WRITING A LITERARY ANALYSIS ESSAY ENGLISH 11

Transcription

1 WRITING A LITERARY ANALYSIS ESSAY ENGLISH 11

2 WRITING ABOUT LITERATURE What is a literary analysis essay? A literary analysis (discuss and explain essay) is where you offer your observations about a literary work: poem, story, novel or play. Your objective in writing a literary analysis is to discuss an interpretation of the literary work. TIP: A literary analysis is not a summary. Retell only as much of the literary work as is needed to support your point. Your role is to be the interpreter or explainer of the work. I. FAMILIARIZE YOURSELF WITH THE EXAM PROMPT 1. Read the exam prompt and identify the key verb and key words. KEY VERBS Assess: Discuss: Explain: Compare Contrast Describe Estimate the value of something based on some criteria; present an informed judgment. This term means that you should give a complete and detailed answer. Make sure that you examine, analyze and present all points of view regarding the topic you are discussing. Identify the issues and provide points for and /or against. Relate cause and effect, make the relationships between things evident and provide the answer to why or how. Look for those qualities or characteristics that are similar in the subject you are discussing.. Stress the qualities or characteristics that are different in the things you are discussing. Try to give the reader a "word picture" of what you are describing by including the main parts, colours, shapes, sensations etc., as vividly as possible. Provide characteristics and features.

3 2. Transfer the prompt to the top of your page. 3. Read the literary work with the prompt in mind. II. READ WITH A PENCIL IN HAND STEP 1: Read and locate. Read the literary work closely with the exam prompt in mind. Locate and underline the words and phrases (evidence) as you read that will help you address the prompt. STEP 2: BRAINSTORM AN OUTLINE USING A KEY PHRASE FROM THE PROMPT. Organize your thoughts and ideas in such a way that there is a connection back to your thesis. Gather support for these ideas. III. WRITING A LITERARY ANALYSIS ESSAY Now that you have outlined the key ideas and evidence, your job is to construct a well- formed literary analysis essay. A literary analysis essay has an introduction, body, and conclusion. You will be writing in the present tense and incorporating quotations. INTRODUCTION Begin with a general statement about the piece. Include the name of the author, the title of the work you will be discussing, and a brief summary. Include a thesis statement that is a reflection of the prompt.

4 Introduction example: Often when people immigrate they long to re- establish a connection with their homeland. In The Hallowe en Party by Miriam Waddington, Mr. Luria, a Russian Jew who has immigrated to Canada, seeks to renew his bond with his culture and teach his children how to value their roots. Mr. Luria is dedicated to both his heritage and his family. BODY PARAGRAPHS Once you have written the introduction, your job is to take the key points and evidence in your outline and turn them into the body paragraphs. In the body paragraphs you present evidence to support the thesis. STEP 1: BEGIN WITH A STRONG TOPIC SENTENCE. The purpose of the topic sentence is twofold: To tie the details of the paragraph to your thesis statement. To tie the details of the paragraph together. Topic sentence example: To begin, Mr. Luria s love for his heritage is revealed when he purchases the farmland. STEP 2: DEVELOP A SINGLE KEY POINT The substance of each body paragraph will be the explanations, paraphrases, specific details, and direct quotations you need to support and develop the statement you have made in your topic sentence. On to the next body paragraph.

5 STEP 3: USE TEXTUAL EVIDENCE EFFECTIVELY, USING THE SPI TECHNIQUE SPI TECHNIQUE: STATE THE POINT PROVIDE EVIDENCE EXPLAIN THE IMPORTANCE STATE the point Open each body paragraph with a topic sentence that includes a key point that in a clear way is helping to answer the exam question. PROVIDE evidence Textual evidence consists of paraphrase, specific details, and direct quotations. explain the IMPORTANCE Explaining the importance works like a needle and thread, sewing point and evidence together to illustrate how they connect to one another. STEP 4: USE TRANSITIONS EFFECTIVELY TO ARGUE, EXPLAIN AND COMPARE IDEAS. Good literary essay writers know that each paragraph must be clearly and strongly linked to the material around it. Think of each paragraph as a response to the one that precedes it. Please refer to the attached handout of Transitional Words and Phrases Body paragraph examples: To begin, Mr. Luria s love for his heritage is revealed when he purchases the farmland. His son, David, says that his father searched without knowing it for landscapes that were like his old home. Mr. Luria finds it. He is very excited about the farm, and he begins to talk about his dream of a Jewish settlement an ideal farm community. Mr. Luria needs the land and the farm to keep his heritage alive. He feels that living in a new land will cause him to forget his old traditions and religious beliefs. He also fears that his children will not grow up with the same love for the Jewish religion. Through purchasing the farmland Mr. Luria tries to protect his children from losing their identity.

6 In addition to his appreciation for his culture he also cares greatly for his family. He is careful to encourage an appreciation for the Jewish faith in his children, David and Helen. When the children are invited to a Hallowe en party he refuses to let them go. His reasoning is that it is a Christian Holiday, and he believes it is a cultural symbol. He wants his children to value their Jewish heritage: it is their religion and culture. Mr. Luria says, I don t want them to forget who they are, where they belong [as] here in this country, it is easy to forget. He is a strong, devoted man, and he wants his children to maintain his traditions. CONCLUSION Your literary analysis essay should have a concluding paragraph that gives your essay a sense of completeness. A good conclusion will: 1. Restate the thesis, but not repeat the exact phrasing. 2. Summarize the arguments; do not repeat the details of your body paragraphs in your conclusion. 3. Stay relevant. Your conclusion is not the time to pad your essay with all the extra, interesting ideas you came up but could not fit into the essay proper. 4. Demonstrate your understanding of the main message expressed in the text, as it relates to the prompt (i.e. make a connection to the theme of the piece). 5. Use transitions such as: to conclude, in conclusion, hence, therefore, accordingly, thus, as a result, consequently. Conclusion example: Therefore, through his decisions Mr. Luria demonstrates his dedication to his heritage and his children. His commitment to instilling in his children a respect for their culture makes him a role model to those who have forgotten who they are and where they have come from.

7 IV. EDIT 1. Read your essay aloud to check for overall sense and sound. 2. Make sure your writing is concise. Take out any words, phrases, or ideas, which are repeated unnecessarily, which sound flowery, or which pad rather than add to an explanation. 3. Study each paragraph for overall effectiveness and clarity. Does each paragraph have a clear purpose and focus? Have you used appropriate transitions within and between paragraphs?

8 Appendix 1 Here are some pointers: Literary present tense: He was very excited about the farm. He is very excited about the farm. Maintain the 3 rd person: I believe Mr. Luria fears his heritage will be lost. Mr. Luria fears his heritage will be lost. Formal Language: Nowadays, people wanna go back to their roots, even though they can t. Often when people immigrate they long to re- establish a connection with their homeland. Irrelevant Opinion: When I was five, my grandmother came to Canada which was great for us. Address ONLY what is revealed by the text (Mr. Luria s immigrant experience). Transition: first, second, third See page of transitional words and phrases