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Focus your lit analysis writing on language & its effect
Your literary writing should focus on how language reflects ideas in literature, not how literature reflects culture Any statement about culture must be cited
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Introductory Paragraphs
Must introduce the title and the author of the work before any characters, settings, or context Italicize titles of plays, poems, songs and magazines Underline (when handwriting) or italicize (when typing) book titles Never write a title two times in an intro paragraph
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Introductory Paragraphs
Should: Immediately focus on the text you’re discussing, rather than the author and their works or culture in general Provide an introduction to the dominant characters, conflicts, and techniques inherent in your thesis Be edited for brevity End with a literary thesis statement
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Introductory Paragraphs
Integrate phrases, using commas, to show relationships between just- introduced characters Macduff, Macbeth’s confidante, … Obierka, Okonkwo’s longtime friend, … Also a good strategy in body paragraphs
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Solid example of an intro paragraph with cited cultural evidence leading to a language-focused literary thesis statement
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Body Paragraphs Always use evidence from the whole book if your thesis is about the whole book If you only reference half the book it looks like you didn’t finish reading or the rest of the book disproves your thesis Don’t refer to important plot points without using quotations. Refer to the “exposition” rather than the beginning—speak in a formal literary register.
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Body Paragraphs Without a BTS, you waste an important opportunity to show how that paragraph connects to the whole thesis. Strong BTS/CS necessary for a 10 in Org. Write about fiction in the present tense. Really evaluate whether or not you need a transitional word, phrase, or sentence. Avoid obvious or “to + word” transitions You may need more body paragraphs to prove your thesis than you originally plan to use.
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Conclusion Development
An LA conclusion should… Restate the thesis statement in different words Give the essay a sense of completeness Not introduce new information Leave a final impression on the reader
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Conclusion Suggestions
Answer the question "So What?" Show your readers why this paper was important. Show them that your paper was meaningful and useful. Synthesize, don't summarize Don't simply repeat things that were in your paper. They have read it. Show them how the points you made and the support and examples you used were not random, but fit together. Redirect your readers Give your reader something to think about, perhaps a way to use your paper in the "real" world. If your introduction went from general to specific, make your conclusion go from specific to general. Think globally. Create a new meaning You don't have to give new information to create a new meaning. By demonstrating how your ideas work together, you can create a new picture. Often the sum of the paper is worth more than its parts.
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Find the passive construction and revise.
Frankenstein lost two years of his life as portrayed by the change of seasons. After the murder, Victor is proved innocent. Her absence indicates the lack of parental guidance being provided. Their views are pushed on the women. The submissive role being expressed shows his misogyny.
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In Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, the female characters are portrayed with little to no depth, whose entire purpose is to invoke an emotion or action from a male character; thus reflecting the standing of women at the time Mary Shelley wrote the book.
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Avoid the following weaknesses to have powerful literary analysis:
Generalizations Biographical Fallacy: When you assume things about an author based on the text they wrote Rhetorical questions Absolute claims Speculation “Shakespeare must have been a fair man … “Shakespeare believed in equal rights … “The ending of Macbeth is what the audience wants to see …” “ … the outcome of Macbeth would have been different.”
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Editing for Brevity ING words TO BE verbs PREPOSITIONS
“Macbeth is killing … “Macbeth kills … “Okonkwo is shooting … “Okonkwo shoots … PREPOSITIONS
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Words to hesitate and thoughtfully consider before using in formal writing
Words that lead to generalization Words that lead to speculation many people society similarities differences diverse various several everything would could should might *Use of speculative words is sometimes appropriate in history but never in language arts
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