A literary analysis essay is neither a rhetorical essay nor a synopsis of the plot nor a novel. Instead, it is an argumentative essay that evaluates the text’s language, perspective, and structure. It also explores the literary components used by the writer to generate effects and communicate ideas.
To write a literary analysis essay, follow this structure:
Here is a literary analysis essay template that you can view and download:
Here are the essential steps that you must follow to write a literary analysis essay:
When writing a literary analysis essay, your goal is not only to interpret the text but also to explore how it functions on a deeper level. Literary components in an essay are the elements that authors use to express meaning and influence in a text.
You will need to find similarities and differences when comparing various elements. When you study every aspect of the text, strive to see how they interact. To track essential passages and quotations, you can use highlights or notes.
Common literary components are language, symbols, narrative voice and structure.
Language refers to the choice and arrangement of words, phrases, and grammatical structures that an author uses to convey a message and achieve a specific purpose. You must consider:
An author uses symbols like objects, characters, locations, images, and motifs to describe a specific point, emotion, or situation.
Keep an eye on one image in the text or repeated images that build or simplify a certain environment. Recall that in literary texts, vocabulary is used to mean more than what is on the surface.
When reading the text, pay attention to “Who’s the narrator?” and “What’s the way of narration?”. Also consider:
You must also understand the structure of the text and how it applies to the plot. Various literary pieces are broken down in the following way:
Find out in what manner the author has chosen to break the text in a novel. Ask questions like:
However, in poetry, one must understand how the interpretation of the text shapes rhyme and meter.
In a play, you should understand:
What are literary components in a literary analysis essay?
Literary components are the elements that authors use to express meaning and influence in a text. Common literary components are:
1. Language
2. Symbols
3. Narrative voice
4. Structure
The thesis statement in your literary review essay is the argument you want to make about the text. It significantly gives your essay a direction and keeps it from being merely a series of random remarks about a text.
If you’re given a prompt for your essay, you must respond to the prompt or answer your thesis statement. Your answer should not be a straightforward “yes” or “no,” but a statement of “Why”.
However, in other cases, when you have the freedom to choose your own subject, you should create an original thesis. Pay attention to what was in the text. Ask yourself about the elements you were interested in, and see if you could respond.
For example, you analyse a short story, Désirée’s Baby. You could begin by asking:
“How is Armand’s character depicted?”
Your first response could be a summary of the surface level.
“Armand’s character is depicted as a strict and demanding master of his plantation”
You should build the response around a more complex and argued thesis argument, following the reading of the text and considering its narrative voice and structure.
What is a thesis statement in a literary analysis essay?
A literary analysis thesis statement is the argument you want to make about the text, significantly giving your essay a direction.
The title and introduction are the start of a literary analysis essay outline. You should write them efficiently to give your essay an excellent start, as they will drive the discussion further.
Your essay title should explicitly show the emphasis of the study. It normally includes the author’s name of the text that you study. You need to maintain it as straightforward and attractive as possible.
A typical approach to the title consists of using a quote from the text, a colon, and then the rest of the title.
For example, “To be, or not to be”: The Existential Dilemma in Shakespeare’s “Hamlet”
The introduction to a literary analysis essay should include the thesis statement and a summary of the essay.
An introduction begins with how you can respond with your understanding of the text, demonstrate how your study contradicts it, or talk about a particular component you want to focus on.
You should then finish off the introduction with a short indication of the body section of the essay. Here’s an example:
Shakespeare’s Hamlet explores profound existential questions, most famously in the soliloquy, “To be, or not to be”. While many interpret this as a thought of suicide, a closer reading reveals a deeper conflict between action and inaction in the face of life’s uncertainties. This essay examines how Hamlet’s existential dilemma reflects his paralysis and moral complexity, analysing key scenes to uncover the philosophical tensions at play.
What is the structure of a literary analysis essay?
A literary analysis essay has these sections:
1. An introduction
2. Body paragraphs
3. A conclusion
The body of your literary analysis essay includes everything from the start to the end. It includes the most significant arguments and supporting textual evidence. Here are the essential elements of body paragraphs:
A standard literary analysis essay consists of five paragraphs: the three main body paragraphs, an introduction, and a conclusion.
Each paragraph in the main body must focus on one topic. Always divide your essay into three major areas in the five-paragraph format. The same template can be used for longer essays.
For instance, you may have 2 or 3 parts of several paragraphs in your main body. If the main body consists of several paragraphs, you will want to ensure that each paragraph is neither too short nor too long. Every paragraph should address a specific and different aspect of the main argument.
How many paragraphs are there in a standard essay?
A standard essay consists of five paragraphs, including one introduction, three main body paragraphs, and a conclusion.
It is essential to use a thematic expression at the beginning of each paragraph to keep your points focused.
A robust subject phrase encourages a reader to see what the paragraph is all about at a glance. It can enter and link or contrast a new line of argument with the previous paragraph.
For seamless transitions, use transitional words such as “always”, “moreover”, “nevertheless”, and “however”.
An essential part of literary analysis is to support the claims with valid textual evidence, including clarifications and explanations for quotations from the text.
To make the quotation context crystal clear for the reader, it is essential to implement and interpret them correctly. There’s no need to use a quote every time.
Quoting is helpful when referring to the original author’s words, but you will also need to refer to plot points or narrative features that cannot be contained in a brief quotation. In such cases, paraphrasing or summarising the text is appropriate.
The last step is to write the essay conclusion. In this section, you should not use fresh quotes or claims. It’s just about completing the essay instead. Here, you should summarise the main points and strive to stress their importance to the reader.
A good approach is to outline the core points quickly and then emphasise the point that has led you to highlight the new viewpoint that your study gives on the entire text.
What are the essential steps to write a literary analysis essay?
1. Read the text and identify literary components
2. Write a literary analysis thesis statement
3. Adding a title and introduction to the essay
4. Writing the body paragraphs of the essay
5. Write the conclusion of the essay.
We make sure our essays are:
A summary retells the story, while a literary analysis interprets its deeper meaning, themes, and techniques.
The standard length of a literary analysis essay varies from 1000 to 1500 words.
To write a literary analysis essay, read the text and identify literary components, write a thesis statement, add a title and introduction, write the body paragraphs, and write the conclusion.
No. Neither first nor second, a literary analysis essay must be in the third-person narration.
Pick a claim that is specific, arguable, and supported by the text. Avoid vague statements like “This book is interesting”.
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