Hi, for an assignment, I was given the task to do a character study on Atticus Finch from the novel To Kill a Mockingbird. The only problem is that I am not quite sure what a character sketch is. I would appreciate some help.
Thanks,
music man
Good evening :)
A character sketch is a piece of writing that introduces your reader to a character. Your aim is to show how the person talks, show their characteristics (quirks such as hair fidgeting, etc. that the character compulsively does throughout the piece often), how they do things, and important parts of their value systems. For instance, when you write a character sketch, you are trying to introduce the reader to someone. In regards to Atticus, a part of his value system is that he believes in equality for all, and this is shown by his representing a black man accused of a violent crime towards a white woman at a very tense time in history, and in the south. A visual description of him would describe how he looks, how he walks, how he talks, etc. The thing you want to avoid is ending up with a personal history of the character. The way you portray this character in this piece will influence the way your reader feels about this character in the future, and you need to keep that in mind when you are writing it.
I hope this helps you get started!
Regards,
Gloria
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