For this assignment, your main goal in a literary analysis essay is NOT summarize the book and tell readers that you enjoyed the book you selected; your main task is to assess and to analyze what you think one of the themes of the book is, using smaller bits of the main idea and creating categories of analysis, such as setting, character, plot conflicts, narrative point of view, symbols, and thematic elements. This essay should be approximately 500 - 750 words. 

 

THE PROMPT

 How does the author's stylistic choices (setting, sensory details, characterization, symbolism etc.) contribute the overall structure, meaning, and impact of the work?

 

PREWRITING

Choose a book that you've read this semester.

Choose some literary devices (2-3) that you think are essential in constructing the book's overall theme. 

 

HELPFUL TIPS

• Your essay must have a central idea (stated in your thesis) that governs its development.   

• Your essay must be organized so that every part contributes something to the reader’s understanding of the central idea. 

• Assume that your reader is NOT familiar with the work.

• Tell your reader what the work is about (not what happens, but what the happenings add up to).

• Write in third person pov!!! 

 

ESSAY OUTLINE

 

1. Introduction (Background Info and Thesis)

2. Body Paragraph One (First Literary Device)

3. Body Paragraph Two (Second Literary Device)

4. Body Paragraph Three (Third Literary Device)

5. Conclusion (Review of Main Points and So What? Factor)

 

WRITING THE INTRODUCTION

Brief Summary – Write three to four sentences that provide background information about your work (What is the work about? When was it written?). Include the title and author of the work.

 

Thesis statement – three part statement that presents the topic of your essay.     

(Insert author’s name) uses _______, _______, and  _______, (insert three different literary devices) in (insert name of “work) to (illustrate, convey, reveal, or another verb) (insert the main idea or purpose of the work). 

 

EXAMPLE: Robert Frost uses setting, characterization, and sensory detail in “Mending Wall” to illustrate a theme about the importance of neighbors.

 

WRITING THE BODY PARAGRAPHS

• Use a topic sentence to begin your paragraph, one that introduces the literary device you’ll be discussing for that specific paragraph (character, setting, sensory detail, etc).

• Chose TWO  examples from the work. Explain how each device signifies/expresses meaning. 

 

BODY PARAGRAPH MODEL 

Topic Sentence 

First Example

Supporting Quote

Commentary/Connection

Second Example

Supporting Quote

Commentary/Connection

 

CONCLUSION

Restate your main points.

• Explain why you think the author felt the topic discussed in the work was important. 

• Explain how the topic/main idea of the work relates to the outside world.

 

LITERARY DEVICES

Theme: The story's ideas? Author's attitude towards those ideas? Author's "statement" about those ideas? The story's message or main point? Your attitude? 

 

Conflict: What people/forces/ideas/interests/values/institutions oppose each other? What decisions must the characters make? Between what two things is he/she deciding? What do these things represent? 

 

Characterization: What kinds of person/people are the character(s)? Their beliefs/hopes/dreams/ideals/ values/morals/fears/strengths/weaknesses/vices/virtues/talents? How do they conduct themselves? What do they say and do to reval themselves? What do others say and do about the? What are your opinions or feelings about them? Classifications of types of characters include: protagonist, antagonist, foil, stereotype, flat, round, static, dynamic. 

 

Symbolism: What concrete, specific objects have been used to represent abstract ideas? What colors, names, settings, recurring objects have been referred to? What ideas do these represent? 

 

Setting :Setting refers to TIME and PLACE: Time: of day, year, era/age? Place: city, country? Outside, inside? Rich and opulent or poor and simple? Stark and barren landscape? Rainy or sunny? Beautiful or adversarial? Dark or light? Dangerous or safe? The weather? how does all this affect meaning? What feelings (atmosphere) are evoked just by the setting? 

 

Style: The way the writer chooses to arrange his sentence structure (syntax) as well as the words (diction) he chooses. What is the overall effect of the way he writes? Simple, involved, poetic, colloquial, humorous, pedantic, child-like? How does it contribute to the author’s message and the overall effect the author wishes to create? 

 

Tone: The author’s attitude towards what (s)he is writing that translates into your attitude: or - what is the feeling of the whole work and the writing/artist's craft? Joyful? Melancholy? Fatalistic? Angry? Peaceful? Scary? Mysterious? 

 

Figurative Language: What kinds of comparisons are made that add layers to the meaning of the poem or story?