this character memorable or iconic?

In the video below, we analyze the character Anton Chigurh from No Country for Old Men and focus on what makes Chigurh the perfect antagonist. 

Why Anton Chigurh is the Perfect Antagonist  •   Subscribe on YouTube

It can be difficult to land on the focus point of your character analysis right away. This is why it is important to first analyze the function of your character and their development throughout the story.

In this process, you will find what makes this character unique and what readers can take away from your analysis. 

Analyzing characterization

Once you have your focus point, it’s time to gather evidence and support for your thesis. These pieces of support will derive from the characterization . 

Characterization is the process through which an artist communicates character to an audience. In writing, characterization is achieved through dialogue, actions, and descriptions. There is both direct characterization and indirect characterization. To help you analyze these two types of characterization, let’s break them down. 

Direct and Indirect Characterization  •  Analyzing Characters

Direct characterization.

Direct characterization is “surface level” characterization. It’s simply the overt information we’re given about a character, such as “what they look like, what their job is, and what they appear to others.” Many literary scholars describe this type of characterization as “what we’re told about a character.”

An example of this can be found in The Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway. Hemingway uses direct characterization to describe the main character writing “Everything about him was old except his eyes and they were the same color as the sea and were cheerful and undefeated.”

Indirect characterization

Indirect characterization , on the other hand, is a subtype of characterization that’s defined by “showing” rather than “telling.” It is an important technique used by writers for developing nuanced characters. It is primarily utilized through what the character says, thinks, and does. 

A common acronym for indirect characterization is “STEAL” which refers to speech, thinks, effect, action, and looks. These details often come from dialogue, goals, desires, and the history or background of the character. 

An example of indirect characterization can be found in Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird . Harper writes, “First of all,’ he said, ‘if you can learn a simple trick, Scout, you’ll get along a lot better with all kinds of folks. You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view […] until you climb into his skin and walk around in it.”

• What is a Character Arc? →
• What is a Flat Character? →
• How to Introduce Characters in a Screenplay →

Character analysis questions

As you continue to flesh out and write your character analysis you may hit some road blocks. A valuable tool to overcome these roadblocks are questions. Try to think of the character that you are analyzing as a person that actually exists that you are interviewing.

What questions would you ask them to really understand who they are? Here are a few examples of character analysis questions to get you started.

What are your values?

What is your background? How did you grow up?

How have you changed from what happened to you or through what you experienced?

Is there a lesson you learned from all of this?

While you may not be able to answer all of these questions from the characterization the author provides, it’s a great exercise to uncover what you may not have yet realized about this character. 

Character analyses are not only a dive into the craft of writing and storytelling, but an analysis of psychology and experience. When analyzing a character, it’s important to wear both hats to provide an insightful, well-rounded character analysis that is unique and thoughtfully presented.

Up Next 

What is characterization .

As we mentioned above, characterization is incredibly important to understanding the characters of a great story. In our next article, we take a deeper dive into characterization and more examples of both indirect and direct characterization. 

Up Next: Characterization Explained  →

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Character Analysis Guide: Master Literature

What is character analysis, how to identify characteristics of a character, how to analyze character development, how to analyze character interactions, how to analyze character motivations, how to analyze character influence on plot, how to analyze character influence on theme, how to analyze character arc and transformation.

• How to write character analysis essay

Picture your favorite book. Now, think about the characters that brought that story to life. Their actions, thoughts, and words paint a vivid picture in our minds, don't they? Well, the secret to understanding those characters, as well as the heart of the story, lies in mastering the art of analyzing characterization in literature. It's like a fun detective game where you gather clues about characters to uncover the deeper layers of the story. Let's jump right in!

Character analysis is a fascinating journey into the heart of a story. It's about looking closely at each character and understanding their traits, roles, and experiences. Imagine you are a detective and the character is a puzzle waiting to be solved. You're not just reading about who they are on the surface, but you're digging into their actions, words, and thoughts to see what makes them tick. Here's how you do it:

• Identify the character's traits: These are the qualities that make a character who they are. It could be anything from being brave, clever, kind, or stubborn.
• Understand their role in the story: Every character plays a part in moving the story forward. They could be the hero, the sidekick, the villain, or even the comic relief.
• Examine the conflicts they experience: Characters often face challenges or conflicts. How they deal with these situations can reveal a lot about their personality and growth.

Remember, analyzing characterization in literature isn't just about listing facts about the character. It's about understanding them in a way that brings the story to life. It's about seeing how they change, how they interact with others, and how they influence the plot and themes of the story. There's a whole world to explore within each character, so let's get started!

So, you're ready to start analyzing characterization in literature, and the first step is to identify the characteristics of a character. But how do you do it? Here is a straightforward plan:

• Observe their actions: What a character does can tell you a lot about who they are. For example, if a character always stands up for others, they're likely brave and compassionate.
• Pay attention to their words: Dialogue can reveal a lot about a character's personality, beliefs, and relationships with others. For instance, a character who always speaks kindly to others is likely a nice person.
• Consider their thoughts and feelings: Sometimes, a character's inner world — their thoughts and feelings — can tell you more about them than their actions or words.
• Take into account their appearance: How a character dresses or looks can give you clues about their personality or their role in the story.

Identifying characteristics is like collecting puzzle pieces about a character. It's not just about noting what you see or read, but about putting those pieces together to get a fuller picture of who the character really is. So, keep those detective glasses on and let's continue our journey in analyzing characterization in literature.

Now that you've got the basics down, let's move on to analyzing character development. This involves observing how a character changes and grows throughout the story. Here's the scoop:

• Track the character's journey: Look at where the character started at the beginning of the story and where they end up. Have they grown? Have they learned something new? Have their beliefs or attitudes changed? This can give you a sense of their development.
• Analyze key events: Major events in the story often trigger changes in characters. Examine these closely and consider how the character reacted, what choices they made, and how it affected them.
• Consider relationships: Relationships can greatly influence a character's development. How a character interacts with others, their reactions, and the changes in their relationships can all signify growth or change.

Remember, not all characters will develop or change in a story—that's okay. Some characters are static, meaning they stay the same throughout the story. Others are dynamic, meaning they undergo significant changes. Both are important and understanding this is a key part of analyzing characterization in literature.

Let's dive into another important part of analyzing characterization in literature: examining character interactions. This is all about how characters relate to each other. Let's break this down:

• Observe dialogues: So much can be uncovered from the way characters talk to each other. Do they argue? Are they supportive? Do they joke around? Dialogues can reveal a lot about relationships between characters.
• Look at their actions: Actions can speak louder than words. If a character helps another in a tough situation, or perhaps the opposite, betrays them, it can tell you much about their relationship and interactions.
• Consider their influence: Characters often influence each other's decisions and behaviors. If a character changes because of another, it shows the power and effect of their interaction.

When analyzing character interactions, it's important to note that these interactions can change over time—just like in real life. Characters can start off as friends and end up as enemies, or vice versa. Understanding these changing dynamics can give you a deeper understanding of the characters and the story as a whole.

It's time to explore the driving forces behind characters' actions. Understanding character motivations is a key part of analyzing characterization in literature. Here's what you need to watch out for:

• Desires and Goals: What does the character want more than anything? This could be anything from a physical object, a relationship, a change in their life, or even the resolution of a mystery. Their ultimate goal will heavily influence their actions.
• Fears and Worries: On the flip side, what does the character want to avoid? Fears and worries can be as motivating as desires and goals. They can push the character to take risks or to make safe choices.
• Values and Beliefs: What does the character believe in? What are their morals? These deeply held values can guide a character's decisions, even when they conflict with their desires or fears.

Remember, motivations can evolve as the story progresses. Characters might change their minds, achieve their goals, or face new fears. Keeping track of these changes can help you understand not just the characters, but also the bigger themes and messages of the story.

The plot of a story isn't just something that happens—it's often driven by the actions and decisions of its characters. That's why analyzing characterization in literature includes understanding how characters influence the plot. Here's how you can do it:

• Actions: Look at the key events in the story. How many of them are caused directly by the character's actions? A character who frequently makes things happen is likely to have a significant influence on the plot.
• Decisions: Similarly, consider the character's decisions. How do they affect the story's direction? Remember, a decision isn't always about doing something—sometimes, the decision to do nothing can be equally impactful!
• Reactions: Even passive characters can influence the plot through their reactions. How do other characters and events in the story change as a result of this character's responses? This can give you clues about their indirect influence on the plot.

As you can see, a character's influence on the plot goes beyond their actions. It's about how they shape the world around them, and how the world, in turn, shapes them. This give-and-take is a vital part of analyzing characterization in literature, and it can reveal a lot about the story's deeper meanings.

When analyzing characterization in literature, one often overlooked aspect is how characters can embody and influence the theme of the story. Themes are the underlying messages or big ideas of a story, and characters play a crucial role in expressing these. So how do you analyze a character's influence on theme? Here's a simple guide:

• Beliefs: What does the character believe in? Their beliefs can often mirror the theme of the story. For instance, if a character strongly believes in forgiveness, the theme of the story may revolve around redemption.
• Speech: The way a character speaks can reflect the theme. For example, a character who frequently talks about freedom and independence might hint at a theme of personal liberty.
• Behavior: How does the character behave? Do they consistently act in a way that supports the theme? In a story themed around courage, you might find a character who consistently stands up for what they believe in, no matter the cost.

Remember, characters are often vehicles for the author's themes. By diving into a character's beliefs, speech, and behavior, you can gain a deeper understanding of the story's larger messages. And that's the beauty of analyzing characterization in literature—it's not just about understanding the characters, but also the world they inhabit and the ideas they represent.

Another fascinating aspect of analyzing characterization in literature is the character arc and transformation. A character's arc is the journey they go through, the changes they undergo from the start of the story to the end. This can provide a wealth of insight into not only the character but also the story's overall message. Let's take a look at how to analyze this aspect:

• Identify the starting point: Where does the character begin in the story? Are they timid, confident, naive, cynical? This initial characterization sets the stage for their journey.
• Track the changes: As the story progresses, how does the character change? Do they become more confident? Do they lose their innocence? Identifying these changes can help you understand the character arc.
• Understand the catalysts: What events or experiences prompt these changes in the character? The reasons behind a character's transformation can be as revealing as the changes themselves.
• Analyze the end point: Where does the character end up at the end of the story? How do they differ from the character we met at the beginning? Assessing the end point of the character's journey can provide insight into the overall theme of the story.

Character transformation is one of the most compelling aspects of a story. It's what makes us root for characters, mourn their losses, and celebrate their victories. By analyzing a character's arc, we can gain a deeper appreciation for the intricacies of storytelling and the power of character development in literature.

How to write a character analysis essay

Now that we've covered the intricate process of analyzing characterization in literature, let's apply this knowledge to the final step: writing a character analysis essay. This task may seem daunting at first, but don't worry, we're in this together. Here's how you can approach it:

• Choose your character: Start by selecting the character you want to analyze. It could be a major character or a minor one—whatever sparks your interest!
• Identify key characteristics: Next, list down the key characteristics of your chosen character. Remember, these can include physical attributes, personality traits, and even their habits and quirks!
• Analyze character development: How does your character change over the course of the story? What experiences or events lead to these changes? This is where your understanding of character arcs comes into play.
• Consider character interactions: Look at how your character interacts with others. These interactions can reveal a lot about your character's motivations and their role in the story.
• Examine influence on plot and theme: How does your character influence the plot and the theme of the story? Their actions, decisions, and transformations can have significant impacts on the storyline and the underlying messages of the text.
• Organize your thoughts: Before you start writing, create an outline for your essay. This will help you structure your thoughts and ensure a smooth flow of ideas.
• Write, review, and revise: Now it's time to bring it all together! Write your essay, then take some time to review and revise it. Make sure your analysis is clear, your arguments are well-supported, and your writing is engaging.

And there you have it! With these steps, you're well on your way to writing a stellar character analysis essay. Remember, the goal is not to simply describe your character, but to delve into their personality, their changes, their motivations, and their impact on the story. So go ahead, flex those analytical muscles and dive into the wonderful world of character analysis!

If you enjoyed our Character Analysis Guide and want to dive deeper into the world of creating compelling characters, be sure to check out the workshop ' Creating Characters: The Design Process ' by Kit Buss. This workshop will provide you with valuable insights on how to design unique and memorable characters for your stories, further enhancing your understanding of literature.

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How to Write a Character Analysis Essay: Examples & Outline

A character analysis is an examination of the personalities and actions of protagonists and antagonists that make up a story. It discusses their role in the story, evaluates their traits, and looks at their conflicts and experiences. You might need to write this assignment in school or college. Like any other essay, your character analysis should contain an introduction, a conclusion, and a thesis.

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Want to know how to write a character analysis essay? Not sure how to start? We understand. Whichever piece you choose – Lady Macbeth, A Rose for Emily, or something else, – analyzing a character for the first time might be challenging. No worries, we are here to help! In this guide by our custom writing experts, you will find a step-by-step guide, outlining and writing tips, as well as a number of character analysis examples.

• 📔 Character Analysis Definition
• 🧙 Types of Characters
• 📝 Writing Guide
• 🖥️ Formatting Tips

📑 Character Analysis Essay Examples

📔 what is a character analysis essay.

A character analysis essay is an assignment where you evaluate a character’s traits, behaviors, and motivations. It requires critical thinking and attention to detail. Unlike descriptions, analyses focus on a character’s personality and internal drives. It explains how those factors shape the narrated events.

So, what you need to do is to see the characters as if they were real people who feel and act just as we do. Ensure there are no baseless assumptions and interpretations: the ideas you present should be supported by quotes from the text.

Character: Definition (Literature)

How do you define a character? It is a person, a creature, or an animal that makes up the story’s world. A character can be based on a real-life person, or it can be entirely fictional. It is someone who thinks, feels, and acts.

We use the word “character” in many different contexts. For instance, it can denote someone eccentric or worthy of our admiration. In both contexts, the term “character” means a distinctive personality. Similarly, in an analysis, your task is to show what makes a character stand out.

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Characterization: Literary Definition & Examples

Characterization is the process by which a character’s personality is revealed. It presents characters’ traits, feelings, and motives to the reader. For this reason, characterization is closely connected to character analysis. It helps us to understand the characters better throughout the reading process.

Characterization can be direct and indirect .

• Direct characterization is when the narrator directly tells the audience what the personality of a character is.
• In contrast, indirect characterization shows things that hint at a character’s nature.

Here are some examples of direct characterization taken from Patti Smith’s Just Kids :

“But he always suppressed his real feelings, mimicking the stoic nature of his father.”

Here we see a direct description of a character. The author straightforwardly talks about Robert’s feelings. In comparison, look at the description of a woman taken from John Steinbeck’s The Snake :

“He looked around at her again. Her dark eyes seemed veiled with dust. She looked without expression at the cat’s open throat.”

These lines don’t directly reveal anything about the woman, but the reader can understand that she is cold and dangerous. It’s an indirect characterization that focuses on looks and actions to convey the message to the reader.

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🧙 Types of Characters for Your Essay

When it comes to characters, they can be divided into several groups. For example, characters can be:

• Protagonists or antagonists,
• Static or dynamic,
• Flat or round.

These types define how much the characters change through the course of the story and their role in it.

Character Type: Definition

In psychology, a character type is defined by a combination of personality traits that coexist in an individual. Authors incorporate different types of characters into their works to convey the message and make the story more exciting or relatable to the reader.

There are three ways to categorize a character type:

• by archetypes,
• by their role in the narrative,
• by their ability to change throughout the story.

If you are about to write a character analysis essay, being familiar with character archetypes is essential. They have been categorized by a generation of writers, including the Swiss psychologist Carl Jung and the American literary theorist Joseph Campbell. A lot of characters we see in today’s literary works are rooted in them.

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Archetypes include the Trickster, the Ruler, the Lover, the Sage, and others. The Hero is one of the most notable archetypes. Hercules or Achilles can be good examples of heroic protagonists. They are strong and courageous; they meet challenges and save the day by helping others.

Main Character: Definition & Examples

The main character and the protagonist often get mixed up. Most narratives also have the figure of the antagonist , whose actions affect the plot and stimulate change. Let’s have a look at the similarities and differences between these types.

The main character is central in the narrative. We experience the story through their eyes. They don’t necessarily have to be protagonists, though it happens in many cases.

The crucial difference between the main character and the protagonist is that the protagonist goes through changes throughout the story. The main character, however, is there to guide the reader through the experience. Often they help to show a different, darker side of the protagonist.

To understand the difference better, let’s turn to some examples.

What’s a Static Character?

Now that we’ve learned about the main character and the protagonist, we will closely look at other types of character classifications. One of the ways to categorize a character is by their ability to change throughout the story.

A static or simple character is someone who undergoes little or no significant changes. They often exist for comedic purposes. Here are some examples:

Complex Character: Definition & Examples

Complex or dynamic characters are the opposite of static characters. Characters of this type change as the book progresses. They display different qualities, emotions, and motives. They become more complicated and interesting to the reader as the story unfolds.

Check out these examples of dynamic characters:

Other Kinds of Characters

You already know about several ways to define a type of character. Now, let’s go over some other types, starting with flat and round characters.

Similar to dynamic and static ones, round and flat characters represent two different ends of a spectrum. Round characters usually come with an in-depth background. They are traditionally protagonists, antagonists, or those close to them. In contrast, flat characters are two-dimensional, and there is not much depth to them.

For the examples, we will turn to the novel Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen.

Finally, here are some bonus character types for you:

• Stock characters have a fixed set of traits and are flat. Most of the time, they exist for comical relief.
• Symbolic characters represent a concept or a theme that goes beyond them. They can be round and flat as long as they symbolize a particular notion or phenomena.
• Sidekick is a secondary character who supports the protagonist.
• The love interest is someone with whom the main character is infatuated.
• Foil is someone who’s set in contrast with the protagonist, thus putting more emphasis on the latter’s qualities.

Characterization Essay: Which Character Type to Choose

Before you start writing a paper, it essential to decide on the character you’re going to analyze. There are different types of characters in every story, so you need to choose which one suits your essay topic the best.

Usually, it’s best to choose a dynamic and round character . With static and flat ones, there may not be enough substance for you to analyze. However, some such personalities can be interesting to work with. For instance, a flat character such as Mr. Collins can be symbolic of something. Then, you can talk about how it embodies a specific idea or notion. You can also look at how they affect other characters in the story.

📝 How to Write a Character Analysis Step by Step

Now, we’re going to discuss how to write your paper step-by-step. But first, here are some pre-writing steps for you to consider:

• Choose a character for analysis.
• Take notes while reading;
• Define the type of the character and their role in the story;
• Pay attention to their descriptions and actions.

How to Analyze a Character: Description Examples

Knowing how to organize your work is an essential skill. Certain things need special attention if you are describing a character:

• physical appearance,
• emotional state,
• how the character speaks,
• behavior and personality traits,
• relationships with other characters.

When you analyze a character, try to look at them as if they were a real-life person. You want to know their motive, learn about how they feel, and understand why they think in a certain way. Ask yourself:

• How did the character change throughout the story (if at all)?
• What do other characters say about them? Can their words be trusted?
• Where is the character physically and emotionally? What brought them here?
• What is the character ready to do to achieve their goal?

Now, let’s look at the character of Franklin from the short story Just Before the War with the Eskimos by J.D. Salinger:

Character Profile Template for Writing

When writing your essay, use this character analysis template:

In the following sections, we’ll discuss each step in detail.

Character Analysis Outline: How to Start a Character Analysis

The beginning of your essay is its crucial part. It sets the mood and grabs the reader’s attention. There are many different ways to write a character analysis introduction, but here are the most effective ones:

• Use a quotation. It’s a great way to make a catchy hook. If it relates to the character and reflects their nature, it can also help to set the tone for analysis. In case you are using a quotation from somewhere else, mention the source in parentheses.
• Talk about the book or story. Mention the author, the name of the story, and the genre. Briefly describe the main events that are taking place in the story.
• Introduce the character. State their role in the story (define whether they are a protagonist, an antagonist, etc.) Then, explain whether the character is static or dynamic. Finally, describe them in 2-3 sentences.

The final part of an introduction is a thesis statement.Read on to learn how to write one!

Character Analysis Thesis Statement & Examples

A thesis is the key component of every essay, and character analysis is not an exception. It’s crucial to develop a good and clear thesis statement that includes all the aspects of your paper. For instance, if you plan to write a 4-paragraph body, including 4 points in your thesis.

What should a character analysis thesis include? Well, try to think of any trait that the character possesses that has to do with their downfall or somehow influences the story. Think about how this trait affects the character’s relationship with others or how it contributes to their motive or aspiration.

Take a look at the following examples:

How to Write Character Analysis Paragraphs for the Main Body

The main body of your essay can include as many paragraphs as you need. In this part, you introduce the character and analyze them. We have already talked in this article about what kind of questions should be answered in these paragraphs. The most important points are:

• Describe the character and their role within the story.
• Give the audience an explanation of the character’s motives.
• Show what message the author wanted to convey through this character.

Keep in mind that every paragraph should have a topic sentence that captures its main idea.

Tsukuru Tazaki’s spiritual rebirth also affects his physical appearance.

Character Analysis Conclusion: How to Write

The conclusion part of your essay summarizes all the information you have mentioned and restates the thesis. Here is some advice for your conclusion paragraph:

🖥️ Character Analysis Essay Format

Most college assignments and essays are written according to the APA or MLA format. Both styles have the same formatting, which requires:

• a double-spaced paper with 1-inch margins,
• a page header with page numbers flush right,
• an 11-12-point font.

While writing an essay on characters, pay special attention to quotations. Here are some tips for APA in-text citations:

• When you summarize or paraphrase the information, mention the author’s name and publication date in brackets. Example: According to Collins (1997.)
• When you quote directly from the source, add the number of the page, as well. Example: “There is a view that…” (Collins, 1997, pp. 134-135.)
• If the source includes three or more authors, use the abbreviation “et al.” after the first author’s name. Example: (Collins et al., 1997)

As for MLA format:

• You can write the author’s name in the sentence. Example: As Collins mentions in his essay<…>.
• You can mention the author’s name in the parentheses at the end of the sentence. Example: (Collins, J.K.)
• The last option is to use either footnotes or endnotes.

Below you’ll find a collection of character analysis essay examples and a downloadable sample to inspire you even more.

• The Grandmother in A Good Man Is Hard to Find: Character Analysis
• Willy Loman in Death of a Salesman: Character Analysis
• Jay Gatsby and Nick Carraway: Character Analysis
• Prospero in The Tempest: Character Analysis
• Agamemnon in the Iliad: Character Analysis
• Lord Pococurante in Candide: Character Analysis
• Andromache in the Iliad: Character Analysis
• Character Analysis of the Knight from The Canterbury Tales
• Essay on Soldier’s Home: Analysis of the Characters

Character Analysis Example (Downloadable)

Roald Dahl’s  Matilda  is one of the most famous children’s novels of the 20th century. The protagonist of this tale is Matilda Wormwood, a five and a half-year-old girl with a brilliant and lively mind that distances her from the rest of the family. Matilda’s character is particularly interesting as she has a powerful personality with extraordinary mental abilities, and she manages to overcome all the obstacles that surround her.

Character Analysis Essay Topics

• Character analysis of Abbas from A.D.: New Orleans After the Deluge .
• Jay Gatsby in The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald.
• Beowulf and Hamlet : similarity and diversity of the characters.
• Personal and social failures of Willy Loman in Death of a Salesman by Arthur Miller.
• Character analysis of Othello .
• Analyze the characters of Stanley and Blanche from A Streetcar Named Desire .
• The tragedy of Mathilde Loisel from The Necklace by Guy de Maupassant.
• Character analysis of Huck Finn from Mark Twain’s The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn .
• Moral force of Kate Lipton from Double Helix by Nancy Parker.
• Character analysis of Thorvald and Nora in Henrik Ibsen’s A Doll’s House .
• Discuss the character of king Creon in Antigone .
• Analyze the personality of Lydia from Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice .
• Compare Nick Carraway and Tom Buchanan from The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald.
• Describe the peculiarities of Lord Pococurante in Candide .
• Sarty Snopes in William Faulkner’s Barn Burning : character analysis.
• Analyze the character of Biff Loman in Death of a Salesman.
• Personality of Nora in A Doll House by Henrik Ibsen.
• Examine the main characters of The Yellow Paper by Charlotte Perkins Gilman.
• Personality change of the main character in Edgar Alan Poe’s The Black Cat .
• Analyze the characters of E. Hemingway’s A Clean, Well-Lighted Place .
• Describe the main characters of the novel The Overstory by Richard Powers.
• Controversial personality of Vladek in Maus: A Survivor’s Tale by Art Spiegelman.
• Character analysis of Victor Frankenstein in Frankenstein by Mary Shelley .
• Discuss the character of Creon in Oedipus the King .
• The manipulative character of Iago in Willian Shakespeare’s Othello .
• Analyze the characters of Nil and Kristine in A Doll’s House .
• Eccentricity of Grendel’s character in Beowulf .
• Describe the main characters of Four Summers by Joyce Carol Oates.
• Examine the characters of Harold Krebs and his mother in Ernest Hemingway’s Soldier’s Home .
• Analyze common and different traits of the characters in The Monkey’s Paw .
• Character peculiarities of Rostam and Sohrab in Shahnameh by Ferdowsi Tousi.
• How does the character of Elizabeth Bennet in Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen differ from the rest of her family?
• The behavior and meaning of the characters in Nicholas Rowe’s The Tragedy of Jane Shore.
• Compare the characters of Victor Frankenstein and the monster in Frankenstein or the Modern Prometheus by Mary Shelley.
• Discuss the differences of main characters in Everyday Use by Alice Walker.
• Examine the character of Connie in Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been by Joyce Carol Oates.
• The influence of social pressure on the characters of Chopin’s Desirée’s Baby and Sedaris’ A Modest Proposal .
• Dynamic feminist characters of Delia and Jig in Sweat by Z. Hurston and Hills Like White Elephants by E. Hemingway.
• Analyze the personality traits of Emily in William Faulkner’s A Rose for Emily .
• Examine the characters of The Quiet American by Graham Greene.
• Henry ΙV by William Shakespeare : analysis of main characters.

Now you know everything necessary for writing an excellent character analysis. What character would you like to analyze? Let us know in the comments!

Further reading:

• How to Write a Literary Analysis Essay Step by Step
• Literature Review Outline: Examples, Approaches, & Templates
• Library Research Paper: Example & Writing Guide [2024]
• How to Write a Critique Paper: Tips + Critique Essay Examples
• 435 Literary Analysis Essay Topics and Prompts [2024 Upd]
• How to Write a Literature Review: Actionable Tips & Links

❓ Character Analysis FAQ

A character analysis involves:

1. description of a character; 2. explanation of how they change throughout the story; 3. their role in the narrative; 4. relationships with other characters; 5. what idea the author wanted to convey through the character.

A character analysis creates a description that contains their most important qualities. It provides a new perspective of a character that reveals more about what it’s like to be human. It can also point to a moral or a lesson.

Literary analysis uses the technique of tracing the character development. This technique is usually used to understand the theme of the work better. Through tracing a character’s development, we can learn more about the story’s message and how it’s conveyed.

A summary paragraph in a character study should include answers to the questions “what,” “who,” “where,” and “why.” You should mention who narrates the story, where the story is set, its theme, and the message it conveys.

• Critical Concepts: Character and Characterization: Kansas State University
• Analyzing Novels & Short Stories: Texas A&M University
• Guidelines for Writing a Character Analysis Essay: Tidewater Communite College
• Literary Criticism: Thesis Examples: The University of Texas at Arlington
• Writing a Literary Analysis Paper: Germanna Community College
• Flat and Round Characters: Encyclopedia Britannica
• Literature: University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
• How to Write a Book Analysis: Kean University
• Elements of Literary Analysis: Alamo Colleges District
• Defining Characterization: Read Write Think
• APA Style: General Format: Purdue University
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Any critique is nothing more than critical analysis, and the word “analysis” does not have a negative meaning. Critical writing relies on objective evaluations of or a response to an author’s creation. As such, they can be either positive or negative, as the work deserves. To write a critique, you...

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How to Write a Character Analysis Essay?

14 August, 2020

14 minutes read

Author:  Kate Smith

A character analysis essay is one of the most complicated academic assignments that students usually write for Literature or English classes. Generally, this kind of essay writing requires you to describe the character in the context of the story. This can be done through the analysis of the relationship between the major and secondary characters or through your personal opinion of a particular character.

So, there is something you should learn before getting down to work. What is a character analysis and how to approach it? Let’s try to find the answers in the information below.

What is a Character Analysis?

A character analysis is a kind of essay where you examine behaviors, motivations, and actions of characters. Also, a character analysis is an in-depth assignment that makes you think critically about one or more characters and make judgements after analyzing the text. In most cases, it is used for the analysis of literary works. This form of academic writing involves personalities’ descriptions and conflicts with others they experience throughout a story. This analysis aims to provide a critical assessment of characters and build up conclusions based on the storyline. You may analyze a personality through his or her behavioral patterns or internal and external conflicts.

When you’re asked to write a character analysis, you must look at that story from a different angle. How? This is not your average reading for fun. Your task is to focus on the character synopsis and everything that’s associated with the people involved in the story.

Aim of a Character Analysis

A character analysis aims to evaluate a character’s traits, their functions, and the conflicts they have to deal with throughout the story. During the analysis, you will need to think critically, ask questions, and make conclusions about the character. To make your analysis informative, you will have to go beyond available descriptions that are written by the author. To understand the meaning of every event, phrase, and action, you will have to read between the lines. Don’t be afraid of using some additional resources if you feel like knowing more about the epoch a character lives in. If you want to gain an alternative opinion about a character, do not hesitate to find out your friends’ or internet users’ thoughts. Thus, thorough research may help you develop some creative ideas that will add great value to your future paper.

General Types of Characters

You should have a deep understanding of a character before starting an in-depth analysis. While a good character has many sides, there are some standard features to be considered:

• Protagonist: Being the main figure in a story, this character has the whole plot based on their life, actions, events, and feelings.
• Antagonist: Being a villain in a story, this character is positioned as the opposite figure to the major hero. Their basic nature remains negative, which makes them even more interesting than the main character. An antagonist plays a significant role even in short stories.
• Major: This character dominates the story. While they are not the main one in the story, they are involved in all the events.
• Minor: This character appears in a story from time to time. Their role may be significant for the plot development, but then they may disappear for some time and pop up again.
• Dynamic and static characters: The existence of these two opposite characters is determined by their reflection of each other’s specifications. While one character of a story goes through an internal or external transformation, another one may have their basic characteristics unchanged. There is a common idea that an evolving character tends to be more interesting than a static one. However, you can also analyze a static character from the perspective that they are not sympathetic, smart, or deep enough to learn their lessons. Or on the contrary, they remain strong enough and can resist the system without going under it.
• Stereotypical: If you are familiar with stereotypes, you will know what type of character is meant here. Generally, this particular character serves as the representation of the social, national, as well as demographic background of the story.
• Foils: The main goal of this hero in the story is to stay in contrast with main characters and a protagonist in order to highlight the features of the main character.
• Multi-dimensional characters: This group of characters involves an unlimited number of personalities. They are one-dimensional characters in the story who usually are not particularly interesting for the reader or viewer and do not play a crucial role in the storyline.

How Do You Start a Character Analysis Essay?

Before you start writing, you may wonder how to do a character analysis. Of course, you need to select a character to describe. In some cases, your professor will give you a character to talk about. By reading a story several times, you may notice the tiniest details. Ideally, you can use a highlighter or marker to mark each spot where your character is mentioned. Here are some more details of how to start with a character analysis:

• Take notes while reading. Take notes by highlighting every significant element of the story.
• Introduce your character. Introduce your character by providing their detailed description.
• Describe your character. Provide a smooth transition from the general description of your character to the point of convergence of the story.
• Build up a thesis statement. Finish the presentation with your paper’s proposal.

Main Points of a Character Analysis

When you need to analyze one character, you can make it from the perspective of several types at once. The character’s ability to change can create an additional source of analysis. At the same time, the complex and changing personality will be more interesting for the detailed analysis. To make it easier to work with such characters, you should focus on their characteristics, namely their importance for a story, actions, events, and so on. In most cases, you have to cover three major points:

Personality

Reveal the main features of a character to provide the reader with a portrait. By adding some facts and descriptions of actions, you will enable a deeper understanding of the analyzed hero. There is no need to use some words with broad meanings like “bad,” “nice,” “honest,” etc.

Role in a story

Describe the importance of the particular character in the context of the general story. Also, you should pay attention to their actions and their ability to move the events forward.

Character development

Analyze the changes the character has gone through and what features they have now. You should focus on the progress of a person, even if it is regressive.

Character Analysis Outline

In the character analysis essay outline, you should describe two or maybe even three specific character categories. Your mission is to describe the personality of the character, their function in the story, and the value they have.

• Describe the personality of the character. The reader gets familiar with the characters of the story through the words the characters use, the emotions they express, and the actions they take. It is quite easy to build up an opinion about the personality of a character through the prism of their outward behaviors. Eventually, you will understand that the character fits into one of the character categories mentioned above.
• Explore the character’s role . While writing a character analysis, it is important to describe the role of that character in detail. Apart from expressing unique character traits, the character will also perform a specific function in the story. Whether it will be the major or minor role, the analysis should address all the aspects of the performed role.
• Outline the growth and development of the character . In order to write a professional analysis, you will explain how the character matures and transforms as the plot progresses.

The majority of characters will have to go through particular transformations until the end of the story. You should pay special attention to whether the character becomes better or worse, stronger or weaker, rich or poor. Mention any areas or scenes where these transformations occur. In the story, you will recognize them from the cues like “it was then that she understood…” or “for the first time in months, he…”

Do you need a more detailed analysis of your character?

To make your analysis essay correct, you need to explore your character deeply. If you set some points you will follow in your work, you will manage to be consequential in your analysis. So here are some crucial nuances you should remember to describe the character:

You should focus on the reasons that make the character in a story to make a particular decision or take a specific action. You have an opportunity to explore the rightfulness of those actions as well as their reasonability. While you are asked to express your thoughts about certain events and feelings, you should be objective by looking beyond the cover.

Every action taken by a character can say a lot about his/her personality. You should not skip any events because it can be important for the general story and reveal some info about the character, his/her attitude to things, etc.

You should pay attention to the words the person uses because they can say a lot about their personality. Their accents and phrases may provide you with valuable information about nationality, social status, education, or even age of a character.

Descriptions

There are two major sources of the description: from other people in a story and the author. The author can provide the reader with one attitude and description of the major character, while secondary heroes in a story may describe them from their own perspective. At that point, their conclusions may be totally different, yet they’ll provide you with an understanding of the person’s nature.

The way people refer to a person also determines the features of a character. They may have nicknames or other names that will demonstrate their background and the attitude of other characters toward them. You can also define the origin as well as other important nuances.

Character Analysis Examples

By using a readymade character analysis example, you can concentrate on the creative process itself. Here are some nice examples of written character analysis based on a couple of popular stories:

https://literatureessaysamples.com/joe-gargerys-character-analysis/

http://jmendelis.blogspot.com/p/sample-character-analysis-essay.html

Popular Topics for Character Analysis

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Tips on Writing a Character Analysis from Handmadewriting Experts

Whether you follow a character analysis template yourself or ask a professional essay writer to complete this paper for you, you should not forget the common principles of work. Luckily, Handmadewriting’s specialists always follow the standard rules for character analysis writing:

• Support all your statements with evidence. Y ou should incorporate evidence for every single point you make, although it must be relevant to the story. By means of quotes taken from the story, you can easily support your ideas and increase your credibility.
• Point, illustrate, and explain. The so-called PIE method is a must for character analysis writing. Make sure to make a point, integrate quotations to support it, and explain how every quote creates the point.
• Use your own words to anchor the quote. A quotation should not be left alone in the sentence. You need to explain the eligibility of this quote and its meaning.
• Do not overuse quotes. You are allowed to use up to 10% of quotations in an academic paper, so remember this number. If you overuse quotes, you can hardly hope for a good grade.

Are you ready to proceed with your character analysis paper? Once you learn all writing rules and tips, you will be able to finish an excellent paper before the set deadline.

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Last updated on Mar 08, 2024

Character Development: How to Create Fan-Favorite Characters in 5 Steps

In fiction, character development is the process of writing a character who feels as complex and real as a person. This means sketching the character’s inner world 一 their wants and needs, strengths and weaknesses 一 as well as their outer appearance and behavior. It also means showing how the character changes throughout the course of the story 一 their character arc .

In this article, we will guide you through a step-by-step process to create multi-faceted characters that readers will care to read about. You can also download our free character development template to start crafting your own protagonist. 

How to develop a fictional character:

1. Give the characters wants and needs

2. identify their strengths and flaws, 3. sketch out their antagonists, 4. develop their look and behavior, 5. research their trade and culture.

FREE RESOURCE

Reedsy’s Character Development Template

A story is only as strong as its characters. Fill this out to develop yours.

First, it’s important to point out that your main character will be inextricably linked to your book’s plot . As author Tom Bromley teaches in his course on writing novels , “the protagonist should shape the plot, and the plot should shape the protagonist.”  

In this regard, the most important character building blocks are their Wants and Needs. As Bromley explains, a Want is what the character thinks will make them happy, a goal they are motivated to pursue, that propels them on an inner and outer journey. 

A character’s Need, on the other hand, is something deeper, more fundamental. It’s a truth they must learn about themselves or the world around them. Most of the time, a character’s internal story arc sees them realizing that their Want was fuelled by a lie they told themselves — and coming to understand a new truth (their Need) that is the secret to unlocking their success:

• A character might want to be famous, but what they need is to be heard. 
• They might want to get married, but what they need is love.

For an example, think of Joy in Pixar’s Inside Out : 

• Want : Joy wants to ensure that Riley is always happy and only experiences positive emotions. This is because she believes that emotions like sadness and anger are harmful and unnecessary.
• Need : Joy needs to realize that all emotions have their place and are important for Riley’s psychological development and a healthy emotional life. 

Or take Jay Gatsby (who actually doesn’t learn what he needs, and has a negative arc ): 

• Want : Gatsby wants to be reunited with Daisy, his long-lost love. He believes that by attaining wealth and status, he can win her back.
• Need : Gatsby must learn that happiness cannot be bought and that living in the past or for another's affection is self-destructive.

Now it’s your turn..

📝 Exercise:

• What does your character think they want?
• What do they actually need in order to feel fulfilled?

Mapping your character’s wants and needs 一 two key components of their character arc 一 will help you figure out what psychological space they’re in at the beginning of the story and in what direction they should move as the plot progresses. But to figure out whether they’ll have a smooth ride or not and what type of obstacles they might encounter, we have to know their strengths and weaknesses.

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Much of the intrigue in your story will stem from how your character responds to the external and internal conflicts they face in the pursuit of their Goal. Every type of character — from superheroes to lovelorn accountants — will need both strengths to draw upon and flaws that threaten to drag them down.

If in The Lord of The Rings Frodo walked up to Mount Doom unbothered, dropped the ring in the lava, and made it back in time for a second breakfast, he’d be a dull protagonist. It’s the obstacles he faces — Sauron’s army of orcs and the ring’s power over his spirit, to name a couple — that force him to make decisions and evolve as a character .

The iconic characters we know and love tend to have a nuanced mix of positive and negative traits. Consider Woody from Toy Story : he's a charismatic figure and a natural leader among the toys, known for his loyalty to Andy. However, he can be vain and petty, so the arrival of Buzz Lightyear causes him to feel jealous and insecure. 

While Woody’s charisma is admirable, it's his flaws that make him relatable. We may not all relate to being the leader of the pack, but we all know the fear of being overshadowed and replaced, as well as feeling jealous and insecure. 

So many of the challenges Woody faces are meant to test his strengths and flaws, from his face on the wall and bed cover being replaced with Buzz’s, to the other toys questioning his leadership and morals when he kicks him out of the window. Ultimately, he has to overcome his jealousy, cooperate with Buzz, and learn that they can both have a place in Andy's heart.

Some other common examples of character strengths are courage, intelligence, resilience, integrity, perseverance, and creativity, whereas character flaws are qualities like bitterness, arrogance, greed, selfishness, deceitfulness, and pessimism.  

• What are your character’s best qualities?
• What are some of their negative traits?

Pick a mix of both to give your readers something to root for. Your character should be plausibly able to overcome the challenges the plot throws at them, whether that’s destroying the ring or saving the wizarding world. At the same time, there should be a real risk that your character will fail — whether they fall prey to the ring’s power at the very edge of Mt. Doom, or die in a burst of green light from the Dark Lord’s wand. 

This brings us to another key piece of character development, which is sketching out your hero’s main antagonist. 

What is your character's archetype?

Take our 1-minute quiz to find out.

An important point to make is that you can’t create a character in a vacuum. You need to define them in relation to other people and the world they inhabit. As John Truby writes in The Anatomy of Story , “[to] create great characters, think of all your characters as part of a web in which each helps define the others. To put it another way, a character is often defined by who he is not.” 

Of particular importance, according to Truby, is your primary antagonist . “The relationship between the hero and the opponent is the single most important relationship in the story. In working out the struggle between these two characters, the larger issues and themes of the story unfold.”

It bears noting that the main antagonist doesn’t have to be another character (or even have evil intent). As we explain in our post on types of conflict , your hero might be up against nature, technology, society at large, or other forces that keep them from achieving what they want. Regardless of the form your story’s opposing force will take, Truby reminds us that it’s crucial to develop their morals or logic in parallel to your hero’s. 

“The main opponent is the one person in the world best able to attack the great weakness of the hero. And he should attack it relentlessly. The necessary opponent either forces the hero to overcome his weakness or destroys him. Put another way, the necessary opponent makes it possible for the hero to grow.” 

Think of Voldemort: an orphan and a brilliant wizard, he deeply understands Harry. He also knows his main weakness 一 the death of his parents 一 because he’s responsible for it. And he keeps putting his finger in the wound: from (indirectly) killing Sirius Black and other people he loves, to pervading his mind with fear, to literally trying to kill him. Ultimately, it’s his evil competence that forces Harry to grow into the wise and selfless man he needs to become. 

• Who is your hero’s antagonist? 
• What is their background? What are their motivations?
• How do they relentlessly attack the hero?

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And other secondary characters

While the antagonist is the most important other character in the story, you can also craft your hero by sketching out secondary characters 一 other enemies or allies who contrasts with the hero in order to highlight some qualities of their personality. 

In Tarantino’s Django Unchained for example, both Django and Stephen display high intelligence and adaptability in dealing with enslavement. But their paths couldn’t be further from each other. Django uses his wit and skills to free himself and others, while Stephen embraces racism and even participates in its practices in order to gain protection and comfort for himself. The juxtaposition between Django's quest for freedom and justice and Stephen's acquiescence to the status quo of slavery sharpens Django's resolve and moral stance. 

For another quick example, think of Atticus Finch from To Kill a Mockingbird : despite his flat arc , his steadfast belief in justice allows Scout to evolve from an innocent child into a girl with a strong sense of right and wrong.

As Truby explains, each secondary character can make the hero confront the central moral problem of the story, either by providing support and new perspectives or throwing obstacles at them trying to tear him down. 

• Who are the allies your hero will need on their path to achieve their goal?
• Which other enemies (or false enemies) can force them to grow?

Alright, after mapping the inner life of our main characters, it’s now time to look outwards.. 

Yes, the internal goals and motivations are the "heart" of a character. But that doesn't mean that their external characteristics should just be an afterthought. Sure, the fact that your protagonist has blonde hair may not impact the plot — but it might color how other characters respond to them. So, early in your character development, put a bit of time into sketching out your protagonist's physical features.

• Appearance : What do they look like? Does their look play a role in the story?
• Voice: What do they sound like? Does their voice match their look?

Remember that people’s looks don’t always match who they are inside. Some of the most compelling characters are baby-faced killers and brutes with a heart of gold. So try and play around with interesting contradictions.

Reedsy’s Character Profile Template

Physical traits don’t end with eye color and voice type. To make your brown-eyed alto stand out from similar characters in the literary canon, you’ll want to round out that physical profile with some distinctive mannerisms . 

After all, a character’s physicality takes so much more than describing their static body in isolation. It’s about how they move through space — and about how they interact with everything around them, from objects to other characters. By focusing on their mannerisms, you take a step towards showing instead of telling: big, bold movements imply confidence so you don’t have to spell it out, whereas frantically moving or fidgeting suggests a nervous nature.

To achieve this, you’ll want to reflect on how your character consciously and subconsciously responds to the world around them.

• Communication style : How do they engage in dialogue ? How does that shape their relationships? Does their speech have any idiosyncrasies or quirks ?
• Gait : How do they make their way around their environment, and how does this impact how they’re treated?
• Tics and tells : What do they do when they’re nervous, uncertain of how to proceed, or telling lies?

Reedsy’s Character Questionnaire

40 questions to help you develop memorable characters.

Some character mannerisms will be situationally dependent and can serve as a shorthand for describing a character’s emotional state. For example, Nynaeve from the Wheel of Time series tugs on her braid when she's agitated, and Bond villain Le Chiffre bleeds from his eye when under intense pressure.

Other mannerisms, however, are part of a character’s default state — as essential to our view of them as their coloring. Just think of Draco Malfoy’s permanent sneer: it’s as much a part of him as his pale blond hair.

To make your character truly memorable, you’ll want to consider adding both these types of mannerisms to their behavioral repertoire. Anger shouldn’t look the same on everyone: someone might flare up like an inferno, going red in the face, while others turn icily polite, smiling insincerely. 

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When it comes to character development, imagination will only take you so far. Unless you’re intimately familiar with your protagonist’s world, you’ll need to work to get the details right. 

If your hero is a NASA astronaut or a veteran of the Vietnam war, there are readily available resources that will let you find out what their life might be like. You might uncover small details that are key to bringing them to life — perhaps some slang they used back in the seventies, or some unusual morning routine astronauts go through. 

The research doesn’t stop at your character’s main trade, but it can include everything else about their culture 一 their ethnicity, social class, political and spiritual views, education, interests, and language. 

Say you’re writing a British character when you’ve never set foot outside of Florida, you’ll want to do a bit of research when scripting his dialogue . For example, you could search “croydon slang” on YouTube or watch a British-made TV show set in the character’s hometown. 

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By now, you will have chiseled away at the blank marble and uncovered enough about your character to have a good sense of them. You can now work on the fine details — those subtle psychological touches — by putting them through these eight character development exercises or by getting character feedback from groups such as CharacterHub . 

If you’re not sure how your characters might be received by people from different backgrounds consider engaging the services of a sensitivity reader . Think of them as research assistants, committed to making your character development as authentic and nuanced as possible. 

Be patient with yourself. Character development is hard. It will take a little time (and a lot of refining) before you’ll create a protagonist as complex and real as a person, but when you do — you’ll know it and your readers will thank you for it. With a fully developed character by your side, your story will almost start writing itself.

2 responses

Diane says:

07/06/2018 – 09:01

Indeed Indeed Indeed. Brilliant article. Everything is simple and difficult in the same time. But with this tips it is easier to create your full tutoriage character.

16/04/2020 – 19:50

clearly the writers of star wars episodes 7, 8, and 9 never read this article.

Comments are currently closed.

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How to Write a Character Development Essay

Character development essays provide detailed descriptions and predictions about characters from fictional works. The purpose of an essay of this kind is to encourage readers to briefly inhabit the world of a character so that he or she might understand that character's motivation and perspective. Crafting a solid character development essay requires you to describe the character's appearance and attitude, then analyze the background of that character as well as manner in which the author introduces the character. From there, you will evaluate how the character changes over the course of the fictional work, concluding with a prediction of how that character's life will continue on past the conclusion of that work.

List and describe all of the character's physical and mental attributes in your first paragraph. For example, if your character essay focuses on Huckleberry Finn, you could describe his attributes thusly, "Huckleberry Finn is a physically dirty and raggedy child with a mind and wit as sharp as his clothes are filthy."

Describe and analyze the character's background in the second paragraph, focusing on key people or events from the character's past that might have led to his or her current state. For example, of Huckleberry Finn you might say, "His interactions and adventures with Tom Sawyer directly motivated Huck's desire to raft down the river with Jim."

Interpret the manner in which the author introduces the character. For example, "That The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn is told in first-person indicates the truthfulness of Huck's analyses by making him an immediately sympathetic character."

Detail how the character changed from the beginning of the work to the end, emphasizing lessons learned and newly acquired beliefs. For example, "Though Huck remains adventurous at the conclusion of the novel, he has clearly developed a more nuanced understanding of the relationship between the haves and the have-nots."

Predict where the character will be and what the character will be doing following the conclusion of the fictional work. For example, "I believe Huckleberry Finn will continue adventuring, but his escapades will likely transition from the backwoods of the South to a more socially impacting venue, perhaps the courtroom as a lawyer or even the capital as a politician."

• Character Analysis; Wilhelm Reich and Vincent Carfagno; 1980
• The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn; Mark Twain; 2010

Samuel Hamilton has been writing since 2002. His work has appeared in “The Penn,” “The Antithesis,” “New Growth Arts Review" and “Deek” magazine. Hamilton holds a Master of Arts in English education from the University of Pittsburgh, and a Master of Arts in composition from the University of Florida.

Character Development: How to Write Compelling Characters in Your Novel

As a fiction writer, your characters are one of the most important elements of your story . Without strong, multi-dimensional characters that resonate with readers, even the most exciting plot falls flat. 

That's why understanding how to craft compelling characters is a crucial skill for novelists. This complete guide on character development will teach you the key principles of creating characters that feel real. You'll learn what character development is, common types of characters, character development strategies, and writing tips. But first, let’s cover the basics.

What is a Character in Fiction?

In simple terms, a character is any person that appears in a story. They can be major characters who drive the plot forward or minor characters who support the story in smaller roles.

Fictional characters have personalities, motivations, backgrounds, and relationships with other characters. A well-developed character will feel like a real person with their own quirks, desires, flaws, and growth over time.

As the writer, you get to decide what kind of person your character is and what role they will play in your novel. Your characters' actions and dialogue will move the plot forward and decide the outcome of your story.

Types of Characters in a Novel

There are several important type of characters to consider when developing the key players in your novel:

Major Characters

Major characters play a significant role in the story and appear frequently throughout the novel. They include the main protagonists, antagonists, and supporting players that move the plot forward.

Protagonist

The protagonist is the central character and often the hero (or antihero) of the story. The plot revolves around them and the choices they make in their journey. Examples: Charlie in The Perks of Being a Wallflower, Meg Murry in A Wrinkle in Time, or Winston Smith in 1984.

Antagonist 

The antagonist serves as the opposition to the protagonist. They create conflict and obstacles for the protagonist. Sometimes the antagonist is not a character, but a social force or outside pressure on the protagonist. And sometimes, the antagonist is within the protagonist. 

Examples of famous antagonists include Voldemort, President Snow, and Sauron. Antagonistic forces could be society, addition, mental illness, or nature (like a snowstorm). Internal struggles within the protagonist also create central conflicts.

Supporting Characters

Supporting characters complement the protagonists or antagonists. They often assist, advise, or oppose the main character and add depth to your story. Supporting characters exhibit less complex development than main characters. They can be love interests, friends, mentors, or even enemies. Examples include: Draco Malfoy in Harry Potter , Saruman in The Lord of the Rings , or Han Solo in Star Wars .

Minor Characters

Minor characters serve smaller, supporting roles and may only appear in a few scenes or chapters. Though their part is limited, they help advance the plot, often by influencing or affecting the major characters in pivotal ways.

For example, Luna Lovegood in the Harry Potter series is a minor character who befriends Harry and gives him unique perspectives on situations. Though she only pops up occasionally, her presence provides Harry with moral support.

Other minor characters act as catalysts by instigating events or revealing key information at critical moments. They add richness and realism by rounding out the story. Though they stay on the periphery of the story, their interactions with major characters help unveil deeper aspects of the protagonists' journeys. Even small supporting roles can leave lasting impressions and carry themes or ideas through the narrative.

Character Archetypes

Archetypes are common character types that appear frequently in fiction. Using character archetypes can help you quickly establish a character's role in the story through familiar traits and narrative arcs. 

They’re useful starting points. However, complex characters should grow beyond the archetype assigned to them and develop a deep, authentic personality throughout the story.

Some examples of character archetypes include:

• The Hero: Courageous, noble, and often the protagonist. 
• The Mentor: Wise teacher who guides the hero. Think Gandalf from Lord of the Rings .
• The Villain: Evil opponent who challenges the hero. 
• The Anti-Hero : Morally ambiguous character who lacks typical heroic qualities. E.g. Don Draper from Mad Men .
• The Temptress : Seductive man or woman who tempts the hero.
• The Outcast: A character excluded from society who struggles to fit in. Boo Radley in To Kill a Mockingbird .
• The Jester: Comic character who lightens the mood and entertains. Mercutio in Romeo and Juliet .

Many protagonists start out shaped by an archetype but transform and subvert expectations as they develop. For instance, a chosen one selected to save the kingdom may turn out to have a hidden dark side. Blending qualities of multiple archetypes in one character can also add more depth. For example, a mentor who has some flaws and moments of doubt.

Subverting or going against archetypes can create more compelling characters. Like a villain who elicits some sympathy or a hero who isn't fully virtuous. Writers can use archetypes as inspiration while customizing characters with distinguishing quirks and backstories, but the archetype should inform rather than limit characterization.

What is Character Development? 

Now we understand our character types and archetypes, let’s talk about character development—what makes your characters come alive on the page.

Character development is defined as the process of constructing a fictional character's personality, background, motivations, and growth arc throughout a story. 

Aspects of character development include:

• Constructing a detailed personality profile
• Establishing background details like upbringing, education, and past experiences
• Outlining goals, fears, beliefs, quirks, strengths, weaknesses
• Depicting how relationships and events shape the character's growth
• Tracing emotional, intellectual, and behavioral changes in the character as the story progresses

It involves building up a character from scratch to transform them from a basic archetype into a unique, complex person. Through character development, superficial figures evolve into multidimensional people.

Why is Character Development Important? 

Well-executed character development helps readers understand a character's inner thoughts, emotions, desires, and struggles. It gets your audience fully invested in the story.

Well-developed characters also lets readers:

• Empathize with diverse perspectives beyond their own experience.
• Connect emotionally with the characters as if they are real people.
• Understand the characters' motivations, reactions, and inner conflicts.
• Relate to characters who reflect universal experiences and struggles. 
• Experience meaningful personal growth alongside the characters.

In essence, robust characters act as the emotional conduits between your novel and the reader. They turn a story into a profound, immersive experience.

How to Create a Character That Feels Real

Crafting compelling, lifelike characters is one of the keys to writing an immersive novel. Follow these steps to build multidimensional characters that will mesmerize readers:

Establish The Basics

Start by writing out the fundamental pieces that make up each major character in your story:

• Name: Choose a fitting name that matches the character.
• Age & Gender: Establish these key demographic traits. 
• Physical Description: Describe what your character looks like. Do they have any unique features like scars or multicolored eyes?
• Role: What purpose do they serve? Are they the protagonist, antagonist, or sidekick?
• Goal: What is their main objective in the story? What motivates them? This is usually driven by their backstory.

Give Them a Backstory

Write extensive backstories for your main characters, including childhood memories, past trauma, role models, and life-changing moments. This will add emotional depth.

Describe their upbringing, such as what their childhood was like and whether they had a loving family or traumatic experiences. These experiences will have shaped them into who they are today. 

You can also establish their education and accomplishments. What is their schooling background? Were they studious or rebellious? What are their major achievements so far?

Like real people, fully-developed characters will also have hobbies and interests, as well as relationships. What do they like to do? Do they have close friends, romantic partners, or rivals?

Craft Their Personality

Give your character dimension by designing their values, quirks, strengths, weaknesses, and beliefs. For example: What positive and negative qualities do they possess? Do they have any funny habits, phrases, or behavioral oddities?

You might also write out their psychological profile and belief system, such as whether they’re introverted or extroverted, optimistic or cynical. Demonstrate what principles guide their thinking and decision-making.

Develop Their Voice 

Give your character more depth by making their dialogue distinctive to them.

• Speech patterns: Do they use slang or have a unique cadence?
• Vocabulary: Is their language more formal or casual? Do they use big words?
• Typical greetings: Do they say "Hey man!" or "Greetings, friend!" 
• Communication style: Are they blunt, sarcastic, or warm?

If you’re struggling with this, try observing strangers in public and eavesdropping on their conversations for dialogue inspiration. Or act out dialogue aloud to get a feel for different speech patterns and vocabulary for each character. 

Map Their Character Arc

Every major character in your novel should grow and change in some way. That means you need to understand their starting personality versus their ending personality. How do the challenges they face or decisions they make transform them? 

For protagonists, one of the most important moments can be the inciting incident or catalyst for the story—the key event that sets them on their journey. For antagonists, you should consider outlining the events that have or continue to shape and push them to act the villain. 

You may also want to consider the timeline for your character’s growth and how it lines up with the pacing of events in your story. For some characters, their shifts might be rapid. For others, it could be steady progression, or they may revert to old habits at times.

By the end of the story, readers will want to understand what lessons the characters have learned, and what wisdom they’ve gained along the way. Their transformation should give your audience insights into how the characters see themselves and the world at large. 

5 Tips on How to Write Character Development

Here are some character writing tips for bringing your characters to life throughout your novel:

1. Show, Don't Tell.

Reveal details about your characters through action, dialogue, inner thoughts, and relationships. Show scenes of them interacting with others and making choices.

You can draw inspiration from people you know. Think about their mannerisms and quirks you could borrow and how that might show up on the page.

2. Share Inner Thoughts

One of the mistakes many writers can make is not letting readers into their characters' heads. We all have inner lives and readers long to see this in characters, whether you’re writing in third or first person point of view. 

Describe how characters’ are feeling or reacting to events through brief thoughts or internal monologues. Connect it to the way they feel in their body, as well. Bring your readers into their self-doubts, secret desires, and private reflections.

In The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood, Offred's fears and observations about the oppressive society of Gilead are revealed through her intimate first-person narration. We gain insights into her mindset and emotions through her vivid inner perspectives.

3. Give Them Challenges to Overcome

Every story needs a conflict of some sort to drive your characters’ transformation—whether they have to make quick decisions in an intense car chase or in a domestic scene.

Forcing your characters into difficult situations, tests and transforms them. Adversity allows their personalities to fully emerge on the page and makes them feel authentic.

If you’re not sure whether your characters feel challenged enough, ask beta readers to give feedback on them. Do they feel real, complex, and emotionally compelling? Revise challenges and scenes of growth based on this feedback.

4. Make Them Change and Grow 

There are flat supporting characters, who personify a particular quality like loyalty or wisdom. But we’re not talking about them. We’re talking about the major characters—and all of those should grow in some way. 

For characters to feel real, they shouldn’t stagnate. When you map their arc, make sure you’re letting them conquer flaws and achieve growth.

For example, in The Hunger Games , Katniss Everdeen is a defiant teenager forced to fight for her life in a brutal televised competition. As she battles for survival, she evolves from a lone wolf to a galvanizing revolutionary leader. 

5. Surprise Readers 

You can avoid predictability by letting characters your characters defy expectations. Give them depth by blending contrasting qualities.

For example, In Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn, Amy Dunne first seems like an ideal wife, but Flynn slowly reveals her cunning, vengeful dark side, subverting expectations.

You can also let your characters surprise you. While you’re writing, allow yourself (and them) the freedom to develop personalities and make their choices you hadn’t planned on.

Remember, characters drive your story forward and stir emotions in readers. Vivid, nuanced characters will transport readers deeply into your fictional world. Use these tips to make your characters shine.

Motif is the only writing platform designed to help writers of all genres and experience levels to craft and publish captivating stories. Our platform delivers a focused, intuitive writing experience, complete with story planning, plotting, and research tools, to guide you towards success.

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How to Write Character Development

What sets character development apart from the pack and why is it crucial to your story.

We've all sat down to watch our favorite TV show or movie series and enjoyed how the characters progress over time.

While these arcs are confined to different time frames or throughout multiple episodes, the core of a character is within their development. Character development is the foundation of every great and memorable character, and it's something you have to master if you want to be a professional writer .

Characters matter. Whether you're developing protagonists , antagonists , or minor characters , details about their lives and internal struggles matter.

Today we'll go over the definition of character development, check out a free character development worksheet we made, and look at some examples from film and TV to help spark your storytelling journey.

Let's go!

What is Character Development?

Character development is the process of creating a believable and realistic fictional character by giving them emotional depth. This does not matter if your character is human, an animal, or an anthropomorphized object (think Toy Story ).

Character Development Definition in Two Parts

Character development comes in two parts: internal and external.

You can think of internal character development as your character's fundamental goals and motivations for their actions. And external development as the struggles and scarring or transformative experiences that make them who they are on the outside.

Character Development Worksheet

When you're trying to come up with a character or trying to continue their growth over the course of a story, it can be hard to track. So we enlisted our trusty graphic designer, April, to put together a character development worksheet for you. It should be a helpful reminder of interesting ways you can add to your character or just details that the audience can identify with as you move forward.

Let's break down the character development worksheet and character development tips a little further.

Internal Character Development

As we mentioned in the definition, this tracks what's going on inside your character. These statements would be found inside the person you are writing's head. So let's jump into them one by one and look at a few character development examples for each. A lot of these examples will mirror the goals we see in character arcs as well as internal and external conflict .

I wanted to give some character development tips under each heading, so we know where our heads are at when composing these, so you have some stuff to work on.

What are my goals?

This seems obvious, but your characters all need goals. Whether it's Marlin finding Nemo, Elle Woods getting her degree, or Indiana Jones finding the ark, each person needs something they're striving for, so they have direction.

What's driving my quest?

There has to be a reason to get to the end of the road. For Marlin, it's the fear that he will lose Nemo the way he lost his wife. For Elle, she wants to show her Ex that she's smart and capable, and for Indiana Jones, it's to stop the Nazis.

What happens If I fail?

This is where the stakes of your story get internalized. Sure, a character might just feel bad if they fail, but chances are there's something more dire at play. Marlin will be left alone if Nemo is gone forever. Elle will never have self-worth, and a woman will wrongfully be in jail if she fails, and Nazis will have the most potent weapon in the world if Indiana can't stop them.

External Character Development

When we're digging into external character development, we want to know the physical changes these people go through as the story unfolds. Again, it could be throughout a few hours or the plan you have for the series.

How has this affected me physically?

This one is easy to nail down. What has the journey done to this person? Think about Gollum. When you're developing a character like that you want to see the physical toll the ring has placed on him. The same goes for someone like Nick Fury. He's a warrior who has seen a battle. Or what about Sarah Connor? She goes from party-girl waitress to hardened survivor.

Do I bear any scars?

This one is easy but important. Gollum is the shell of what a hobbit used to be. He's a walking metaphor of gaunt evilness. Nick Fury has an eye patch that he got in a bad-ass way (no Captain Marvel spoilers!). It builds his mystique. Sarah Connor ends the first Terminator heading to Mexico with a bunch of weapons. In the second movie, she has physically changed. She's rippled with muscle, and her demeanor is hardened and scary.

How will this change me?

As your character moves through the story, they're going to have to be a little self-reflexive. It can help them deal with what's going on internally and help them react externally. But there should be a fear of moving forward. An acknowledgment of the consequences to mental and physical being. Gollum knows what pain he's in without the ring. Nick Fury is willing to die for the greater good - and in those movies, death is always on the table. Sarah Connor first fears for her own life, then the lives of billions on Judgement Day. She's willing to die to end all this and to save her son's life.

Internal and External Character Development in Television

We just hit a bunch of movie examples, but you need to develop characters for television. The fun thing is, over multiple seasons, these characters get to become different people. And before every season you and your writers' room will decide how they grow. Let's look at a few examples here.

How about Jim from The Office ?

When we meet Jim, he's comfortable slacking in his job. But over the next ten seasons, we meet a guy who starts being willing to take big chances. Externally, I love that he cleans up, tucks in, and we see him embrace wearing a Halloween costume. He does change, and its the development from who he was that makes that show special. And him and Pam developing/growing together sells the romance.

What about in a drama?

When you're writing a pilot , your characters all start one way. You're trying to convince people to follow along for an entire series. Chances are, you're developing a character that will grow. Look at Peggy in Mad Men . In the pilot, she's a mousey girl who's unsure if she belongs in this world. Season to season, she rises through the ranks and also develops right in front of our eyes.

The development of Peggy happens throughout seven years, but you see it build episode to episode too. When you start a series, you need to know where these characters are going, and you need to set a foundation for growth.

Character Development Exercises

Writing can get dull. I like to try to switch things up or use practices we've dealt with before in other contexts to try to help in the process.

That's why I loved our character development worksheet so much.

When you're writing a film or TV show, you need to break a ton of characters and develop who they are within the story.

Let's do a few exercises together to see how they work when developing characters.

The Character Map

Our incredible graphic designer, April, did a riff on our Story Map to make it into a Character Map.

This helps track where your character is in the plot. But ask yourself, "Where is my character at internally and externally during every plot beat?"

This may help you develop your character AND make each plot beat matter within your character arcs and development.

Check it out in list form:

• Unraveling The Map - Introduce us to your characters in the beginning and show us who they start the screenplay as and what are their personality traits.
• The Launch Point - Put your character in a situation where their shortcomings are evident. Show us how their problems will be exposed.
• The First Leg - Put your character in situations where they learn to be different - ease them into it.
• Change Course - Let your character embrace this new version of themselves and see how it can help them.
• The Foot of the Mountain - What can the new and improved person accomplish?
• Climbing The Side - As they go through the story show pushback on who they are versus who they used to be. Should they continue to change?
• Through The Cave - Shed some light on the new person and how these new traits change the world.
• Reassess the Problem - Is there a way for the new version of the character to confront old problems? Or will they revert to who they used to be?
• Try and Fail - Let the arc put the character in new and terrible situations. Let them fail at things where they used to succeed.
• The Fall - How does their new self completely ruin what they wanted? Did they go too far? What can they learn?
• The Hidden Clue - What personal conclusion did their emotional journey lead to that they need to embrace now?
• Race To the Finish - Now, as their fulfilled self, they can tie the plot up.
• The Treasure Chest - Do they change?
• Where We Go From Here - Keep your options open for how that person can continue to change in the future.

The Le Menu

Ah yes, the old Hellerman standy. At the beginning of “Crafting Short Screenplays that Connect” by Claudia Hunter Johnson, there is an exercise the writer refers to as “Le Menu.” It asks the reader to fill out a survey to figure out what kinds of stories they should write. Instead of filling out the Le Menu for yourself, I'd ask the writer to pretend to be the character and then write five to ten answers to:

• What I love
• What I hate
• What I fear
• What I believe
• What I value
• What I want
• What I know about
• People who made a difference in my life
• Discoveries that made a difference in my life
• Decisions that made a difference in my life

What's Next? Develop Your Character's Arc !

Well, I hope you and your understanding of character development has expanded. Now it's time to take a look at our character arc post, so you combine them for a winning story. Also, take a look at our internal and external conflict post for ideas of the kinds of situations where we can see your characters develop.

And don't forget about the six emotional arcs that you can use to help your screenwriting as well. These kinds of stories span film and television. It's important to think about the types of changes and how they'll carry over a movie, an episode, a season, and a series.

Got a great idea for a pilot or a feature? We have a Free Screenwriting Seminar and a Free Drama Pilot Seminar to help you get it out onto the page.

Like and share if this helped, and if you have questions, post them in the comments.

I can't wait to read what you write next...

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What Are The Best Comedy Movies of All Time?

If you had to put on one movie to make yourself laugh, what would you pick.

When I have a bad day at work or life just doesn't go my way, I like to retreat into the living room and put on one of the best comedy movies of all time to turn my frown upside down.

Movies have always been an escape for me. I use them to transport myself from the mundane, and when the crushing elements of Hollywood creep in, I put them on and go back.

But I think that's what great movies do, they provide us with a destination we desperately want to go. And no one gives you a more reliable ride than a comedy.

In today's post, we'll delve into the vast and varied world of comedy movies—exploring their history, tropes, and global influence. Plus, we'll give you a best of all time list.

Let's dive in.

What is a Comedy?

O Brother Where Art Thou

It's hard to define the comedy genre as something other than one that just makes you laugh.

The genre often employs exaggeration, surprise, incongruity, and witty observations to achieve this effect. Comedy can be lighthearted and playful or dark and satirical, but it always aims to elicit a humorous response from its audience.

The History of Comedy Movies

The thing I love about comedies is that they're relatively timeless. Sure, some jokes don't always hold up by current standards, but a great comedy just makes you laugh when you put it on.

Comedy films have their roots in the silent era, where physical gags and visual humor worked best.

Pioneering legends like Charlie Chaplin and Buster Keaton perfected the art of slapstick comedy, creating timeless classics filled with chases, pratfalls, and hilarious misunderstandings.

If you haven't seen movies like The General , I suggest you check them out as soon as possible.

As sound entered the picture, comedy films evolved, incorporating witty dialogue, wordplay, and clever plotlines.

The screwball comedies of the 1930s and 1940s brought rapid-fire banter and eccentric characters to the forefront.

From that point, comedy began to mirror the social cues of each era, taking on huge topics and creating even bigger stars.

Comedy films blossomed further throughout the 20th century, branching into subgenres like parodies , romantic comedies , and dark comedies .

Directors like Mel Brooks, the Coen Brothers, and Edgar Wright continuously push the boundaries of humor, proving comedy's versatility and enduring appeal.

Comedies change with the times, which means more great comedy movies are made every year.

Global Comedies

Monty Python and the Holy Grail

Another great thing about comedy is that it changes across the globe. There are different sense of humor for different people. But a lot of times, comedy can transcend borders.

Many countries boast rich traditions of comedic cinema.

Let's take a brief look at a few:

• British Humor : Known for its dry wit, understatement, and a healthy dose of absurdity. Think Monty Python and the Holy Grail or Shaun of the Dead .
• French Comedy : Often relies on farce, mistaken identities, and a touch of the whimsical, as seen in Amélie .
• Japanese Comedy: Can range from deadpan humor to over-the-top wacky situations, such as in Tampopo .
• Bollywood Comedies : Bollywood films often incorporate elements of romance, music, and slapstick humor into a delightful mix.

The Best Comedy Movies of All Time

Let's get this out of the way right now, this selection represents a diverse range of comedic styles and eras. Humor is subjective, so feel free to rearrange and add more titles of take some off based on your own tastes!

• Some Like It Hot (1959): Two musicians witness a mob hit and go undercover in an all-girl band, leading to hilarious cross-dressing antics and an unforgettable Marilyn Monroe performance.
• Monty Python and the Holy Grail (1975): A surreal and side-splitting take on the legend of King Arthur, filled with absurd jokes, killer rabbits, and quotable silliness.
• Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb (1964): A brilliant satire of the Cold War, where political and military incompetence threaten to bring about nuclear apocalypse.
• Annie Hall (1977): Woody Allen's masterpiece explores the complexities of love and relationships with neurotic wit and self-deprecating humor.
• Airplane ! (1980): A relentless barrage of deadpan gags, puns, and slapstick parodies the disaster movie genre with gleeful abandon.
• Bringing Up Baby (1938): A whirlwind of chaos ensues when a free-spirited heiress (Katharine Hepburn) and a hapless paleontologist (Cary Grant) get mixed up in a series of hilarious mishaps involving a pet leopard named Baby.
• The Lady Eve (1941): A cunning con-artist (Barbara Stanwyck) sets her sights on a naive, wealthy heir (Henry Fonda), intending to fleece him, but love unexpectedly complicates her plan in this delightful romantic comedy.
• It Happened One Night (1934): A spoiled heiress (Claudette Colbert) runs away from her father and teams up with a cynical reporter (Clark Gable) on a cross-country road trip filled with bickering, romance, and unforgettable hijinks.
• Blazing Saddles (1974): Mel Brooks's uproarious Western spoof tackles racism and Hollywood tropes with gleeful irreverence.
• Duck Soup (1933): The Marx Brothers reach peak absurdity as they wreak havoc in a fictional country, delivering a whirlwind of wordplay and anarchic humor.
• Young Frankenstein (1974): Mel Brooks lovingly pays homage to classic monster movies with this hilarious send-up, filled with iconic gags and unforgettable performances.
• This is Spinal Tap (1984): A mockumentary so convincing and hilarious that it blurred the lines between fiction and reality, following a dimwitted heavy metal band on tour.
• The Big Lebowski (1998): The Coen Brothers' cult classic follows "The Dude," a laid-back slacker caught in a bizarre kidnapping plot filled with oddball characters and dreamlike absurdity.
• Groundhog Day (1993): Bill Murray delivers a career-defining performance as a cynical weatherman trapped in a time loop, forced to relive the same day with hilarious and ultimately heartwarming results.
• The Princess Bride (1987): A fairy tale adventure turned on its head, filled with sword fights, giants, pirates, true love, and endlessly quotable dialogue.
• Tootsie (1982): Dustin Hoffman shines as a struggling actor who finds success by dressing as a woman, leading to a hilarious and insightful take on gender roles.
• Ghostbusters (1984): A supernatural comedy classic with the perfect blend of scares, laughs, and iconic one-liners, as a team of unlikely heroes battle ghosts in New York City.
• The Graduate (1967): A landmark film that captures youthful disillusionment with sharp humor, an iconic soundtrack, and a seductive turn by Mrs. Robinson.
• Raising Arizona (1987): The Coen Brothers deliver a quirky and hilarious tale of an ex-con and a cop who kidnap a baby, leading to a wild chase and unforgettable characters.
• The Philadelphia Story (1940): A sophisticated screwball comedy starring Katharine Hepburn, Cary Grant, and Jimmy Stewart in a delightful battle of wits and romantic hijinks.
• Caddyshack (1980): A chaotic and hilarious ode to golf, featuring Rodney Dangerfield's unforgettable one-liners, a pesky gopher, and Bill Murray at his eccentric best.
• Modern Times (1936): Charlie Chaplin's timeless satire on industrialization and the struggles of the working man, filled with iconic slapstick sequences and social commentary.
• Singin' in the Rain (1952): A joyous musical celebration of Hollywood's transition to sound, featuring unforgettable dance numbers and Gene Kelly's iconic performance in the rain.
• Ferris Bueller's Day Off (1986): The ultimate teen wish-fulfillment fantasy as Ferris Bueller masterfully skips school and has the best day ever, leading to hilarious mayhem and quotable lines.
• Bridesmaids (2011): A refreshingly raunchy and heartwarming look at female friendship, filled with relatable mishaps and laugh-out-loud scenes.
• Office Space (1999): A cult classic that perfectly skewers soul-crushing corporate culture and inspires fantasies of workplace rebellion.
• Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy (2004): Will Ferrell's pompous newsman became an icon of quotable absurdity in this outlandish look at 1970s chauvinism.
• Clueless (1995): A witty and stylish update of Jane Austen's "Emma," set in a Beverly Hills high school and filled with memorable slang and iconic outfits.
• The Grand Budapest Hotel (2014): Wes Anderson's visually stunning and delightfully quirky caper, set in a luxurious European hotel with a charming concierge and a priceless painting at the center of intrigue.
• When Harry Met Sally (1989): A witty exploration of friendship, love, and the differences between men and women, filled with iconic scenes and sharp dialogue.
• The Naked Gun (1988): Leslie Nielsen stars as the hilariously incompetent Detective Frank Drebin in this slapstick parody of police procedurals.
• The Hangover (2009): A group of friends wake up in Vegas with no memory of the previous night, leading to a chaotic quest to retrace their steps and find their missing groom.
• Mean Girls (2004): A sharp and hilarious look at the social hierarchy of high school, featuring a new student navigating the treacherous world of teen cliques.
• Shaun of the Dead (2004): A brilliant blend of horror and comedy as a hapless man tries to survive a zombie apocalypse with his slacker friends.
• The 40-Year-Old Virgin (2005): Steve Carell delivers a hilariously awkward performance as a middle-aged man who finally decides to explore his sexuality.
• Superbad (2007): A raunchy coming-of-age comedy about two high school friends trying to score alcohol and lose their virginity before graduation.
• Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit GloriousNation of Kazakhstan (2006): Sacha Baron Cohen's mockumentary features his outlandish alter-ego Borat, interacting with unsuspecting Americans and exposing cultural prejudices.
• My Cousin Vinny (1992): Joe Pesci is hilarious as an inexperienced New York lawyer defending his cousin in a small-town Alabama murder trial.
• The Apartment (1960): A bittersweet romantic comedy from Billy Wilder about an office worker who lends his apartment to his superiors for their affairs.
• Harold and Maude (1971): A dark and quirky comedy about a death-obsessed young man who falls in love with a free-spirited 79-year-old woman.
• The Blues Brothers (1980): John Belushi and Dan Aykroyd are on a "mission from God" in this musical comedy classic filled with car chases, soul music, and unforgettable lines.
• There's Something About Mary (1998): A wildly inappropriate comedy packed with gross-out gags and a surprisingly sweet core.
• Step Brothers (2008): Will Ferrell and John C. Reilly play two immature middle-aged men forced to become stepbrothers, leading to childish rivalry and hilarious antics.
• Monty Python's Life of Brian (1979): A controversial yet brilliant religious satire following a man mistaken for the Messiah.
• Wet Hot American Summer (2001): An absurdist cult classic parodying teen summer camp movies with an all-star cast portraying wildly exaggerated characters.
• Best in Show (2000): A hilarious mockumentary from Christopher Guest about the eccentric contestants and their dogs at a prestigious dog show.
• What We Do in the Shadows (2014): A mockumentary following a group of vampires living together as roommates in modern-day New Zealand.
• O Brother, Where Art Thou? (2000): The Coen Brothers' loose retelling of Homer's Odyssey set in the Depression-era American South, filled with bluegrass music and quirky characters.
• His Girl Friday (1940): A ruthless newspaper editor (Cary Grant) tries to win back his ex-wife and star reporter (Rosalind Russell) with a juicy scoop and a whirlwind of fast-paced, quick-witted banter.
• Sullivan's Travels (1941): A successful Hollywood comedy director, disillusioned with his work, disguises himself as a hobo to research a serious film. His journey leads to unexpected misadventures and a newfound appreciation for life's simple joys.
• The Royal Tenenbaums (2001): Wes Anderson's signature style shines in this quirky comedy-drama about a dysfunctional family of former child prodigies.
• In Bruges (2008): Two hitmen hiding out in a picturesque Belgian town find themselves caught in a darkly comedic and surprisingly philosophical adventure.
• Four Weddings and a Funeral (1994): A charming British romantic comedy about a group of friends navigating love, loss, and social awkwardness.
• Galaxy Quest (1999): A loving parody of Star Trek and sci-fi fandom with a hilarious cast including Tim Allen, Sigourney Weaver, and Alan Rickman.
• City Lights (1931): Charlie Chaplin's iconic Tramp falls in love with a blind flower girl and embarks on a series of heartwarming and hilarious misadventures to try and raise money for her sight-restoring surgery. A silent film masterpiece that blends comedy with profound social commentary.

Comedy has the power to lift our spirits, unite us through shared laughter, and offer a fresh perspective on life.

For me, it's the genre I know I can count on time and time again.

Let me know your favorites in the comments.

What Are The Best Western Movies of All Time?

What are the best thriller movies of all time, a comprehensive list of 50+ plot devices, blackmagic’s just-revealed ursa cine 12k lf set to rock the industry, how did an episode of 'the sopranos' change tv forever, adobe’s generative ai video tools are finally coming to premiere pro, 5 things i learned from sitting in on 120 pitch meetings, how this designer created the costumes on the mega-hit 'road house', blackmagic camera app set to finally come to android, which is better: binge or a weekly release tv show.

Character Development: 10 Tips to Write Better Characters

In storytelling, character development is a crucial aspect that can elevate a narrative from good to unforgettable. Crafting well-rounded and relatable characters engages readers and adds depth to your plot.

In this guide, we’ll explore 10 essential tips to help you master the art of character development and create memorable heroes, villains, and supporting characters.

Character Development: 10 Tips for Success

Understand your audience.

Before delving into character creation, it’s essential to identify your target audience. Knowing who your readers are allows you to tailor your characters to their preferences.

Whether your audience leans toward fantasy enthusiasts, mystery lovers, or romance enthusiasts, understanding their expectations will guide your character development process.

Define Character Roles

Every compelling story has a cast of characters fulfilling specific roles. From the charismatic protagonist (hero) to the formidable antagonist (villain) and the supporting characters that add nuance to the narrative , each role contributes to the overall story dynamics. Balancing these roles ensures a well-rounded and engaging plot.

Establish Clear Goals and Motivations

Characters without goals and motivations can feel directionless to readers. Clearly defining what your characters want and why they want it is fundamental to their development. Aligning these goals with the progression of the plot creates a seamless and purposeful narrative.

We recommend trying the Somebody Wanted But So Then technique if you’re still working on your character’s motivations.

Craft Backstories

A character’s past shapes who they are in the present. Developing comprehensive backstories provides a rich tapestry for your characters, adding depth and complexity. Integrate these backstories strategically, revealing essential elements at opportune moments to maintain reader interest.

Focus on Character Arcs

Character growth and transformation are critical components of a compelling story. Understanding the three-act structure allows you to map out the evolution of your characters. Consistency in their development ensures a satisfying and believable journey for your readers.

Our Editor’s Take

Struggling with you character arcs? Explore our guide on how to outline your novel . Dialing in your outline will help you refine the how, when, and why of your character’s actions. – R. R. Noall

Build Authentic Dialogue

Dialogue is a powerful tool for character development. Creating unique voices for each character and using dialogue to reveal personality traits creates a deeper connection between readers and the characters. Strive for a balance between realism and dramatic effect to keep the dialogue engaging.

Utilize Physical Descriptions and Traits

Physical appearance, habits, and mannerisms give readers visual cues that enhance their connection to characters. Describe your characters in a way that goes beyond surface details, incorporating symbolic significance into their physical traits.

For example, Harry Potter’s scar and Ron Weasley’s red hair are character traits that say a lot about them.

Incorporate Flaws and Imperfections

Perfect characters can be unrelatable and uninteresting. Introduce flaws and imperfections that humanize your characters, making them more authentic and convincing. Balancing strengths and weaknesses ensures a dynamic and relatable cast.

A perfect character is REALLY hard for readers to relate to. In real life, we all have our weaknesses and vices. Even the best characters in stories through history have their issues. Don’t forget to sprinkle a dose of humanity into your characters. – R. R. Noall

Test Characters in Various Situations

To truly understand your characters, put them in different situations and observe their responses. Assessing their strength and exploring how they handle conflict adds layers to their personalities. Consistent responses across scenarios contribute to a well-rounded character portrayal.

Start Conquering Character Development

In crafting memorable characters, the 10 steps outlined here serve as a roadmap for writers seeking to elevate their storytelling.

By understanding your audience, defining character roles, establishing clear goals and motivations, and delving into backstories, arcs, dialogue, physical traits, flaws, and various situations, you can create characters that resonate with readers long after the story concludes.

Embrace the ongoing journey of character development, and watch your narratives come to life with vibrant, authentic, and unforgettable personalities.

Excited about your writing? Explore our calls for submissions .

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Best Tips on Writing a Character Analysis Essay

A character analysis essay is a common task that college and university students get at all levels of literary courses. Writing a great piece takes critical thinking, attention to details and creativity. In this brief guide from our essay writer , you’ll find useful tips and a general plan for creating an A-scoring character essay.

What Is a Character Analysis Essay?

A character analysis essay is a type of written assignment which aims to evaluate personal traits of a fictional character and determine his/her role and place in a literary piece. A student writing such an essay should explain the influence of a chosen character on the plot and on the other characters and depict their progress throughout the story.

How to Start a Character Analysis Essay?

First thing you need to do is choose a character which you will describe in your character essay. There are several types of fictional characters. While some of them play key roles, others are less significant and don’t influence the course of the story. It’s up to you which one of them to choose, but obviously, the main characters are more interesting to analyze and describe.

• Protagonist – typically he/she is the main character. The actions of a protagonist make the story move forward; other characters spin around him/her.
• Antagonist – a villain, a character which the readers usually dislike. An antagonist exists to cause conflicts for the story’s protagonist and motivate them to take unexpected decisions or reveal new traits of character.
• Major character – plays a significant role in a story, influences its development. Usually, major characters interact with the protagonist.
• Minor character – gets a smaller, insignificant part. Minor characters play “crowd scenes”, often they may be static or stereotypical.
• Dynamic character – they tend to change and expand throughout the story. The antagonist and the protagonist characters usually are dynamic.
• Static character – although these characters won’t change throughout the story, they also may be interesting to explore.
• Stereotype – minor characters that are created to fill up space often are stereotypical.

Once you know which character you’d like to analyze, you should read the literary work once again, or look through it and write down all important information about the character. Start with the basic facts such as character’s name, age, gender, their appearance and manner of speaking.

Next, look for such important things as the character’s motivation and aspirations, their deeds, actions and decisions, and finally their interaction with the other characters.

Look through your notes and analyze them. Now you should have a deeper understanding of:

• character’s personality;
• the role they play in the story;
• their development and growth;
• the value the character brings to the reader.

Next step is to create a detailed outline, based on the notes you’ve taken.

Character Analysis, Character Description, and Character Development Essay: What Are the Differences?

Characters of any literary work can be depicted through various types of written assignments. Aside from a character analyses essay, students can be asked to write a character development essay which provides a detailed description and predictions about a character from a fictional work. Such essay encourages a reader to look at events of a literary piece from the character’s perspective, to understand their motivation and behavior.

A character description essay is another type of essay similar to the two mentioned above focuses on the description of a person, object, event, place, situation or emotion. This kind of essay doesn’t go into detailed analyses; a reader can make their own conclusions about the subject of an essay from what they read.

How to Write a Characterization Essay?

Just as many other types of student essays, a character analyses essay uses a simple outline and consists of the three main parts : an introduction, the main body (with at least three paragraphs), and a conclusion. Stick to this format to write a good essay.

Introduction. In the introductory part, you should make your statement about the literary work in general, and the character you are going to analyze in particular. Grab a reader’s attention by giving a brief characteristic or a description of a chosen character. Give an idea of what to expect in your essay.

Main body. In the essay’s body, you should organize information and ideas into logical groups. Remember that this part of the essay should become a detailed version of the introduction, and follow the sequence of the main points described in it. You can divide the main body into three paragraphs, and make each of them cover the following points.

• The character’s physical appearance, likings, occupation, background, and personality.
• The character’s interaction and relations with the other personages, the conflicts he/she experiences, their role in the story.
• An important lesson a reader can learn from the character.

Conclusion. In this part, you summarize the essay, restate the main thesis and highlight the key findings of your character analyses. You may finish the essay with a quote which represents your character, or debate if they’d fit into the real life.

What Is a Purpose of a Character Analysis Essay?

The main purpose of a characterization essay is to help a student understand the character and the fictional world they live in better. A student should reveal hidden traits and strivings of the character, track on their shaping and development, surmise their possible future, and learn from their story.

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• The Anonymous Confession of a Compulsive Liar

Apr 16, 2024

By Dr. Arthur Schwartz 

For the past three years, with a grant from The School for Ethical Education, Character.org has invited students worldwide to write a “Law of Life” essay. Our writing prompt encourages middle school and high school students “to reflect and write about a core value that means the most to you – and why.”

This past week, I read one essay that was unlike any other essay I’ve ever read. I have no idea what grade the student is in or whether the student lives in Boston or Brazil. All I know is that I can’t stop thinking about this essay because of how brutally honest the essayist is about one aspect of his or her character. The student writes:

Honesty is hard. Difficult. I feel a little silly for saying this,

but I cannot go a day without lying. Whether I lie to my friend 

about a small little thought to make it sound better, or I have a 

problem and I got to make the lie sound believable. I still lie.

The student goes on to write, “ one day I know my lies are gonna catch up to me. I dread the day when it happens, I do.”

But it was the essay’s last lines that punched my gut. Ever the optimist, I thought the final paragraph would be where the student tells the reader that he or she is going to try to stop telling lies all the time. But here’s how the essay ends:

I am not the kind of person I should be. But if you want my honesty

in this? I am fine with being like this. There is my honesty… 

I’m a lying machine. It is bad.  

Is the essay a call for help? If so, how should we make sense of the line “I am fine with being like this”? I have been gnawing at these questions for days, and here’s what I’ve come to understand:

Lying during the teen years is pervasive. Researchers tell us that children begin to lie at around age 3 when they realize others around them cannot read their minds. Around middle school, kids often lie to gain acceptance from peers or to exercise control over a situation. Yet the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry cautions that when tweens and teens are repeatedly lying, families and educators need to resist thinking that “everyone lies, so it’s no big deal.” Teens who consistently lie often do need our help and support . 

Reflective writing is a powerful tool . For years, James Pennebaker and colleagues have been researching the mental health benefits of reflective writing. Okay, perhaps not for all kids. Or for all issues. But for many of us reflecting and putting down in words something we’ve been thinking about (e.g., such as a recent experience or what we’re feeling) helps us to reframe and address the situation or issue in a positive way.

Self-awareness is an important first step . Brene Brown hit the mark when she wrote , “owning our story can be hard but not nearly as difficult as spending our lives running from it.” My hope is that the student who wrote about lying will begin to understand that he is not a machine. No machine will ever have the level of self-awareness revealed in his or her essay. We can change our mindsets.

One final thought: We must resist the notion that the young person who wrote the essay has “bad character.” The truth is that none of us are perfect. The student may be exceptionally kind and empathetic to strangers or volunteer at an animal shelter on a regular basis. We are all works in progress. What’s most important, especially when focusing on our character growth, is for all of us to figure out how to look at ourselves in the mirror with integrity and humility.

*******************

Note : Interested in learning more about why kids lie? Check out this great video by Dr. Victoria Talwar.

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Consistency

It’s easy to post a list of core values on the refrigerator. It’s much more difficult for parents to be consistent. Consistency lets children know what to expect and what is expected of them. Of course, children will push boundaries  but inconsistency from parents confuses children. 

Everyone involved in your child’s development are critical to modeling and upholding core values. Parents need to work with these important role models to foster the importance of doing the right thing, at the right time, in the right way, and for the right reasons.

Parents need to commit to model and reinforce to their children the core values and character strengths that mean the most to them. They also need to be creative and offer meaningful experiences that illuminate how important these character strengths are to the family’s core values. 

Conversations

We know “We need to talk” freaks kids out, but too often parents avoid having conversations about character, especially as children get older. While it may not be easy to talk sometimes, we know from the research that parents who avoid talking to their children about serious matters quickly lose trust and connection.

Celebration

Parents need to find ways for their children to be active participants in their own character growth. Optimal character development occurs when children begin to make self-motivated commitments to consistently practice a core value (e.g. “I want to be the kind of person who is always honest and shows up on time.”) Parents need to celebrate these moments to shape and define individual character. 

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More From Forbes

20 coaches weigh in on how to be a ‘servant leader’ in 2024.

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While the idea of a “servant leader” can be found in religious and philosophical teachings throughout history, an essay published by Robert K. Greenleaf in 1970 entitled “The Servant as Leader” brought the concept to the modern business world. In it, Greeleaf outlines how a servant leader prioritizes the needs of others, empowering and supporting them to achieve their goals and serving the greater good of the organization or community.

Leaders who adopt a servant leadership style find that it helps foster employee engagement and satisfaction, drive productivity and promote a collaborative culture of trust. Below, members of Forbes Coaches Council share examples of what it means to be a servant leader in 2024, illustrating why it is essential for leaders navigating the complexities of today’s business environments to embrace the concept.

1. Create Psychological Safety

Servant leadership is the answer to 2024’s workplace challenges. Servant leaders create psychological safety through transparency, empathy and deep listening. They empower people through support and mentorship. They prioritize employee well-being and engagement. This style uniquely meets the needs of remote and Gen-Z staff, unleashing their potential and fostering a thriving, inclusive workforce. - Jamie Lewis Smith , Pixel Leadership Group, LLC

2. Prioritize People

Imagine a stressed team. A traditional leader pushes them for results. A servant leader listens, empowers them with flexible deadlines and focuses on their growth through training. This reduces burnout and boosts morale, leading to a happier, more productive team. Having a human-centric leadership approach is a valued skill in this digital era. - Anthony Howard , HR Certified LLC

3. Practice Active Listening

Servant leaders in 2024 practice active listening, use empathy and commit to the growth of people. There are five generations in the U.S. workforce, each with varying core values and expectations around communication and work-life balance. A servant leader must listen with all of their senses, be receptive to understanding what matters to others, and encourage, value and incorporate their ideas. - Deborah Vereen , THE VEREEN GROUP

Netflix s Best New Show Arrives With A Perfect 100 Critic Score

Apple watch series 10 to boast welcome upgrade report claims, wwe raw results winners and grades on april 15 2024, 4. ask people how you can best serve them.

Ask people, “How can I best serve or support you?” at the beginning of a meeting, project or quarter. By asking this question and listening to their answers with curiosity, compassion and courage, you are living servant leadership. Listening is an act of service. It does not mean that you agree with everything said; at times, you might need to set boundaries around asks as an act of service. - Katharina Schmidt , Inspiration & Discipline

Forbes Coaches Council is an invitation-only community for leading business and career coaches. Do I qualify?

5. Ensure The Team Gets Deserved Credit

The key to servant leadership, from a leader’s perspective, is to manage the ego. Servant leadership is all about growth of their people and how the leader can help coach, mentor and remove obstacles. Practically, it means putting oneself out of the limelight to ensure that the team gets the credit they deserve—creating a team of people who will remember you for years. - Philippe Mathijs , Reach Outstanding

6. Prioritize The Team’s Growth And Resilience

A servant leader leads from the front, but has the team’s back. An example might be when a team misses an important deadline. Rather than admonish the team, a servant leader will focus on how they can do better next time. What did they learn? And how might they maximize their strengths and minimize their weaknesses in the future? - Dr. Michele D’Amico , Vetta Consultants LLC

7. Establish Clear Objectives Up Front

A servant leader understands and accepts that their own success is conditional on the growth of their team. So their job is to not only remove obstacles blocking their team, but also to really promote self-growth, agency, safety and psychological well-being to help their team thrive, with clear objectives established up front. They are the enablers of their team’s talent. - Veronique Bogliolo Friedman , Bogliolo Coaching & Consulting

8. Prioritize Employee Well-Being

A leader who prioritizes employee well-being, listens actively and empowers teams to make decisions embodies servant leadership. For instance, regularly conducting one-on-one check-ins, implementing flexible work policies and fostering a culture of open communication will demonstrate a commitment to serving and supporting the team’s growth and success. - Karla Aljanabi , Career Building Coach

9. Engage With Front-Line Workers

In 2024, a servant leader prioritizes others’ needs and empowers team members. A CEO who engages with front-line employees, listens to their ideas and implements initiatives based on their feedback, for example, is a servant leader. Additionally, they prioritize employee development through mentorship and training, fostering a supportive work environment that drives greater satisfaction and productivity. - Rukayat Alabi , RKY Careers

10. Address Your Team’s Most Pressing Challenges

Servant leaders not only put their teams first, but are also willing to accept responsibility for addressing their most pressing challenges, dedicating talent, time and resources to finding and implementing solutions. This shows up in areas ranging from designing employee-friendly HR policies to being open to pivoting on strategies when presented with compelling data. It’s about listening—and acting! - Joanne Heyman , Heyman Partners

11. Follow The ‘Platinum Rule’

By taking into account the “platinum rule,” a leader can best serve. What’s the platinum rule? Do unto others as they wish to be treated. Applying this on an individual level so that every person feels they have been considered increases the power of the rule. Employee surveys can provide direction. Examples can include increasing autonomy in individuals’ work and having career path discussions. - David Yudis , Potential Selves

12. Believe That People Want (And Know How) To Succeed

Servant leadership begins with believing people do not come to work to fail and knowing the people doing the work know best how to improve the work. Be curious and seek to understand. As you listen intently, you are showing you care. As you execute on ideas, people feel more valued. Engagement and loyalty will follow, and your value as a leader will rise. - Marti Evans , Leap Dialogues

13. Lead With Empathy

Embracing the ethos of a servant leader in 2024 means embodying a leadership style that prioritizes the growth and well-being of team members and the communities to which they belong. It’s about leading with empathy, focusing on the development of others and fostering an environment where everyone feels empowered and valued. However, what this looks like may depend on the industry. - Michelle Maree , The Nomad Escape

14. Champion Empowerment Over Authority

A servant leader prioritizes their team’s growth, championing empowerment over authority. For example, imagine a manager who schedules weekly one-on-one meetings to understand individual challenges and aspirations, then tailors support and opportunities accordingly. This type of approach fosters a culture of trust, collaboration and shared success, encouraging everyone to contribute their best. - Kerri Sutey , Sutey Coaching & Consulting LLC

15. Actively Mentor Staff

In 2024, being a servant leader in India means prioritizing employees’ growth and well-being. Take the example of Tata Group, where leaders actively mentor staff, support community initiatives and foster an inclusive workplace culture. This approach not only enhances employee satisfaction, but also drives sustainable business success, embodying the true spirit of servant leadership in modern India. - Bhaskar Natarajan , Bhaskar Natarajan, MCC

16. Truly Get To Know Your People

Make the time to truly get to know your people, personally and professionally. Dig in. Understand what makes them tick and how to best leverage their talents. Give them periodic feedback. Don’t be afraid of hard conversations. People don’t need a “buddy”; they need to be challenged, led, mentored and held accountable. The best way to serve people is take them to a place they can’t get to on their own. - Jason Ballard , Soar Higher Coaching & Training

17. Apply The Acronym TOUCH

In the era of artificial intelligence, a servant leader applies the acronym TOUCH by Treating team members with kindness, Over-delivering on commitments, Understanding needs through listening, Connecting with honest dialogue, and Humbly serving with tech-augmented projects. They leverage AI for efficiency, ensuring technology enhances human connection and community impact, embodying leadership that blends empathy with innovation. - Farshad Asl , Top Leaders, Inc.

18. Be Deeply Committed To Those You Serve

Servant leaders are empathetic and flexible and have a deep commitment to the well-being of the people and communities they serve. I worked for the president of an organization who was a servant leader. When my father had a medical emergency, she encouraged me to be with him and offered to cover my key responsibilities until I returned. Being a servant leader brings a huge return on investment. - Cindy Lamir , Impact Business Coaches

19. Put Team Members’ Needs Before Your Own

A servant leader is a nurturing figure who puts team members’ needs before their own. Driven by generosity and genuine care for the greater good, this leader serves their people by being humble and considerate, respecting their team members’ abilities, and delivering what each person needs based on their specific competencies and character. - Abdulaziz Al-Roomi , Global Legacy Management Consulting & Training

20. Jump In And Take Action To Support The Team

One great example of a servant leader is a software engineering manager who jumps in to write lines of code, ensuring the team meets the deadline. Though writing code may no longer be in their job description as a manager, a servant leader will take action when their team needs additional support, rather than watching and supporting from the sidelines. - Michael Timmes , Insperity

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The Future of Essay Writing Service Review Websites: Trends and Predictions

• April 16, 2024 10:08 AM / Updated: April 16, 2024 10:08 AM

Are you one of those who check reviews before buying any product or using any service? Good for you. As we know at NoCramming , reading reviews is one of the best ways to ensure you will get what you’re hoping for—no wonder the number of academic writing review platforms is growing by the day.

But the growth we’re witnessing today is nothing compared to the evolution we will observe in the next few years. Reviews will keep getting more authentic and otherwise better. People who write them will be required to check every aspect of the coursework writing service they’re reviewing. Want to know more? Let’s explore.

Working on Credibility—More Rigorous Evaluation Methods

One of the biggest issues with websites that post detailed reviews of academic writing services is that those reviews aren’t always written by someone who is not only honest but also knows what they’re talking about. Some of those review websites only give good scores and feedback to the writing services that pay them; others have someone without much knowledge of the industry writing the reviews.

That’s obviously disappointing and frustrating for potential academic writing services clients. So, one of the emerging trends in the academic writing reviewing industry is an attempt to increase transparency, avoid selling out, and hire knowledgeable researchers and writers to get the job done well.

There are a few pioneers in this trend, such as:

• NoCramming. NoCramming is one of the very few review websites that genuinely have students’ best interests in mind. If a certain academic writing service is bad, you won’t see a NoCramming reviewer claiming it’s outstanding.
• Reviews.io. Reviews.io is also a pretty honest platform. You can see this even from the average scores Reviews.io gives to different services—they are noticeably lower compared to what you can find on other review websites.
• SiteJabber. SiteJabber tries to cover almost every industry in existence, which is its biggest flaw. Otherwise, it’s a decent review platform, and the reviews about academic writing services you can find there are generally legit.
• Reddit and Quora. Finally, some of the best reviews can always be found on Reddit and Quora; that’s news to no one. Just ensure that the review you’re reading is a review (and not a paid ad post).

Going forward, we will almost certainly see review websites adopting new evaluation methods (think a secret buyer, except way more advanced) to ensure their review fully reflects the average customer experience on the platform they’re reviewing.

Further Development of Advanced Technologies for Analysis

This is already happening, but we will keep seeing this trend growing: AI and data analytics will revolutionize how review platforms analyze and compare academic writing services. Websites that post reviews, including NoCramming, will invest in new technology to delegate aggregating user reviews, monitoring service updates, and detecting fake reviews. As is almost always the case, this will increase review websites’ productivity and, hopefully, accuracy.

Moreover, new tools will help such websites keep all reviews up to date. It’s a big issue in the review industry. Reviews get outdated almost instantly, and updating them constantly takes more than a village. Once again, when this becomes more automatic (it already is to an extent), the efficiency of review websites will grow impressively.

Expanding Beyond Typical Essay-Writing Services

As the academic writing industry evolves, review platforms will likely expand their scope to include a wider range of services. They are already doing this. For example, NoCramming now includes AI writing tools (such as EssayTyper) and tutoring services (such as Preply or Italki) in its product reviews. This trend will keep growing.

Academic integrity is often brought up in the context of academic writing services of different kinds. Developers are adapting to the new demands, and the influx of tutoring services as an alternative to traditional writing services is proof of that. Review platforms have no choice but to respond to the changes in the industry and go beyond the typical essay-writing services, too.

The Ultimate Value of User Experience

The review platforms of the future will place a greater emphasis on user experience. This could involve more user-friendly interfaces, interactive elements like forums or Q&A sections, and personalized recommendation systems, among other things. The more feedback reviewers get from their audience, the better their rating system and criteria become.

If you’re a regular NoCramming reader (or are familiar with other similar review platforms), you’ve likely already noticed that such platforms are actively asking their readers to drop suggestions and engage with the content. The ultimate goal is to make the reviews as helpful and in-depth as possible. You will keep seeing evidence of this trend in the upcoming years.

Increased Focus on Accountability

Finally, we will continue seeing the growing demand for transparency in the industry. Readers of academic writing service reviews want to know why they are recommended one service but not the other. They also want to be sure that the person who wrote the review had actually tested the service beforehand.

That’s why one of the biggest things to expect from reviewing platforms in the foreseeable future is increased accountability. Fact-checking, proof of credentials, proof of purchase, and similar things will become commonplace across the industry.

Students will want the person reviewing the service they’re considering to be a real expert (and rightly so). Hopefully, this will help further build trust in the academic writing industry.

An Afterword

Overall, the biggest changes (or, more accurately, developments) in the academic writing reviewing industry in the near future will be more credibility, more accountability, and a heavier focus on tech tools, including AI. Some reviewers, including NoCramming, are already in on those trends, but others will soon join.

In any case, the one thing you can expect from academic writing reviews in the next few years is that they will be more honest, better fact-checked, and quicker to be updated. Good news, right?

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