1. Literary Analysis

2. Literary Analysis
The purpose of a literary analysis essay is to carefully examine and sometimes evaluate a work of literature or an aspect of a work of literature.
Examining the different elements of a piece of literature is not an end in itself but rather a process to help you better appreciate and understand the work of literature as a whole.

3. Literary Analysis
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.
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.

4. Typical Types of Literary Analysis
Compare the effect of one element on another
Comparison & contrast of two characters, symbols, settings
Compare one text to another
Discuss the effect of one scene on the entire work
Literary elements:
Plot
Symbolism
Figurative language
Tone
Imagery
POV
Setting
Characters

5. Requirements Focused on one or more works studied in class
Use of primary source and two others (3 total)
Clear thesis
Direct quotes
Expressive title
Use EPISD or EPCC Databases
MLA format
words in length
Word-processed using Microsoft Word—Times New Roman, 12 pt. font, one-inch margins, and double- spaced

6. Remember that a literary essay is an argument in which you are defending a thesis and that everything you write in the paper should be devoted to defending this thesis.
Since the length of your paper is short, the quality of your work should be very high.
Paper must be typed and on time
Use proper MLA format use Purdue OWL
Do not include a title page
Do not hand in sloppy work, edit and proofread your work
Failure to cite sources clearly and correctly will be grounds for a failing grade for the paper.
Italicize titles quotation marks on short poems

7. Brainstorm, free-write, talk to others, make a jot list
Formulating a Thesis
Step 1:
THINK
Brainstorm, free-write, talk to others, make a jot list

8. As you consider different ideas
Ask yourself
What will this idea enable me to say about the work’s meaning and significance?
What in the work will I be able to use as support for this idea?

9. Remember! A good thesis statement should
Contain the author’s name and title of work
Contain the specific literary element to be investigated (NAME the character, symbol, or setting you will be analyzing!!)
Point to some idea of significance in the work, or
have an argumentative edge
Be written in present tense
Be grammatically clear and correct
Never use 1st or 2nd person
Never refer to “the reader” or to “today’s society”

10. Examples of bad, bad, bad thesis statements:
Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice contains romance and suspense.
George Orwell’s 1984 shows a bad state of civilization.
Forrester’s Room with a View contrasts greatly with today.
(These are all too broad and vague)

11. . . .and more examples of bad thesis statements:
The characters in Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice show pride and prejudice.
Symbolism in George Orwell’s 1984 is important to the theme.
Settings in Forrester’s Room with a View are crucial.
(These are all too abstract; they need to be concrete and specific!)

12. Examples of good thesis statements:
In George Orwell’s 1984 he uses political propaganda to illustrate the corruption of a totalitarian government.
In his novel Tess of the D’Urbervilles, Thomas Hardy exhibits his pessimistic view of life through the intensity of his dark settings.

13. More examples of good thesis statements:
In Forrester’s novel A Room with a View, the character Lucy Honeychurch illustrates the idea that love conquers all by undergoing three distinct stages of development that end in her realization of her love for George.
The characters Anne Elliott and Lady Russell in Jane Austen’s Persuasion are parallel to the characters in the fairy tale Cinderella, showing that the virtuous can be triumphant over adversity.

14. More examples of good thesis statements:
Conrad uses the setting of the jungle, which actually represents “the heart of immense darkness,” to symbolize the insanity, obsession, and barbarism that invade the mind of his main character, Kurtz.
The demonic character Heathcliff in Bronte’s novel Wuthering Heights demonstrates the romantic theme that people repeat the evil treatment that they endure as children.