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How to Write a Literary Analysis
Step 1: Find three literary
tools the author utilizes in the story to examine. You
will want to examine the three most often used or the three that
have the most evidence.
Literary tools:
Ø
plot—the arrangement of events
Ø
figurative language—metaphor, simile,
etc.—this language is used to characterize the sensibility and
understanding of characters as well as to establish the
significance of theme and tone.
Ø
tone—what tone does the narrator or author
use—is he preaching, sympathetic, humorous, etc.? Why does the
author use this tone—what is gained by he or she using this
tone? Would the story have the same meaning if another tone was
used?
Ø
imagery—what examples of imagery does the
author use—is it helpful to the story? If so, why? examples of
imagery are—the five senses and sometimes six. What does the
character or the author make the reader touch, see, hear, feel,
smell, taste, etc.
Ø
symbolism—something said but meant to stand
for something else. Allegory is also used within this
category—things which stand for something on a one-by-one
basis.
Ø
point-of-view—Who is telling the story and
what do they know or don’t know? Is the tale told by an
omniscient (all-knowing) narrator who doesn’t interact in the
events, or is it presented by one of the characters within the
story? Can the reader trust that person to give an objective
account, or does that narrator color the story with his or her
own biases and interests?
Ø
setting—is the context in which all of the
actions take place. What is the time period, the location, the
time of day, the season, the weather, the type of room or
building? What is the general mood, and who is present? All of
these elements can reflect on the story’s events, and though the
setting of a story tends to be less conspicuous than plot and
character, setting still colors everything that’s said and done
within its context.
Ø
character—refers to the qualities assigned
to the individual figures in the plot. Consider why the author
assigns certain qualities to a character or characters and how
any such qualities might relate to your topic.
Ø
allusion—Does the author use any
allusions—references to a past literary source or event in
history. Authors will use many Biblical allusions. Adam—would
bring qualities of Adam from the Bible, without having to
expressly state them, just by using the name infers or alludes
to the Biblical story of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden.
Step 2: Now that you have figured out
which three literary tools or elements the author uses and that
you will examine in your paper, take each tool and find at least
three examples of the author’s use of the tool in the story
(note the page number when you find the use).
Step 3: Write an outline using those
tools and the examples:
I. Introduction paragraph
II. First tool you will
discuss (1st body paragraph)
A. 1st
piece of evidence supporting this tool
B. 2nd
piece of evidence supporting this tool
C. 3rd
piece of evidence supporting this tool
III. Second tool you will
discuss (2nd body paragraph)
A. 1st
piece of evidence supporting this tool
B. 2nd
piece of evidence supporting this tool
C. 3rd
piece of evidence supporting this tool
IV. Third tool you will
discuss (3rd body paragraph)
A. 1st
piece of evidence supporting this tool
B. 2nd
piece of evidence supporting this tool
C. 3rd
piece of evidence supporting this tool
V. Conclusion paragraph
Step 4: Write a thesis statement for
your paper—Based on the evidence that relates to your
topic—and what you anticipate you might say about those pieces
of evidence—come up with a working thesis. Use the example
below to plug in your own words:
Thesis statement: Dickens’
portrayal of the French Revolution and the love triangle depends
mainly on his use of four artistic tools: paradox, parallelism,
figurative language, and theme.
Step 5: Write the introduction
paragraph using the format below to plug in elements of your
story:
Zora Neale Hurston’s “Sweat” is a short story illustrating the plight of a Southern Christian black woman in an abusive
relationship with her husband. At the story’s heart is a
masterful depiction of the protagonist, a woman who after many
years of abuse finally refuses to subject herself to her
philandering husband’s cruelty. Hurston achieves the greater
theme of “Sweat,” the triumph of the oppressed, through her use
of three basic Southern literary themes: folklore, oppression,
and religion. A brief inspection of these three basic themes
will reveal how “Sweat” achieves its inspiring effect.
Step 6: Write your body paragraphs
following your outline and remembering to use the instructions
on How to Write the Perfect 8 Sentence Paragraph.
Step 7: Write the concluding
paragraph—remember to restate your thesis in this paragraph and
then sum up the evidence that you used in your paper. Do not
introduce any new ideas at this point. End with a profound
statement.
Example:
Hurston masterfully
utilizes three basic Southern literary themes to illustrate the
plight of a woman in an abusive relationship in the 1920’s:
folklore, oppression, and religion. The combination of the
three themes utilized by Hurston in her short story “Sweat”
bring about a much greater theme of the story—the triumph of the
oppressed. Women are still being oppressed today and may be
inspired to overcome their oppression after reading this
inspirational work by Hurston.
Step 8: Revise―Read and revise
for accuracy. Ensure you have supported your thesis statement.
Step 9: Edit―Check and
edit your paper for spelling and grammatical errors.
Click here for a printable copy of How to Write a Literary
Analysis
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