Character Analysis Essay Prompt & Rubric for

Assessment

To Kill a Mockingbird
Character Analysis Essay
So far, you have closely examined the thematic topic of racism as it is
constructed throughout To Kill a Mockingbird. Now that you have a chosen
a character to analyze, you are going to:
- Analyze how he/she is developed as a character through
dialogue, or point of view (PICK ONE)
- Explain how he/she is affected by racism

Criteria:
You should devote at least one well-developed paragraph to each
point above, with an introduction and conclusion to help you
structure your essay.
Provide a clear thesis statement in your introduction.
Provide a clear topic sentence for each paragraph.
Use at least 1 piece of relevant text evidence in paragraph 1 and 2
pieces in paragraph 2.
Typed. Double-spaced. 12pt font, Times New Roman.
Maintain a formal style of writing (NO I or MY)
Use present tense verbs when discussing fiction
Remember:
- Structure your body paragraphs for analysis: Topic Sentence,
Introduce evidence, Cite evidence, Rephrase evidence, State
significance of evidence, Explain how it is significant, Why it is
significant, and the larger implications on our understanding of the
text and on the idea it raises.

Character Analysis Essay Prompt & Rubric for

Assessment

Score

Thesis
Stateme
nt

Student merely
restates a section of
the prompt.

Student rewords part of

the prompt, and may
omit either the title or
author of the text. May
not state either how their
character has been
developed or effected by
racism. Multiple sp and

Student states how and/ or

why their character has
been developed and
effected by racism, but does
not state the specific
example or is not explicit.

Student states
their character
developed, as w
central way the
character has b
effected by rac

Student incorporates
quotation with minimal to
no punctuation errors.
However, may not
adequately indicate the
occasion/context of
quotation.
Evidence relates to claims
made by student but may
not show adequate depth to
propel analysis of character
development and/or how
character has been effected
by racism.
Student re-states quote,
and dedicates explanation
to how their character has
been developed and how
he/she has been effected by
racism. However, this
explanation may not
provide deep enough
analysis: stating how and
why, the implications on
central message, and
authors purpose of the
characters development on
the overall story of racism
being told.

Student incorpo
quotation with
punctuation err
Indicates the
occasion/contex
quotation.

grammar errors.

Introduc Student drops

quotation into
tion of
Evidence writing without

Student incorporates a
quotation without proper
punctuation but may restate it in some way.

Quality Evidence does not

support or relate to
of
Evidence claims made by

Evidence relates to claims

made by student and
may not show clear
understanding of
character development or
racism.

Student does not

re-state quote,
state how or why
their character has
been developed or
effected by racism.

Student re-states quote

but may not fully develop
either or both how their
character has been
developed or how their
character has been
effected by racism; a very
surface level explanation,
may be all or too much
summarization. Also,
student does not speak to
the authors purpose for
developing character or
thematic topic of racism.

introducing it.

student.

Depth of
Analysis

Evidence shows
understanding of
development and
character has be
by racism; used t
deep analysis.

Student re-states
explains the sign
it, using it to prop
analysis. Student
analyzes how the
character has be
developed; provi
reasoning and st
implications of th
characters deve
the central mess
text and the auth
purpose. Student
analyzes how the
has been effecte
stating how it len
overall purpose t
careful not to rel
summary.