CHARACTER Essay
Below are some descriptions of characters used throughout literature, from Shakespeare to Dickens.
Assignment: Choose a character, select THREE words appropriate to that character, define a character
type for that character, and explain how those three words and the character type apply to the character
you have selected. (Required word count: 100-150). Include the word count at the end of the explanation.
REQUIRED FORMAT:
Character: Character, source and THREE descriptive words
Definition: Definition of a character type
Explanation: Interpretation and justification of why those descriptive
words explain the character as that type.
Descriptive Words: absurd
acquisitive
affected
affectionate
agitator
anarchic
anguished
anxious
appealing
arrogant
austere
bawdy
beguiled
benevolent
bewildered
bitter
boisterous
bold
boor
bully
cautious
captivating
charming
cheerful
clear-sighted
clever
compassionate
complacent
conceited
condescending
constant
courageous
cowardly
coy
cruel
cunning
cynical
deceitful
determined
disagreeable
domestic
drunkard
dupe
independent
indolent
inexperienced
intelligent
intolerant
ironic
earthy
egotistical
elegant
emotional
enigmatic
envious
exquisite
keen
kind
kingly
klutzy
fanciful
fatuous
fierce
foolish
forlorn
frank
funny
gallant
generous
genuine
good-humored
gullible
haughty
honest
hot-headed
humorless
hypocritical
imaginative
immature
impressionable
impulsive
inadequate
malevolent
malleable
melancholy
mischief-maker
mocking
moody
mysterious
naïve
noble
nonchalant
obsessive
offensive
officious
oily
opinionated
opportunistic
parasitical
passionate
patronizing
picky
pitiable
pompous
possessive
practical
proud
superficial
quarrelsome
quick
quiet
quirky
quixotic
tolerant
tempestuous
tender
trustworthy
two-faced
rambunctious
rational
realistic
repressed
resilient
resourceful
ridiculous
romantic
rude
unctuous
unforgiving
unheroic
unsympathetic
sagacious
satirical
self-controlled
self-indulgent
selfish
selfless
self-opinionated
self-satisfied
self-willed
sensitive
sentimental
sexy
shallow
shrewd
silly
sincere
slippery
sly
smug
snobbish
sourpuss
vain
vengeful
vicious
victimizer
vindictive
vivacious
vulnerable
warm
well-balanced
wet blanket
witty
Character types:
protagonist
antagonist
antihero
foil
round character
flat character
dynamic char.
static character
stereotype
archetype
prototype
These are examples. However, you need to follow the format assigned in class (i.e foil character, minor character,
etc.)
Example 1: (Your papers should look like these examples.)
Character and descriptive words: Pip in Great Expectations is inexperienced, impressionable, and naive
Character definition: A dynamic character is one who evolves and changes throughout the story
Explanation and rationale: Pip, in Charles Dickens’ Great Expectations can qualify as a dynamic character because he
changes from an impressionable, inexperienced, youth who wants to better himself, to a shallow snob who must
learn what real worth and sincerity is in people. Two contrasts that show his change are when he is visited by Joe
Gargery and is embarrassed by Joe’s lack of polish and his country ways. He welcomes Joe’s visit, but does so with
aloofness and a lack of warmth. By the end of the story he contradicts the snobbery by helping his benefactor,
Magwitch, try to flee from the authorities, and shows a noble side to his character. He risks his reputation and his
own safety to aid Magwitch and shows a compassionate side to himself that shows that he has changed and learned
from his experiences. (161 words)
Example 2:
Character: Mrs. Gross in The Turn of the Screw: affectionate, benevolent, constant
Character definition: Flat character: a one-dimensional character who can be quickly described and who stays
consistent throughout the narrative.
Explanation: Mrs. Gross, in Henry Jameses’ The Turn of the Screw, is a flat character because she is seen as a constant
and supportive by all the characters in the narrative. She can be quickly described by both the reader and by each
individual character using the same terms: affectionate, benevolent, constant. It is her consistency that makes her
more than merely a minor character. In order to give balance to a story there needs to be a contrast in characters,
such as the governess and Mrs. Gross in order to see the ambiguity of the governesses’ sightings of Quint and Miss
Jessel. Mrs. Gross’s simple but sincere reactions to the governess’ attitudes on the ghosts, on Miles and Flora, and on
decisions the governess makes toward conflicts in the story, gives the reader a balance by which to interpret the
other characters. For example, when the governess sees Miss Jessel by the lake and in the schoolroom, Mrs. Gross
takes it for granted, on faith and trust alone, that the sightings are real, as do many readers. But when Mrs. Gross
expresses doubts, the reader is inclined to do so also. (223 words)