March Writing Workshop

Details: Who: Individual When: March 11th- 15th DUE: Turnitin.com March 22nd @ 11:59 PM (Online submission only) Where: Computer Labs Why: By closely examining and evaluating a work of literature, students will be required to pull out relevant informant form a text, organize their ideas in a cohesive manner, and use technology to draft, edit, and publish their assignments What: Literary Analysis: to convince the person reading your essay that you have supported the idea you are developing and answering the prompt.

Requirements Length: 2-4 pages double-spaced. ALWAYS QUALITY over quantity. Format: introduction, 3 body paragraphs, conclusion Paper Format: MLA format. Typed. Submission: Online only: All work will be submitted on Turnitin.com by 11:59 pm of due date. NO EMAILED, PRINTED, LINKED, ETC. COPIES WILL BE ACCEPTED, NO EXCEPTION. IF IT IS NOT TURNED IN PROPERLY, IT IS A 0 UNTIL SUBMITTED FOR LATE CREDIT.

But what is a Literary Analysis? A literary analysis is an opinion. You (the writer) are forming an opinion about a literary work, then presenting that opinion (and, more importantly, supporting that opinion) in the form of an essay. Essays about literature should be written in third-person point of view, like any other analytical essay. You should come up with your own title for your paper (in other words, don’t use the same title as the work you’re analyzing), and when discussing the happenings of the literature, always use present tense, not past tense.

Analysis vs. Summary DO NOT SUMMARIZE!!!! Assume the reader of your essay has read the text AKA: Don’t tell me the story- I know it already! An analysis, goes beyond simply what is contained in the literature. It uses the literature as a starting point, using it to support an opinion. In other words, when you write a literary analysis, you must “bring something new to the table.”

Purpose Ultimately, the literary analysis is a work of opinion. When you write a literary analysis, you’re not writing a summary or even an explanation of the story. Instead, you are “taking the story apart” and looking beyond the text of the story itself. When you write a literary analysis, you should not focus on what the story is, but instead focus on what makes the story work. Look at the elements that make up the story, and see beyond the simple paper and ink that drive it.

REMEMBER: Writing is the sharpened, focused expression of thought and study. As you develop your writing skills, you will also improve your perceptions and increase your critical abilities. Writing ultimately boils down to the development of an idea. Your objective in writing a literary analysis essay is to convince the person reading your essay that you have supported the idea you are developing.

Writing vs. WRITING Unlike ordinary conversation and classroom discussion, writing must stick with great determination to the specific point of development. This kind of writing demands tight organization and control. Therefore, your essay must have a central idea (thesis), it must have several paragraphs that grow systematically out of the central idea, and everything in it must be directly related to the central idea and must contribute to the reader’s understanding of that central idea. These three principles are listed again below: Your essay must cover the topic you are writing about. Your essay must have a central idea (stated in your thesis) that governs its development. Your essay must be organized so that every part contributes something to the reader’s understanding of the central idea.

Prompt: Choose 1: ONE CHARACTER/FORCE Who is to blame for Romeo and Juliet’s deaths? You decide! Choose one character or force from The Blame Game worksheet who is the most to blame. Then explore 3 ways in which that character or force is responsible.  MULTIPLE CHARACTERS/FORCES Who is to blame for Romeo and Juliet’s deaths? You decide! Choose the top 3 people who are responsible for Romeo and Juliet’s death and write an essay in which you prove why these characters (or forces!) are the true cause of their death.

Today’s Goal: Choose a Prompt Create a thesis statement But I don’t remember what a thesis statement is!! Not good… This is the 3rd time we’re covering it, and you’ll do again this year, next year, next, year, and your senior year. KNOW IT!

Thesis Statement The thesis statement tells your reader what to expect: it is a restricted, precisely worded declarative sentence that states the purpose of your essay -- the point you are trying to make. Without a carefully conceived thesis, an essay has no chance of success. Typically, the thesis statement falls at the end of your introductory paragraph. Example: In Ray Bradbury’s Fahrenheit 451, the main character, Montag, changes through the course of the text due to fear, curiosity, and his interactions with other characters.