Pick a character in a story that interests you and explain this character in brief. For example, you could write, "Connie from "Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?" is a teenage girl whose vainness and naivety thrust her into dire consequences." Formulate a thesis to centralize the essay. The thesis will tell the reader what to expect from the essay. A thesis example could be: "This character exhibits themes of duality and symbols of loneliness in her actions and personal belongings."
Write an introduction discussing what the essay is about and why it is important. Bring the essay into focus immediately by using quotes from the story to enhance the points you will make in the essay.
Write the body paragraphs of the essay beginning with a topic sentence stating the point of the paragraph. Explain your ideas using examples from the story by either directly quoting, summarizing or paraphrasing.
Define your character's function in the story. Is he a hero, villain, support or catalyst? If he is the hero of the story, for example, describe what traits and situations make him vital to the story.
List the positive and negative traits of the character. Include events that shape the personality of the character and motivate him throughout the story.
Describe the goal of the character in terms of conflict and rewards. Explain the significance of these situations and what effect they have on the goal of the character. For instance, discuss why accomplishing a particular goal is important for the character and how his actions relate to this goal.
Provide examples of ulterior motives in your character's actions. For example, if a character who typically does not care about other people puts another character's feelings before her own, explain what her actions say about her personality.
Describe the association between the story's symbolism and the character. Explain the importance of character symbols and their relation to the character's personality.
Explain how the conflict's resolution affected the growth of the character or how the character's growth affected the conflict. Detail whether the character is flat and static or round and dynamic.
Conclude the essay by restating the thesis in different words, summarizing your main points and providing a relevant statement or quote on the character or story as it relates to your central focus.