Character Analysis

Students take a detailed look at one of main characters in a novel or short story with these easy-to-use graphic
organizers. Includes 17 pages to lead students through the process of writing a character analysis about their
favorite character. Students must apply their knowledge of characterization to either a paragraph or essay.

• STEAL Acronym Reference Sheet

• STEAL Acronym Planning page
• Character Chart for the main characters x 2
• Character Comparison Chart
• Note Taking Sheet
• Character Development
• Character Analysis Paragraph Planner— Organizer #1
• Character Analysis Paragraph Assignment
• Paragraph Outline
• Character Analysis Essay Planner—2 pages
• Essay Assignment Page
• Character Analysis Essay Outline - 3 pages
• List of Common Character Traits

• Uses the STEAL Acronym to help students learn about indirect characterization—Speech, Thoughts, Effect on
others, Actions, Looks
• Depending on the age / ability of your students, you may use either the short version or the long version of the
character analysis assignment.
• I usually spend quite a bit of time talking about the characters throughout the novel and encourage the
students to take notes as they read, either in their notebooks or the included sheet.
• Pair up students who are writing about the same character and have them help each other with brainstorming
and planning.
• Have the class work together on brainstorming ideas about the main characters—this should help your
struggling writers get started.

© 2010-Addie Williams
 Characterization S.T.E.A.L
Speech
What does the character
say? How do they say it?
What is their tone? Their
word choice?

Thoughts
What does the character
think? What do we
learn from their thoughts
& ideas?

Effects What is this character’s effect

on others? How do they
interact with other characters?

Actions
What does this character do?
How do they behave? What
can we learn from their
actions?

What does this character look

Looks
like? What can we learn from
how they present themselves
to others?
© Addie Williams
 Characterization S.T.E.A.L
Pick a character from your reading. Write down evidence from the text to support each
of the ways we learn about characters.

________________________________________

Speech

Thoughts

Effects

Actions

Looks
© Addie Williams
Characters While reading, fill in the chart, keeping in mind the ways we learn about characters ~ STEAL.
1) Their SPEECH 2) Their THOUGHTS 3) Their EFFECT on others 4) Their ACTIONS 5) Their LOOKS

Adjectives to describe Evidence from the Text Evidence from the Text
Character
their personality (Citation Needed) (Citation Needed)

© Addie Williams
Characters
While reading, fill in the chart, keeping in mind the ways we learn about characters ~ STEAL.
1) Their SPEECH 2) Their THOUGHTS 3) Their EFFECT on others 4) Their ACTIONS 5) Their LOOKS

Adjectives to describe Evidence from the Text Evidence from the Text
Character
their personality (Citation Needed) (Citation Needed)

© Addie Williams
Character Analysis Notes
As you read, fill in the chart to keep track of important events, ideas, and quotes.

Event, Idea, Inspiration, Quote... Page

© Addie Williams
 Character Comparison
Pick two characters and compare and contrast them using the Venn diagram. How are they alike?
Different? Use examples from the text to support your ideas.
Character

Character

© Addie Williams
 Character Development
Characters often change and develop as they experience challenges and difficult times. How has the
character you are studying changed during the story? Provide specific examples from the text.

How have they changed? Evidence from the text

   
Beginning

   
Middle

   
End

© Addie Williams
Character Analysis Planner Character’s Name

SPEECH—What does the character SAY? EFFECT—What impact does this character have on others?

LOOKS—What do we
learn from their appearance?

THOUGHTS—What are the character’s ACTIONs –What does this character do?
thoughts / opinions / ideas? What does their behavior say about
them?

© Addie Williams
Character Analysis Paragraph
Pick one of the main characters and write a character analysis about them based on what you have learned from your
reading. Keep in mind the ways we learn about characters and use that to guide your writing. Be sure to explain the main
characteristics of your character and support your ideas wit h evidence.

SPEECH THOUGHTS EFFECT ON OTHERS ACTIONS LOOKS

Create a topic sentence that summarizes your character’s main personality traits based on evidence in the text. Once you
have your topic sentence use specific examples from the novel to support your thesis and write a character analysis. Be sure
to cite your quotes (Author pg).

Character: ____________________________

Main personality trait or traits: _____________________________________________________________________________________________

Supporting Evidence
SPEECH: ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________

THOUGHTS: ________________________________________________________________________________________________________

EFFECT ON OTHERS: ________________________________________________________________________________________________

ACTIONS: _________________________________________________________________________________________________________

LOOKS: ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Topic Sentence: _________________________________________________________________________________________________________

© Addie Williams
Character Analysis Paragraph Outline
TOPIC SENTENCE ___________________________________________________________
Introduce the
character and the main ___________________________________________________________
POINT you will be writing
about. ___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
SUPPORTING ___________________________________________________________
POINTS ___________________________________________________________
What EVIDENCE do you
have to support your ___________________________________________________________
topic sentence? Use ___________________________________________________________
quotes and specific
examples from the text. ___________________________________________________________
Be sure to EXPLAIN your ___________________________________________________________
EVIDENCE. ___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
CONCLUSION ___________________________________________________________
Wrap up your paragraph
with a sentence that ___________________________________________________________
LINKS back to your topic
sentence. ___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
REMEMBER to spell check, ___________________________________________________________
use transition words, and
stick to your topic. ___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
© Addie Williams ___________________________________________________________
Character Analysis Planner
Use specific examples from the novel to support your ideas.
CHARACTER: _______________________

SPEECH—What does the character SAY?

THOUGHTS—What are the character’s thoughts / opinions / ideas?

© Addie Williams
Character Analysis Planner
Use specific examples from the novel to support your ideas.
CHARACTER: _______________________

EFFECT—What impact does this character have on others? LOOKS—What do we

learn from their
appearance?

ACTIONS –What does this character do? What does their behavior say about them?

© 2010-Addie Williams
Character Analysis Essay
Pick one of the main characters and write a character analysis essay about them based on what you have learned
about them from your reading. Keep in mind the ways we learn about characters and use that to guide your writing
and plan your supporting paragraphs. Pick three significant character traits and write about them in your essay.

Remember S.T.E.A.L. - SPEECH THOUGHTS EFFECT ON OTHERS ACTIONS LOOKS

Like any formal essay you need to Include an introduction, three supporting paragraphs and a conclusion.

Create a topic sentence that summarizes your character’s main personality traits based on all of your brainstorming
and planning. Once you have your topic sentence use specific examples from the novel to support your thesis and
write your character analysis. Use quotes and specific evidence to support your main idea.

Character:______________________________________

Topic Sentence / Main Idea: ________________________________________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________

Three Main Character Traits—use these to build your body paragraphs

1. __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Evidence:_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________

2. __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Evidence:_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________

3, _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Evidence:_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________

© Addie Williams
Character Analysis Essay Outline
INTRODUCTION ___________________________________________________________
Introduce the
character and the main ___________________________________________________________
POINTS you will be writing
about. Include your ___________________________________________________________
THESIS in your
introduction.
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
SUPPORTING
PARAGRAPH 1 ___________________________________________________________
What EVIDENCE do you ___________________________________________________________
have to support your
THESIS? Use quotes and ___________________________________________________________
specific examples from
the text.
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
Be sure to EXPLAIN your
EVIDENCE. ___________________________________________________________
Be sure to LINK to the next
___________________________________________________________
paragraph or link back to ___________________________________________________________
your THESIS.
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
© Addie Williams
Character Analysis Essay Outline
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
SUPPORTING
___________________________________________________________
PARAGRAPH 2
What EVIDENCE do you ___________________________________________________________
have to support your
THESIS? Use quotes and
___________________________________________________________
specific examples from ___________________________________________________________
the text.
___________________________________________________________
Be sure to EXPLAIN your
EVIDENCE.
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
Be sure to LINK to the next
paragraph or link back to ___________________________________________________________
your THESIS.
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
© 2010-Addie Williams
Character Analysis Essay Outline
SUPPORTING ___________________________________________________________
PARAGRAPH 3
What EVIDENCE do you
___________________________________________________________
have to support your ___________________________________________________________
THESIS? Use quotes and
specific examples from ___________________________________________________________
the text.
___________________________________________________________
Be sure to EXPLAIN your ___________________________________________________________
EVIDENCE.
___________________________________________________________
Be sure to LINK to the next
paragraph or link back to
___________________________________________________________
your THESIS. ___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________
CONCLUSION
Wrap up your essay with
___________________________________________________________
a CONCLUSION. ___________________________________________________________
Summarize your main
ideas and link back to ___________________________________________________________
your THESIS.
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
© 2010-Addie Williams
Common Character Traits
Adventurous Defiant Independent Patient Shy
Affectionate Demanding Intelligent Patriotic Silly
Aggressive Determined Inventive Perfectionist Smart
Ambitious Disagreeable Jealous Personable Strong
Annoying Disgruntled Joyful Pleasant Stubborn
Arrogant Dreamer Judgmental Polite Studious
Articulate Eager Kind Poor Successful
Artistic Easy going Knowledgeable Popular Sweet
Athletic Energetic Lazy Prim Tense
Awkward Enthusiastic Leader Proper Thoughtful
Boastful Excited Light-hearted Proud Timid
Bold Fair Likeable Quiet Tolerant
Bossy Faithful Lovable Realistic Tough
Brave Fighter Loving Rebellious Trusting
Calm Forgiving Loyal Reflective Understanding
Careless Friendly Manipulative Relaxed Unhappy
Caring Fun-loving Materialistic Reliable Unique
Cautious Funny Mature Religious Vain
Chatty Generous Melancholy Reserved Warm
Cheerful Gentle Messy Respectful Wild
Clever Giving Mischievous Responsible Willing
Clumsy Gracious Naïve Rich Wise
Compassionate Grouchy Nasty Rude Witty
Conceited Happy Neat Sad Zany
Confident Hard-working Nervous Sarcastic
Considerate Helpful Noisy Self-absorbed
Cooperative Honest Obnoxious Self-confident
Courageous Humble Opinionated Self-conscious

© 2012-Addie Williams
Creative Humorous Organized Selfish
Curious Imaginative Outgoing Sensitive
Daring Impulsive Passive Serious
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