Writing the Literary Analysis

Demystifying the process.

An analysis explains what a work
of literature means, and how it
means it.
 How is a literary analysis
an argument?
 When writing a literary analysis, you will
focus on specific attribute(s) of the text(s).
 When discussing these attributes, you will
want to make sure that you are making a
specific, arguable point (thesis) about these
attributes.
 You will defend this point with reasons and
evidence drawn from the text. (Much like a
lawyer!)
 How to Analyze a Story

 Essential Elements of the Story

 Structure of the Story
 Rhetorical Elements
 Meaning of the Story
 How to Analyze a Story
 Meaning of the Story
(Interpretation)
 Identify the theme(s) and how the author
announces it.
 Explain how the story elements contribute
to the theme.
 Identify contextual elements (allusions,
symbols, other devices) that point beyond
the story to the author’s life/experience,
history or to other writings.
 How to Analyze a Story
 Essential Elements of the Story
 Theme: main idea—what the work adds up
to
 Plot: Relationship and patterns of events
 Characters: people the author creates
 Including the narrator of a story or the speaker
of a poem
 Setting: when and where the action happens
 Point of View: perspective or attitude of the
narrator or speaker
 Theme
 Main idea or underlying meaning of the
literary work.
 What the author wants the reader to
understand about the subject
 In fables, this may also be the moral of the
story
 Sequence of
Conflict/Crisis/Resolution
 All stories, literary essays, biographies,
and plays have a beginning, a middle,
and an end.
 Typically, the beginning is used to describe
the conflict/problem faced by the
character/subject.
 The middle is used to describe the climax or
crisis reached by the character/subject.
 The end is used to resolve the
conflict/problem and establish a theme.
 Climax (conflict and tension reach a
peak, and characters realize their
mistake, etc.)

Rising Action
(conflict and
suspense build Falling Action
through a (conflict gets worked
series of out and tensions
events). lessen.)

Resolution
Exposition (conflict is
(characters, resolved and
setting, and themes are
conflict are established.)
introduced.)
What Are The Major What Are The Major What Are The Major
Events In The First Part Events In The Middle Part Events In The Last Part
Of The Narrative That Of The Narrative That Of The Narrative That
Describe The Describe The Describe The Resolution/
Problem/Conflict? Crisis/Climax? Solution To The
Problem/Conflict?
 Types of Conflict
 person vs. person conflict
 events typically focus on differences in values, experiences,
and attitudes.
 person vs. society conflict
 the person is fighting an event, an issue, a philosophy, or a
cultural reality that is unfair,
 person vs. nature conflict
 the character is often alone dealing with nature in extreme
circumstances.
 person vs. fate/supernatural conflict
 the text is characterized by a person contending with an
omnipresent issue or idea.
 person vs. self conflict
 the person is conflicted with childhood memories,
unpleasant experiences, or issues with stress and decision-
making.
 Characterization
Round
Protagonist Three-dimensional
Main character personality
Antagonist Flat
Character or force Only one or two striking
that opposes the qualities—all bad or all
main character good
Foil Dynamic
Character that Grows and progress to a
provides a higher level of
contrast to the understanding
protagonist
How He/She How Others Feel
Acts/Feels About Him/Her

Character

What He/She What

Looks Like He/She Says
What The Character Says Or What I Conclude About The
Does, A Quote From The Character Based On This
Character, A Detail About The Information (Focus On BIG,
Character, An Event From The Abstract Ideas, Not Concrete,
Story, Or A Comment About The Factual Information)
Character By Someone Else
 Characterization
 A character’s actions
 A character’s choices
 A character’s speech patterns
 A character’s thoughts and feelings
 A character’s comments
 A character’s physical appearance and name
 Other characters’ thoughts and feelings about
the character
 Other characters’ actions toward the character
 Setting
 Time period  Instrumental in
 Geographical establishing
location mood
 Historical and  May symbolize
cultural context the emotional
 Social state of
 Political characters
 Spiritual  Impact on
characters’
Historical Concepts Developed/ Events/Examples/Details That
Time Periods Revealed In This Time Support The Concepts/Ideas
 Point of View
 First Person
 Narrator is a character within the story—
reveals own thoughts and feelings but not
those of others
 Third Person
 Objective: narrator outside the story acts as
a reporter—cannot tell what characters are
thinking
 Limited: narrator outside the story but can
see into the mind of one of the characters
 How to Analyze a Story
Rhetorical Elements: Identify the
author’s use and explain their
importance
 Foreshadowing
 Use of hints or clues to suggest event that will
occur later in the story
 Builds suspense—means of making the
narrative more believable
 Tone
 Author’s attitude—stated or implied—toward
the subject
 Revealed through word choice and details
 Rhetorical Elements
 Mood
 Climate of feeling in a literary work
 Choice of setting, objects, details,
images, words
 Symbolism
 Person, place, object which stand for
larger and more abstract ideas
 American flag = freedom
 Dove = peace
 Rhetorical Elements
 Irony: contrast between what is
expected or what appears to be and
what actually is
 Verbal Irony—contrast between what is
said and what is actually meant
 Irony of Situation—an event that is the
opposite of what is expected or intended
 Dramatic Irony—Audience or reader
knows more than the characters know
 Rhetorical Elements
 Figurative Language: language that
goes beyond the literal meaning of
words
 Simile
 Metaphor
 Alliteration
 Personification
 Onomatopoeia
 Hyperbole
 Introduction
 A literary analysis is a paper that gives
a deep and illuminating explanation of
a literary work--it is a Critical
Interpretation.
 We will learn how to formulate a deep
thesis, organize a paper coherently,
and use a number of different critical
methods
 Creating a Thesis
 The thesis should state the basic point you
want to communicate, oftentimes including
your main elements of support
 It should be clear and understandable
 It should be deep, something that not
everyone would think of
 It should be significant, something that the
majority of people interested in your text
would find helpful
 It should be new and original
 Creating a Thesis
 Start by reading the text closely
 Craft a statement that summarizes your
thoughts about the text and responds
to the ideas of other critics—a working
thesis
 Modify your working thesis as you
continue to interact with your research
and the text
 Creating a Thesis
 Don’t be afraid to modify your thesis even
after you’ve begun writing the body of your
paper—it’s better to change it than to have a
bad one
 Spend the body of your paper arguing that
your thesis provides an interpretation which
is clearly supported by the text.
 Do not deviate from discussion related to
your thesis
 How do I support a
thesis statement?
Examples from the text
Direct quotations
Summaries of scenes/action
Paraphrases
Other critics’ opinions
Historical and social context
 Tips for Writing the Body
 Begin by finding common threads among the
items supporting your thesis—oftentimes,
writing an outline helps this process along
 Begin writing with the body, making sure that
each paragraph centers on one specific idea
 Make sure that the topic sentence of each
paragraph demonstrates a link between the
content of the paragraph and your thesis
statement
 Conclusion
 Remember to strive for
depth and significance
 Remember to center
your paper on your
thesis
 Remember to organize
your paragraphs Go hit a home
around a central theme
(your thesis)
run!