Literary Analysis

1. Literary Analysis Short Story Analysis Essay

2. Literary Analysis Short Story Analysis Essay

3. Purpose Encourages you to think about how and why a poem, short story, novel, or play was written. NOT a summary of a literary work. It is an argumentabout the work that expresses a writer’s personal perspective, interpretation, judgment, or critical evaluation of the work. This is accomplished by examining the literary devices, word choices, or writing structures the author uses within the work. The purpose of a literary analysis is to demonstrate why the author used specific ideas, word choices, or writing structures to convey his or her message.

4. Topics • ignorance • violence • communication • alienation • parental bonds • silence • segregation • tradition • fear Literary Elements • diction • foreshadowing • imagery • irony • metaphor • personification • similes • symbolism • voice Issues • cultural • emotional • internal/external conflict • psychological • social

5. Thesis Statements A thesis is an argument that you are presenting and will prove within your essay. Avoid • Vague pronouns (it, this, that) • generic adjectives/adverbs (good, bad, very) • first/second person (I, me, my, you, your) • Contractions (didn’t, shouldn’t) • Past tense (literature lives!)

6. 1. Choose a topic that relates to the literature Segregation 2. Write a phrase about the topic The truth about segregation 3. Ask what the literature teaches us about the phrase What does Funny in Farsi teach us about the truth about segregation? 4. Answer the question from step 3 Segregation results in a breakdown of society

7. Choose the literary elements: 1. diction Informal diction to describe their everyday experiences in a broken society. 2. imagery Vivid imagery which gives the reader a precise representation of her culture. 3. voice Lack of voice causes confusion especially amongst segregated populations.

8. Put it together Combine your theme how the author presents the theme into ONE sentence that connects back to the prompt. Your thesis MUST include a TAG (title, author, genre) GENRE TITLE AUTHOR In the memoir “Funny in Farsi”, Firoozeh Dumas demonstrates how segregation results in a breakdown of society by using graphic imagery, informal diction, and a lack of voiceto show their cultural perspective.

9. Introduction -Hook (quote, surprising fact, question, description) -2 to 3 sentences of summary -Thesis statement (last sentence in intro)

10. Body Paragraphs A. Topic Sentence B. Embedded Quote • Firoozeh’s mother’s lack of voice is exhibited as “her lack of English and world geography,” whichlabeled her as “stupid,” (Dumas 6). C. Commentary • 3-4 sentences • MUST explain how the quote relates to your paragraph’s topic • MUSt explain how the quote relates to the paper’s theme • Her mother’s lack of education and her position as a woman in an Iran did not allow her to have a strong voice or sense of individuality. Her ignorance creates a sense of embarassment in Firoozeh for both her mother and her cultural identity. • D. Transition to new paragraph/clincher

11. Conclusion • 1-2 sentences on how you proved the theme (How Proved?) • 1 sentence on theme/message you want readers t get from your essay (So what?) • 1 sentence on the effects of your message being understood (Why should anyone care?)

12. Prompts to choose from…. “Harrison Bergeron” Kurt Vonnegut comments on the idea of complete equality in his science fiction short story. Identify which literary elements Vonnegut employs and what he is expressing to his audience. “Searching for Summer” Aiken develops two contrasting moods in “Searching for Summer”to evoke her theme of the science fiction short story. Identify three literary elements she utilizes to create these moods and elaborate on how they impact the theme.

13. “A Sound of Thunder” Identify the life lesson Ray Bradbury taught and prove how his use of three literary elements of your choice exposed it in his science fiction short story.

14. Don’t forget 12 pt font Times New Roman 1” margins MLA Heading Header (0.5 “ margin) Double spaced NO first/second person MLA Citations No slang Order: 1. Final draft (hard copy) 2. Outline (marked on/edited) 3. Turnitin.com receipt

15. Due Monday, October 14th on turnitin.com by 7:40 am whether you are in class or not. For HW tonight: Create your introduction with a GREAT thesis!

16. Purpose Encourages you to think about how and why a poem, short story, novel, or play was written. NOT a summary of a literary work. It is an argumentabout the work that expresses a writer’s personal perspective, interpretation, judgment, or critical evaluation of the work. This is accomplished by examining the literary devices, word choices, or writing structures the author uses within the work. The purpose of a literary analysis is to demonstrate why the author used specific ideas, word choices, or writing structures to convey his or her message.

17. Topics • ignorance • violence • communication • alienation • parental bonds • silence • segregation • tradition • fear Literary Elements • diction • foreshadowing • imagery • irony • metaphor • personification • similes • symbolism • voice Issues • cultural • emotional • internal/external conflict • psychological • social

18. Thesis Statements A thesis is an argument that you are presenting and will prove within your essay. Avoid • Vague pronouns (it, this, that) • generic adjectives/adverbs (good, bad, very) • first/second person (I, me, my, you, your) • Contractions (didn’t, shouldn’t) • Past tense (literature lives!)

19. 1. Choose a topic that relates to the literature Segregation 2. Write a phrase about the topic The truth about segregation 3. Ask what the literature teaches us about the phrase What does Funny in Farsi teach us about the truth about segregation? 4. Answer the question from step 3 Segregation results in a breakdown of society

20. Choose the literary elements: 1. diction Informal diction to describe their everyday experiences in a broken society. 2. imagery Vivid imagery which gives the reader a precise representation of her culture. 3. voice Lack of voice causes confusion especially amongst segregated populations.

21. Put it together Combine your theme how the author presents the theme into ONE sentence that connects back to the prompt. Your thesis MUST include a TAG (title, author, genre) GENRE TITLE AUTHOR In the memoir “Funny in Farsi”, Firoozeh Dumas demonstrates how segregation results in a breakdown of society by using graphic imagery, informal diction, and a lack of voiceto show their cultural perspective.

22. Introduction -Hook (quote, surprising fact, question, description) -2 to 3 sentences of summary -Thesis statement (last sentence in intro)

23. Body Paragraphs A. Topic Sentence B. Embedded Quote • Firoozeh’s mother’s lack of voice is exhibited as “her lack of English and world geography,” labeled her as “stupid,” (Dumas 6). C. Commentary • 3-4 sentences • MUST explain how the quote relates to your paragraph’s topic • MUSt explain how the quote relates to the paper’s theme • Her mother’s lack of education and her position as a woman in an Iran did not allow her to have a strong voice or sense of individuality. Her ignorance creates a sense of embarassment in Firoozeh for both her mother and her cultural identity. • D. Transition to new paragraph/clincher

24. Conclusion • 1-2 sentences on how you proved the theme (How Proved?) • 1 sentence on theme/message you want readers t get from your essay (So what?) • 1 sentence on the effects of your message being understood (Why should anyone care?)

25. Prompts to choose from…. “Harrison Bergeron” Kurt Vonnegut comments on the idea of complete equality in his science fiction short story. Identify which literary elements Vonnegut employs and what he is expressing to his audience. “Searching for Summer” Aiken develops two contrasting moods in “Searching for Summer”to evoke her theme of the science fiction short story. Identify three literary elements she utilizes to create these moods and elaborate on how they impact the theme.

26. “A Sound of Thunder” Identify the life lesson Ray Bradbury taught and prove how his use of three literary elements of your choice exposed it in his science fiction short story.

27. Don’t forget 12 pt font Times New Roman 1” margins MLA Heading Header (0.5 “ margin) Double spaced NO first/second person MLA Citations No slang Order: 1. Final draft (hard copy) 2. Outline (marked on/edited) 3. Turnitin.com receipt

28. Due Monday, October 14th on turnitin.com by 7:40 am whether you are in class or not. For HW tonight: Create your introduction with a GREAT thesis!