essay on strong character

Why Strong Character Is a Foundation of Resilience

This interview with dr. david wang explores character development & resilience..

Posted March 7, 2019

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Today I continue in my series of interviews with experts on how resilience —one of the major themes of my book, A Walking Disaster: What Surviving Katrina and Cancer Taught Me About Faith and Resilience —connects to their area of study. Today’s interview is on the subject of character development and resilience and features Dr. David C. Wang, Associate Professor of Psychology at the Rosemead School of Psychology, Biola University. A licensed psychologist, he also serves as a pastor of spiritual formation at One Life City Church, as well as at several non-profits in various capacities.

JA: How do you personally define character development?

DW: People have been thinking about character and character development for millennia, and it has inspired some very thoughtful scholarship in quite a number of academic disciplines. For example, Rachana Kamtekar, professor of philosophy at Cornell University, speaks of how contemporary virtue ethicists tend to speak of virtue as a sort of harmony between what we rationally believe to be the right thing to do and our natural affections or natural desire to do it. What I like about this thought is that it acknowledges the unflattering reality that just because we know what the right thing is to do, doesn’t necessarily mean that it is also what we fundamentally want to do, nor that it is even what we ultimately choose to do. And so, Aristotle reminds us in the Nicomachean Ethics that the goal of virtuous character isn’t just to know what virtue is but to become good. So, putting this all together, I understand character development to be the journey we take to not only know what is good, but to choose what is good, and (this just might be the hardest part of it all) to earnestly and wholeheartedly desire and take pleasure in what is good.

JA: How did you first get interested in studying character development?

DW: In addition to my academic and clinical work, I’m also a pastor of a local congregation. And ironically, what had gotten me initially interested in studying character development was a few really horrible ministry experiences early on in life. While religious education is generally understood to cultivate character, so many of us (myself included) are profoundly familiar with the pain inflicted by thoroughly religiously educated individuals who yet suffer from major character deficits. How can someone who knows the good so well still have such a capacity to do evil? This was the question that has led me to where I am today and where I hope to be in the future.

JA: What is the connection between character development and resilience?

DW: Linda Zagzebski, Chair of Philosophy of Religion and Ethics at the University of Oklahoma, described intellectual virtues as “forms of motivation to have cognitive contact with reality.” Although she was speaking here of intellectual virtues in particular, I think it would be fair to say that there is something about virtue, in general, and how it cultivates in us a disposition towards facing or having contact with reality—whatever it might be (e.g., the reality of ourselves, of others, of our situation, etc.). And here is where I believe the connection between character development and resilience lies. Resilience can be understood as a person’s capacity to overcome difficulty, or to recover and ‘bounce back’ from trauma . Unfortunately, many people think that the key to overcoming difficulty is to simply to maintain a positive attitude. But the problem is that this positive attitude also needs to be in contact with the reality of the situation, which is often quite bleak. If it is not, this positivity can turn rigid and degenerate into avoidance, which is what research has found to be a powerful predictor of poor adjustment post-trauma. Thus, character is the glue that binds positive attitudes and behavior with a realism that is grounded in the needs and realities of a broken situation.

JA: What are some ways people might cultivate character strengths to help them live more resiliently?

DW: Continuing what I was speaking on previously, I think the key to cultivating character strengths is the courage to face reality: the reality of ourselves, the reality of others, the reality of our situation. And this is why I believe themes such as guilt and shame are so counterproductive in the cultivation of character. People use guilt and shame to shape behavior because they are so effective. Guilt motivates us through fear , and shame leads us to cover up and hide our true selves. But virtue is not just about doing what is good, but also earnestly desiring it as well. And we can’t do the latter through fear and hiding. We can’t do the latter without first coming to terms with the reality of ourselves.

JA: Can you share what you’re working on these days related to character development?

DW: I’m leading a series of grant projects funded by the John Templeton Foundation on the character and spiritual development of seminary students—individuals who will one day become the leaders of local churches and parishes, denominations, and non-profit organizations (click here and here for more information). We have partnered with the Association of Theological Schools and are presently ramping up efforts to conduct longitudinal research on the character and spiritual development of seminary students enrolled at 14 Evangelical, Roman Catholic, Mainline Protestant, and historically African-American seminaries. We are excited to empirically investigate topics such as 1) to what extent does religious education shape character, 2) what about religious education shapes character, and 3) what is the relationship, if any, between spiritual development and character development?

JA: Anything else you’d care to share?

DW: Despite all the tragedy that we witness and hear about, I am continually amazed at how remarkably resilient and virtuous people can be—and often from people that garner little attention from the news, from people that we might least expect. I am grateful for opportunities to bring to light the stories and realities of some of these individuals, so that we may all be inspired and edified.

Jamie Aten , Ph.D. , is the founder and executive director of the Humanitarian Disaster Institute at Wheaton College.

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Writing a Character Analysis Essay | Step-by-Step Guide

I’m also going to give you a ton of examples.

This post is split into four parts for easy navigation:

• What is a Character Analysis Essay?
• What is the best Format to Use?
• 11 Character Analysis Example Ideas
• Template, Checklist and Outline for Your own Piece

In this post, I’m going to explain to you clearly and in a step-by-step way how to conduct a character analysis.

1. What is a Character Analysis Essay?

Let’s get you started with some really simple details about what a character analysis is:

• A Quick Definition: A character analysis essay zooms-in on a character in a book, movie or even real life. It provides what we sometimes call a ‘sketch’ of a character.
• The Purpose of a Character Analysis: The purpose of a character analysis is to reveal interesting details about the character that might contain a broader moral message about the human condition. For example, Atticus Finch is not just a lawyer in To Kill a Mockingbird. Rather, he provides us with a moral message about the importance of doing what you believe is right even though you know you will likely fail.

2. What is the best Character Analysis Essay Format?

Character analysis essays do not have just one format.

However, let me offer some advice that might act as a character analysis essay outline or ‘checklist’ of possible things you could discuss:

1. Start with the Simple Details.

You can start a character analysis by providing a simple, clear description of who your character is. Look at some basic identity traits such as:

• Race (if relevant)
• Social class (if relevant)
• Protagonist or Antagonist? A protagonist is the character who is our central character in the plot; the antagonist is often the protagonist’s opponent or challenger.
• Major or minor character?

2. What are the character’s distinctive personality features?

Your character might have some really clearly identifiable character traits. It’s best to highlight in your character analysis the exact traits that this character possesses. Some common character traits include:

I recommend you take a moment to write down what you think the top 3 to 5 words are that you’d use to explain your character’s personality traits. These will be important to discuss throughout your character analysis.

Sometimes a character may start out with some personality traits, but change over the course of the text. This is quite common; and one clear example of this is Lady Macbeth she deteriorates from a cutthroat power player to a guilt ridden shell of a person roaming the halls of the castle. This dramatic character change is something that makes her very interesting, and is worthy of discussion!

3. What are the character’s key relationships?

Does your character have a close relationship with a certain person in the storyline?

You might want to discuss the character’s relationships as a part of your character analysis. These relationships may reveal some key personality traits of your character.

For example, in Shakespeare’s play Hamlet, Horatio is the loyal offsider to Hamlet. Through his actions in staying by Hamlet through thick and thin, we learn that he is a deeply loyal character.

Examining the character’s relationships with their friends and foes therefore is very useful for digging deeper into who this character actually is, and what personality traits they have when they are put to the test within the narrative.

4. What are the character’s motivations?

Another thing you might want to examine are the character’s motivations . What do they desire most in the world? Some common motivations for characters in stories are:

• A simple life
• To serve others

This list really could be endless, but I hope the above examples give you a bit of an idea of the sorts of traits to look out for. By mentioning and examining the motivations of the character, we will come closer and closer to learning exactly what moral message this character might be able to tell us.

5. What are the character’s key conflicts?

Stories tend to have a beginning, a complication, and a resolution.

The complication involves conflicts and challenges that need to be overcome. For Edmund in Narnia, it’s cowardice. For Romeo and Juliet, it’s the conflict between love and family loyalty. Here’s some other common conflicts for characters:

• Whether to stay loyal to a friend;
• To overcome obstacles to love;
• To seek a way out of a challenging situation;
• To escape war or poverty;
• To persevere through imprisonment;
• To overcome personal fear

Again, this list is endless.

Knowing the character’s core conflict gets us even closer to knowing the moral that the character is trying to teach us.

For example, in Romeo and Juliet, the challenge of Romeo and Juliet being together despite their families’ objections teaches us something. Personally, I believe it teaches us the importance of letting go of old grudges in order to let love bloom.

This moral lesson was taught to us through conflict: namely, the conflict that Romeo and Juliet were right in the center of.

6. What are the character’s epiphanies?

Sometimes a character has an epiphany. This often happens towards the end of the story and helps the character overcome the challenge or conflict that we discussed in the point above.

Here’s an example of an epiphany:

• In the Lion King, Simba runs away from his tribe to live in exile. After a chance encounter with his childhood friend Nala, he has an epiphany that he has a duty to his tribe. This leads him back home to fight Scar and return freedom to Pride Rock.

Not all characters have an epiphany. But, if they do, I strongly encourage you to write about it in your character analysis.

7. Examine the moral message the character teaches us.

Finally, conclude by examining the moral message behind the character. Nearly every character has something to teach the reader. Authors put a lot of thought into creating complex characters with whom we can relate. We relate to the character and say “wow, they taught me a lesson about something!”

The lesson might be something like:

• Money doesn’t buy happiness;
• Loyalty to family comes above all else;
• Love gives life meaning;
• Honesty is always the best policy

This is the core of your character analysis essay. If you can pick out exactly what moral message the character teaches you, you’ll be well on your way to writing a strong character analysis.

Below I’m going to give you some examples to help you out. I know it can be hard to really get your head around a character, so sometimes the best thing is to look at some samples!

3. Here’s 13 Example Character Analysis Essay Ideas.

Most times when we create a character analysis, we’re exploring the deeper moral stories / aspects of humanity. Here’s some example ideas. I’ve tried to outline in less than a paragraph exactly what your key point will be about each character:

• Atticus Finch from To Kill a Mockingbird: A character who teaches us a lesson about standing up for what’s right, even if you know you’re likely to lose.
• Huckleberry Finn from Huckleberry Finn: A character who reveals our inner desire for freedom from the elements of society that constrain us.
• Dudley from Harry Potter: A character whose personality tells us a cautionary tale of the perils of middle-class narcissism, parents’ desire to wrap their children in cotton wool, and the lack of discipline we perceive in contemporary childhoods.
• Jack from Lord of the Flies: A character who represents the innate desire for power that seems to lurk not too far from the surface of the human condition. When social structures are stripped away, he quickly reverts to violence and superstition to assert control over his peers.
• Lady Macbeth from Macbeth: Lady Macbeth teaches us a valuable lesson about the perils of contravening our own morality. She starts out a cutthroat killer but is increasingly consumed by the guilt of her own actions. While we may be able to escape full punishment from outside forces, it is the inner guilt that might eat us away to our last.
• The Boy who Cried Wolf: The boy who cried wolf is a character whose fatal flaw is his desire for attention and adulation. His repeated attempts at gaining the attention of others leads the townspeople to no longer take him seriously, which causes him harm when he actually needs the villagers to take him seriously to save his life. He teaches us the virtue of honest and humility.
• Nick Carraway from the Great Gatsby: Nick shows us all the inner conflict between the trappings of wealth, glamor and spectacle; and the desire for simplicity, honesty and community. He is drawn by the dazzling world of East Egg, New York, but by the end of the novel sees live in East Egg as shallow and lacking the moral depth of his former life in small town Minnesota.
• Alice from Alice in Wonderland: In many ways, Alice represents the child within all of us. She is a character of goodwill to all and who looks upon the world (or, rather, Wonderland) with awe. Travelling with a cadre of flawed characters, she learns with them the importance of seeking strength from within.
• The Nurse in Romeo and Juliet: Like many Shakespearian characters, the nurse’s role is both as loyal confidante to a central character and comic relief. Shakespeare uses minor characters to regale his crowd and sustain viewer interest between scenes.
• Lucy in The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe: Lucy represents a surprising character whose youthfulness and small stature make her an underrated character by all around her. Nonetheless, she possesses within the bravery and loyalty necessary to carry out the quest for Aslan. Lucy represents the goodness in children and, by extension, all of mankind.
• Anne in Anne of Green Gables: Anne occupies the typical literary role of young girls in many classical novels: she represents innocence and wonder, and her contraventions of rules are seen through a prism of childhood innocence. This frames Anne not as a deviant but as a precious soul.
• Simba from The Lion King: Simba’s story follows his struggle with growing up, embracing his destiny and duty to his family, or fleeing towards freedom and a ‘no worries’ lifestyle. Simba flees Pride Rock and goes through an existential crisis with his existentialist friends Timon and Pumba. When he runs into an old childhood friend, he realizes how shallow his new carefree life has become and reflects upon his obligation to his community back home.
• Woody from Toy Story: Woody starts out Andy’s favorite toy, but when Andy gets a new flashier toy, Woody’s status amongst the toys falls apart. Woody’s key character challenge is to learn to be humble and inclusive living within the group. By the end of the movie, Woody realizes his duty to love and serve Andy is more important than his own status within the group.

4. Here’s an Example Template for your own Character Analysis Essay

Feel free to use this brainstorming template to get you started with your character analysis essay. I recommend filling out as many of these key points as you can, but remember sometimes you might have to skip some of these points if they’re not relevant to your character.

Once you’ve brainstormed the ideas in Table 1, follow the character analysis essay outline in Table 2 to stay on track for your character analysis essay. Do remember though that each assignment will be different and you should adjust it based on your teacher’s requirements.

Here’s Table 1, which is a brainstorming template for your character analysis essay:

And here’s Table 2, which is an example character analysis essay outline. This is for a 1500 word character analysis essay. Change the word count according to how long your essay should be:

Read Also: 39 Better Ways to Write ‘In Conclusion’ in an Essay

Character analyses can be really tough. You need to know your character really well. You might even need to re-read (or watch) your book or movie a few times over to get to know the character really well.

I recommend when you re-read or re-watch the text before you write your character analysis, have the checklist I provided above handy and take notes. Then, use the essay outline I provided above to put all of those notes together into a clear and thorough final character analysis essay.

Chris Drew (PhD)

Dr. Chris Drew is the founder of the Helpful Professor. He holds a PhD in education and has published over 20 articles in scholarly journals. He is the former editor of the Journal of Learning Development in Higher Education. [Image Descriptor: Photo of Chris]

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