Essay guidelines
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- Argumentative essay
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- Definition essay
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- Explanatory essay
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- Literary analysis essay
- Narrative essay
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- Rhetorical analysis essay
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- Length of an essay
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- Introduction
- Body paragraphs
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Home » Essay guidelines » How to write a literary analysis
When you’re assigned to write a literary analysis, you need to read closely for the author’s choices. When you’re asked to write such a type of essay, you imagine yourself as a writer or critique.
Before beginning your analysis, read the source text carefully and create a thesis statement for your analysis essay. Although this type of essay requires a different and close approach, the structure is usually the same, as shown below.
Step 1: Read the text closely
Say you’re writing a literary analysis of 1984 by George Orwell; you need to read that book closely. This is the first step.
Remember, you’re not simply reading; you’re reading as a critique. So, you should consider the type of writing, surprising facts and linguistic elements (word choice, phrasal words, first-person pronouns, etc.), and intriguing points in Orwell’s writing
Your primary target is to analyze rather than summarize. So, pay attention not to summarize the text when you’re writing. Instead, analyze the book from different perspectives such as language, narrative voice (see narrative essay), and structure. These are called literary devices.
Language
- Pay attention if the author uses short or long sentences, transitions sentences, transition words, etc.
- Notice if the author uses complex, poetic, or simple sentence structure, active or passive voice, etc.
- Analyze the word choices of the author. Does the author make use of figurative languages such as similes or metaphors?
- Consider the imagery of the text. Which words symbolize a particular atmosphere or setting? Does the author repeat the atmosphere with certain words?
Narrative voice
- Find out whether the story is told first-person or third-person.
- Pay attention to the perspective of the narrator. Decide whether it is an omniscient or unreliable narrator.
- Consider the tone of the text. Decide whether the story is realistic, fantastical, or tragic, comic, or the topic is funny, sad, etc.
Example
Omniscient narrator tends to know everything about events, characters, and settings (like a God's perspective).Structure
The structure of the source text is also important when we analyze different types of literary works. There are extreme differences:
- Scenes and acts comprise plays
- Cantos, lines, and stanzas are used in poems.
- Parts and chapters comprise novels.
You should also do the following:
- Decide whether the story is chronologically told. Does the author flashes back to the past, or does the story progress chronologically?
- Pay attention to the events. Does the novel start in the middle of an event? Does it start from the climax?
Poem structure
When analyzing a poem, it is essential to pay attention to the meter and rhyme. The best advice is to read the poem aloud and analyze your feelings.Play structure
When analyzing a play, you should evaluate the relationship between the characters and the setting. Also, mention any dramatic irony or double meaning you notice in a scene.Step 2: Thesis statement
In every type of essay, a thesis statement is the center of your argument. Without a thesis statement, your essay would be a random selection of your ideas. So, it’s quite essential.
Your instructor may give you a topic, and you need to write your paper according to the instructions. See the following topic and let’s build a thesis statement on it.
- Does George Orwell's 1984 include gothic elements?
- George Orwell's 1984 is a dystopic novel that includes post-romanticist and gothic elements.
Qualities of a good thesis statement
- Arguable
- Surprising
- Specific
- Provable through evidence
The primary target of your thesis statement is to keep you organized as you write. Remember that you can always modify your existing thesis statement when you finish writing.
Thesis statement example
"Although Frankenstein is considered the first example of science fiction, it is also a masterpiece of romanticism as it includes all the characteristics of the genre, such as the glorification of nature, awareness of emotions, artistic creativity, aesthetic beauty, solitude, and supernatural elements in its different chapters."Step 3: Write a title and introduction
The title and introduction generally set up your entire essay. This is where you present your topic. You mention what you’ll include in your essay. A well-thought title and introduction are quite necessary to prepare an excellent literary analysis.
The title of your essay
In the title, you need to mention the scope of your analysis: what will you discuss? Also, the name and the author of the source text should be included. Keep it precise and short.
Here, it is often a good idea to use a quote mentioned in your source text.
Pro tip
It is not always easy to come up with a good title when starting with your essay. So don't worry, you can find a title when you finish your paper.Example title
"Shocking Dystopia": The dilemma of survival in George Orwell's "1984"Things to do in your introduction
- Your introduction should present the context of your topic. That is, the reader should know what you're discussing. Which book? Which characters?
- Your introduction should be able to answer the "so what?" question. Explain why your topic is noteworthy, surprising, or significant.
- Present your thesis statement at the end of your introduction. This is a must. An academic essay without a thesis statement is merely worthless and random.
- Signposting: Present the scope of your essay if you're writing a long research paper. Informing your reader on the organizational structure of your paper is a sign of care and hard work
Things to avoid in your introduction
- Your literary analysis essay should naturally be exciting and important. These two words are killer words to avoid in your essay. Be specific; avoid being vague.
- You should give your necessary points briefly, along with your hook, context, and thesis statement. Don't just throw random information.
- An introduction should be no more than 10% of your whole paper.
Below, you’ll find an example of a literary analysis introduction.
Literary analysis essay introduction example
“The Story of an Hour” is a short story in which Kate Chopin, the author, presents an often unheard-of marriage view. Opening sentence: You broadly speak about the topic. Mrs. Louise Mallard, Chopin’s main character, experiences the exhilaration of freedom rather than the desolation of loneliness after she learns of her husband’s death. Later, when Mrs. Mallard learns that her husband, Brently, still lives, she knows that all hope of freedom is gone. Context: You highlight the key incidents in the source text. The crushing disappointment kills Mrs. Mallard. Published in the late eighteen hundreds, the oppressive nature of marriage in “The Story of an Hour” may well be a reflection of, though not exclusive to, that era. Background: Give more detail about the incidents in the text. This essay begins by analyzing Mrs. Lousie Mallard’s experiences, then moves on to the book’s drastic incidents, and finally discusses her disappointment. Signposting: You mention the general structure of your literary analysis.
Introduction tip
If you find it hard to write the introduction first, you can write later when you finish your body paragraphs.Step 4: Write body paragraphs
You’ll present your arguments, evidence, and details in your body paragraphs: simply everything between your introduction and conclusion.
Literary analysis essay body example
Though Chopin relates Mrs. Mallard’s story, she does not do so in first person. Topic sentence: Imply the issues that the paragraph will talk about. Chopin reveals the story through a narrator’s voice. The narrator is not simply an observer, however. The narrator knows, for example, that Mrs. Mallard, for the most part, did not love her husband (paragraph 15). It is obvious that the narrator knows more than can be physically observed. Chopin, however, never tells the reader what Mrs. Mallard is feeling. Evidence and analysis: You evaluate the literary elements. Instead, the reader must look into Mrs. Mallard’s actions and words in order to understand what Mrs. Mallard feels. Concluding sentence: This part summarizes the analysis.
Paragraph structure
Each paragraph should have no more than one topic sentence. If you’re writing a 5 paragraph essay, try to divide your arguments into three points and mention each in a single paragraph.
Topic sentences
It is the first sentence of a body paragraph where you allow readers what to expect with a topic sentence.
Remember that transition sentences and transition words are necessary to provide a smooth transition between paragraphs.
Making use of transition words
In a good literary essay, each paragraph must be strongly and explicitly linked to the whole essay. Your reader needs to find your essay smooth and easy to read.
Transition words
However, similarly, therefore, on the contrary, furthermore, moreover, on the other hand, nevertheless, nonetheless, etc.Presenting textual evidence
Presenting evidence is essential in the writing process. Presenting quotes and relevant evidence in literary analysis essays is extremely significant as they back up your arguments.
You need to inform your reader regarding your textual evidence by introducing and analyzing it. In other words, tell them why you’re using it.
Textual evidence example
Orwell highlights that "no one could do anything against Big Brother," stressing the collective pessimism of the zeitgeist hopelessly.Although you don’t have to use a quote, they’re generally useful in a literary analysis essay. If you want to refer to a whole chapter, you need to summarize or paraphrase. Don’t just copy, you need to describe it in your own words.
Textual evidence example 2
The last chapter of Orwell's masterpiece reflects a dynamic pursuit between the lovely couple and the brutal companions of Big Brother. While the reader intrinsically expects an optimistic turn in the storyline, the author shocks the reader with the bitter truth of the ongoing dystopia.Step 5: Write a conclusion
Typically, a conclusion doesn’t include any new information or evidence. It’s simply a closing speech of your literary essay. When writing a conclusion:
- Wrap up your paper by summarizing and synthesizing your arguments and highlight their significance.
- Restate your thesis statement
- Don't make overblown or redundant statements/generalizations.
Literary analysis essay conclusion example
Mrs. Louise Mallard experiences the exhilaration of freedom after learning of her husband’s death in “The Story of an Hour”. Later, when Mrs. Mallard learns that her husband still lives, she knows that all hope of freedom is gone. The crushing disappointment kills her. Summary: You briefly summarize what happened in the essay. The oppressive nature of marriage in “The Story of an Hour” may well reflect, though not exclusive to the late eighteen hundreds. Concluding remarks: You create a concluding sentence by highlighting your thesis statement.
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