Literary Analysis Writing Tips

1. Literary Analysis Writing Tips

2. Overall Structure • Introduction with thesis statement • Body Paragraphs with quotes • Conclusion • Use of transitions

3. Introduction • 1st sentence: attention grabbing • 2nd-3rd sentence: introduce the author and the work—make sure that the author’s name is spelled correctly and that the title of the work is also correct and is underlinedoritalicized • 3rd-6th sentences: relevant background information that leads directly to your thesis • 7th or 8th sentence: thesis statement

4. Thesis Statement • Definition: a proposition to be proved (Merriam-Webster’s High SchoolDictionary) • The thesis statement is the focal point of your paper, your controlling idea, your objective. Your thesis statement is what you are trying to PROVE. • If your paper does not have a clear, strong, concrete thesis statement then your body paragraphs are inconsequential and invalid. Why? • An effective thesis statement must be a declarative sentence(simple or complex), a statement of the controlling idea, not a question. Your thesis should focus on only one idea, and it should be in the active voice so that it does not suggest passivity. • Your thesis should be a universal statement rather than a personal one. Do not use “I”.

5. Examples: • Symbols are used constantly throughout A Separate Peace to describe the characters and events. • Throughout the book, Gene and Phineas’ views about war and peace change depending on what their situation is. • Gene, the main character, grows and matures greatly through the book because he experiences many life changing events like the death of his only good friend, a paranoia induced imagined competition between him and Phineas, and a friend becoming psychotic because he joined the army.

6. Body Paragraphs • TS = Topic Sentence: 1st sentence that states the topic of the paragraph. It should reflect your thesis statement example: One example of symbolism in the book is the two rivers. • If your body paragraph does not have a TS then your supporting sentences are inconsequential and invalid. Why? • Supporting sentences: 2nd -4th/5th sentences that develop your topic sentence. These provide specific, concreteexamples from the text that help explain and develop your topic sentence which reflects your thesis statement.

7. Supporting Quote: This is woven appropriately into your supporting sentences. A supporting quote provides further credibility for your supporting sentences. Your supporting quote should be specific and directly reflect the supporting sentences. You should provide a lead-in and/or follow-up phrase for your quote. Parenthetical citation is a must. example: Right after Leper says, “Like that time you crippled him [Finny] for life” (145). If a quote exceeds three typed lines then you need to set it apart from the rest of the paragraph (see your MLA packet). • CS = Clincher (Concluding) Sentence: This is the last sentence of your body paragraph. The clincher sentence summarizes the body paragraph. It does not act as a lead-in to the next paragraph, nor does it include any new information. • A well-structured and organized literary analysis should contain at least 3 body paragraphs that directly reflect and develop the thesis statement.

8. Conclusion • The conclusion should contain all of the following: • Restatement of the thesis (reworded) • Summarization of main points (hint: look to your topic sentences for these) • A satisfying ending • A well-written conclusion should be approximately 6-8 sentences in length. • The conclusion does not introduce any new information. If it is not included in your thesis, topic sentences, or supporting sentences then do not include it in your conclusion. • You may end your conclusion with a thought provoking question that directly pertains to the thesis

9. Transitions • Transitions are needed to help construct smooth movement for the reader from point to point. Without them your analysis will seem choppy and fragmented. • Use transitions to connect paragraphs. • Use transitions within paragraphs.

10. MLA Heading Student A A 1 Mrs. Boren English 9H 24 February 2008 Title (Do not bold, underline, italicize, or use quotes unless using a published title) 1st sentence…

11. MLA Format • Double Spaced only throughout—from top to bottom, 1st word to last • 12 point font only • New Times Roman • Pagination on each and every page

12. Notations and Common Errors to Avoid • WC = word choice • T = transitional word or phrase needed • SP = spelling error, word will be circled • Reword / work / structure / phrase for effectiveness • Literary Present: Your analysis should be written in the literary present. What does that mean? See handout. • Who, which, that: Who refers to person only. Which refers to things only. That may refer to either persons or things. • Empty circle = needed punctuation • Punctuation that is circled = excess punctuation • Overuse of the verb “to get” • Yuck = poorly constructed sentence • What? = Confusing sentence…most times missing important words • Contractions: Do not use contractions in a formal piece except within quotes.

13. There, Their, and They’re: --there is a demonstrative pronoun indicating a location --their is a personal pronoun --they’re is a contraction for “they are” • Its vs It’s --Its is an adjective meaning “of or relating to itself or itself especially as a possessor, agent, or object of an action” (Webster’s Ninth New Collegiate Dictionary) --It’s will always and forever only be a contraction for “it is”. It does not indicate possession.

14. Everyone, everybody, anyone, anybody, someone, somebody…These are SINGULAR, therefore, you must use a singular pronoun example: Everyone needs to diligently revise his literary analysis paper. • Avoid vague pronoun references • Avoid using elementary phrases such as “In this paper I will show…”, “This paper will discuss…”, “As you can see…” • Cannot • Avoid ending sentences with a preposition

15. Drafts and Revision • Draft: a preliminary sketch, outline, or version (Merriam-Webster’s High SchoolDictionary) • Revising: 1. To look over again in order to correct or improve 2. to make a new, amended, improved version (Merriam-Webster’s High SchoolDictionary) • Writing Process: to go from a first idea to final realization in words Your first draft should never be your final copy. Steps: 1. prewriting—thinking and planning: thinking about the purpose and audience; determining what you are going to write about; collecting ideas and details, creating a plan for presenting ideas 2. writing—writing a firstdraft: expressing ideas and details in sentences and paragraphs; carrying out the writing plan 3. evaluating and revising—reviewing the draft to decide what works well and what does not; changing the draft to improve it • proofreading—finding and correcting mistakes; writing or printing out a final copy If you do not make the effort nor take the time to follow the steps of the writing process, I will not make the effort nor take the time to grade it.