Humanities Homework Help

The Assignment

Write a character analysis of one of the following characters by researching and incorporating the words and ideas of 3-4 literary scholars:

• Edna Pontellier
• Meursault
• Walter Lee Younger
• Lena Younger (Mama)
• Beneatha Younger

Your essay must be 6-8 pages in length (including your Works Cited page), typed double-space, with normal 1″ margins and size 12 font. Use MLA guidelines to format your essay.

Research Requirements

This assignment requires you to incorporate the words and ideas of 3-4 literary scholars (that means absolutely no Sparknotes, Cliffsnotes, Gradesaver, Ukessays, Britannica, Wikipedia, etc.). Watch the Library Research Video posted in this week’s module to learn how to locate literary criticism online at the Moorpark College Library.

You must document your research correctly and accurately according to MLA guidelines (8th ed). Proper documentation includes both in-text citations (parenthetical citations) and a corresponding Works Cited page. Failure to incorporate and document your research will result in a failing grade on this assignment.

What Is A Character Analysis?

To analyze a character, you must carefully consider the character’s thoughts, words, and actions. The goal is to increase our understanding of the literary work by examining the character’s philosophical outlook and true psychological motivation.

Keep in mind that the main character of a novel or play develops over time, so your analysis should consider the events of the story from beginning to end. (Note: analyze the character only within the context of the story. In other words, don’t speculate about how the character might act in situations not described in the story’s plot.)

To begin, frame your inquiry by asking a critical question. Your analysis of the character will support your answer to that question. Here are a few examples:

• Why does Edna commit suicide at the end of the novel?
• What is the source of Walter Lee Younger’s frustration?
• Why is Meursault strange and what are the consequences of his strange behavior?

Things To Consider

Consider all of the factors that make us who we are: age, race, gender, religious views, socioeconomic status, education, vocation, moral disposition, physical environment, historical situation, dreams and limitations, psychological wounds, etc. You can’t write about all of these things, of course, but understanding how each of these factors influences the character will help you determine what’s important.

The following questions are intended to guide your thought process. They are not intended to represent paragraph topics or to suggest a structure for your essay.

• What is the character’s main psychological conflict? Does this psychological conflict result in a pattern of behavior? Is the character aware of this pattern or unaware?
• How does the character relate to others? And how does the character’s psychological conflict influence his or her relationships?
• Which moments in the text reveal the character’s moral strengths and shortcomings? Does the character face a particular moral dilemma? If so, what factors influence the character’s decision?
• Which moments in the text reveal the character’s worldview (philosophy)? How does the character’s worldview influence the character’s internal conflict (or vice versa)? How does the character’s worldview shape his or her relationships?
• Does the character change? If so, how? What initiates that change? Does the change happen gradually or all at once? If gradually, what are the most significant moments of the character’s transformation, and how do those moments build toward the final moment of recognition and reversal? If the character does not change, explain why. What consequences result? EXAMPLE ATTACHED BELOW