A literary analysis essay is a form of a writing task that every student needs to complete in school, college and other educational institutions.
The literary essay is a type of an essay that is based on the argumentative analysis of a piece of literature. The writer needs to examine the book, novel and their plots and characters. In this type of an essay, the writer should focus on the type/genre of the piece of literature, analysis of characters, analysis of main ideas, plot, theme reviewing and structure and/or writing style.
It is necessary to focus on the topic. Try to analyze the theme thoroughly. Collect facts, expressions, other evidence to make a reasonable conclusion in your analysis. Start with the outline – to understand the initial writing point. In the case of a well-formulated thesis – the essay will have a greater impact.
The essay should consist of the introduction, body part and the conclusion. The introduction is the first paragraph in the literary essay, It should be captive and engaging. The body part should include main statements, ideas with evidence which support them. The conclusion includes the restatement of your main thesis and conclusion.
A literary analysis focuses on one or some literary elements to convey the theme of the piece. The theme is expressed through symbolism, setting, imagery etc.
It is necessary to identify specific character attributes and specific symbolism. Identify one symbol and explain its evolution with 3 examples or add imagery using an adjective such as light imagery, grotesque imagery, hellish imager etc.
A well-written thesis includes an action verb, literary elements, a theme statement with a general truth or observation about life, people, the human condition. A bad thesis uses linking verbs, lacks literary elements, failure to say anything meaningful about the essay’s topic.
In general, the introduction should include a hook, transition sentences, summary of the story (3-5 sentences) and thesis. Hook statement is a universal statement about people or life. It is an interesting or little-known fact, a metaphor or simile, a story or analogy.
The thesis will include the following elements such as author’s name, story title, literary elements, action verb etc. A thesis for a literary analysis must be persuasive. A topic sentence must state the paragraph topic and support the thesis by including the author’s theme from the thesis.
The introduction sentence is the transition from the topic sentence to quote. It provides the context of quote and rationale for choosing the next quote. Integrate the quote into a sentence of your own with the story context.
Transitions within paragraphs appear three times, signal new quotes and/or points and connect ideas to create flow. Good transitions between sections unite body paragraphs to the one before it with a transition. An effective conclusion restates the thesis and summarizes each main point of the paper. It reflects on how the author developed the idea from the hook.