CompositionLITERARY ANALYSIS ESSAY

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.?

PURPOSE

• 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),

(2nd literary device), and (3rd literary device) to (analyze/criticize/explain/etc.) (some aspect of human nature).

• In "If you Were Coming in the Fall," Emily Dickinson uses simile, diction, and syntax to describe how people wait, hoping to fall in love.

THESIS STATEMENT

• A literary analysis should focus on one or a combination of the following major literary elements:

• Theme - but never alone! Only how it is brought out through use of other techniques.• What message about life and/or people is the

author trying to convey?

LITERARY ELEMENTS

• Conflict – internal? external? Who’s involved?• Person vs. person• Person vs. him/herself• Person vs. society• Person vs. nature

• What does the conflict(s) reveal about the theme?

CONFLICT

• Characterization:• Direct characterization: the author tells the

reader directly about a character.• Indirect characterization: revealed through

dialogue, character’s own thoughts, actions, thoughts of others, physical description.

• Consider why that character is important in the story. How is s/he used to develop the theme?

CHARACTERIZATION

• Define the setting (time and place of story).

• What does the setting reveal about the theme? Is the author commenting upon the time period in which the story is set?

SETTING

• Symbolism – objects, actions, descriptions, characters can all represent deeper ideas• Analyze the choice of symbols and what

they are meant to symbolize or reveal.• How does the symbolism develop the

theme?

SYMBOLISM

• Point of view• 1st person: told from character’s perspective and

voice• 3rd person omniscient – narrator knows all

characters’ thoughts and feelings• 3rd person limited – narrator knows one character’s

thoughts and feelings; told from author’s voice• How does it affect character development? • Would it matter if the narration was different?

Why? • How does the point of view develop the theme?

POINT OF VIEW

• Always go one step further in your commentary and be sure to answer the question “So what?”

• Always explain your point.• The story is set in the South.• So what?

• The main character is a hypochondriac.• So what?

• The road symbolizes choice.• So what?

COMMENTARY: SO WHAT?

• 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 #).

QUOTES

• 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).

QUOTE INTEGRATION

While you read the story, highlight and label passages regarding the following: Setting Symbolism Characters (personality traits, descriptions, telling

statements) Conflict Fairy tale techniques Tragic hero qualities Anything you think may be important

WHILE YOU READ

This essay will be a 4-paragraph essay: Introduction2 body paragraphs, each exploring one literary element

ConclusionNo Works Cited necessaryParentheticals (page numbers) are required

THE ESSAY