Character Study Essay
A character study is a writing assignment in which you choose one character from a play and write an essay
explaining what kind of person that character is. As we discussed, you will need to read through the text to find
the dialogue the character uses, how other characters treat and talk about your character, what mannerisms or
traits your character possesses (these are often found in the stage directions) and what conflicts this character
has, whether internal or external.
Using Death of a Salesman as our text, you will need to first choose one of the four main characters (Willy,
Linda, Biff, or Happy) as the subject for your essay assignment. In your essay try and answer the question:
what does this character want? As you write think about the obstacles and conflicts keeping them from the
thing they want. Does the character even know what they want? Remember to go through the play and pick out
all the different moments that give you the aforementioned information you will need to explain who the
character is and what he or she wants.
This essay should be written in the third person, events described in the play should be written about in present
tense, and you should quote material directly from the play as well as summarize important moments, making
sure to cite the page number when you do. You are not required to look up any outside information for this
assignment, but if choose to then make sure you put that source in your Works Cited page along with Death of
a Salesman.
