Analyzing Characters

Stories focus on people, animals, or humanlike objects called characters. You can analyze a character by describing the person physically and mentally.

• Name

  Coup, the most sensible car at the dealership

• Physical description (gender, age, appearance, health, strength, speed)

  He is a new car, “blue, midsized, economical, with a ten-year warranty;” he’s not the fastest, the largest, or the most stylish.

• Mental description (intelligence, personality, confidence, attitude)

  He is practical and shy. He knows the kind of owner he wants but rarely sees one. He’s picky. He also seems discouraged and closed off.

• Motivation (what the character wants)

  Coup wants to find a practical owner. He wants to be driven away from the dealership, but he seems afraid to let people try him out.