Describe characteristics in each, using as much specific description to support each area and make your character “come alive” for the reader.

Description (Describing a character, choosing characteristics, spatial order and possibly others).
Before you write this assignment, please read the text on description and the samples in this module.
For this short writing assignment (paragraph or short one page essay), you will write a description of a character of your own choosing, based on class activities.
Choose a character you would like to describe. This “person” must be real – from school, family, or your neighborhood; you may, however, “enhance” this person’s characteristics, if you so desire.
Keep in mind: this person may not be anyone well-known from the news or entertainment world, or anyone from literature (such as a character in a story).
Give an overall impression of this character for the reader (this should be your topic sentence or thesis statement).
Choose three areas you would like to describe (e.g., appearance, personality, interests, career), and organize them to make sense..
Describe characteristics in each, using as much specific description to support each area and make your character “come alive” for the reader.
Conclude with one or two sentences, which follow logically from the rest of the description, both summarizing your paragraph or essay and reminding the reader of your main point (the overall impression, quality, or characteristic of your character) without repeating it word for word.
Your description:
should be approximately 1/2 to 3/4 page to one page (120-200 words).
must include a topic sentence (para) or thesis statement (short essay), including the topic (the character) and the main point (not merely one characteristic, but, as with the examples, the overall impression you want to give the reader of the character that you are describing).
should present three characteristics describing your character (3 subpoints and detailed support for each, such as: pleasant personality and examples of it).
should have one or two concluding sentences, which follow logically from the rest of the paragraph, both summarizing your paragraph and reminding the reader of your main point without repeating it word for word.
Do not say something like: This is my description of… OR This is why I like …. so much.
should not talk directly with the reader by using the word you – or any form, such as your – but should stay in the third person.
A few helpful hints:
Look at the sample visual organizer (attached WORD doc in “Sample descriptive passages”) to see how one might brainstorm characteristics and then arrange them for a draft.
You can use the blank visual organizer attached to this assignment, following these instructions to brainstorm characteristics for your own character.

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