Writing a Literary Analysis

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Writing a Literary Analysis
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Terms to Know

• Concrete Detail (CD) stuff from the story the
  what can be quotation or paraphrase
• facts examples illustrations evidence
  support plot references citations What
  really happened in the story? play-by-play
  announcer

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Terms to Know

• Commentary (CM) stuff from your head
• - the so what?
• - words with feelings behind them
  that
• you can describe to me
• analysis interpretation a characters
  feelings opinion inference insight
  reasons color commentator

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Terms to Know

• Ratio the amount of CDCM in a body
  paragraph
• In English the ratio is 12

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One-Chunk Body Paragraph

• Sentence 1 -Topic Sentence TS
• Sentence 2 CD starts with For example
• Sentence 3 CM - (This shows that)
• Sentence 4 CM (This also show that This
  is because This is important because)
• Sentence5 concluding Sentence CS Sums it
• up and ties back to the
  thesis
• (As a result)

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Sample One Chunk Paragraph

• o (TS) In the book The Light in the Forest, by
  Conrad Richter, True Son is depicted as loyal and
  conflicted through what he says and through what
  others say about him. (CD)For example, when True
  Son is forced to abandon his Indian family and
  way of life he thinks Never would he go to this
  enemy land (18). (CM 1) Although True Son would
  be required to live with the whites, his loyalty
  to his Indian family is admirable. (CM 2) He
  clearly values his upbringing, notices the care
  that his Indian family provided for him and puts
  his allegiances there. (CS) These examples
  indicate True Sons loyal nature and conflicted
  mentality as he struggles to find his identity
  and place in the world.

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Two Chunk Paragraph

• Used when the concrete detail are closely related
  to avoid repetition.
• Has the basic of Topic Sentence at the beginning
  and a concluding Sentence at the end.
• Includes two CD, CM, CM, structures with a
  transition between.

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Sample 2-Chunk Paragraph

• Esperanza wants to have more power over her own
  life than the women around her seem to have. For
  example, when Esperanza is talking about her
  great-grandmother, she says, She looked out the
  window her whole life, the way so many women sit
  their sadness on an elbow I dont want to
  inherit her place by the window (11). Esperanza
  dislikes the fact that her grandmother did not do
  anything to improve her life. She does not want
  to follow in her grandmothers footsteps
  instead, she wants to be in charge of her own
  life. In addition, when Esperanza is talking
  about the woman in the movies who is beautiful
  and cruel, she says, She is the one who drives
  the men crazy and laughs them all away. Her
  power is her own (89). Esperanza wants to take
  her own path to happiness, and she hopes to be
  more like her than the women in the neighborhood.
  She wants to be independent and not let men
  control her life. Esperanza feels that the women
  around her are submissive and give up their power
  to men, and she wants to be different.

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Introduction

• Opening sentence STRONG!
• Draws the readers attention
• At least three or four sentences
• Thesis is usually stated at the end.

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Sample Introduction

• Bravery cannot exist where defense of the weak is
  easy. Often, in order to help others, a hero must
  be willing to act in ways that are scary. In
  Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, Harry
  risks much so that he can be a champion for the
  underdog.

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Introduction

• Hook Get readers attention
• Anecdote
• Startling Information
• All commentary
• Thesis Statement
• Must include the title of the book
• Must include the subject you are discussing
• Must show your opinion about an arguable topic

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Sample Thesis Statement

• The collectivist society of Anthem, by Ayn Rand,
  exhibited a grave loss of individuality and
  innovation among the inhabitants.

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Concluding Paragraph

• At least three sentences
• All are CM sentences which give your idea as an
  ending for the essay.

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Conclusion

• Reflects on what you said in the essay
• All commentary no concrete details
• Does NOT repeat thesis statement or introductory
  paragraph
• Should relate your knowledge of the subject
  matter to the world at large outside the book

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Sample Concluding Paragraph

• When faced with adversity, any of us can be a
  hero. When faced with someone who intimidates us,
  it would be to our benefit to look for creative
  solutions rather than running away. Each of us
  can stretch beyond our little boy programming
  to become a real man.