Analyze [CHARACTER] in [WORK AND AUTHOR] for [ASSIGNMENT OR PURPOSE]. Use only these permitted sources: [SOURCE MATERIAL AND EDITION]. My focus is [ANALYTICAL LENS], and the required citation style is [CITATION STYLE]. Do not invent scenes, quotations, page numbers, scholarship, historical context, or authorial intent. Treat a character's statement as evidence of what they say or may believe, not automatic proof of objective truth. Distinguish direct textual evidence from interpretation, and distinguish the narrator's perspective from the work's implied position where relevant. Produce 900-1,100 words in this structure: 1. A one-sentence interpretive thesis that makes a debatable claim, not a plot summary. 2. Character position and stakes: 120-160 words on what the character wants, what blocks them, and what they risk. 3. Three evidence-led sections. Each must make one subclaim, analyze two specific moments or passages, explain a contradiction or pressure in the character, and connect back to the thesis. 4. Development or revelation: explain whether the character changes, resists change, or is newly understood by the reader; identify the turning point and its limits. 5. A 100-word counterreading that a reasonable reader could make from the same evidence, followed by a brief response. 6. A source list containing only the materials I supplied. Cite each factual reference or quotation in [CITATION STYLE]. If page or line locations are unavailable, cite the chapter, act, scene, or supplied excerpt label and say so. Before answering, verify that every quoted phrase appears in the supplied material and flag any claim that depends on incomplete evidence. Ask up to 3 clarifying questions only if a required input is missing.
Fill in
| Placeholder | What to enter | Example |
|---|---|---|
| [CHARACTER] | Name the fictional character you want to analyze. | Elizabeth Bennet |
| [WORK AND AUTHOR] | Give the title and author of the work. | Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen |
| [ASSIGNMENT OR PURPOSE] | State the essay question, discussion purpose, or analytical objective. | Argue how Elizabeth's judgments change and what Austen suggests about first impressions. |
| [SOURCE MATERIAL AND EDITION] | Paste excerpts or identify the edition, chapters, acts, scenes, and secondary sources you permit the analysis to use. | Project Gutenberg text; Chapters 8, 18, 34, 36, 42, and 58; no secondary criticism. |
| [ANALYTICAL LENS] | Specify the focus, such as power, moral responsibility, class, gender, grief, narrative reliability, or change over time. | Narrative irony and moral self-correction. |
| [CITATION STYLE] | Name the required citation style and any location format your teacher or publication requires. | MLA, citing chapter number because page numbers vary by edition. |
How to use
- Paste the prompt with the exact edition or excerpts you are allowed to use.
- Provide an assignment question that calls for an argument, not just a character description.
- Check every quotation against your copy of the text before submitting the analysis.
- Follow up with: "Turn the thesis and three subclaims into an essay outline with topic sentences and evidence locations."
Variations
Close passage reading
Use this when an assignment centers on one scene or short excerpt.
Perform a close reading of [PASSAGE] involving [CHARACTER] from [WORK]. My question is [QUESTION], and I need [CITATION STYLE]. Write 600-800 words with a thesis, three short analytical sections, and a conclusion. Track diction, imagery, syntax, silences, stage directions, narration, or point of view only where they support an interpretation of the character. Quote brief phrases and cite every quotation. Do not summarize the plot beyond necessary context or invent broader claims not supported by this passage. End by naming one ambiguity the passage leaves unresolved.
Comparative characters
Use this to compare two characters who illuminate the same theme.
Compare [CHARACTER ONE] and [CHARACTER TWO] in [WORK] around [THEME OR CONFLICT]. Use these sources only: [PERMITTED SOURCES]. Produce an 800-1,000 word analysis with one comparative thesis, three paired evidence sections, and a counterargument. In each section, show a meaningful similarity and difference, then explain why that difference matters to the work's conflict. Cite all textual references in [CITATION STYLE]. Do not treat characters as symbols without evidence, invent quotes, or assume authorial intent.
Evidence table
Use this before drafting a longer essay or presentation.
Build an evidence table for analyzing [CHARACTER] in [WORK] through [LENS]. Use only [SOURCE MATERIAL]. Return a table with six rows and these columns: claim about the character, exact scene or excerpt location, brief quotation or precise paraphrase, what the evidence directly shows, possible interpretation, and uncertainty or counterevidence. Then write three possible thesis statements of different complexity. Do not invent citations, quotes, or scenes; mark missing locations as "verify in text."
Tips
- Use an edition with stable page, line, act, scene, or chapter markers; a character analysis without verifiable locations is difficult to defend.
- Build claims around choices, language, relationships, and consequences rather than applying a clinical label to the character.
- Include counterevidence deliberately, especially when a character changes inconsistently or the narrator limits what the reader can know.
- If using secondary criticism, separate the critic's claim from your own reading and cite both the critic and the primary text.
FAQ
Can AI provide quotations from a novel I have not pasted?
It may produce inaccurate wording or locations. Give it permitted excerpts or verify every quotation against your edition before using it.
What makes a character analysis different from a summary?
A summary recounts events. An analysis makes an arguable claim about how a character's actions, language, conflicts, and changes create meaning.
How many quotations should I use?
Use enough short, well-explained evidence to support each subclaim. Two closely analyzed moments per main section is often stronger than many unexplained quotations.