Resources › For Students and Parents Character Traits: Ideas for Your Short Story Print Woods Wheatcroft/Getty Images For Students and Parents Homework Help Homework Tips Learning Styles & Skills Study Methods Time Management Private School Test Prep College Admissions College Life Graduate School Business School Law School Distance Learning View More By Grace Fleming Grace Fleming Education Expert M.Ed., Education Administration, University of Georgia B.A., History, Armstrong State University Grace Fleming, M.Ed., is a senior academic advisor at Georgia Southern University, where she helps students improve their academic performance and develop good study skills. Learn about our Editorial Process Updated on January 18, 2018 Whether you need to identify character traits to do a character analysis, or you are trying to come up with traits to develop a character for your own story, it is always helpful to see a list of examples as a tool for brainstorming. Character traits are the qualities of a certain person, whether they are physical or emotional. You determine some traits by observing the way a character looks. You infer other traits by paying attention to the way the character behaves. Need some practice? You can practice naming character traits by using one-word answers to describe a family member. You might describe your father as: tallcomicalmoodyfaithfulchubby If you think about it, you know some of these characteristics by looking at your father. Others, you only know from experience over time. Read More How to Write a Character Analysis By Grace Fleming The traits that make up a character are not always stated in a story; you will have to determine each character's qualities as you read, by thinking about that person's actions. Here are a few traits we can infer from actions: Jesse had no idea how deep the river was. He just jumped.Trait: reckless Amanda had no idea why everyone else was laughing as she strolled around the room in mismatched shoes.Trait: clueless Susan jumped every time the door opened.Trait: jittery If you are trying to write a descriptive essay about a character in a book, search through the book and place a sticky note in the pages that contain interesting words or actions involving your character. Then go back and read the passages again to gain some sense of personality. Note: This is when an electronic book comes in very handy! You can do a word search with your character name. Always ry to find an e-version of a book if you need to write any type of book report or review. List of Traits It is sometimes helpful to consult a list of examples to boost your own imagination. This list of traits may prompt you to identify a trait in a character you're studying. adventurousagitatedbear-likebeastlybelievablebroodingcharitablecleverclownishcomicalcrookedcuriousdaringdauntingdauntlessdeardejecteddemeaningdementeddetermineddevilishdodgydoom-filleddourdowncastdrolleasy-goingeccentricedgyegotisticalemaciatedenchantingenthrallingexceptionalextrovertedexuberantfastidiousfeeblefiendishfishyforgivingfrankfree-spiritedgabbygiftedgiganticglowinggo-gettergolden-hairedgood-naturedgoofygossipygrimgroundedgulliblehappyhatefulhauntingheroichigh-maintenancehomeyhumanitarianickyill at easeimpertinentimpulsiveincapableinconsiderateinsolentintrovertedjitteryjocularjollyjovialkindlankylaughablelazylethargiclistlesslonginglong-windedlovelylovingloyalmalleablemanlymannerlessmasterfulmeanderingmerrymirthfulmiserablemiserlymockingnervousneuroticomnipresentoptimisticorganizedotherworldlyoutlandishoverbearingoverwroughtpedanticphonypickypropheticprotectivequick-wittedquirkyquizzicalrecklessrudesadself-assuredsensitiveseriousshortshysillyskilledskittishsleepysmellysmolderingsneakysobersolemnsombersourspellbindingspiritualspunkysternstudioussugarythoughtfultogethertoughtoweringunbalancedunethicalunluckyunstableunyieldinguptightwackywarmheartedweirdwell-adjustedwhite-hairedwitheredworrisomewretched Cite this Article Format mla apa chicago Your Citation Fleming, Grace. "Character Traits: Ideas for Your Short Story." ThoughtCo, Aug. 26, 2020, thoughtco.com/character-traits-1856947. Fleming, Grace. (2020, August 26). Character Traits: Ideas for Your Short Story. Retrieved from https://www.thoughtco.com/character-traits-1856947 Fleming, Grace. "Character Traits: Ideas for Your Short Story." ThoughtCo. https://www.thoughtco.com/character-traits-1856947 (accessed April 20, 2024). copy citation