Character traits and motivation Notes

Character Traits and Motivation

1. Every story is powered by people making choices. Sometimes those choices are brave. Sometimes they are terrible. Sometimes you want to shout, “Why would you do that?”
2. To understand those choices, we need to understand two things:
   1. what kind of person the character is (their traits)
   2. why they act the way they do (their motivation)
3. Get these two right, and suddenly the story makes a lot more sense.

1. What are character traits?

1. Think of traits as a character’s default settings.
2. Good characters are rarely just one thing. Realistic characters are often brave and afraid, kind and flawed.

2. Static and dynamic traits

1. Some characters stay basically the same. Others change.
2. Static traits
   1. Stay mostly unchanged
3. Dynamic traits
   1. Develop or shift over time
4. When a character changes, that change is usually important to the message of the text.

3. How writers show us character traits

1. Writers rarely tell us directly what a character is like. That would be boring. Instead, they show us.
2. Ways traits are revealed:
   1. Actions
      1. What a character does under pressure reveals who they really are
   2. Speech and dialogue
      1. Tone, word choice, sarcasm, or silence can reveal personality
   3. Thoughts
      1. Inner thoughts often reveal fear, guilt, or desire
   4. Relationships
      1. How a character treats others, especially those with less power
   5. Narrator’s description
      1. Subtle clues through imagery or commentary

4. What is motivation?

1. In simple terms: What do they want, and why does it matter so much to them?
2. Motivation is the engine of the story.

5. Common character motivations

1. Characters are usually driven by more than one thing at the same time.
   1. Desire
      1. Love, freedom, power, revenge, or approval
   2. Fear
      1. Failure, rejection, punishment, or loss
   3. Beliefs and values
      1. Moral principles, culture, or personal rules
   4. Past experiences
      1. Trauma, upbringing, or memory
   5. External pressure
      1. Family expectations, social rules, or authority figures
2. The most interesting stories often come from conflicting motivations, such as wanting freedom but fearing the consequences.

6. How traits and motivation work together

1. Traits explain how a character behaves.
2. Motivation explains why they behave that way.
3. When you connect traits and motivation, you move from summary to analysis.

7. Traits + Motivation = Answers: A PEEL Method for Character Analysis

Step-by-step PEEL method for character traits and motivation

Step 1: P = Point

1. Choose one main character trait and state it clearly.
2. Pick a trait you can actually prove with evidence.
3. Useful question:
   1. What trait is most obvious in this moment?
4. Sentence starters:
   1. The character is presented as ______, which shapes their actions because…
   2. One key trait shown here is ______.

Step 2: E = Evidence

1. Give specific evidence that shows the trait.
2. If it’s a written text, use:
   1. a quotation
   2. a key action
   3. a detail about dialogue or description
3. If it’s an image or film still, use:
   1. body language
   2. facial expression
   3. position in the scene
   4. setting and props
   5. how other people react
4. Useful question:
   1. What can I point to that proves this trait?
5. Sentence starters:
   1. This is shown when…
   2. For example, the character…
   3. The writer suggests this through…

Step 3: E = Explain

1. Explain what the evidence reveals about motivation.
2. Motivation answers: Why are they acting like this? What do they want or fear?
3. A simple way to explain motivation is to choose one of these categories:
   1. desire (approval, power, love, freedom, success)
   2. fear (failure, rejection, punishment, loss)
   3. values (justice, loyalty, pride, responsibility)
   4. pressure (family, society, authority, rules)
   5. past experiences (trauma, upbringing, previous events)
4. Useful questions:
   1. What does the character want most in this moment?
   2. What are they trying to gain, avoid, or protect?
5. Sentence starters:
   1. This suggests the character is motivated by a desire to…
   2. This behaviour implies they fear…
   3. The character’s actions are driven by the belief that…

Step 4: L = Link

1. Link back to the question and explain the effect of the trait and motivation.
2. You can link in two useful ways:
   1. Link to action and consequence
      1. What does their motivation make them do, and what might that cause?
   2. Link to meaning and message
      1. What does this reveal about the text’s ideas, themes, or purpose?
3. Useful questions:
   1. So what? Why does this matter?
   2. How does this trait and motivation drive the scene or message?
4. Sentence starters:
   1. As a result, the character’s traits and motivation lead them to…
   2. Overall, this reveals that…
   3. This moment highlights how…

8. Model paragraph

Example

• Text type: Speech
• Text: Greta Thunberg’s UN Climate Action Summit speech (“How dare you”)
• Question: How do Greta Thunberg’s character traits and motivation influence her actions?

Greta Thunberg is presented as determined and morally driven, traits that strongly influence how she addresses world leaders in her UN speech. This is evident in her direct language and emotional tone, particularly when she repeatedly accuses leaders of failing younger generations. Rather than speaking cautiously or politely, she confronts her audience, suggesting confidence and a refusal to soften her message. Greta’s actions are motivated by a deep concern for the future of the planet and a belief that those in power have a responsibility to act. For example, her repeated use of the phrase “How dare you” shows both frustration and urgency, highlighting her motivation to demand accountability rather than approval. Through her speech, Greta’s character traits and motivation combine to challenge authorityand call for immediate action, demonstrating how strong personal conviction can drive powerful public communication.

9. Now it's your turn...

Example question

• Text type
  • Film still and film review context
• Text
  • The Wolf of Wall Street (directed by Martin Scorsese)
• Your task
  • Write one analytical paragraph answering the question below.
  • You must structure your response using PEEL (Point, Evidence, Explain, Link).
• Question:
  • How do the character’s traits and motivation influence their actions in this scene?

Solution

• Point:
  • One key character trait shown in this scene is confidence, which shapes how the character presents himself to others.
• Evidence:
  • This is shown through his raised arm and pointing gesture, his upright posture at the microphone, and the fact that he stands above and in front of an excited crowd who appear to be cheering and celebrating.
• Explain:
  • This confident behaviour suggests that the character is motivated by power and control. By positioning himself as the focus of attention, he appears to enjoy influencing the emotions and actions of those around him. The celebratory atmosphere implies that he values status, admiration, and dominance, and his confident gestures suggest he feels entitled to lead and command others.
• Link:
  • As a result, the character’s confidence and motivation for power directly influence his actions, turning the scene into a display of authority and control. Overall, the image suggests that his personality drives him to seek attention and influence, reinforcing the film’s focus on ambition and excess.

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