Drama Essay: Character Analysis

By the due date assigned, submit your three-paragraph character analysis essay as a Microsoft Word

attachment. This short essay should be at least 500 words and at least three paragraphs in length,

including an introduction, body paragraph, and conclusion.

Directions

For this essay, you are writing an analysis of one of the characters in one of our 10-minute plays:

What Are You Going To Be?, Magic 8 Ball, The Blizzard and Zombie Love.

Tips

In this short essay, be sure that you have the following: an introductory paragraph with a thes is

statement, at least one body paragraph with supporting reasons, examples, and quotations from the

play, and a concluding paragraph. The thesis statement should represent your main argument

analyzing the character you have chosen.

The Thesis Statement

To develop your thesis statement, choose two or three descriptive words to define your character.

From these words, what main point could you argue about the character in an essay? This opinion

or judgment is your thesis statement. Once you have your thesis, choose supporting evidence

(quotations and examples from the play) for the body paragraph.

Brainstorming Questions

You may use the following brainstorming questions below to generate ideas if you like. It is fine to

continue with your character analysis that you started this week in the discussion area for this essay

assignment.

Choose one play, and select one character from that play. Consider these questions as you think

about your character: What does he or she want? What conflict does this character encounter? How

do they attempt to get their desire? What prevents them from achieving it? Does the character

change or grow? What is the resolution by the end of the play for this character? After thinking

about these questions, develop your thesis statement.

Reminders

Use APA style, including a title page, in-text citations, and a separate references page.

Do NOT use outside sources to complete this response; use only on your own insights.

Quoted material from the play should not exceed 25% of the essay.

You may exceed the minimum word and paragraph count/nDrama Discussion

By the due date assigned, post your response of at least 150-200 words to the Discussion Area. By

the end of the week, comment on at least two of your classmates' submissions.

Before beginning this assignment, read the following 10-minute plays: What Are You Going To

Be?, Magic 8 Ball, The Blizzard and Zombie Love.

Prompt: Choose ONE PLAY to discuss. Then, choose ONE CHARACTER to discuss. In a well-

developed paragraphs, discuss the character, analyzing elements such as the person's actions,

conflicts, and motivations. Include examples and at least one quotation from the play as supporting

evidence.

Tips: Remember to provide evidence for your claims in the form of examples and at least one

quoted passage from the play. Quotations, paraphrases, and summaries should be cited according to

APA style, including in-text and reference citations. Check grammar and spelling before posting.

Post directly to the discussion; do not attach a document.

Resource: Refresher on Character

A reader or viewer of a play can learn about a character in a number of ways. Here are some

questions to think about before drafting your response:

Dialogue/monologue - How do the words the character says reveal information about who he/she

is? Does the character have a noticeable speech pattern? Does the character's use of language reveal

his/her emotional state? What is revealed through what others say about the character?

Action - What is shown through the character's actions or lack of action?

Stage directions/movement/props - What is revealed through the character's placement on the

stage, movements, and use of props?

Relationships/interactions - What is understood about the character through relationships and

interactions with other characters?

Development - Does the character grow and change during the play, or is the character static and

unchanged? How developed or round is the character?

Role - Is this character the narrator? If so, is he/she reliable or unreliable?