Character Analysis for the Children’s Story

DRA 126:  Storytelling

Character Analysis: Use this as a guideline to help you create the imaginary/3-D characters for a 4-6 minute telling of a children’s story.
Due Date:  Sept. 18, 2014
Children’s Storytelling Goals:
To identify the main characters in the story
To create backgrounds and descriptions for these characters
To analyze the story for relevant facts and implications
To hypothesize factors that may influence the behaviors of these characters
To research where possible background information
To help you to remember important characteristics when you tell this story

Directions:  For your chosen story, identify at least two main characters to analyze in depth.  Focus on the protagonist (The character that has to overcome the major problems in the story) and antagonist (the instigator of the major problems in the story). Develop each character as a real person.

1. Create a character history that considers their ethnic background, where and how they grew up, and major life events prior to the story. If the information is not available in the text, you must hypothesize; make it up in a way that is plausible and does not contradict the considerations of the character as written in the story. You may need to research the place and time frame of the story in order to maintain historically plausible detail. Write this as ½-1 page typed, double spaced, 11 point font.
2. Create a physical description using information given in the text and hypothesizing where not stated. Consider species, gender, size, hair & eye color, health, fitness, clothing and accessories, voice, mannerisms, means of transportation, and anything else that seems relevant.
3. Create a social description of the character that looks at their place in the society of the story and how they are regarded by others, their ‘job,’ their relationships including family (particularly with other characters), their economic status including a description of their home, and anything else that seems relevant.
4. Create a psychological description of the character. What are their moods, temperament, and attitudes? What are their major beliefs that influence their actions? What are their skills, aptitudes, strengths, and weaknesses? What are their goals or ambitions?  What motivates them?  What does this character want and need?  Which needs seem to be the most important?  Love/Belonging?  Freedom?  Fun? Survival?  Power?  Self-actualization?  How does the character go about having her or his needs met?  What do you consider to be the character’s biggest need or want?  Why is this important to the character?  Again, use the information given in the text to hypothesize missing information
5. Create a moral description of the character.  Does the character face a major problem(s) in the story?  What is the problem?  What choice or choices does the character make in attempting to solve the problem? (Does the character attempt to avoid the problem?)  Why does the character make the choices she or he makes?  In other words, what does the character value that influences the choices for solving the problem?  How do the character’s choices affect her or him?  How do the choices affect other characters?  From the decisions and choices that the character makes, what do you think the character values most in her or his life?
6. Write numbers 2-5 as an additional 1-2 pages typed double space (all together). With what you wrote for number one, you should now have 2-3 pages per major character.

Grading Rubric: Possible points earned for
Analysis                Creativity
of facts, implications, & research    plausibility of hypotheses & overall thought
1. Character History: 1st  character        5                10
2nd character        5                10
2. Physical Description: 1st character    3                7
2nd character        3                7
3. Social Description: 1st character        3                7
2nd character        3                7
4. Psychological Description: 1st character    3                7
2nd character    3                7
5. Moral Description:1st character        3                2
2nd character        3                2

Penalties:
•    -15 pt. per class day that the paper is late
•    There will be no credit for any analysis that is not typed.
•    -1-20 pts.  For inaccurate grammar or spelling (Proofread your work.)
•    0 = Not typed.

Grading:
A = excellent work that exceeds expectations
B = very good work that meets expectations
C = average work that approaches expectations
D = work needs improvement
F = not acceptable and does not meet expectations.