Prose / novel · Both
Character Analysis
Literature exams reward precise comments on how a character is built – not a plot retelling. Track presentation, relationships and change.
What to track
• First impression vs later development
• What they say, do, and what others say about them
• Relationships and power
• Key moments that reveal or change them
• Writer’s methods (dialogue, imagery, contrast)
Writing about character
Point → evidence (short quotation) → explain method and effect → link to theme or question.
Avoid: “He is brave because he does brave things.”
Better: link a specific action or line to what it suggests about values, fear, or growth.
Worked example
How do I show a character changes?
Solution: Compare an early presentation with a later one. Use “At first… / By the end…” and evidence from both points.
Practice questions
1. Name three ways writers present character.
2. What should follow a quotation in a character paragraph?