Writing a Literary Analysis Essay AP Literature and Composition Practice

What is a Literary Analysis? O The literary analysis essay is NOT a book report where you simply summarize the plot or provide your opinion of a novel. O The purpose of a literary analysis is to carefully examine a work of literature or an aspect of the work of literature. O It begins by making critical claims about the books, characters, style, theme. It analyzes the effects and outcomes of the author’s choices.

What to consider when creating a focus: O Characterization O Setting O Types of conflict O Sequence of events O Narration O Rhetorical devices O Consider any elements of fiction

How to begin O When creating your own focus, you will make judgements about WHAT a work of literature means, and HOW it means it. O What refers to big picture themes O How refers to the devices and methods the author used to help the reader see the big picture ideas (theme/message/central ideas)

When Given a Prompt, pay careful attention to the real question O Example Prompt: O A symbol is an object, action, or event that represents something or that creates a range of associations beyond itself. In literary works a symbol can express an idea, clarify meaning, or enlarge literal meaning. Select a novel or play and, focusing on one symbol, write an essay analyzing how that symbol functions in the work and what it reveals about the characters or themes of the work as a whole. Do not merely summarize the plot.

Break Down the Prompt O What is the purpose of the opening sentence of the prompt? O What is the purpose of the next few lines? O How many parts does the question aspect have? What is the connection between the parts?

Let’s Practice: Writing a thesis O A thesis is a ONE sentence statement that answers the prompt. It should lay out all aspects of the prompt. O Often times it may address 3 focal points of the essay, but it doesn’t have too. (less formulaic if you don’t but can be help with organization if you do). O If your essays suffer from organization problems or lack of tying it all together, it would be better to be formulaic than unorganized and lacking clarity. O AP graders may give allowances for a thesis not being fully formed until the end, but our class expectation is to have one properly done in the intro. (if it is a true timed essay, I will consider exceptions)

Symbol Thesis O How does the Symbol Function: Is it there to reveal info about the characters or develop the theme? O What does it reveal about that element?

Intro Paragraph O Begin broadly but try to be interesting: Ideas to consider: begin with a definition, a look at the topic as a whole, use part of the background from the prompt to introduce the idea. O Become more specific as you go O Lead in to novel O Transition to thesis O End with thesis Consider your intro like an upside down triangle, it begins broadly and works its way to the main point of the paper

Body Paragraphs Follow this format for success!

Body Paragraphs Must Contain: O An introduction sentence!!! That makes a clear connection to the essay’s thesis and ties together the focus of this paragraph-Do not begin with your first point O I- Introduce your first point (supporting detail, reason). This is the element of analysis that you have surmised yourself. It is based on the reading but it is not text evidence. It is your idea. O C- cite an example in the form of a quote or paraphrased text. O E- explanation of how your example truly does support your main idea as stated in topic sentence/thesis. O Repeat this ICE bundle 2-3 times per body paragraph O Concluding sentence!!! Sum up the main idea. Do not end with a quote or the explanation of an isolated quote

Let’s Practice with Topic Sentences: O Break the answer to the prompt into multiple parts and select one part to be the focus of this paragraph. O If the symbol reveals something about a character how can that be subdivided? O By various revealed elements O Does it reveal info about multiple characters O A combination of the two? O Does is develop the theme? O If so how? Split into multiple ways.

Introduce Your Ideas-I O This should be the individual ways you think your symbol develops Lady Macbeth for example. O We will practice

Properly incorporating quotes O A quote must be a part of a sentence you have created to be integrated into your essay. If not, it is just dangling unattached. O So the I process isn’t introducing your quote, it is introducing the quote. The C process introduces the quote as it cites it. O Let’s practice with your quotes:

Now Explain it! O Don’t drop a quote and run. O Your implications or assumptions about how a quote supports your view are not magically clear to everyone else. You may see a quote one way while the reader takes it another. As a good writer it is your job to make your points clear, it isn’t the reader’s job to know all that is in your head. O Show the reader how the quote truly supports your main idea.

Amount of ICE O A good paragraph needs 2-3 example sets (pieces of ICE) to clearly make your point. O Three is ideal, but two can work.

Concluding Paragraphs O The main job is to restate the essay’s main idea (thesis) and to tie together any last minute ideas or to link all body paragraphs clearly together.

How will this essay be structured? O For a compare and contrast: 1:1 comparison within each paragraph Or a one paragraph : one paragraph comparison O For what & How thesis: divide by the amount of whats and tie the how into every body paragraph. For instance if your symbol provides info about Macbeth, Lady Macbeth, and Malcolm that could be one body paragraph each or one ICE group for each in a short answer essay. In the E-explain part of each ICE group, you would explain how that example develops the focus.

Your Turn with a Short Answer Essay O Topic Sentence O I one O C O E O I two O C O E O I three O C O E O Concluding Sentence