Character study

Character Study in Hindi Literature

Understanding Characters

  • Recognise that characters drive the narrative of the story. Even the secondary characters can significantly influence the plot.
  • Understand each character’s individual personality, traits, qualities and flaws. Think about their reactions and behaviours to different situations.
  • Review the narrative to see how these characters evolve throughout the story. The journey a character goes through often conveys the author’s underlying messages.

Interpreting Character Actions

  • Equally as important as understanding what characters do, is understanding why they do it. Focus on motivations, fears, desires and conflicts.
  • A character’s actions should be seen in the context of their circumstances. Place importance on the cultural, societal and historical factors affecting each character.
  • Make note of instances where their actions challenge or conform to societal norms. These can reveal something profound about their beliefs and values.

Character Relationships

  • Account for how characters interact with one another. Are their relationships harmonious or conflicting? What effect does this have on the character and the narrative as a whole?
  • Track the development of relationships throughout the story. Changes in character relationships often parallel the characters’ personal developments.
  • Remember, characters may have hidden feelings or thoughts about each other which can influence their actions.

Utilising Quotes

  • Embed key quotes that reveal something about the character. Whether they reveal something about their personality, thoughts, feelings or motivations, quotes are the key evidence to back up your interpretations.
  • Analyse each chosen quote, don’t just state it. Explore the language, metaphors, similes, and other literary devices the author uses. These can hint at deeper meanings behind each character.
  • Tags, labels or stereotypes used by the author to describe a character can be essential for character analysis also.

Symbolism and Imagery

  • Note any recurring symbols or images associated with a character. These can reveal underlying traits or feelings.
  • Recognise where settings or objects symbolise a character’s state of mind. These can add to your understanding of a character’s internal struggles or desires.
  • Pay attention to how authors describe character appearances or settings as these can have symbolic value, contributing to the overall understanding of a character.

Remember, the aim of character study is to understand and interpret the complexities of characters as constructs within the text. This can help to unlock deeper meanings and themes within the literature being studied.