One of the most important skills in life is being able to “read” a person. How do you know what sort of person someone is when you meet them? Usually by observing their actions and speech, and carefully noticing when they are inconsistent in any way.
For this essay, you are to make an argument concerning what sort of a person a character from Crime and Punishment is AND what that character contributes to the overall theme of the story. A sample thesis would be:
Though at times he acts charitably, Svidrigailov is a terrifying creature. His ugly character traits highlight the destructive force of immorality.
The essay in this example, then, would detail the character traits of Svidrigailov (in this case noting that he is a terrifying creature) while noting that he contributes a message to the theme of morality.
Argument would be supported by the actions, dialogue, and statements from other characters concerning Svidrigailov. Obviously, don’t use this exact topic in your own essay.
A few bits of advice:
Look over the handout “How to Write a Literary Analysis.” This is an excellent resource for you to learn how to write a topic statement, how to incorporate evidence, and even how to write introductions/conclusions.
Take the time to provide careful evidence in support for your argument. Make sure you stay focused on the character him/herself and don’t get distracted by the plot of the overall story.
Choose your character early (it can even be random, if you’d like), so that you can pay close attention to him/her as the story progresses. This will make the essay easier to write in the long run.