Creating, when it comes to GCSE English (the actual exam undertaken by 16 year olds within their final 12 months in Secondary School in the U.K.) essays, is part and parcel of both school room work plus evaluation pieces. Part and parcel of most of those essays is that they contain people in them.

In most cases the composition is going to possess both people and location. You possibly can write a composition without people but I wonder if one could be put one together without a setting? The author has a huge challenge to produce personas that appear ‘real’ to readers.

Therefore, how can we go about this? There is certainly, no less than half a dozen ideas with regards to the scholar drawing characters for a reader in an essay. These are:

A. THE WAY IN WHICH THEY LOOK

The style of appearance of a character is probably the first instance a student will begin with. Why? It’s the easiest for them to do so. ‘He was small and he had spiked hair and orange trousers’, is the outline which we anticipate from younger school children.

Cleopatra tells us herself of her beauty:

‘There is gold, and here

My bluest veins to kiss; a hand that kings

Have lipp’d, and trembled to kiss’

\’Anthony and Cleopatra\’ – William Shakespeare

B. HOBBIES THEY HAVE

Good or bad, exciting or tedious they may be, but they are a natural part of what make constitutes a three dimensional person instead of just a two dimensional one.

In the Harry potter series, Hermione Granger is one of the main characters. One of her main interests is studying and reading books. It is through these interests that she is able to help Harry many times in his adventures. She is one of the best students in her year and the first to be able to use many of the spells. All of this helps the reader to build a picture of the type of person she is.

‘Mandrake, or Mandragora, is a powerful restorative,’ said Hermione, sounding as usual as though she had swallowed the text book. ‘

\’Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets\’ – J.K.Rowling

C. CHARACTER CHARACTERISTICS

Here we come to the actual essence, regarding what really makes a someone ‘tick’ – this will take the reader along an exciting journey of discovery.

Here we learn of the kindness of an elderly gentleman who is described as ‘eccentric’ in the piece:

‘He never sells any but gives it away to anyone who asks. It’s the same with his vegetable garden. He grows everything, and gives it all away to his family in huge bagfuls.’

\’My Grandad\’ – Tracy Starrett

D. WHATEVER THEY DO AND THE WAY THEY GENERALLY DO IT

Commonly, younger scholars seem to be convinced essays should be filled with action, with perhaps a handful of deaths in addition to lots of blood. Generally, this will put a reader off, due to the fact horror tales happen to be an immensely tricky type to create.

The following piece tells us a little about Precious Ramotswe but these habits of homeliness and thoughtfulness are characteristics so typical of her as we follow her adventures in the series.

‘. . . Mma Ramotswe prepared herself a meal of stew and pumpkin. She loved standing in the kitchen, stirring the pot, thinking over the events of the day, sipping at a large mug of bush tea. . .\’

\’The No.1 Ladies’ Detective Agency\’ – Alexander McCall Smith

E. THEIR DIALOGUE

Talk may be a wonderful means for the reader to get \’involved\’ with the head of a character. It could be local dialect or maybe even with a small part of slang in it. Verbal English is delightful and vibrant; scholars need to work on this, if they are able to, in order to produce memorable characters.

Here we learn of the particular fussiness of a character:

‘Young ladies should take care of themselves. Young ladies are delicate plants. They should take care of their health and their complexion. My dear, did you change your stockings? [Mr. Woodhouse.]

\’Emma\’ – Jane Austen

F. VARIOUS OTHER CHARACTERS DISCUSSING THEM

We sometimes discover more about a personality as a result of the things others mention about them, than compared with what the characters themselves declare. Pretty much all we discover may very well be untruths, therefore we should be very clever in considering how our sympathies, together with ideas, are absorbed.

Joe was not one to argue with!

‘Rather a tough customer in argreyment, Joe, if anybody was to try and tackle him.’ [Parkes.]

\’Barnaby Rudge\’ – Charles Dickens

To master how to write about literary heroes, the writer need to read and read and read even more!

Dean Nixon is a private English tutor in Stoke On Trent, England ( http://www.experiencedtutors.co.uk) Working with him, offering Sociology, is Norma Shaw. Please feel free to be a Guest Blogger on our \’Everything Educational\’ blog at: http://www.experiencedtutors.wordpress.com

Dean Nixon is a private English tutor in Stoke On Trent, England ( http://www.experiencedtutors.co.uk) Working with him, offering Sociology, is Norma Shaw. Please feel free to be a Guest Blogger on our \’Everything Educational\’ blog at: http://www.experiencedtutors.wordpress.com

Author Bio: Dean Nixon is a private English tutor in Stoke On Trent, England ( http://www.experiencedtutors.co.uk) Working with him, offering Sociology, is Norma Shaw. Please feel free to be a Guest Blogger on our \’Everything Educational\’ blog at: http://www.experiencedtutors.wordpress.com

Category: Writing
Keywords: character essay, character essay writing, writing characters, writing character essays,