WRITING THE

LITERARY
ANALYSIS

Ms. K. Mitchell
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
◦ Theme is always expressed in a complete
sentence.
◦ Doesn’t include characters’ names or events.
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 personality
Main character
◦ Antagonist ◦ Flat
Character or force that Only one or two striking qualities—all
opposes the main character bad or all good
◦ Foil ◦ Dynamic
Character that provides a
contrast to the protagonist Grows and progress to a higher
level of understanding
◦ Static
Remains unchanged throughout
the story
 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 mood
location ◦ May symbolize the
◦ Historical and emotional state of
cultural context characters
◦ Social ◦ Impact on
◦ Political characters’
◦ Spiritual motivations and
options
 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
◦ Omniscient: narrator is all-knowing outsider who
can enter the mind of more than one character.
 How to Analyze a Story
Rhetorical Elements: Identify the author’s use
and explain their importance.
Think of the mood they create or the feelings they
evoke in you to determine how they’re being
used.
◦ 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
◦ Cosmic irony -would only be used for dramatic effect in real life,
but it basically blames the gods or fate for having a hand in our
struggles.
◦ Socratic irony is feigning ignorance in order to get a certain
reaction or answer out of someone.
◦ So when your professor asks you to read the material and then you come in the next day
and they say “I don’t know the answer” as they sit back and ask you question after
question and you end up teaching yourself – you’ve just become the victim of Socratic
irony.
Rhetorical Elements
◦Figurative Language: language that
goes beyond the literal meaning of
words
◦ Simile
◦ Metaphor
◦ Alliteration
◦ Personification
◦ Onomatopoeia
◦ Hyperbole
Writing the Essay
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, and include your complete theme
statement, and main elements of support (the literary
devices that develop the theme – which should also
be in the thesis or in the sentence prior to the thesis)

◦ It should be clear and understandable

◦ It should be deep, something that not everyone
would think of
◦ It should be new and original
◦ It should not use names of characters
◦ It should not use 1st or 2nd person (you)
Creating a Thesis
◦ Start by reading the text closely
◦ Craft a statement that summarizes your
thoughts about the text, its theme and the
techniques used to develop the theme.
OR that 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
Sample Thesis
◦ Should include: author, literary devices
used and theme statement.
◦ James Hurst , in “The Scarlet Ibis,” utilizes
figurative language, symbolism and
setting to exemplify how love and pride
can bear the seed of cruelty and
destruction.
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
 Literary Analysis Essay Outline Format
I. Introduction
◦ A. Hook - Get the reader's attention by; relaying something enticing about the subject in a manner that
commands attention. Start with a related quote, alluring description, or narration
◦ B. Author
◦ C. Title
◦ D. Main characters
◦ E. A short summary
◦ F. Thesis (in this kind of essay your thesis IS the thematic statement and the devices used to establish the theme)
II. Body
A. First literary device used to develop the theme
◦ Supporting evidence (example #1)
◦ Supporting evidence (example #2)

B. Second literary device used to develop the theme

◦ Supporting evidence (example #1)
◦ Supporting evidence (example #2)

C. Third literary device used to develop the theme

◦ Supporting evidence (example #1)
◦ Supporting evidence (example #2)

III. Conclusion
◦ Restate thesis
◦ Explain / summarize how each literary device works together to develop theme / create unified effect. If you
intend to draw to a conclusion about one subject over the other, emphasize that point. 1 sentence for each
device mentioned.
◦ Make a memorable final statement.
STOP
 Task:
 Prompt: Through the use of what literary devices does Twain develop
your assigned theme in his novel?
 Discuss how any 3 of the following elements of the story tie together
and ultimately create Twain’s desired (theme):

◦ Diction ◦ Imagery
◦ Allusion ◦ Symbolism
◦ Metaphor ◦ Characterization
◦ Conflict ◦ Setting
◦ Repetition ◦ Irony
◦ Personification ◦ Satirical device
◦ Point of view ◦ Some other Persuasive techniques
 Task:
• You will create and in-depth outline (like the one on the previous slide) for a
literary analysis of either “The Fall of the House of Usher” or “The Cask of
Amontillado.” You will have a full introduction, outline the body paragraphs and
a full conclusion.
 Prompt: Poe believes that every aspect of a story should work together
towards creating one unified effect. In “The Fall of the House of Usher”
and “The Cask of Amontillado” each element works towards illustrating
one aspect of human nature – mental deterioration, human evil,
effects of pride or revenge (you will need to develop a theme statement related to one of
these).

 Discuss how any 3 of the following elements of the short story tie
together and ultimately create Poe’s desired effect (theme):

◦ Diction ◦ Imagery

◦ Point-of-View ◦ Symbolism

◦ Plot ◦ Characterization

◦ Conflict ◦ Setting
STOP – BODY ¶ NEXT
 Writing the Body
◦ The body paragraph is were you explain the
significance of the textual evidence with
commentary.
◦ Make sure that each paragraph centers on one
specific idea from the thesis
◦ Paragraphs should be in the same order as listed in
your thesis. If your thesis has simile, irony and
personification, they must be discussed in that order.
◦ Make sure that the topic sentence of each
paragraph demonstrates a link between the
content of the paragraph and your thesis statement
Punctuating Brief Quotations
Quoting a Sentence or Sentences:

Gene begins to reveal his internal war with

Finny when he says, “What was I doing
up here anyway? Why did I let Finny
talk me into stupid things like this?” (5).

Notice how my words (Gene begins to reveal his internal

war with Finny when he says) lead into the quote I have
chosen to use. They establish context or introduce the
quote.
Punctuating Brief Quotations
Quoting a Fragment:

Jack is not able to kill the piglet during

their first attempt at hunting for food
“because of the enormity of the knife
descending and cutting into the living
flesh; because of the unbearable blood”
(31).
Again, notice how my words lead into the
quote.
Quoting A Quotation
Ron said, “Dad yelled, ‘No way!’”
Golding writes, “Jack seized the conch.
‘Ralph’s right of course. There isn’t a snake-
thing. But if there was a snake we’d hunt it
and kill it.’” (36).
Just like Leper in A Separate Peace, my brother
Shaun said, “‘You always were a savage
underneath.’”
Quotations with Omissions
(Using ellipses)

According to Gene, the faculty at Devon treated

the boys differently during the summer
session because “we reminded them of what
peace was like… of lives which were not
bound up with destruction” (10).
Quotations with Brief Insertions
(Using brackets)
It is evident that Finny believes in the war
before his fall from the tree because he tells
Gene, “I’m wearing this [his pink shirt] as an
emblem. We haven’t got a flag, we can’t float
Old Glory proudly out the window. So I’m
going to wear this, as an emblem” (11).

Use brackets when you are inserting your own words into a quote
in order to make the meaning of the quote more clear.
How To Integrate Quotations
When you are using brief quotations, you must integrate them--

work them smoothly into your sentences

and

show their relevance to your ideas.

 Not Integrated – NAKED QUOTE
Brinker becomes disillusioned with the war, and Ralph
becomes disillusioned with the glory of being chief. “He
found himself understanding the wearisomness of this
life, where every path was an improvisation and a
considerable part of one’s walking life was spent
watching one’s feet” (76).

YOU CANNOT USE A QUOTE AS YOUR WHOLE SENTENCE.

Integrated
In the same way that Brinker becomes disillusioned
with the war, Ralph begins to feel a sense of
disillusionment toward the glory of being chief.
Golding’s narrator begins to allude to Ralph’s
waning enjoyment of being the leader on the
island when he states, “He found himself
understanding the wearisomness of this life, where
every path was an improvisation and a
considerable part of one’s walking life was spent
watching one’s feet” (76).
Commentary
◦ This is your explanation and interpretation
of the textual evidence.
◦ Commentary tells the reader what the
author of the text means or how the
textual evidence proves the topic
sentence. Commentary may include
interpretation, analysis, argument, insight,
and/or reflection. No 1st person or 2nd
person
◦ Use the present tense when discussing the
literature.
Structure of the body paragraph #1
TS Topic Sentence related to first literary device listed in
your thesis

Honors will have additional chunk: CD CM CM

CD First quote that uses literary device

CM Commentary explains the significance of the quote

CM Commentary explains how the quote develops theme

CD Second quote that uses literary device

CM Commentary explains the significance of the quote

CM Commentary explains how the quote develops theme

CS Closing sentence (restate topic sentence differently)

Remember the “quote sandwich”
◦ Before the quote, you must have a
transitional statement (for example, in
addition, furthermore, etc…) and establish
the context (where and when) and
speaker of the quote.
◦ Then punctuate the quote correctly and
end with the page number in parentheses
before the period (if you are using another
source, place the author—title if no
author—in parentheses).
◦ Finally, explain the significance—connect
the quote to the thesis point (how it
develops the theme).
 Example of a “quote sandwich”
◦ Throughout “The Yellow Wallpaper” Charlotte Perkins Gilman uses paradox and
personification together to prove that excessive restrictions on the lives of women can have
destructive effects. For example, throughout the story, the woman describes the yellow
wallpaper and how she can see it in different lights of day and night. The woman says, “At
night in any kind of light, in twilight, candlelight, lamplight, and worst of all by moonlight,
it becomes bars! The outside pattern I mean, and the woman behind it as plain as can
be.” In this example, she uses this paradox and her conflicting idea to demonstrate her
deteriorating mental state. She has seemingly begun to hallucinate and no one else can
see what she sees. Additionally, the woman then personifies a face into the wallpaper that
seems to be her own. The women, who at the time seems to be hanging herself, states,
“Then I peeled off all the paper I could reach standing on the floor. It sticks horribly and
the pattern just enjoys it! All those strangled heads and bulbous eyes and waddling fungus
growths just shriek with derision.” She seemed to see these faces that yell at her with
disrespect. Consequently, she holds discussions with the faces in the wallpaper, thereby
cementing her insanity. Gilman’s use of paradox and personification in relation to the
wallpaper clearly identify a degree of psychosis that results when on faces a lack of
independence that result from overbearing “love.”
Other helpful pieces of information
regarding the body of the paper

◦ No example should be more than 1-2

sentences.
◦ AVOID PLOT SUMMARY.
◦ Make sure each piece of information in a
paragraph supports the topic sentence.
◦ When mentioning characters, use their entire
name only the first time. Then refer to them
in a consistent manner (always Miss Maudie,
always Boo, Miss Merriweather, and so on).
◦ Commentary should not repeat quote
STOP – INTRODUCTORY ¶ NEXT
The Introduction
◦ As you can see, we’ve already completed the core
of your essays.
◦ We write the introduction after you have completed
your literary analysis essay.

◦ This enables you to better

identify what the points of your
analysis have in common.

◦ It’s important to introduce these

in the first paragraph of your
essay to guide the reader.
 The Introduction
◦ First thing your reader will encounter, so it's
essential that you write clearly and
concisely.
◦ You want to make a good first impression.

◦ Carefully follow a theme, motif,

character development or stylistic
element and examine its importance
within the context of the book.

◦ Often necessary to convince the reader

of your point of view.
 Writing the Introduction

◦ Should include HATMAT

Order varies Must be last
Must be first

(Hook / Author/Title/Main Characters/A short summary / Thesis)

◦ A few additional sentences that transition and

connect ideas may be needed
 Sentence #1:
HOOK / Attention getting opener
(related to theme or topic)
Select ONE of the options below to begin your essay

1. An interesting quote related to topic

2. An engaging statement
3. A shocking statement
4. Shocking statistic

EX: “Every human has four endowments - self-awareness, conscience,

independent will and creative imagination. These give us the ultimate
human freedom... The power to choose, to respond, to change” (Covey).
 Sentence #2:
Sentence to connect opener to
background & story
◦ Your next sentence should identify the
speaker and context of the quotation,
as well as briefly describing how the
quote relates to your literary analysis.

EX: For hundreds of years, however, women were denied these basic
human freedoms. Charlotte Perkins Gilman was one such woman
bound by the strictures of second class citizenship. In addition to being
a wife, she was a famous American Sociologist who wrote novels, short
stories, poems, and non-fiction, many with the aim of social reform for
women.
 Sentences #3 - #4
Background / Summary
information (may vary in number)
◦ Provide some background information
on the topic
◦ provide brief summary of text events

◦ EX: In her short story “The Yellow Wallpaper,” she writes about a women being
literally and metaphorically entrapped in a yellow room by her husband because she
is ill. She is deprived her independent will, creativity and overall freedom – all in the
name of love.
◦ The woman ultimately becomes obsessed with the intricate designs within the
yellow wallpaper, as it is all she has to occupy her time, given that her husband, who
is also her doctor, has prescribed her the “rest cure” to treat her perceived illness.
 Sentence # 5
Background and thesis tie-in

◦Include something that ties the

rest of your introduction and
background in with your thesis
so that the ideas flow smoothly

◦ EX: In reality, Gilman wrote this story to the doctor who tried to cure her of
depression with the rest cure so as to bring to light its ridiculous and
destructive nature.
 Sentence # 6
Thesis
◦should include the author’s name,
theme statement and the literary
devices the author uses to
develop the theme
◦This is the roadmap for your essay

◦ EX: Through the use of paradox, personification, irony and

rhetorical questions throughout “The Yellow Wallpaper,” Charlotte
Perkins Gilman suggests that the lack of independence and
creative expression in addition to over obedience for women will
not lead to a cure, but something much more destructive.
SENT #1 Attention Getting “Every human has four endowments - self-awareness, conscience,
Opener independent will and creative imagination. These give us the ultimate
(engaging
human freedom... The power to choose, to respond, to change” (Covey).
statement related
to theme of story)

For hundreds of years, however, women were denied these basic human
SENT #2 Sentence to freedoms. Charlotte Perkins Gilman was one such woman bound by the
connect opener to
strictures of second class citizenship. In addition to being a wife, she was
background &
story
a famous American Sociologist who wrote novels, short stories, poems,
and non-fiction, many with the aim of social reform for women.
In her short story “The Yellow Wallpaper,” she writes about a women being
SENT #3 Background literally and metaphorically entrapped in a yellow room by her husband
information
because she is ill. She is deprived her independent will, creativity and
overall freedom – all in the name of love.

The woman ultimately becomes obsessed with the intricate designs within
SENT #4 Background the yellow wallpaper, as it is all she has to occupy her time, given that her
information
husband, who is also her doctor, has prescribed her the “rest cure” to
treat her perceived illness.

In reality, Gilman wrote this story to the doctor who tried to cure her of
SENT #5 Background and depression with the rest cure so as to bring to light its ridiculous and
thesis tie-in
destructive nature.
Through the use of paradox, personification, irony and rhetorical questions
SENT #6 Thesis throughout “The Yellow Wallpaper,” Charlotte Perkins Gilman suggests
that the lack of independence and creative expression in addition to over
obedience for women will not lead to a cure, but something much more
destructive.
 Writing the introduction
◦ Begin with a strong lead
◦ Have a smooth transition between the lead
and the sweeping summary
◦ Have a smooth transition between the
sweeping summary and the thesis.
◦ End your introduction with the thesis
points/proof.
◦ The introduction is the only paragraph that
can begin with a quote.
◦ Your introduction should be fewer than 200
words.
 Writing the conclusion

◦ After the transition, restate—BUT DO NOT CUT

AND PASTE—the thesis sentence.
◦ Summarize the two or three thesis
points/proofs (1 sentence for each literary
device discussed).
◦ Conclude with a strong final sentence that
connects with the lead.
◦ The conclusion is the ONLY paragraph that
can end in a quotation.
◦ Your conclusion should be fewer than 100
words.
Conclusion
◦ Remember to strive for
depth and
significance
◦ Remember to center
your paper on your
thesis
◦ Remember to organize Go hit a home
your paragraphs
around a central
theme (your thesis)
run!