The document provides guidance on how to structure a paragraph that analyzes a character from a text and how they help the reader understand an important message. It recommends including a point taken from the essay topic, an explanation with examples from the text using quotes, an explanation of the examples, and a link back to how the character helps understand the message and reflects aspects of human nature. An example paragraph is also provided that analyzes how the character Job from a text helps the reader understand the important message of overcoming adversity through the negative treatment he faces and his actions to escape it.

1. Developing a Paragraph
Christine Wells

2. Point: use language from the essay topic.
Explanation - explain where this is seen in
the text.
Example - quote/technique. Explain the
quote/technique.
Link - what do we learn about a character?
How is this seen in society? What do we
learn about human nature or behaviour?
Refer back to essay topic.
Paragraph Structure

3. What's the Point?
The point is the controlling idea
of the paragraph. It is the main
thing that you want to
communicate.
For example:
Job helped me to understand the
important message of overcoming
adversity when he escaped from
his uncaring family.
ESSAY TOPIC
Describe at least ONE character or
individual in the written text(s) that
helped you to understand an important
message.
Explain how the character or individual
helped you to understand this
message.
💡TIP💡
Use language from the essay
topic.

4. Explain the Point
Explain your point further by giving more information.
For example:
Job is an 11 year old boy who is brought up by a mother who did not
want him and a step father who physically abuses him.

5. Give an Example
An example acts as evidence to support the point you have made.
Your example must include quotes.
For example:
The reader learns that Job's mother did not want him when she tells Job,
‘It was the beginning of all my problems, the day you fell out of my crack.
I should’ve shoved you straight back up there.’ For his mother, Job was
nothing more than, '...a ticket to the DPB.'
💡TIP💡
Using the word 'reader' shows the marker that you
understand that there is a relationship between the
writer and the reader.

6. Explain the Example
Explain the example and why it is relevant to the point. This will
show the marker why you chose this example as evidence for
your point.
For example:
The reader learns that Job is resented by his mother which is an issue
in his life that he has to deal with.

7. Link to...
The purpose of the link is to:
• Explain what we learn about the character or idea
• Discuss the author's purpose
• Explain what we learn about human behaviour/nature
• Refer back to the essay topic and point of the paragraph

8. What is human behaviour or
nature?
As humans we are different in many ways but we also are likely to react,
respond or behave in similar ways when faced with a set of
circumstances.
For example, when a loved one dies we are all likely to go through the
stages of grief - denial, anger, depression and acceptance. In
circumstances that are challenging we are likely to either step up to the
challenge and conquer or avoid the challenge and take on a victim
mentality.
The characters in texts often reflect human behaviour by behaving in
ways that we can understand and relate to because it is what most
people would do in a similar situation.
By commenting on this in your essay you are demonstrating insight and
perception about human nature. This is Excellence level thinking.

9. Link to...
For example:
Job helps the reader to understand the important idea of Overcoming
Adversity because he reacts to the negative treatment by his mother by
taking extreme action later in the story when he blows up the P lab and
escapes to the Gold Coast . The author's purpose is to show the reader
that when a child is unwanted and mistreated by their parents it can
cause them to find any way they can to escape their circumstances. We
learn that when people are faced with such adversity they will either fight
to survive and overcome it or they can develop a 'chip on their shoulder'
and behave like a victim. Job helps the reader to understand this
important message because he is treated badly but he fights to
overcome his adversity.
💡TIP💡
Refer back to the essay topic at the
end of your paragraph.

10. Transitions
Transitions are words or
phrases that allow you to
move seamlessly from one
part of the paragraph to
another. They are also useful
for the final sentence of your
paragraph.

11. The whole shebang!
Job helped me to understand the important message of overcoming adversity when he
escaped from his uncaring family. Job is an 11 year old boy who is brought up by a mother
who did not want him and a step father who physically abuses him. The reader learns that
Job's mother did not want him when she tells Job, ‘It was the beginning of all my
problems, the day you fell out of my crack. I should’ve shoved you straight back up there.’
For his mother, Job was nothing more than, '...a ticket to the DPB.' The reader learns that
Job is resented by his mother which is an issue in his life that he has to deal with. Job
helps the reader to understand the important idea of Overcoming Adversity because he
reacts to the negative treatment by his mother by taking extreme action later in the story
when he blows up the P lab and escapes to the Gold Coast. The author's purpose is to
show the reader that when a child is unwanted and mistreated by their parents it can
cause them to find any way they can to escape their circumstances. We learn that when
people are faced with such adversity they will either fight to survive and overcome it or
they can develop a 'chip on their shoulder' and behave like a victim. Job helps the reader
to understand this important message because he is treated badly but he fights to
overcome his adversity.