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Starting your Literary Analysis Essay
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Purpose A literary analysis examines and sometimes evaluates work of literature. Examining the different elements of a piece of literature will help you better appreciate and understand the novel, poem, etc. as a whole
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Step 1: Pick a Theme Which of the themes do you want to examine/write about? Remember: The theme is the author’s message or purpose for writing the novel—it provides insight into the human condition. The theme is a central idea or statement it makes about life. PRO-TIP: The theme can be more than one word. In fact, it is usually a statement.
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Examples of Themes The Help -dealing with significant losses
-importance of unity/solidarity in the face of injustice -recognizing gender inequality -identifying racism/segregation and its -impact -moral blindness to everyday injustice
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Example #2 Zootopia -overcoming adversity & physical limitations
-subverting gender inequality & racism -maintaining the social contract (i.e. the legitimacy of the authority of the state over the individual) between government and society -turning dreams into a reality
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On your Own Look at your paragraph and unpack the prompt.
Do you think hatred is both destructive and self-destructive? Why or why not? How do we come to hate certain groups? And once we give in to hate, how would we answer Wiesel’s question: “What do you hate when you hate, and whom do you hate when you hate?” Identify a theme in Night that you can integrate in your current work.
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Step 2: Form a Thesis A thesis is your argument.
It provides the subject and overall opinion of your essay. In a literary analysis essay, your major thesis should: Relate to the theme of the work Suggest how this theme is revealed by the author (see handout on thesis statements).
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On your Own Form a good thesis statement that addresses the prompt.
Look at your paragraph and see if you can identify a working thesis and develop it.
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