Explore Character Motivation Through AI Roleplay Dialogue

Deepen literary analysis by exploring character motivations through AI-generated roleplay dialogue.

Teaching Context:
Ideal for Year 8 to Year 11 English students studying novels, plays or short stories with complex characters.

Basic AI Prompt:
Pretend you are Macbeth. Why did you agree to kill Duncan?

Enhanced AI Prompt:
You are a character from a novel or play. Write a monologue or dialogue where you explain your most important decision in the story. Reflect on your emotions, motivations and regrets. Write in first person and stay true to the text.

Spice it Up (Optional Extension):
Ask AI to create a short scene or missing moment from the story.

Lesson Implementation:
Introduce or revise key character decisions using a T-chart: Decision / Motivation. Then, students select a character and use the enhanced AI prompt to explore inner thoughts. They can edit the AI’s response for voice and accuracy, then perform it as a short dramatic reading. Use peer feedback to check emotional authenticity.

In groups, students might compare characters from different texts. Tools like Google Docs or Canva can be used to publish monologues. This activity boosts engagement, empathy and textual interpretation.

Got ideas on different ways to use this prompt? Share them with the class in the comments below!

Also, if you liked this, you'll love the thousands of subject-specific prompts in our books section!