This document provides guidance for writing a 3-5 page character analysis essay about a character from A Game of Thrones. Students must choose one of five essay topics to analyze a character's traits, motivations, changes over time, cultural reflections, experiences with conflict, or status as a tragic hero. The essay should use specific examples and quotations from the text to support the analysis. A works cited page citing both the primary text and a secondary source is required.

1. Palmore
EWRT
2
Essay
#1
Character
Analysis
Essay #1 The Character Analysis
Write a three to five page, thesis-driven character analysis essay.
To analyze a character, you must find out what makes him or her “tick” by looking at social, behavioral,
physical, and mental or emotional traits. You also must examine how the author presents those traits through
actions, words, thoughts, looks, and reactions. Write an essay answering one of the following questions about
the character you have chosen.
TOPIC 1: Not all supporting characters play an integral role in a story; however, sometimes a minor character
is so important to the novel that the theme, plot, protagonist, or antagonist would be greatly changed if that
character did not exist. From A Game of Thrones, analyze a minor character that plays a significant role. Write
a well-developed essay in which you analyze the character and explain why he or she is a significant character
in the work. Be sure to use specific examples and quotations to support your claims.
TOPIC 2: A dynamic character is one who changes or grows emotionally or psychologically from the
beginning of the novel until end. Many novels have multiple dynamic characters. Choose one character from A
Game of Thrones and write a well-developed essay in which you prove that he or she is a dynamic character.
Be sure to use specific examples and quotations to support your claims.
TOPIC 3: Often a character reflects the culture of the country in which he lives, that is, he or she exemplifies
the skills, arts, values, beliefs, and ideals that of a certain people or country. From A Game of Thrones, choose
a character that embodies the culture of the people he or she represents. In a well-developed essay, define the
culture of one character and show how that character illustrates that culture.
TOPIC 4: Analyze a character that reveals his or her personality, ethics, morals, and nature through the
challenges he or she faces. Think about the different types of conflict that exist. Conflict can be external, such
as person versus person, person versus nature, or person versus society. Conflict can also be internal, for
example, person versus self. How does your chosen character experience conflict during the novel? Keep in
mind how conflict causes a character to change throughout the course of the story.
TOPIC 5: Aristotle's ideas about tragedy were recorded in his book of literary theory titled Poetics. In it, he
has a great deal to say about the structure, purpose, and intended effect of tragedy. His ideas have been
adopted, disputed, expanded, and discussed for several centuries now. In a well-written essay, analyze a
character from Game of Thrones, arguing for or against his or her status as a “tragic hero.”
The following is a summary of his basic ideas regarding the tragic hero:
1. The tragic hero is a character of noble stature and has greatness. This should be readily evident in the
play. The character must occupy a "high" status position but must ALSO embody nobility and virtue
as part of his/her innate character.
2. Though the tragic hero is pre-eminently great, he/she is not perfect. Otherwise, the rest of us--mere
mortals--would be unable to identify with the tragic hero. We should see in him or her someone who
is essentially like us, although perhaps elevated to a higher position in society.
3. The hero's downfall, therefore, is partially her/his own fault, the result of free choice, not of accident
or villainy or some overriding, malignant fate. In fact, the tragedy is usually triggered by some error
of judgment or some character flaw that contributes to the hero's lack of perfection noted above. This
error of judgment or character flaw is known as hamartia and is usually translated as "tragic flaw"
(although some scholars argue that this is a mistranslation). Often the character's hamartia involves
hubris (which is defined as a sort of arrogant pride or over-confidence).
4. The hero's misfortune is not wholly deserved. The punishment exceeds the crime.
5. The fall is not pure loss. There is some increase in awareness, some gain in self-knowledge, some
discovery on the part of the tragic hero..
6. Though it arouses solemn emotion, tragedy does not leave its audience in a state of
depression. Aristotle argues that one function of tragedy is to arouse the "unhealthy" emotions of pity
and fear and through a catharsis (which comes from watching the tragic hero's terrible fate) cleanse us

2. Palmore
EWRT
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Essay
#1
Character
Analysis
of those emotions. It might be worth noting here that Greek drama was not considered
"entertainment," pure and simple; it had a communal function--to contribute to the good health of the
community. This is why dramatic performances were a part of religious festivals and community
celebrations.
Due Dates:
Rough Draft for Writing Workshop: ______________
Final Draft: _______________
Submission Requirements: Please submit an electronic copy in MLA format through Kaizena. Keep all
supporting documents (rough drafts and peer review sheets) until the end of the quarter.
Format Requirement: MLA-style formatting and citations
Length: Your finished text should be between three and five pages, excluding the Works Cited page.
Research Requirements
Works Cited Page
A Works Cited page names all of the sources that were used in an essay or research paper; it credits the source
or sources for the information you present, evaluate, analyze, and synthesize to support your thesis. A Works
Cited page also serves as a reference to the sources that were used so that a reader or writer can quickly refer
to the original text.
The Works Cited page for this research project must contain at least one primary text (A Game of Thrones),
and at least one secondary text. For example, your research may include definitions of terms, or some
investigation of the character’s name, class, gender, or position. If you choose to respond to Topic #6, you will
likely make some reference to Aristotle’s Poetics. You can also draw on your own knowledge to discuss,
explain, and analyze your character, but remember, you need textual support and a citation for any information
that is not common knowledge.
Ways to Proceed
1. Try to understand your character. This does not mean that you need to like or even sympathize with
your character. However, you do need to try to see events from his or her perspective and identify with
your character.
2. Determine your character’s motives. Motives encourage a character to act a certain way, and they can
serve as either a positive or negative influence on a character. Consider a character’s goals and
dreams, as motives are usually linked to these.
3. Describe the character’s actions at the beginning, middle and end of the novel as they relate to conflict.
Consider physical descriptions, speech, and interactions with other characters. Be sure to use
quotations and your interpretations of these quotations. Why are they significant? What do they reveal
about the character? How do these examples show how the character chooses to deal with conflict?
4. Explain specifically how this character changes throughout the course of the novel. These changes can
be subtle or quite obvious, depending on the character you choose. Use at least one direct quote from
the novel and explain how this quote illustrates a change in the character. You should also consider
why this change is important.
5. Evaluate the character’s level of morality. Do you feel this character has acted in accordance to a
personal set of ethics and morals? Explain what the character has learned through his or her
experiences with conflict.