Assignment: Your task is to write a character analysis essay of either Usha or Aparna from Jumpa Lahiri’s “Hell-Heaven.” Once you have chosen a character to analyze, choose three adjectives or descriptive phrases which you can apply to the character – these are traits that the character possesses. You will organize the body of your essay around these three traits.
Introduction: In this first paragraph, you will introduce your character. Be creative. Use an anecdote, a telling quote or incident from the story or a summary of how the character changes throughout the play to engage your reader. Remember: your first line must be interesting! Your introduction should be roughly 5-6 good sentences.
Thesis Statement: This sentence is the last sentence of your introductory paragraph. This sentence will inform the reader what he or she will read in your essay. The thesis should include the character’s name and the 3 adjectives.
Body Paragraph #1: Your topic sentence includes the first adjective listed in your thesis statement to describe your character. You will support that topic sentence with 2 examples from the text and 1 quote. Your quote must be cited in MLA format. Make sure you explain the connection between the examples and the adjective. This paragraph should be 6-8 good sentences in length.
Body Paragraph #2: Your topic sentence includes the first adjective listed in your thesis statement to describe your character. You will support that topic sentence with 2 examples from the story and 1 quote. Your quote must be cited in MLA format. Make sure you explain the connection between the examples and the adjective. This paragraph should be 6-8 good sentences in length.
Body Paragraph #3: Your topic sentence includes the first adjective listed in your thesis statement to describe your character. You will support that topic sentence with 2 examples from the story and 1 quote. Your quote must be cited in MLA format. Make sure you explain the connection between the examples and the adjective. This paragraph should be 6-8 good sentences in length.
Body paragraphs need to have a topic sentence, transitions into your evidence of the characteristic, evidence to support your claim, explanation of your evidence, and a concluding sentence!
Conclusion: Summarize your main points. Restate your thesis statement, but make sure you reword it. Provide some final, creative thoughts about the character. This is the last paragraph your audience reads, so make it good (5-6 sentences).
Quotation Requirements: You must include the page number of the quotation and introduce or lead in the quotation properly. For example: When telling about Jem’s attempt to touch the Radley house, Scout tells the reader, “In all his life, Jem never declined a dare” (29).
(Notice how I introduced the quotation, where I put the quotation marks, and how I noted the page number.)
Guidelines:
You need an introduction, three body paragraphs, and a conclusion.
Your direct quotations should be no more than three lines long each.
Use an MLA heading and page format.
The paper must be typed; 12 point font; Times New Roman; one inch margins; double-spaced.
You must have a Creative Title. “Character Analysis,” or something to that effect does not work.
Include a Works Cited page to coincide with your in-text citations.
Writing Tips You Must Follow:
Write only in third person. Don’t use “you” or “I.”
Do not underline or put your title in quotations.
Use sentence variety (simple, compound, complex).
Use specific, vivid, and detailed incidents and examples to support your thesis.
Fix all comma splice errors, run-ons, and sentence fragments.
Run spell check, but remember that it won’t catch the wrong use of words
(hear/here).
Write in all present tense. Books never “end” – they continue on for a new reader.
Fix all typing errors.
Make sure all first lines of paragraphs are indented a half an inch
