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Writing a Literary Analysis

Mr. Naymik — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 19:40:04 +0000

When you read for pleasure, your only goal is enjoyment. You might find yourself reading to get caught up in an exciting story, to learn about an interesting time or place, or just to pass time. Maybe you’re looking for inspiration, guidance, or a reflection of your own life. There are as many different, valid ways of reading a book as there are books in the world.

When you read a work of literature in an English class, however, you’re being asked to read in a special way: You’re being asked to perform literary analysis. To analyze something means to break it down into smaller parts and then examine how those parts work, both individually and together. Literary analysis involves examining all the parts of a novel, play, short story, or poem—elements such as character, setting, tone, and imagery—and thinking about how the author uses those elements to create certain effects.

A literary essay isn’t a book review: you’re not being asked whether you liked a book or whether you’d recommend it to another reader. A literary essay also isn’t like the kind of book report you wrote when you were younger, where your teacher wanted you to summarize the book’s action. A high school- or college-level literary essay asks, “How does this piece of literature actually work?” “How does it do what it does?” and, “Why might the author have made the choices he or she did?”

The following notes provide a definition and explanation for writing a literary analysis. Writing about literature is the only way to really learn how to do it, but this presentation provides the background.

[goog doc="dc4kzt6f_12ff395nfv"]Writing a literary analysis[/goog]

One skill necessary for writing a literary analysis is summarizing, paraphrasing, and quoting. Also, refresh yourself on quoting material (quote sandwich).

An example is presented below. We will go over it in class. Use the practice sheet to select the right quotes and create your quote sandwiches for each main idea.

Writing an Analysis

Read carefully

Read carefully
Ask yourself question as you read
Take notes

Brainstorm

List ideas you might have and ask questions

What struck you?
Did you notice any patterns?
What confused you? Maybe you were surprised to see a character act in a certain way, or maybe you didn’t understand why the book ended the way it did.
Did you notice any contradictions or ironies?
What did it have to say about life?

At this point, you don’t need to know exactly what you’re going to say about your topic; you just need a place to begin your exploration. You can help direct your reading and brainstorming by formulating your topic as a question, which you’ll then try to answer in your essay. Question → Thesis statement

Write a thesis statement

Start with a thesis statement. You want to argue about what the author is doing in the story or how the story works. Here is a common pattern that can be modified:

In (title of poem/novel/play), (author’s name) uses (1st literary device), (2nd literary device), and (3rd literary device) to (show/criticize/explain/etc.) (some aspect of human nature).

The following is a possible thesis statement for a literary analysis based on a fairytale:

In “Goldilocks and the Three Bears,” Goldilocks is filled with misconceptions about the world around her but ultimately learns to accept things that are different.

Create an outline to visualize your support

I. Intro
a. Hook
b. Summary
c. Thesis
II. Goldilocks view of the world (bears)
a. Evidence/Explanation
b. Evidence/Explanation
III. How the bears actually are
a. Evidence/Explanation
b. Evidence/Explanation
IV. Goldilocks change
a. Evidence/Explanation
b. Evidence/Explanation
V. Conclusion
a. Restate
b. Interpretation
c. What’s the bigger meaning
I. Intro
a. Hook
b. Summary
c. Thesis
II. Goldilocks view of the world (bears)
a. Evidence/Explanation
b. Evidence/Explanation
III. How the bears actually are
a. Evidence/Explanation
b. Evidence/Explanation
IV. Goldilocks change
a. Evidence/Explanation
b. Evidence/Explanation
V. Conclusion
a. Restate
b. Interpretation
c. What’s the bigger meaning

Example essay

Example Essay

Click the picture to see how a lit analysis works

Goldilocks lit analysis practice Lit analysis practice Usher (2 hits)

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Quoting sources for your arguement

Mr. Naymik — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 13:17:00 +0000

An important skill for all upper level papers is the ability to quote other peoples’ words to back up your own. Review the notes from class on creating a “quote sandwich” that we will use later in writing a literary analysis.

[goog doc="dc4kzt6f_109d3skbvk"]Quoting sources notes:[/goog]

Note sheet

Quote sources notes

use this for the notes above

Practice with Cameras

Practice using quotes on camera essay

practice finding and using quotes from sources

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Writing Effective Paragraphs

Mr. Naymik — Mon, 25 Jan 2010 13:53:12 +0000

As we learn to write a literary analysis, it is necessary to write good paragraphs. All good paragraphs are focused on a main idea. This is usually expressed in a topic sentence. The key is to have the rest of the paragraph support this main idea. If you can learn to avoid irrelevant information that doesn’t contribute, you will be in good shape.

An essay is basically a giant paragraph. Supporting sentences back up a topic sentence. In an essay, body paragraphs back up a thesis statement. We learned about this when we did the five paragraph essay. Remember squish? This ideas is called unity.

Save the Reader

Another important concept is coherence. This refers to the order of information in a paragraph or essay as well as the way ideas are connected together (transitions). Order of importance and chronological order are the most common.

long in to take quiz

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Finding and fixing fragments

Mr. Naymik — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 16:03:56 +0000

Login, then double click on any blue section, make changes, then click the check mark. Save, continue at a later time or mark complete for grading. If you prefer to do this on paper, see me. (Works best in FireFox, but some I. E. ok)

, this assignment, Fragments, is not completed. Make changes, SAVE, then click "mark as completed" at the bottom.

Fragments: A fragment is a group of words that does not express a complete thought.

Fragment	Sentence
At the end of a long path	There is a hut at the end of the long path.
Walking in circles.	The girl, walking in circles, asked for help.
A pen, some notes, and a dictionary.	To the library she brought a pen, some notes, and a dictionary..

Select whether each group of words is a sentence or a fragment.

Since your appointment is later in the day. choose... sentence:sentence,fragment:fragment
She enjoys waffles and ice cream. choose... sentence:sentence,fragment:fragment
Two pounds of apples and a bag of potatoes. choose... sentence:sentence,fragment:fragment
What you asked me yesterday choose... sentence:sentence,fragment:fragment
In the morning the police called. choose... sentence:sentence,fragment:fragment
In the back room of the library. choose... sentence:sentence,fragment:fragment
Because we wanted it very much. choose... sentence:sentence,fragment:fragment
My friends, my family, and my teachers. choose... sentence:sentence,fragment:fragment
This is the absolute truth. choose... sentence:sentence,fragment:fragment
Whom you asked me about. choose... sentence:sentence,fragment:fragment

Each item is a fragment. Edit the fragment to make a complete sentence.

In back of the book.
Feeling sad.
When she called.
Bread, milk, and soap.
Which you offered
If you can come.
Walking in the park.
Near us.
As they expected.
Along the road very close to the bridge.

Double click to enter article

Started: Jul 29 2010 21:11 | Updated: Jul 29 2010 21:11

Delete this | Mark as complete | View original | Help?

Started: 3 Completed: 1

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Inverted pyramid and news lead

Mr. Naymik — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 15:06:27 +0000

Log in first. Double click on the areas that are blue to edit them. After making several changes, make sure you save. You may work on this anytime, just make sure you save before you quit each time. When done, mark as complete.

, this assignment, inverted pyramid, is not completed. Make changes, SAVE, then click "mark as completed" at the bottom.

inverted pyramid: An inverted pyramid story with summary lead

Default headline change this

Change this. Start with lead then move onto rest of article. Remember, short paragraphs are best.

News Value choose...

Started: Jul 29 2010 21:11 | Updated: Jul 29 2010 21:11

Delete this | Mark as complete | View original | Help?

Started: 3 Completed: 1

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First attempt at a lead

Mr. Naymik — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 13:07:02 +0000

Enter your lead into the comments below. Your lead is based on the following facts.

Lead Facts

School purchased new on-line learning system; Students will be able to make up credits during summer on Internet; System cost $1.2 million, including new computers, says Mr. Karatas, director; Classes available this summer; Mr. Naymik stated courses no substitute for class

Remember, your lead should be short, concise and contain the most important element.

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Rhetorical techniques for emphasis

Mr. Naymik — Sun, 04 Oct 2009 19:26:10 +0000

There are many rhetorical techniques for adding emphasis. The following are especially helpful for speeches, as they can add rhythm and drama.

Use Patrick Henry’s “Speech to the Virginia Convention” to practice ( Speech to the Virginia Convention). Or listen to it:

The following slides provide a definition and simple examples.

Rhetorical Techniques for Emphasis

[Show as slideshow]

When used sparingly and appropriately, these will make your writing more entertaining and persuasive

Look for those techniques, in addition to logos, ethos and pathos, in the following “essay.”

Cheeseburgers with mushrooms and onions are far superior to plain hamburgers. I’ve been eating hamburgers of all types for years and cheese burgers with all the fixings taste better, smell better and provide for greater nutritional value.

Who doesn’t like a little extra flavor with their meal? A plain beef patty, especially a fatty one, is tasty, that I will concede, but it could be so much more. A little cheese makes everything better. A little onion makes everything better. A littler bit of mushroom makes everything better. If one likes hamburgers and one likes cheese, mushrooms and onions, it stands to reason that the combination of the patty and the extras will be an even better treat.

And the smell. It’s like smelling a perfume that reminds you of your first girlfriend, years after you broke up with her. The smell can’t but help remind you of when times were good and everything was happy. The smell can’t but help remind you of a time in your life when everything felt comfortable and you didn’t have a care in the world. The smell can’t but help remind you of the promise that life holds. The smell of a cheeseburger can conjure up all sorts of tasty memories. Who could have bad memories about a cheeseburger?

Cheeseburgers are healthier by providing extra vitamins, giving needed calcium, and supplying extra fats that the body needs. A plain beef patty couldn’t shake a healthy stick at a burger full of extras.

Is a beef patty on bread the best society can accomplish? I think cheese burgers top plain burgers any day.

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Translating tough passages

Mr. Naymik — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 16:33:45 +0000

A lot of things we read are either old and use difficult language or new and use big words and such, making them difficult to read. The only way to understand what the author is saying is put parts of the writing into your own words—essentially translating it into language that you understand. As we read the Declaration of Independence, The Crisis, and Letter from Birmingham Jail, use these steps to break down passages and put them into your own words.

Read the passage and try to get a feeling for what is going on.

He has forbidden his Governors to pass Laws of immediate and pressing importance, unless suspended in their operation till his Assent should be obtained; and when so suspended, he has utterly neglected to attend to them.

Then follow these steps to understanding:

Translating Notes

[Show as slideshow]

Click the slide to view the notes. The key is to replace information you don’t understand with information that you do.

The king has forbidden his governors to pass important laws, or if they do pass laws, they are temporarily stopped from taking effect till the king gives the ok; and when the laws are temporarily stopped, he has completely ignored the laws so they could never take effect.

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Arguement and Logical Fallacies

Mr. Naymik — Sun, 20 Sep 2009 11:01:38 +0000

Update: take the quiz

[QUIZZIN 7]
The following presentations contains the notes for argument (logos, ethos, and pathos) and logical fallacies and the homework that goes with it. Remember, this is the foundation for most types of communication will help you to not only be a good student, but a good voter, citizen, consumer, employee, etc.
[goog doc="dc4kzt6f_109gtph32dm"]Logical Fallacies Notes[/goog]

These worksheets were completed in class and rely on the notes.

Name that Fallacy
How do they persuade

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Active vs Passive Voice

Mr. Naymik — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 17:34:59 +0000

Active voice is usual the best way to write, as it sounds smoother and logically has the doer of the action as the subject. You can recognize passive-voice expressions because the verb phrase will always include a form of to be, such as am, is, was, were, are, or been. The presence of a be-verb, however, does not necessarily mean that the sentence is in passive voice. In sentences written in passive voice, the subject receives the action expressed in the verb; the subject is acted upon. In sentences written in active voice, the subject performs the action expressed in the verb; the subject acts.

Here are the notes from class:

[Show as slideshow]

Listen to the Grammar Girl episode on active and passive voice.

The homework exercises: Active vs Passive

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