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Literary Analysis Essay

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Literary Analysis Essay - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Literary Analysis Essay

This presentation reveals all the secrets in writing your literary analysis essay. watch it carefully and read an article for additional information – powerpoint ppt presentation.

• Created by Essay-Academy.com
• Compose a creative title for your literary analysis essay.
• It means that your title involves not only the name of literary work, its author and the words the analysis of (e.g. The Analysis Of The Fairy Story By George Orwell Animal Farm), but also some key words to attract the readers attention (e.g. The Fairy Story Animal Farm By George Orwell The Authors Protest Against The Totalitarian System).
• 1. Who is the protagonist and who is the antagonist? Describe them. Is the protagonist absolutely positive? If your answer is Not, think about the next question what are his / her bad character traits? Is the antagonist absolutely negative? If your answer is Not, think about the next question what are his / her good character traits?
• 2. Write the theme and main ideas.
• 3. Is it a mental or physical action? How many acts and characters are in the play?
• 4. Describe the language of the play (if it is not a translation).
• 1. The same as in analyzing a play Who is the protagonist and who is the antagonist? Describe them. Is the protagonist absolutely positive? If your answer is Not, think about the next question what are his / her bad character traits? Is the antagonist absolutely negative? If your answer is Not, think about the next question what are his / her good character traits?
• 3. Describe the narrative manner.
• 4. Describe the language of the novel (if it is not a translation).
• https//essay-academy.com

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Literary Analysis Essay

Jul 11, 2014

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Literary Analysis Essay. Literary Analysis Essay, Thesis, and Topic Sentence. Table of Contents. Persuasive Writing 1 Persuasive Thesis 2

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• topic sentence
• current fashions
• persuasive evidence
• parenthetical citations
• thesis statements

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Literary Analysis Essay Literary Analysis Essay, Thesis, and Topic Sentence

Table of Contents • Persuasive Writing 1 • Persuasive Thesis 2 • Persuasive Evidence 3 • Persuasive Commentary 4 • Effective Introductions and Conclusions 5 • MLA formatting 6 • Taboo Essay Words 7 • Literary Analysis Essay 8 • Literary Analysis Thesis and Topic Sentences 9

Literary Analysis Essay • The goal of a Literary Analysis Essay is to discuss your interpretation of a piece of literature using a specific literary focus (like motifs, themes, symbolism, humor, characterization…) • Things to keep in mind as you write: • Never use “I”, “you”, “we”, “our” (even though this is your interpretation, you may not provide opinions) • Always talk about literature in present tense • Do not retell the story in your essay (this is not a book report)

Continued… • Paper set-up Intro with thesis 1st Body Paragraph- Elaborates on one element of you thesis 2nd Body Paragraph- Elaborates on another element of your thesis 3rd Body Paragraph- Elaborates on yet another element of your thesis Conclusion All of your Paragraphs must directly connect to your thesis!!!

Check for Understanding • What is a literary analysis essay? What does it do? • What tense does your essay need to be in? • What are some words you may not use in your essay (unless in your quotes)? • How is this literary analysis essay set up?

Thesis Statements • Thesis statements make an argument that you work to prove throughout your essay. • Example: • Throughout The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, Twain utilizessatireto reveal society’s obsession with fashion and always “keeping up” with the current fads of the moment no matter how ridiculous they may be. • I am arguing that Twain uses satire to reveal this in his novel.

Literary Analysis Thesis and Topic Sentences • Thesis: • Throughout The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, Twain utilizes[insert comic device(s)] to reveal[insert what these devices reveal about people, society, and/or the belief systems they hold]. • Example #1: • Throughout The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, Twain utilizessatireto reveal society’s obsession with fashion and always “keeping up” with the current fads of the moment no matter how ridiculous they may be. • Example #2: • Throughout The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, Twain utilizeshypocrisy, prejudices, and diction to revealthe stupidity and ignorance of adults. • Example #3: • Throughout The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, Twain utilizesslapstick to revealthe absurdity of education and adults’ attempt to always be in control of their children. • You may choose any combination of comic elements and what they reveal. Be creative; you get a lot of freedom with this essay so write about what you are most interested in.

Check for understanding • What do thesis statements do in a literary analysis essay? • Give me an example of a thesis statement you could possibly use in your essay? • What are the parameters around your thesis statement (what is acceptable and what is not)?

Continued… • Your topic sentences MUST directly connect to your thesis. • What that means is that you must use the same wording in each of your topic sentences as you use in your thesis. • Pay attention to the following example and how the topic sentences directly connect to the thesis statement.

Continued… (This will be your homework tonight) • Thesis Throughout The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, Twain utilizessatireto reveal society’s obsession with fashion and always “keeping up” with the current fads of the moment no matter how ridiculous they may be. • Topic Sentence #1 • Twain utilizes satire to reveal society’s obsession with fashion. • Evidence: Aunt Polly’s glasses • Topic Sentence #2 • Twain also uses satire to uncover society’s attempt to always “keep up” with the current fads of the moment. • Evidence: The boys’ attempt to be religious • Topic Sentence #3 • Finally, Twain employs satire to expose society’s ignorance when trying to “keep up” with the current trends. • Evidence: Aunt Polly’s medicinal obsession (finding a cure)

Continued… • Notice: • Your topic sentences and thesis statement need to reveal overall flaws with society. • Example: • Do not say, “Twain uses satire to reveal Aunt Polly’s obsession with fashion.” • Instead say, “Twain uses satire to reveal society’s obsession with fashion.” • Your evidence of Aunt Polly wearing the ridiculous glasses will prove how Twain uses satire to reveal society’s obsession with fashion.

Checking for understanding • Rephrase what I do and don’t want you to do with your topic sentences. • What must your topic sentences ALWAYS connect to?

Table of Contents • Persuasive Writing 1 • Persuasive Thesis 2 • Persuasive Evidence 3 • Persuasive Commentary 4 • Effective Introductions and Conclusions 5 • MLA formatting 6 • Taboo Essay Words 7 • Literary Analysis Essay 8 • Literary Analysis Thesis and Topic Sentences 9 • Literary Analysis Evidence 10 • Literary Analysis Commentary 11 • Parenthetical Citations 12

Literary Analysis Evidence • Evidence must… • directly support your topic sentence and thesis statement • prove your argument • be a quote taken directly from the novel (for each paragraph!!!) • Example: • Thesis: Throughout The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, Twain utilizessatireto reveal society’s obsession with fashion and always “keeping up” with the current fads of the moment no matter how ridiculous they may be. • Topic Sentence #1: Twain utilizes satire to reveal society’s obsession with fashion. • Evidence to prove my topic sentence and thesis: “She seldom or never looked through them [glasses] for so small a thing as a boy, for they were her state pair, the pride of her heart, and were built for “style” not service; she could have seen through a pair of stove lids as well” (Twain 1).

Continued… (Review) • Your evidence must be imbedded (a part of your sentence) • Example: • Tom Sawyer noticed about Aunt Polly that “she seldom or never looked through them [glasses] for so small a thing as a boy, for they were her state pair, the pride of her heart, and were built for “style” not service; she could have seen through a pair of stove lids as well” (Twain 1). • If your evidence is a quote from a character’s mouth do not use “SAID”!!!! Try and find other words to go in place of the dreaded “said”. • stated, exclaimed, demanded, roared, claimed, questioned… (this word should depict the tone of the character)

Literary Analysis Commentary (The heart of a literary analysis essay) • The goal of commentary is: • to show the connection between the specific character/event and society (example: how does Aunt Polly needing to “keep up” with the current fashions reflect how all of society wants to stay current). • to answer what Twain is trying to reveal about all of us through his characters? • to answer why it is important to reveal this about society? • Commentary must be 3-5 sentences long!!! • Use your comic element chart to help you with this!!!!!!

Continued… • Example: • Thesis: Throughout The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, Twain utilizessatireto reveal society’s obsession with fashion and always “keeping up” with the current fads of the moment no matter how ridiculous they may be. • Topic Sentence #1: Twain utilizes satire to reveal society’s obsession with fashion. • Evidence to prove my topic sentence and thesis: Tom Sawyer noticed about Aunt Polly that “she seldom or never looked through them [glasses] for so small a thing as a boy, for they were her state pair, the pride of her heart, and were built for “style” not service; she could have seen through a pair of stove lids as well” (Twain 1). • Commentary: Through Aunt Polly’s need to wear glasses to keep up with the current style, Twain exposes peoples’ obsession with fashion. He shows that people will do anything, even look absolutely ridiculous, in order to be “in style”. He is commenting on this in hopes that people see the ridiculousness of styles to stop adhering to them.

Review • What is evidence? • What does the evidence do? • How do you integrate your evidence into your essay? • What is the goal of commentary (3)?

Parenthetical Citations • Why use parenthetical citations? • Parenthetical citations tell the reader exactly where you found your evidence so the reader could technically find you quote if he/she wishes to do more research or confirm where you found your info. • It is absolutely necessary that you follow the correct format (it is part of the MLA guidelines)

Continued… • Format for novels only: • “Quote” (Author’s Last Name page number). • Quote” (Twain 36). No punctuation here! Quotation marks follow the quote. period goes after the citation

Continued… • When you set a quote into the middle of a sentence, you always cite at the end of the sentence not the end of the quote. • Example: Tom exclaimed, “Oh don’t cry Becky. I don’t care for her anymore” as Becky tried to blame Tom for liking Amy instead of her (Twain 60).

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LITERARY ANALYSIS ESSAY - #1

American Literature

• A literary analysis broadens understanding and appreciation of a piece of literature.
• Think as you read:
• What theme is the author attempting to convey? In other words, what is the author saying about life and/or people?
• What techniques are employed to convey theme, mood, etc.?

LITERARY ANALYSIS

• A literary analysis should focus on one or a combination of the following major literary elements to convey the t heme of the piece.
• You will argue the theme in your thesis, not as an element within body paragraphs.
• Theme is developed through use of other techniques (symbolism, setting, imagery, etc.)
• What message about life and/or people is the author trying to convey?
• An effective literary analysis essay relies upon quotes to strengthen the analysis.
• A quote should not be more than a few words. Generally, there is no need to quote an entire sentence.
• Choose only the most important word(s) to quote.
• Explain the quote without referencing it directly by saying “This quote shows…” or “This proves…”
• Cite all quotes: “Quoted” words (Page #).

QUOTE INTEGRATION

• Quotes must be smoothly integrated into a sentence of your own. Without quotations marks, the reader should not be able to tell where your words end and the quoted words begin.
• Contextualize quotes by providing the context and speaker (if quoting dialogue):
• When he hears her answer, Jessup “flies off the handle” and tells her to “Get lost!” (94).
• If you need to change words within a quote, use brackets [new word] around the new word.
• After the trial, Scout tells Jem that she “heard [Miss Gates] say it’s time somebody taught [the black people of Maycomb] a lesson” (247).
• This essay will be a 4-paragraph essay:

Introduction

• 2 body paragraphs, each exploring one literary element
• No Works Cited necessary
• Parentheticals (page numbers) are required

ESSAY STRUCTURE

The introduction should:

• Hook attention (4-5 Sentences)
• Transition sentences (connect hook to plot summary)
• Summary of story, including story title, genre, and author (3-5 sentences)
• Transition sentences (connect plot summary to thesis) and introduce theme

Hook Statements

• Start with an interesting or little-known fact:
• As a young child, Charles Dickens was forced to work in a shoe polish factory. In Hard Times , Dickens taps into his childhood experience to explore the evils of social injustice and hypocrisy.
• Start with the title and setting:
• To Kill a Mockingbird , the award-winning book by Harper Lee, takes place in a small town in Alabama during a challenging period in American history.

Hook Statements Cont’d

• Start with a meaningful quote within the work/story itself:
• “Are there no prisons?” This offhand question was the response of Ebenezer Scrooge when confronted with the tragic state of hundreds of fellow citizens in Victorian London.
• Start with a surprising fact, an interesting piece of information (cite the statistic properly):
• The rate of crashes for 16-year-old drivers is almost 10 times that of adult drivers aged 25 or older ( Wisconsin Department of Transportation ).
• Start with a universal statement about people or life:
• It is easy to love people when they’re lovable. It’s harder when they’re not.
• Friendship is an important part of daily life and many people find their friends to be very important to their overall emotional and mental health. In The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton, the characters experience the importance of friendship on a daily basis since they rely on their friends for almost everything.
• Education has long been considered a major force for American social change, righting the wrongs of our society.

The thesis will include the following elements:

• Author’s name
• Story title
• Literary elements - 2
• Action verb the author does with the lit elements
• The author - exposes, challenges, explores, questions ...etc.
• Statement of theme (author’s purpose in this piece)

THESIS STATEMENT

• A thesis for a literary analysis must be persuasive in nature.
• A formula for the most basic analysis thesis could look something like this:
• In (title), (author's name) uses (1st literary device) and (2nd literary device) to (analyze/criticize/explain/etc.) (some aspect of human nature) .
• In "If you Were Coming in the Fall," Emily Dickinson uses simile and syntax to expose how people wait, hoping to fall in love .

Sample Thesis Statements

• Through its contrasting river and shore scenes, Twain’s Huckleberry Finn suggests that to find the true expression of American ideals, one must leave ‘civilized’ society and go back to nature.
• Through the characterization of Hester, Arthur, and Roger, Nathaniel Hawthorne condemns the hypocrisy of Puritan society.
• Through the characterization of Paul and his experience at a Russian prisoner of war camp, and especially under bombardment in the trenches, Erich Maria Remarque realistically depicts how war dehumanizes a man.
• In the characters of Daisy, Tom, and Gatsby himself, Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby criticizes the corruption of the traditional American Dream.
• Sinclair Lewis’ 1922 novel Babbitt relies upon the author’s use of satire to critique the ignorance, mediocrity and conformity of the American middle class.

Sources: http://www.chs.d211.org/english/

Every year, more than 1,220,100 people are diagnosed with cancer. 36,600 of these cases affect the limbs, including arms and legs. Although some cases can be cured by chemotherapy, others require amputation to take care of the problem. While they still have their lives, people who lose a limb often feel as though they have lost much more. Sadly. 34,000 people die each year from cancer in these areas.

The short story "Learning to Drive", written by Ron Rindo, tells the tale of one such unfortunate man.

The protagonist, nameless throughout the story, had his leg amputated because of the cancer that was threatening his life. He comes home from the hospital with a prosthetic leg and a pair of silver crutches to be greeted by his three children and his daughter's boyfriend, Neon. Everybody gives him gifts, even Neon. At first it seems as though the protagonist has accepted his fate. He feels that his life should go on as usual, including his independence in simple tasks such as taking a shower, climbing the stairs, and walking the dog. One day, however, his doctors inform him that his cancer has returned and he will die. Immediately, he slips into depression.

At this point, the protagonist is faced with the decision of whether to continue wallowing in self-pity or to overcome his problem and live the rest of his life with an optimistic attitude.

Throughout the story there are certain items and events plainly incorporated into the story line that serve as symbols for this process. They assist in explaining different emotions and situations that are associated with working past barriers. Whether they are as simple as a floor or as complex as learning how to drive, all of them have a profound impact on the effect the story will have on the reader.

Rindo effectively uses certain cars, items, and events in order to portray the process of overcoming obstacles in life.

Attention-Getter/Hook

Plot summary

Transition to thesis

Thesis: lit elements plus theme

Transition sentence

Body Paragraphs: TIQA (3) + C

T - Topic sentence/Transition

I - Introduce Quote #1

Q - Give Quote #1 (integrated)

A - Analyze Quote #1 (support thesis)

T - Transition

I - Introduce Quote #2

Q - Give Quote #2 (integrated)

A - Analyze Quote #2 (support thesis)

I - Introduce Quote #3

Q - Give Quote #3 (integrated)

A - Analyze Quote #3 (support thesis)

C - Clincher

TOPIC SENTENCES

• Topic sentences must:
• provide the paragraph topic (lit element)
• persuade the reader
• support the thesis by including the So What? from the thesis

INTRODUCTION SENTENCES

• Introduction Sentences
• Transition from the topic sentence to quote
• Provides context of quote
• Provides rationale for choosing upcoming quote.

INTEGRATING QUOTES

• Integrated Quotes (3 in each paragraph)
• Choose quotes that support the topic sentence
• Choose only part of a quote to use
• Integrate the quote into a sentence of your own
• Cite each quote: “Quote” (#).

COMMENTARY: SO WHAT?

• Each quote/evidence MUST be explained.
• You have to tell me why it’s important and how it supports your thesis (without saying shows )
• Answer So What? after each quote to reinforce your thesis.
• Effective clinchers:
• restate the main point of the paragraph (rephrase the topic sentence).
• persuasively support the thesis by including the So What? from the thesis.
• Ineffective clinchers:
• simply restate the topic sentence.
• say nothing, such as “That’s why sacrifice is important” or “That is how this story has symbolism.”

TRANSITIONS

• Effective transitions within paragraphs:
• Appear THREE times (minimum)
• Signal new quotes/points
• Connect ideas to create flow
• Effective transitions between paragraphs
• connect body paragraphs to the one before it with a transitional expression:
• Ex: “ In addition to sacrifice , healthy relationships thrive when both people develop trust within each other.”

In "Learning to Drive" different objects, such as the floor, the dismantled Statue of Liberty puzzle, and the cemetery, illustrate the way that people are able to overcome the various obstacles that they face during their lives. Affected by a devastating event such as cancer, a person often ends up battered by the emotional conflicts that accompany adversity.

In the same way, the floor was scuffed and dented where the protagonist had stumbled with his crutches. Thus, the floor represents the scars people carry after they battle with crisis. Originally, the tile was in perfect condition.

The protagonist says, "We have had the cleanest floors in the neighborhood for twenty-two years" (39).

People can go through their lives with trivial problems—a money shortage, a broken leg—and therefore have completely spotless surfaces until they find themselves scarred by the difficulties they face, just as the floor was marked from the crutches, the result of the protagonist's struggle with cancer.

In an attempt to heal these scars, people will try whatever they can to remove them. Elaine uses ammonia on the floor in an effort to clean the skid-marks and scratches. Just as in real life, the ammonia only makes the eyes of the people around the area water; it only adds to the pain of the situation. Although scars are inevitable when facing hurdles, people are still able accomplish their goals.

Continue pattern for TWO MORE supporting details

The tile floor, jigsaw puzzle, and cemetery are all symbols used to display how people are able to overcome any obstacles they face with the right amount of optimism.

Intro/explain supporting detail #1

Integrate quote

Analyze quote

Topic Sentence: element and Theme

Clincher: element and theme

CONCLUSIONS

• An effective conclusion:
• Restates thesis (different wording)
• Summarizes each main point of paper in the order discussed in body paragraphs
• 1-3 sentence summary of each point
• A conclusion should come “full circle” and return to the method used in the hook
• Reflect on how the author(s) developed the idea from your hook

Ron Rindo illustrates how his symbols of agony, faith, and reconstruction are important to produce the chain of events that leads to the final acceptance of the challenges created by cancer and other such hindrances.

Sarah's red Pinto helps to show that nobody is perfect; everybody has disastrous encounters with obstacles. Seeing the hearse tells how death will be caused at some point by his cancer. The Toyota Corolla that he and his wife drive symbolizes the effort it takes to overcome adversity. How the protagonist's life falls apart is portrayed with the amputation of his leg. The welcome home party assists in showing how the family works together to accept his new life. The process of learning to drive again symbolizes a new life and the overcoming of various difficulties. Using the ruined tile floor, Rindo depicts the effect that dilemmas have on a person. The puzzle depicting the Statue of Liberty's revolution stands for the loss of freedom with the loss of this leg. A single piece of the puzzle may be viewed as the time where the protagonist is struggling to rise from the shadows of the inevitable. The cemetery speaks as the final acceptance of where his cancer will eventually bring him.

Although this deadly disease affects over one million people every year, many find ways of dealing with illness. Overcoming the difficulties produced by cancer, millions of cancer victims, doomed to perish or not, adapt their lifestyles in order to continue living fulfilling and meaningful lives.

Summarize body paragraphs

Connect to attention-getter

Restate Thesis

Literary Analysis Essay

Literary Analysis Essay - Step by Step Guide

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Published on: Aug 16, 2020

Last updated on: Jan 29, 2024

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Literature is an art that can inspire, challenge, and transform us. But how do we analyze literature in a way that truly captures its essence? 

That's where a literary analysis essay comes in. 

Writing a literary analysis essay allows you to delve into the themes, characters, and symbols of a literary work. It's a chance to engage with literature on a deeper level and to discover new insights. 

In this comprehensive guide, we will take you through the process of writing a literary analysis essay, step by step. Plus, you’ll get to read some great examples to help you out!

So let’s dive in!

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What is a Literary Analysis Essay?

Literary analysis is a process of examining a literary work in detail to uncover its meaning and significance. 

It involves breaking down the various elements of a work, such as plot, character, setting, and theme. And then analyzing how they work together to create a specific effect on the reader.

In other words, literary analysis is an exercise in interpretation. The reader of a work asks questions about what the author means to say, how they are saying it, and why. 

A literary analysis essay is an essay where you explore such questions in depth and offer your own insights.

What is the Purpose of a Literary Analysis Essay?

In general, the purpose of a literary analysis essay is as follows: 

• To gain a greater understanding and appreciation of the work.
• To be able to think critically and analytically about a text. 

Content of a Literary Analysis 

A literary analysis essay delves deep into the various aspects of a literary work to examine its meaning, symbolism, themes, and more. Here are the key elements to include in your literary analysis essay:

Plot Analysis 

Plot refers to the sequence of events that make up the storyline of a literary work. It encompasses the main events, conflicts, and resolutions that drive the narrative forward. 

Elements of Plot Analysis 

The elements of a plot typically include:

• Exposition: The introduction of the story that establishes the setting, characters, and initial circumstances.
• Rising action: A set of events or actions that sets the main conflict into motion, often occurring early in the story.
• Conflict: The series of events that build tension and develop the conflict, leading to the story's climax.
• Climax: The turning point of the story, where the conflict reaches its peak and the outcome hangs in the balance.
• Falling Action: The events that occur after the climax, leading towards the resolution of the conflict.
• Resolution: The point in the story where the conflict is resolved, providing closure to the narrative.

Character Analysis 

Character analysis involves studying the role, development, and motivations of the characters in a literary work. It explores how characters contribute to the overall narrative and themes of the story.

Elements of Character Analysis 

• Identification of major and minor characters.
• Examination of their traits, behaviors, and relationships.
• Analysis of character development and changes throughout the story.
• Evaluation of the character's role in advancing the plot or conveying themes.

Symbolism and Imagery Analysis 

Symbolism and imagery analysis focuses on the use of symbols, objects, or images in a work. It analyzes and explores the use of literary devices to convey deeper meanings and evoke emotions. 

Elements of Symbolism and Imagery Analysis 

• Identification of key symbols or recurring motifs.
• Interpretation of their symbolic significance.
• Analysis of how imagery is used to create vivid mental pictures and enhance the reader's understanding and emotional experience.

Theme Analysis 

Analyzing the theme involves exploring the central ideas or messages conveyed in a literary work. It examines the underlying concepts, or messages that the author wants to convey through the story.

Elements of Theme Analysis 

• Identification of the main themes or central ideas explored in the text.
• Analysis of how the themes are developed and reinforced throughout the story.
• Exploration of the author's perspective and the intended message behind the themes.

Setting Analysis 

The Setting of a story includes the time, place, and social context in which the story takes place. Analyzing the setting involves how the setting influences the characters, plot, and overall atmosphere of the work.

Elements of Setting Analysis 

• Description and analysis of the physical, cultural, and historical aspects of the setting.
• Examination of how the setting contributes to the mood, atmosphere, and themes of the work.
• Evaluation of how the setting shapes the characters' actions and motivations.

Structure and Style Analysis 

Structure and style analysis involves studying the organization, narrative techniques, and literary devices employed by the author. It explores how the structure and style contribute to the overall impact and effectiveness of the work.

Elements of Structure and Style Analysis 

• Analysis of the narrative structure, such as the use of flashbacks, nonlinear timelines, or multiple perspectives.
• Examination of the author's writing style, including the use of language, tone, and figurative language.
• Evaluation of literary devices, such as foreshadowing, irony, or allusion, and their impact on the reader's interpretation.

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How to Write a Literary Analysis Essay?  

Writing a great literary analysis piece requires you to follow certain steps. Here’s what you need to do to write a literary essay:

Preparing for Your Essay 

The pre-writing process for writing a literary analysis essay includes the following:

• Choosing a literary work to analyze
• Reading and analyzing the work
• Taking notes and organizing your thoughts
• Creating an outline for your essay

Choosing a Work to Analyze 

As a student, you would most probably be assigned a literary piece to analyze. It could be a short story, a novel, or a poem.  However, sometimes you get to choose it yourself.

In such a case, you should choose a work that you find interesting and engaging. This will make it easier to stay motivated as you analyze the work and write your essay.

Moreover, you should choose a work that has some depth and complexity. This will give you plenty of material to analyze and discuss in your essay. Finally, make sure that your choice fits within the scope of the assignment and meets the expectations of your instructor.

Reading and Analyzing 

Once you’ve chosen a literary work, it's time to read the work with careful attention. There are several key elements to consider when reading and analyzing a literary work:

• Plot - The sequence of events that make up the story. Analyzing the plot involves examining the structure of the story, including its exposition, rising action, climax, falling action, and resolution.
• Characters - The people or entities that populate the story. Analyzing characters involves examining their motivations, personalities, relationships, and development over the course of the story.

Want to learn more about character analysis? Head to our blog about how to conduct character analysis and learn easy steps with examples.

• Setting - The time, place, and environment in which the story takes place. Analyzing the setting involves examining how the atmosphere contributes to the story's overall meaning.
• Theme - The underlying message or meaning of the story. Analyzing themes involves examining the work's central ideas and how they are expressed through the various elements of the story.

Moreover, it's important to consider the following questions while analyzing:

• What is the central theme or main point the author is trying to make?
• What literary devices and techniques has the author used?
• Why did the author choose to write this particular work?
• What themes and ideas are present in the work?

These questions will help you dive deeper into the work you are writing about.

Take Notes and Gather Material 

As you read and analyze the literary work, it's important to take notes so you don’t forget important details and ideas. This also helps you identify patterns and connections between different elements of the piece.

One effective way to take notes is to list important elements of the work, such as characters, setting, and theme. You can also use sticky notes, highlighters, or annotations to mark important passages and write down your ideas.

Writing Your Literary Analysis Essay 

Once you have read a piece of literature and taken notes, you have all the material you need to write an essay. Follow the simple steps below to write an effective literary analysis essay.

Create an Outline for Your Essay 

Firstly, creating an outline is necessary. This will help you to organize your thoughts and ideas and ensure that your essay flows logically and coherently.

This is what your literary essay outline would look like: 

Writing the Introduction 

Writing your essay introduction involves the three following parts:

• Begin the introductory paragraph with an engaging hook statement that captures the readers' attention. An effective hook statement can take many different forms, such as a provocative quote, an intriguing question, or a surprising fact. 

Make sure that your hook statement is relevant to the literary work you are writing about. Here are a few examples of effective hooks:

• Afterward, present the necessary background information and context about the literary work. For instance, 
• Talk about the author of the work or when and where it was written. 
• Give an overview of the work or why it is significant. 
• Provide readers with sufficient context so they can know what the work is generally about.
• Finally, end the introduction with a clear thesis statement . Your thesis statement should be a concise statement that clearly states the argument you will be making in your essay. It should be specific and debatable, and it should provide a roadmap for the rest of your essay.

For example, a thesis statement for an essay on "Hamlet" might be: 

Watch this video to learn more about writing an introduction for a literary analysis essay:

Writing the Body 

Here are the steps to follow when writing a body paragraph for a literary analysis essay:

• Start with a topic sentence: 

The topic sentence should introduce the main point or argument you will be making in the paragraph. It should be clear and concise and should indicate what the paragraph is about.

• Provide evidence: 

After you have introduced your main point, provide evidence from the text to support your analysis. This could include quotes, paraphrases, or summaries of the text.

• Explain and discuss the evidence:

Explain how the evidence supports your main point or argument or how it connects back to your thesis statement.

• Conclude the paragraph: 

End the paragraph by relating your main point to the thesis and discussing its significance. You should also use transitions to connect the paragraph to your next point or argument.

Writing the Conclusion 

The conclusion of a literary analysis essay provides closure to your analysis and reinforces your thesis statement. Here’s what a conclusion includes:

• Restate your thesis statement: 

Start by restating your thesis statement in a slightly different way than in your introduction. This will remind the reader of the argument you made and the evidence you provided to support it.

• Summarize your main points: 

Briefly summarize the main points you made in your essay's body paragraphs. This will help tie everything together and provide closure to your analysis.

• Personal reflections:

The conclusion is the best place to provide some personal reflections on the literary piece. You can also explain connections between your analysis and the larger context. This could include connections to other literary works, your personal life, historical events, or contemporary issues.

• End with a strong statement: 

End your conclusion with a strong statement that leaves a lasting impression on the reader. This could be a thought-provoking question, a call to action, or a final insight into the significance of your analysis.

Finalizing your Essay

You’ve completed the first draft of your literary analysis essay. Congratulations!

However, it’s not over just yet. You need some time to polish and improve the essay before it can be submitted. Here’s what you need to do:

Proofread and Revise your Essay 

After completing your draft, you should proofread your essay. You should look out for the following aspects:

• Check for clarity: 

Make sure that your ideas are expressed clearly and logically. You should also take a look at your structure and organization. Rearrange your arguments if necessary to make them clearer.

• Check for grammar and spelling errors: 

Use spelling and grammar check tools online to identify and correct any basic errors in your essay. 

• Verify factual information:

You must have included information about the work or from within the work in your essay. Recheck and verify that it is correct and verifiable. 

• Check your formatting: 

Make sure that your essay is properly formatted according to the guidelines provided by your instructor. This includes requirements for font size, margins, spacing, and citation style.

Helpful Tips for Revising a Literary Essay 

Here are some tips below that can help you proofread and revise your essay better:

• Read your essay out loud:

Reading your essay out loud makes it easier to identify awkward phrasing, repetitive language, and other issues.

• Take a break: 

It can be helpful to step away from your essay for a little while before starting the editing process. This can help you approach your essay with fresh eyes and a clearer perspective.

• Be concise:

Remove any unnecessary words or phrases that do not add to your argument. This can help to make your essay more focused and effective.

• Let someone else proofread and get feedback: 

You could ask a friend or a teacher to read your essay and provide feedback. This way, you can get some valuable insights on what you could include or catch mistakes that you might have missed.

Literary Analysis Essay Examples 

Reading a few good examples helps to understand literary analysis essays better. So check out these examples below and read them to see what a well-written essay looks like. 

How to Write a Literary Analysis Essay

Literary Analysis Essay Example

Sample Literary Analysis Essay

Lord of the Rings Literary Analysis

The Great Gatsby Literary Analysis

Literary Analysis Example for 8th Grade

Literary Analysis Essay Topics 

Need a topic for your literary analysis essay? You can pick any aspect of any work of literature you like. Here are some example topics that will help you get inspired:

• The use of symbolism in "The Great Gatsby" by F. Scott Fitzgerald.
• The theme of isolation in "The Catcher in the Rye" by J.D. Salinger.
• The portrayal of social class in "Pride and Prejudice" by Jane Austen.
• The use of magical realism in "One Hundred Years of Solitude" by Gabriel Garcia Marquez.
• The role of women in "The Handmaid's Tale" by Margaret Atwood.
• The use of foreshadowing in "Lord of the Flies" by William Golding.
• The portrayal of race and identity in "Invisible Man" by Ralph Ellison.
• The use of imagery in "The Road" by Cormac McCarthy.
• The theme of forgiveness in "The Kite Runner" by Khaled Hosseini.
• The use of allegory in "Animal Farm" by George Orwell.

To conclude,

Writing a literary analysis essay can be a rewarding experience for any student or writer, But it’s not easy. However, by following the steps you learned in this guide, you can successfully produce a well-written literary analysis essay. 

Also, you have got some examples of essays to read and topic ideas to get creative inspiration. With these resources, you have all you need to craft an engaging piece. So don’t hesitate to start writing your essay and come back to this blog whenever you need.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What are the 4 components of literary analysis.

The four main components of literary analysis are: 

• Conflict 
• Characters 
• Setting 

What is the fundamental characteristic of a literary analysis essay?

Interpretive is the fundamental characteristic of a literary analysis essay. 

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