The document outlines 8 elements that can be analyzed to understand literary characters: physical description, background, personality, relationships, words and actions, motivation, conflict, and change. It provides examples for each element, such as describing a character's appearance, where they were raised, their personality traits as shown through their actions, their relationships with others, their motivations for their behaviors, the conflicts that drive the plot, and how the character may change throughout the story.

1. 8 ELEMENTS OF CHARACTER
Oklahoma 5th Reading PASS Objective 3.2c

2. When we are analyzing a literary
character, we can look at 8 different
elements to give us a complete
picture to better understand the
character.

3. The 8 Elements
Physical Words &
Description Actions
Background Motivation
Personality Conflict
Relationships Change

4. Physical Description
What does the character look like?
How does the character dress?
How does the character walk?
How does the character sit?
Anything that you can see that gives us a better picture of who the
character is.

5. Background
Born on a ranch in
Who is this person?
Oklahoma. Grew up
helping his father take
Where were they raised?
care of the animals on
the ranch. Learned how
What do they know how to do? to drive a tractor when
he was only 6 years old.
What kind of job have they had? Worked as a foreman on
a ranch when he was
What special skills do they have? young.

6. Personality
shy What kind of person is the character?
outgoing Find actions that illustrate this or other
angry characters saying it.
pleasant This can change according to the
fearful
circumstances in the story, but will
usually guide how they will behave
impulsive during situations they may face.

7. Relationships
How do they get along with people?
Do they have alot of friends?
Do they just have close friends?
Do they get along with their family?

8. Words & Actions
What does the character say and do?
What do others say about your character?
Not EVERYTHING that someone may say about a character is
true.
Watch for words that the character repeats (NOT ‘the’ & ‘and’)
Watch what other characters say to a character and what they say
behind their backs.

9. Motivation
money
Why does your character do
what they do? fear
desire for fame
It could be what your character
wants or it could be something prove someone
they are trying to get away wrong
from.
prove someone right

10. Conflict
We all know the three types.
What is standing in the way of your character getting what they
want?
This will usually drive the plot or the sequence of events in the
story.

11. Change
Don’t just say “the character changed during the story”.
HOW do they change?
Did they become nicer?
Did they become meaner?
Did they become depressed?
Not ALL characters will change!