Literary Argument FRQ Character Review

Ralph

Elected leader focused on rescue and rules. Values the conch.

Piggy

Intellectual boy, represents reason and logic. Physically vulnerable.

Jack

Charismatic choir leader drawn to hunting and power. Challenges the elected leader.

Simon

Quiet, insightful boy who understands the island's true "beast." Connected to nature.

Roger

A follower who becomes increasingly cruel and sadistic. Enjoys enforcing punishment.

Hamlet

Prince of Denmark, tasked with revenge. Contemplative and prone to delay.

Claudius

The king who took the throne and married his brother's wife. Guilty conscience.

Gertrude

The Queen, mother of the prince. Her motives are ambiguous.

Ophelia

Love interest of the prince, used by her father. Suffers mental breakdown.

Polonius

Advisor to the king, father figure. Meddling and verbose.

Laertes

Son of the king's advisor, acts decisively on revenge. Foil to the prince.

Jay Gatsby

Mysterious millionaire obsessed with recreating the past. Hosts extravagant parties.

Nick Carraway

Midwestern narrator observing the wealthy elite. Claims to reserve judgment.

Daisy Buchanan

The object of the millionaire's obsession. Her voice is "full of money."

Tom Buchanan

Wealthy, arrogant, and hypocritical husband from "old money." Embodies entitlement.

Jordan Baker

Professional golfer, friend of the object of obsession. Represents modern cynicism.

Winston Smith

Low-ranking Outer Party member who secretly rebels. Keeps a forbidden diary.

Julia

Rebellious lover focused on personal defiance. Enjoys breaking rules.

O'Brien

Inner Party member who seems like an ally. Ultimately represents the Party's power.

Big Brother

Symbolic figurehead of the totalitarian regime. Always watching.

Hester Prynne

Forced to wear a symbol of her sin. Gains strength and independence.

Arthur Dimmesdale

Respected minister suffering from hidden guilt. Secret connection to the wearer of the symbol.

Roger Chillingworth

Estranged husband consumed by vengeance. Intellectually cruel.

Pearl

The living symbol of a hidden sin. Intuitive and otherworldly child.

Ethan Frome

Trapped farmer yearning for a different life. Feels crushed by duty and environment.

Zeena Frome

His sickly, demanding wife. Represents the oppressive forces in his life.

Mattie Silver

A young relative bringing light and hope. Object of the farmer's unspoken desire.

Unnamed Narrator

Outsider piecing together the central tragedy years later. Frames the story.

Scout (Jean Louise Finch)

Young female narrator learning about her town's injustices. Tomboyish and curious.

Atticus Finch

Lawyer father who defends an unpopular client. Moral center of the story.

Jem Finch

Older brother who matures and becomes disillusioned by injustice. Protects his sister.

Boo Radley (Arthur Radley)

Mysterious, reclusive neighbor subject to town gossip. Secretly kind.

Tom Robinson

Black man falsely accused of a crime against a white woman. Represents victimhood.

Bob Ewell

Ignorant and hateful father of the accuser. Antagonistic figure.

Holden Caulfield

Teenage narrator expelled from prep school. Critical of adult "phoniness."

Phoebe Caulfield

His perceptive younger sister. Represents innocence and understanding.

Ackley

Annoying, unhygienic dorm neighbor. Represents social awkwardness.

Stradlater

Holden's handsome, popular, but superficial roommate. A "secret slob."

Mr. Antolini

Former teacher who offers advice and shelter. Creates an ambiguous situation.

Heathcliff

Dark, brooding anti-hero brought to live at a remote farmhouse. Driven by obsessive love and revenge.

Catherine Earnshaw

Wild, passionate heroine torn between love and social ambition. Connected to the moors.

Edgar Linton

Refined, civilized gentleman who marries the heroine. Represents convention.

Nelly Dean

Primary narrator, housekeeper who witnessed the main events. Her perspective shapes the story.

Hindley Earnshaw

Heroine's brother who resents and mistreats the outsider. Descends into alcoholism.

Isabella Linton

Civilized sister who naively falls for the anti-hero. Suffers greatly.

Lockwood

Secondary narrator, tenant unfamiliar with the local passions. Represents the outside world.

Willy Loman

Aging traveling salesman obsessed with a flawed American Dream. Prone to flashbacks.

Linda Loman

His loyal, enabling wife who demands "attention must be paid." Represents steadfastness.

Biff Loman

Older son, former football star unable to meet expectations. Seeks truth.

Happy Loman

Younger son, follows his father's path of self-deception. Womanizer.

Charley

The salesman's successful, pragmatic neighbor. Offers practical help.

Bernard

The neighbor's successful lawyer son. Foil to the salesman's sons.

Santiago

Andalusian shepherd boy seeking treasure. Learns to follow omens and his heart.

The Alchemist

Mysterious, powerful figure who guides the boy through the desert. Understands the Soul of the World.

Melchizedek

Wise old king who introduces the concept of the "Personal Legend." Gives magical stones.

Fatima

Desert woman the boy falls in love with at an oasis. Represents patient love.

The Englishman

Fellow traveler seeking wisdom through books. Represents intellectual pursuit.

Amir

Narrator haunted by childhood guilt and betrayal in Kabul. Seeks redemption.

Hassan

Loyal Hazara childhood friend and servant. Represents innocence and sacrifice.

Baba

Amir's powerful, imposing father with hidden secrets. Values strength.

Assef

Sociopathic childhood bully who later joins the Taliban. Represents cruelty and ethnic hatred.

Sohrab

Hassan's orphaned son. Becomes central to the narrator's quest for atonement.

Rahim Khan

Father's friend and mentor figure. Calls the narrator back to Afghanistan.

Beowulf

Geatish warrior hero possessing immense strength and courage. Fights three monsters.

Hrothgar

King of the Danes whose mead hall is under attack. Represents wise leadership.

Grendel

Monstrous descendant of Cain terrorizing the Danes. Embodiment of evil.

Grendel's Mother

Seeks vengeance for her son's death. Fights the hero in her underwater lair.

Wiglaf

Young kinsman who remains loyal to the hero in his final battle. Represents the future of heroism.