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• How to write a literary analysis essay | A step-by-step guide

How to Write a Literary Analysis Essay | A Step-by-Step Guide

Published on January 30, 2020 by Jack Caulfield . Revised on August 14, 2023.

Literary analysis means closely studying a text, interpreting its meanings, and exploring why the author made certain choices. It can be applied to novels, short stories, plays, poems, or any other form of literary writing.

A literary analysis essay is not a rhetorical analysis , nor is it just a summary of the plot or a book review. Instead, it is a type of argumentative essay where you need to analyze elements such as the language, perspective, and structure of the text, and explain how the author uses literary devices to create effects and convey ideas.

Before beginning a literary analysis essay, it’s essential to carefully read the text and c ome up with a thesis statement to keep your essay focused. As you write, follow the standard structure of an academic essay :

• An introduction that tells the reader what your essay will focus on.
• A main body, divided into paragraphs , that builds an argument using evidence from the text.
• A conclusion that clearly states the main point that you have shown with your analysis.

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Table of contents

Step 1: reading the text and identifying literary devices, step 2: coming up with a thesis, step 3: writing a title and introduction, step 4: writing the body of the essay, step 5: writing a conclusion, other interesting articles.

The first step is to carefully read the text(s) and take initial notes. As you read, pay attention to the things that are most intriguing, surprising, or even confusing in the writing—these are things you can dig into in your analysis.

Your goal in literary analysis is not simply to explain the events described in the text, but to analyze the writing itself and discuss how the text works on a deeper level. Primarily, you’re looking out for literary devices —textual elements that writers use to convey meaning and create effects. If you’re comparing and contrasting multiple texts, you can also look for connections between different texts.

To get started with your analysis, there are several key areas that you can focus on. As you analyze each aspect of the text, try to think about how they all relate to each other. You can use highlights or notes to keep track of important passages and quotes.

Language choices

Consider what style of language the author uses. Are the sentences short and simple or more complex and poetic?

What word choices stand out as interesting or unusual? Are words used figuratively to mean something other than their literal definition? Figurative language includes things like metaphor (e.g. “her eyes were oceans”) and simile (e.g. “her eyes were like oceans”).

Also keep an eye out for imagery in the text—recurring images that create a certain atmosphere or symbolize something important. Remember that language is used in literary texts to say more than it means on the surface.

Narrative voice

Ask yourself:

• Who is telling the story?
• How are they telling it?

Is it a first-person narrator (“I”) who is personally involved in the story, or a third-person narrator who tells us about the characters from a distance?

Consider the narrator’s perspective . Is the narrator omniscient (where they know everything about all the characters and events), or do they only have partial knowledge? Are they an unreliable narrator who we are not supposed to take at face value? Authors often hint that their narrator might be giving us a distorted or dishonest version of events.

The tone of the text is also worth considering. Is the story intended to be comic, tragic, or something else? Are usually serious topics treated as funny, or vice versa ? Is the story realistic or fantastical (or somewhere in between)?

Consider how the text is structured, and how the structure relates to the story being told.

• Novels are often divided into chapters and parts.
• Poems are divided into lines, stanzas, and sometime cantos.
• Plays are divided into scenes and acts.

Think about why the author chose to divide the different parts of the text in the way they did.

There are also less formal structural elements to take into account. Does the story unfold in chronological order, or does it jump back and forth in time? Does it begin in medias res —in the middle of the action? Does the plot advance towards a clearly defined climax?

With poetry, consider how the rhyme and meter shape your understanding of the text and your impression of the tone. Try reading the poem aloud to get a sense of this.

In a play, you might consider how relationships between characters are built up through different scenes, and how the setting relates to the action. Watch out for  dramatic irony , where the audience knows some detail that the characters don’t, creating a double meaning in their words, thoughts, or actions.

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Your thesis in a literary analysis essay is the point you want to make about the text. It’s the core argument that gives your essay direction and prevents it from just being a collection of random observations about a text.

If you’re given a prompt for your essay, your thesis must answer or relate to the prompt. For example:

Essay question example

Is Franz Kafka’s “Before the Law” a religious parable?

Your thesis statement should be an answer to this question—not a simple yes or no, but a statement of why this is or isn’t the case:

Thesis statement example

Franz Kafka’s “Before the Law” is not a religious parable, but a story about bureaucratic alienation.

Sometimes you’ll be given freedom to choose your own topic; in this case, you’ll have to come up with an original thesis. Consider what stood out to you in the text; ask yourself questions about the elements that interested you, and consider how you might answer them.

Your thesis should be something arguable—that is, something that you think is true about the text, but which is not a simple matter of fact. It must be complex enough to develop through evidence and arguments across the course of your essay.

Say you’re analyzing the novel Frankenstein . You could start by asking yourself:

Your initial answer might be a surface-level description:

The character Frankenstein is portrayed negatively in Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein .

However, this statement is too simple to be an interesting thesis. After reading the text and analyzing its narrative voice and structure, you can develop the answer into a more nuanced and arguable thesis statement:

Mary Shelley uses shifting narrative perspectives to portray Frankenstein in an increasingly negative light as the novel goes on. While he initially appears to be a naive but sympathetic idealist, after the creature’s narrative Frankenstein begins to resemble—even in his own telling—the thoughtlessly cruel figure the creature represents him as.

Remember that you can revise your thesis statement throughout the writing process , so it doesn’t need to be perfectly formulated at this stage. The aim is to keep you focused as you analyze the text.

Finding textual evidence

To support your thesis statement, your essay will build an argument using textual evidence —specific parts of the text that demonstrate your point. This evidence is quoted and analyzed throughout your essay to explain your argument to the reader.

It can be useful to comb through the text in search of relevant quotations before you start writing. You might not end up using everything you find, and you may have to return to the text for more evidence as you write, but collecting textual evidence from the beginning will help you to structure your arguments and assess whether they’re convincing.

To start your literary analysis paper, you’ll need two things: a good title, and an introduction.

Your title should clearly indicate what your analysis will focus on. It usually contains the name of the author and text(s) you’re analyzing. Keep it as concise and engaging as possible.

A common approach to the title is to use a relevant quote from the text, followed by a colon and then the rest of your title.

If you struggle to come up with a good title at first, don’t worry—this will be easier once you’ve begun writing the essay and have a better sense of your arguments.

“Fearful symmetry” : The violence of creation in William Blake’s “The Tyger”

The introduction

The essay introduction provides a quick overview of where your argument is going. It should include your thesis statement and a summary of the essay’s structure.

A typical structure for an introduction is to begin with a general statement about the text and author, using this to lead into your thesis statement. You might refer to a commonly held idea about the text and show how your thesis will contradict it, or zoom in on a particular device you intend to focus on.

Then you can end with a brief indication of what’s coming up in the main body of the essay. This is called signposting. It will be more elaborate in longer essays, but in a short five-paragraph essay structure, it shouldn’t be more than one sentence.

Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein is often read as a crude cautionary tale about the dangers of scientific advancement unrestrained by ethical considerations. In this reading, protagonist Victor Frankenstein is a stable representation of the callous ambition of modern science throughout the novel. This essay, however, argues that far from providing a stable image of the character, Shelley uses shifting narrative perspectives to portray Frankenstein in an increasingly negative light as the novel goes on. While he initially appears to be a naive but sympathetic idealist, after the creature’s narrative Frankenstein begins to resemble—even in his own telling—the thoughtlessly cruel figure the creature represents him as. This essay begins by exploring the positive portrayal of Frankenstein in the first volume, then moves on to the creature’s perception of him, and finally discusses the third volume’s narrative shift toward viewing Frankenstein as the creature views him.

Some students prefer to write the introduction later in the process, and it’s not a bad idea. After all, you’ll have a clearer idea of the overall shape of your arguments once you’ve begun writing them!

If you do write the introduction first, you should still return to it later to make sure it lines up with what you ended up writing, and edit as necessary.

The body of your essay is everything between the introduction and conclusion. It contains your arguments and the textual evidence that supports them.

Paragraph structure

A typical structure for a high school literary analysis essay consists of five paragraphs : the three paragraphs of the body, plus the introduction and conclusion.

Each paragraph in the main body should focus on one topic. In the five-paragraph model, try to divide your argument into three main areas of analysis, all linked to your thesis. Don’t try to include everything you can think of to say about the text—only analysis that drives your argument.

In longer essays, the same principle applies on a broader scale. For example, you might have two or three sections in your main body, each with multiple paragraphs. Within these sections, you still want to begin new paragraphs at logical moments—a turn in the argument or the introduction of a new idea.

Robert’s first encounter with Gil-Martin suggests something of his sinister power. Robert feels “a sort of invisible power that drew me towards him.” He identifies the moment of their meeting as “the beginning of a series of adventures which has puzzled myself, and will puzzle the world when I am no more in it” (p. 89). Gil-Martin’s “invisible power” seems to be at work even at this distance from the moment described; before continuing the story, Robert feels compelled to anticipate at length what readers will make of his narrative after his approaching death. With this interjection, Hogg emphasizes the fatal influence Gil-Martin exercises from his first appearance.

Topic sentences

To keep your points focused, it’s important to use a topic sentence at the beginning of each paragraph.

A good topic sentence allows a reader to see at a glance what the paragraph is about. It can introduce a new line of argument and connect or contrast it with the previous paragraph. Transition words like “however” or “moreover” are useful for creating smooth transitions:

… The story’s focus, therefore, is not upon the divine revelation that may be waiting beyond the door, but upon the mundane process of aging undergone by the man as he waits.

Nevertheless, the “radiance” that appears to stream from the door is typically treated as religious symbolism.

This topic sentence signals that the paragraph will address the question of religious symbolism, while the linking word “nevertheless” points out a contrast with the previous paragraph’s conclusion.

Using textual evidence

A key part of literary analysis is backing up your arguments with relevant evidence from the text. This involves introducing quotes from the text and explaining their significance to your point.

It’s important to contextualize quotes and explain why you’re using them; they should be properly introduced and analyzed, not treated as self-explanatory:

It isn’t always necessary to use a quote. Quoting is useful when you’re discussing the author’s language, but sometimes you’ll have to refer to plot points or structural elements that can’t be captured in a short quote.

In these cases, it’s more appropriate to paraphrase or summarize parts of the text—that is, to describe the relevant part in your own words:

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The conclusion of your analysis shouldn’t introduce any new quotations or arguments. Instead, it’s about wrapping up the essay. Here, you summarize your key points and try to emphasize their significance to the reader.

A good way to approach this is to briefly summarize your key arguments, and then stress the conclusion they’ve led you to, highlighting the new perspective your thesis provides on the text as a whole:

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By tracing the depiction of Frankenstein through the novel’s three volumes, I have demonstrated how the narrative structure shifts our perception of the character. While the Frankenstein of the first volume is depicted as having innocent intentions, the second and third volumes—first in the creature’s accusatory voice, and then in his own voice—increasingly undermine him, causing him to appear alternately ridiculous and vindictive. Far from the one-dimensional villain he is often taken to be, the character of Frankenstein is compelling because of the dynamic narrative frame in which he is placed. In this frame, Frankenstein’s narrative self-presentation responds to the images of him we see from others’ perspectives. This conclusion sheds new light on the novel, foregrounding Shelley’s unique layering of narrative perspectives and its importance for the depiction of character.

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How to Write a Literary Analysis Essay: An Insightful Guide

Welcome to the fascinating world of writing a literary analysis essay – where words come alive, stories unravel, and your insights take center stage. Have you ever wondered how to decode the deeper meanings of your favorite books or express your thoughts in a way that captivates your reader? Well, you're in the right place. In this article, we're diving headfirst into essays writing, breaking down the complexities, and showing you how to craft an essay that not only impresses your teacher but also makes you appreciate literature in a whole new light.

What Is Literary Analysis Essay

According to a literary analysis essay definition, it is a written examination and interpretation of a literary work, typically dissecting its elements such as plot, characters, themes, and symbolism. Going beyond summarization, this type of essay delves into the intricacies of a text, aiming to uncover deeper meanings, explore the author's intentions, and critically evaluate the literary techniques employed. It requires the writer to engage in thoughtful analysis, supported by evidence from the text, to unveil the layers of significance within the work. Through this process, the essay not only offers a nuanced understanding of the literature but also encourages readers to appreciate the artistry and complexity inherent in written narratives. Those students who are not ready to work on such an assignment can simply say, ‘ write my papers ,’ and our experts will handle the task shortly. 

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What Is the Purpose of a Literary Analysis Essay

The purpose of a literary analysis essay is to delve deeply into a literary work, examining its various elements and uncovering layers of meaning beyond the surface narrative. Through critical analysis and interpretation, this type of essay aims to illuminate the themes, characters, settings, and literary devices employed by the author, offering insights into their intentions and the broader significance of the text. By dissecting the nuances of the work, a literary analysis encourages readers to engage with literature on a deeper level, fostering a richer understanding of the human experience, societal issues, and the complexities of language and storytelling. Ultimately, the essay serves as a platform for readers to explore and appreciate the artistry and impact of literature while honing their analytical and critical thinking skills. When you have time, study our guide regarding how to write an analytical essay , which will shed light on more important academic writing aspects.

Literary Analysis Outline

Here's a basic outline for this type of essay:

Introduction

• Hook: Engage the reader with a compelling quote, question, or anecdote related to the literary work.
• Background Information: Provide relevant information about the author, the title, and the context of the work.
• Thesis Statement: Clearly state the main point or argument of your analysis.

Body Paragraph 1: Analysis of the Plot

• Provide a brief summary of the plot.
• Analyze key events, plot twists, and their significance.
• Discuss the structure of the narrative and how it contributes to the overall theme.

Body Paragraph 2: Character Analysis

• Introduce and describe the main characters.
• Analyze their traits, motivations, and relationships.
• Discuss how the characters contribute to the development of the story.

Body Paragraph 3: Theme Exploration

• Identify and discuss the major themes in the literary work.
• Provide examples and evidence from the text to support your analysis.
• Explore the deeper meanings and messages conveyed through the themes.

Body Paragraph 4: Literary Devices and Techniques

• Identify and analyze literary devices such as symbolism, imagery, metaphors, and foreshadowing.
• Discuss how these elements enhance the overall impact of the work.
• Summarize the main points discussed in the body paragraphs.
• Restate the thesis in a fresh way.
• Offer final insights or reflections on the literary work's significance and enduring relevance.

Optional: Additional Considerations

• Discuss the cultural or historical context that may influence the interpretation of the work.
• Address any alternative perspectives or counterarguments.
• Offer recommendations for further reading or exploration related to the literary work.

We recommend analyzing this article about how to start a reflection paper to gain extra competence in the domain of school and college writing.

Literary Analysis Essay Topics

Before you commence the assignment, it’s important to find a great topic. For your inspiration, our writers shared 20 literary analysis essay ideas that you can develop in a written form within the framework of your current task.

• Symbolism in "The Great Gatsby."
• Character development in "Hamlet."
• Themes in "To Kill a Mockingbird."
• The significance of the southern setting in "The Sound and the Fury."
• Foreshadowing in "Of Mice and Men."
• Point of view in "The Catcher in the Rye."
• Irony in "Othello."
• Social class in "Pride and Prejudice."
• The motif of light and dark in "Romeo and Juliet."
• Archetypes in "The Hero’s Journey" in "The Hobbit."
• The tragic flaw of Macbeth in "Macbeth."
• The use of nature imagery in "Wuthering Heights."
• The symbolism of the green light in "The Great Gatsby."
• The role of technology in "Fahrenheit 451."
• Character motivations in "The Scarlet Letter."
• The exploration of identity in "The Invisible Man."
• The impact of war on characters in "All Quiet on the Western Front."
• The role of dreams in "A Raisin in the Sun."
• The representation of women in "Jane Eyre."
• The symbolism of the mockingbird in "To Kill a Mockingbird."

How to Write a Literary Analysis Essay Step by Step

In this section, we're ditching the jargon and breaking down the process into simple, actionable steps. Whether you're a wordsmith in the making or someone feeling a bit lost in the world of dissecting literature, we've got your back. Think of this as your roadmap, helping you navigate through characters, themes, and all the juicy stuff that makes a story tick. So, grab your metaphorical magnifying glass and let's dive into the art of making sense of written words without the unnecessary fuss!

Step 1: Choose Your Text and Topic

Before actually writing a literary analysis essay, select a literary work that piques your interest or aligns with your academic requirements. Whether it's a novel, play, or poem, opt for a piece that offers rich content for analysis. Once you've chosen your text, narrow down a specific topic or theme within it that you find compelling. This initial step sets the stage for a focused and meaningful exploration. Use our analytical essay writing service to gain the upper hand when tackling this assignment.

Step 2: Create a Strong Thesis Statement

Write a clear and concise literary analysis essay introduction with a thesis statement that outlines the main argument or interpretation you'll be presenting in your essay. This statement should encapsulate your perspective on the chosen topic, providing a roadmap for both you and your readers. A well-defined thesis serves as the backbone of your literary analysis, guiding your analysis and ensuring a cohesive and purposeful essay. In this guide on how to write an essay introduction , you will find more information on this matter.

Step 3: Conduct Textual Analysis

Delve into the chosen literary work and conduct a thorough textual analysis. Pay attention to key elements such as characters, plot, setting, and literary devices employed by the author. Extract relevant quotes and passages that support your thesis, and consider how each element contributes to the overall meaning of the work. By the way, are you working on your capstone or dissertation at the moment? If yes, try our thesis writing services , which is especially helpful for students dealing with long-format scholarly documents.

Step 4: Set the Stage with Context

Establish the context of your literary analysis essay by providing relevant background information on the chosen work. Briefly introduce the author, the time period, and any significant historical or cultural factors that may impact the interpretation of the text. Creating this contextual framework helps orient your readers and prepares them for the nuanced exploration that follows. By offering a snapshot of the broader landscape in which the literary work exists, you set the stage for a more informed and insightful analysis.

Step 5: Construct Analytical Body Paragraphs

Organize your analysis into well-structured body paragraphs. Each paragraph should focus on a specific aspect of your thesis, supported by evidence from the text. Analyze characters, themes, and literary devices individually, connecting each point back to your overarching argument. Use clear and concise language to convey your insights and interpretations effectively.

Step 6: Craft a Thoughtful Conclusion

Summarize your main points, restate your thesis in a new light, and offer final insights in a thoughtful conclusion. Avoid introducing new information in this section but rather emphasize the significance of your analysis and its broader implications. A well-written conclusion leaves a lasting impression and reinforces the value of your literary interpretation. At this point, you have everything you need to become a student who knows how to write a literary analysis essay from A to Z.

Literary Analysis Essay Do’s and Don’ts

• Develop a clear thesis statement.
• Use evidence from the text to support your analysis.
• Organize your essay logically with coherent paragraphs.
• Focus on specific elements like characters, themes, and literary devices.
• Engage with the text critically, questioning and probing meanings.
• Don't summarize the plot extensively; focus on analysis.
• Avoid vague or generic statements without supporting evidence.
• Don't introduce new ideas in the conclusion. Stick to summarizing.
• Avoid excessive quoting; provide brief, relevant excerpts.
• Don't rush; take the time to revise and edit for clarity.

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Literary Analysis Essay Writing Tips

Get ready to up your academic writing game! This section is packed with straightforward tips to help you sharpen your skills. Whether you're a senior year student or just a freshman, we've got you covered. From digging into themes to writing insightful interpretations, our tips are here to make your literary analyses shine. Let's dive in and boost your writing skills!

Maintain Consistent Tone and Style

• Keep a consistent tone throughout your essay, aligning with the formality or informality required. Ensure that your writing style complements the nature of your analysis, creating a cohesive and engaging reading experience for your audience.

Focus on Analysis, Not Summary

• Avoid lengthy plot summaries. Instead, delve into the 'why' and 'how' aspects of the text – analyzing characters, themes, and literary devices to uncover deeper meanings.

Provide Textual Evidence

• Support your analysis with concrete examples from the text. This strengthens your argument and demonstrates a close engagement with the literary work.

Organize Coherently

• Structure your essay logically with well-organized paragraphs. Each paragraph should explore a specific aspect of your analysis, contributing to the overall understanding of your thesis.

Critical Engagement

• Approach the text with a critical mindset. Question the author's choices, explore alternative interpretations, and analyze the implications of various literary elements.

Concise and Clear Language

• Express your ideas using clear and concise language. Avoid unnecessary jargon, and ensure that your analysis is easily understandable by a broader audience.

Revise and Edit

• Take the time to revise your essay for clarity and coherence. Check for grammar and spelling errors, and ensure that each paragraph contributes meaningfully to your overall analysis.

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Literary Analysis Essay Example

Students might find a literary analysis essay example invaluable for several reasons. Firstly, it provides a practical demonstration of the theoretical concepts they learn in class, offering a tangible model of how to analyze and interpret literary elements effectively. Additionally, examples serve as templates, offering insights into the proper structure and organization of an essay. They help students grasp the application of critical thinking skills, showcasing how to dissect a text, identify themes, and support arguments with textual evidence.

Example 1: The Symbolism of Light and Darkness in Joseph Conrad's "Heart of Darkness"

This literary analysis of Joseph Conrad's "Heart of Darkness" explores the pervasive symbolism of light and darkness throughout the novel. Examining the journey of the protagonist, Marlow, and the character of Kurtz, the essay delves into the metaphorical implications of light and darkness as they represent moral ambiguity, the corrupting influence of power, and the ironic consequences of European imperialism.

Example 2: The Complex Portrait of Identity in Jhumpa Lahiri's "The Namesake"

This literary analysis of Jhumpa Lahiri's "The Namesake" explores the intricate layers of identity depicted in the novel, focusing on the protagonist Gogol Ganguli's navigation through the complexities of cultural assimilation and the immigrant experience. The essay delves into the symbolic significance of Gogol's name as a representation of the clash between his Bengali heritage and the American environment, examining the tension between tradition and modernity. 

Final Thought

To sum it up, getting the hang of how to write a literary analysis essay is an experience that benefits both new and experienced writers. Throughout this guide, we've tried to simplify the process, offering practical insights and tips. Analyzing literature isn't just an academic exercise – it's a way to dive deeper into the richness of written expression. Now armed with these tools, you're not only prepared to analyze literature effectively but also to bring your unique perspectives to the ongoing discussion about the stories we encounter. Happy writing!

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What Is the Purpose of a Literary Analysis Essay?

What is literary analysis essay, how to start a literary analysis essay.

is an expert in nursing and healthcare, with a strong background in history, law, and literature. Holding advanced degrees in nursing and public health, his analytical approach and comprehensive knowledge help students navigate complex topics. On EssayPro blog, Adam provides insightful articles on everything from historical analysis to the intricacies of healthcare policies. In his downtime, he enjoys historical documentaries and volunteering at local clinics.

Literary Analysis Essay

Literary Analysis Essay Writing

Last updated on: May 21, 2023

Literary Analysis Essay - Ultimate Guide By Professionals

By: Cordon J.

Reviewed By: Rylee W.

Published on: Dec 3, 2019

A literary analysis essay specifically examines and evaluates a piece of literature or a literary work. It also understands and explains the links between the small parts to their whole information.

It is important for students to understand the meaning and the true essence of literature to write a literary essay.

One of the most difficult assignments for students is writing a literary analysis essay. It can be hard to come up with an original idea or find enough material to write about. You might think you need years of experience in order to create a good paper, but that's not true.

This blog post will show you how easy it can be when you follow the steps given here.Writing such an essay involves the breakdown of a book into small parts and understanding each part separately. It seems easy, right?

Trust us, it is not as hard as good book reports but it may also not be extremely easy. You will have to take into account different approaches and explain them in relation with the chosen literary work.

It is a common high school and college assignment and you can learn everything in this blog.

Continue reading for some useful tips with an example to write a literary analysis essay that will be on point. You can also explore our detailed article on writing an analytical essay .

On this Page

What is a Literary Analysis Essay?

A literary analysis essay is an important kind of essay that focuses on the detailed analysis of the work of literature.

The purpose of a literary analysis essay is to explain why the author has used a specific theme for his work. Or examine the characters, themes, literary devices , figurative language, and settings in the story.

This type of essay encourages students to think about how the book or the short story has been written. And why the author has created this work.

The method used in the literary analysis essay differs from other types of essays. It primarily focuses on the type of work and literature that is being analyzed.

Mostly, you will be going to break down the work into various parts. In order to develop a better understanding of the idea being discussed, each part will be discussed separately.

The essay should explain the choices of the author and point of view along with your answers and personal analysis.

How To Write A Literary Analysis Essay

So how to start a literary analysis essay? The answer to this question is quite simple.

The following sections are required to write an effective literary analysis essay. By following the guidelines given in the following sections, you will be able to craft a winning literary analysis essay.

Introduction

The aim of the introduction is to establish a context for readers. You have to give a brief on the background of the selected topic.

It should contain the name of the author of the literary work along with its title. The introduction should be effective enough to grab the reader’s attention.

In the body section, you have to retell the story that the writer has narrated. It is a good idea to create a summary as it is one of the important tips of literary analysis.

Other than that, you are required to develop ideas and disclose the observed information related to the issue. The ideal length of the body section is around 1000 words.

To write the body section, your observation should be based on evidence and your own style of writing.

It would be great if the body of your essay is divided into three paragraphs. Make a strong argument with facts related to the thesis statement in all of the paragraphs in the body section.

Start writing each paragraph with a topic sentence and use transition words when moving to the next paragraph.

Summarize the important points of your literary analysis essay in this section. It is important to compose a short and strong conclusion to help you make a final impression of your essay.

Pay attention that this section does not contain any new information. It should provide a sense of completion by restating the main idea with a short description of your arguments. End the conclusion with your supporting details.

You have to explain why the book is important. Also, elaborate on the means that the authors used to convey her/his opinion regarding the issue.

For further understanding, here is a downloadable literary analysis essay outline. This outline will help you structure and format your essay properly and earn an A easily.

DOWNLOADABLE LITERARY ANALYSIS ESSAY OUTLINE (PDF)

Types of Literary Analysis Essay

• Close reading - This method involves attentive reading and detailed analysis. No need for a lot of knowledge and inspiration to write an essay that shows your creative skills.
• Theoretical - In this type, you will rely on theories related to the selected topic.
• Historical - This type of essay concerns the discipline of history. Sometimes historical analysis is required to explain events in detail.
• Applied - This type involves analysis of a specific issue from a practical perspective.
• Comparative - This type of writing is based on when two or more alternatives are compared

Examples of Literary Analysis Essay

Examples are great to understand any concept, especially if it is related to writing. Below are some great literary analysis essay examples that showcase how this type of essay is written.

A ROSE FOR EMILY LITERARY ANALYSIS ESSAY

TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD LITERARY ANALYSIS ESSAY

THE GREAT GATSBY LITERARY ANALYSIS ESSAY

THE YELLOW WALLPAPER LITERARY ANALYSIS ESSAY

If you do not have experience in writing essays, this will be a very chaotic process for you. In that case, it is very important for you to conduct good research on the topic before writing.

There are two important points that you should keep in mind when writing a literary analysis essay.

First, remember that it is very important to select a topic in which you are interested. Choose something that really inspires you. This will help you to catch the attention of a reader.

The selected topic should reflect the main idea of writing. In addition to that, it should also express your point of view as well.

Another important thing is to draft a good outline for your literary analysis essay. It will help you to define a central point and division of this into parts for further discussion.

Literary Analysis Essay Topics

Literary analysis essays are mostly based on artistic works like books, movies, paintings, and other forms of art. However, generally, students choose novels and books to write their literary essays.

Some cool, fresh, and good topics and ideas are listed below:

• Role of the Three Witches in flaming Macbeth’s ambition.
• Analyze the themes of the Play Antigone,
• Discuss Ajax as a tragic hero.
• The Judgement of Paris: Analyze the Reasons and their Consequences.
• Oedipus Rex: A Doomed Son or a Conqueror?
• Describe the Oedipus complex and Electra complex in relation to their respective myths.
• Betrayal is a common theme of Shakespearean tragedies. Discuss
• Identify and analyze the traits of history in T.S Eliot’s ‘Gerontion’.
• Analyze the theme of identity crisis in The Great Gatsby.
• Analyze the writing style of Emily Dickinson.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What should a literary analysis essay include.

A good literary analysis essay must include a proper and in-depth explanation of your ideas. They must be backed with examples and evidence from the text. Textual evidence includes summaries, paraphrased text, original work details, and direct quotes.

What are the 4 components of literary analysis?

Here are the 4 essential parts of a literary analysis essay;

No literary work is explained properly without discussing and explaining these 4 things.

How do you start a literary analysis essay?

Start your literary analysis essay with the name of the work and the title. Hook your readers by introducing the main ideas that you will discuss in your essay and engage them from the start.

How do you do a literary analysis?

In a literary analysis essay, you study the text closely, understand and interpret its meanings. And try to find out the reasons behind why the author has used certain symbols, themes, and objects in the work.

Why is literary analysis important?

It encourages the students to think beyond their existing knowledge, experiences, and belief and build empathy. This helps in improving the writing skills also.

What is the fundamental characteristic of a literary analysis essay?

Interpretation is the fundamental and important feature of a literary analysis essay. The essay is based on how well the writer explains and interprets the work.

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Cordon. is a published author and writing specialist. He has worked in the publishing industry for many years, providing writing services and digital content. His own writing career began with a focus on literature and linguistics, which he continues to pursue. Cordon is an engaging and professional individual, always looking to help others achieve their goals.

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Literary Analysis Essay

Literary Analysis Essay - Step by Step Guide

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Published on: Aug 16, 2020

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Literary Analysis Essay Outline Guide with Examples

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Literature is an art that can inspire, challenge, and transform us. But how do we analyze literature in a way that truly captures its essence? 

That's where a literary analysis essay comes in. 

Writing a literary analysis essay allows you to delve into the themes, characters, and symbols of a literary work. It's a chance to engage with literature on a deeper level and to discover new insights. 

In this comprehensive guide, we will take you through the process of writing a literary analysis essay, step by step. Plus, you’ll get to read some great examples to help you out!

So let’s dive in!

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What is a Literary Analysis Essay?

Literary analysis is a process of examining a literary work in detail to uncover its meaning and significance. 

It involves breaking down the various elements of a work, such as plot, character, setting, and theme. And then analyzing how they work together to create a specific effect on the reader.

In other words, literary analysis is an exercise in interpretation. The reader of a work asks questions about what the author means to say, how they are saying it, and why. 

A literary analysis essay is an essay where you explore such questions in depth and offer your own insights.

What is the Purpose of a Literary Analysis Essay?

In general, the purpose of a literary analysis essay is as follows: 

• To gain a greater understanding and appreciation of the work.
• To be able to think critically and analytically about a text. 

Content of a Literary Analysis 

A literary analysis essay delves deep into the various aspects of a literary work to examine its meaning, symbolism, themes, and more. Here are the key elements to include in your literary analysis essay:

Plot Analysis 

Plot refers to the sequence of events that make up the storyline of a literary work. It encompasses the main events, conflicts, and resolutions that drive the narrative forward. 

Elements of Plot Analysis 

The elements of a plot typically include:

• Exposition: The introduction of the story that establishes the setting, characters, and initial circumstances.
• Rising action: A set of events or actions that sets the main conflict into motion, often occurring early in the story.
• Conflict: The series of events that build tension and develop the conflict, leading to the story's climax.
• Climax: The turning point of the story, where the conflict reaches its peak and the outcome hangs in the balance.
• Falling Action: The events that occur after the climax, leading towards the resolution of the conflict.
• Resolution: The point in the story where the conflict is resolved, providing closure to the narrative.

Character Analysis 

Character analysis involves studying the role, development, and motivations of the characters in a literary work. It explores how characters contribute to the overall narrative and themes of the story.

Elements of Character Analysis 

• Identification of major and minor characters.
• Examination of their traits, behaviors, and relationships.
• Analysis of character development and changes throughout the story.
• Evaluation of the character's role in advancing the plot or conveying themes.

Symbolism and Imagery Analysis 

Symbolism and imagery analysis focuses on the use of symbols, objects, or images in a work. It analyzes and explores the use of literary devices to convey deeper meanings and evoke emotions. 

Elements of Symbolism and Imagery Analysis 

• Identification of key symbols or recurring motifs.
• Interpretation of their symbolic significance.
• Analysis of how imagery is used to create vivid mental pictures and enhance the reader's understanding and emotional experience.

Theme Analysis 

Analyzing the theme involves exploring the central ideas or messages conveyed in a literary work. It examines the underlying concepts, or messages that the author wants to convey through the story.

Elements of Theme Analysis 

• Identification of the main themes or central ideas explored in the text.
• Analysis of how the themes are developed and reinforced throughout the story.
• Exploration of the author's perspective and the intended message behind the themes.

Setting Analysis 

The Setting of a story includes the time, place, and social context in which the story takes place. Analyzing the setting involves how the setting influences the characters, plot, and overall atmosphere of the work.

Elements of Setting Analysis 

• Description and analysis of the physical, cultural, and historical aspects of the setting.
• Examination of how the setting contributes to the mood, atmosphere, and themes of the work.
• Evaluation of how the setting shapes the characters' actions and motivations.

Structure and Style Analysis 

Structure and style analysis involves studying the organization, narrative techniques, and literary devices employed by the author. It explores how the structure and style contribute to the overall impact and effectiveness of the work.

Elements of Structure and Style Analysis 

• Analysis of the narrative structure, such as the use of flashbacks, nonlinear timelines, or multiple perspectives.
• Examination of the author's writing style, including the use of language, tone, and figurative language.
• Evaluation of literary devices, such as foreshadowing, irony, or allusion, and their impact on the reader's interpretation.

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How to Write a Literary Analysis Essay?  

Writing a great literary analysis piece requires you to follow certain steps. Here's what you need to do to write a literary essay:

Preparing for Your Essay 

The pre-writing process for writing a literary analysis essay includes the following:

• Choosing a literary work to analyze
• Reading and analyzing the work
• Taking notes and organizing your thoughts
• Creating an outline for your essay

Choosing a Work to Analyze 

As a student, you would most probably be assigned a literary piece to analyze. It could be a short story, a novel, or a poem.  However, sometimes you get to choose it yourself.

In such a case, you should choose a work that you find interesting and engaging. This will make it easier to stay motivated as you analyze the work and write your essay.

Moreover, you should choose a work that has some depth and complexity. This will give you plenty of material to analyze and discuss in your essay. Finally, make sure that your choice fits within the scope of the assignment and meets the expectations of your instructor.

Reading and Analyzing 

Once you've chosen a literary work, it's time to read the work with careful attention. There are several key elements to consider when reading and analyzing a literary work:

• Plot - The sequence of events that make up the story. Analyzing the plot involves examining the structure of the story, including its exposition, rising action, climax, falling action, and resolution.
• Characters - The people or entities that populate the story. Analyzing characters involves examining their motivations, personalities, relationships, and development over the course of the story.

Want to learn more about character analysis? Head to our blog about how to conduct character analysis and learn easy steps with examples.

• Setting - The time, place, and environment in which the story takes place. Analyzing the setting involves examining how the atmosphere contributes to the story's overall meaning.
• Theme - The underlying message or meaning of the story. Analyzing themes involves examining the work's central ideas and how they are expressed through the various elements of the story.

Moreover, it's important to consider the following questions while analyzing:

• What is the central theme or main point the author is trying to make?
• What literary devices and techniques has the author used?
• Why did the author choose to write this particular work?
• What themes and ideas are present in the work?

These questions will help you dive deeper into the work you are writing about.

Take Notes and Gather Material 

As you read and analyze the literary work, it's important to take notes so you don't forget important details and ideas. This also helps you identify patterns and connections between different elements of the piece.

One effective way to take notes is to list important elements of the work, such as characters, setting, and theme. You can also use sticky notes, highlighters, or annotations to mark important passages and write down your ideas.

Writing Your Literary Analysis Essay 

Once you have read a piece of literature and taken notes, you have all the material you need to write an essay. Follow the simple steps below to write an effective literary analysis essay.

Create an Outline for Your Essay 

Firstly, creating an outline is necessary. This will help you to organize your thoughts and ideas and ensure that your essay flows logically and coherently.

This is what your literary essay outline would look like: 

Writing the Introduction 

Writing your essay introduction involves the three following parts:

• Begin the introductory paragraph with an engaging hook statement that captures the readers' attention. An effective hook statement can take many different forms, such as a provocative quote, an intriguing question, or a surprising fact. 

Make sure that your hook statement is relevant to the literary work you are writing about. Here are a few examples of effective hooks:

• Afterward, present the necessary background information and context about the literary work. For instance, 
• Talk about the author of the work or when and where it was written. 
• Give an overview of the work or why it is significant. 
• Provide readers with sufficient context so they can know what the work is generally about.
• Finally, end the introduction with a clear thesis statement . Your thesis statement should be a concise statement that clearly states the argument you will be making in your essay. It should be specific and debatable, and it should provide a roadmap for the rest of your essay.

For example, a thesis statement for an essay on "Hamlet" might be: 

Watch this video to learn more about writing an introduction for a literary analysis essay:

Writing the Body 

Here are the steps to follow when writing a body paragraph for a literary analysis essay:

• Start with a topic sentence: 

The topic sentence should introduce the main point or argument you will be making in the paragraph. It should be clear and concise and should indicate what the paragraph is about.

• Provide evidence: 

After you have introduced your main point, provide evidence from the text to support your analysis. This could include quotes, paraphrases, or summaries of the text.

• Explain and discuss the evidence:

Explain how the evidence supports your main point or argument or how it connects back to your thesis statement.

• Conclude the paragraph: 

End the paragraph by relating your main point to the thesis and discussing its significance. You should also use transitions to connect the paragraph to your next point or argument.

Writing the Conclusion 

The conclusion of a literary analysis essay provides closure to your analysis and reinforces your thesis statement. Here's what a conclusion includes:

• Restate your thesis statement: 

Start by restating your thesis statement in a slightly different way than in your introduction. This will remind the reader of the argument you made and the evidence you provided to support it.

• Summarize your main points: 

Briefly summarize the main points you made in your essay's body paragraphs. This will help tie everything together and provide closure to your analysis.

• Personal reflections:

The conclusion is the best place to provide some personal reflections on the literary piece. You can also explain connections between your analysis and the larger context. This could include connections to other literary works, your personal life, historical events, or contemporary issues.

• End with a strong statement: 

End your conclusion with a strong statement that leaves a lasting impression on the reader. This could be a thought-provoking question, a call to action, or a final insight into the significance of your analysis.

Finalizing your Essay

You've completed the first draft of your literary analysis essay. Congratulations!

However, it's not over just yet. You need some time to polish and improve the essay before it can be submitted. Here's what you need to do:

Proofread and Revise your Essay 

After completing your draft, you should proofread your essay. You should look out for the following aspects:

• Check for clarity: 

Make sure that your ideas are expressed clearly and logically. You should also take a look at your structure and organization. Rearrange your arguments if necessary to make them clearer.

• Check for grammar and spelling errors: 

Use spelling and grammar check tools online to identify and correct any basic errors in your essay. 

• Verify factual information:

You must have included information about the work or from within the work in your essay. Recheck and verify that it is correct and verifiable. 

• Check your formatting: 

Make sure that your essay is properly formatted according to the guidelines provided by your instructor. This includes requirements for font size, margins, spacing, and citation style.

Helpful Tips for Revising a Literary Essay 

Here are some tips below that can help you proofread and revise your essay better:

• Read your essay out loud:

Reading your essay out loud makes it easier to identify awkward phrasing, repetitive language, and other issues.

• Take a break: 

It can be helpful to step away from your essay for a little while before starting the editing process. This can help you approach your essay with fresh eyes and a clearer perspective.

• Be concise:

Remove any unnecessary words or phrases that do not add to your argument. This can help to make your essay more focused and effective.

• Let someone else proofread and get feedback: 

You could ask a friend or a teacher to read your essay and provide feedback. This way, you can get some valuable insights on what you could include or catch mistakes that you might have missed.

Literary Analysis Essay Examples 

Reading a few good examples helps to understand literary analysis essays better. So check out these examples below and read them to see what a well-written essay looks like. 

How to Write a Literary Analysis Essay

Literary Analysis Essay Example

Sample Literary Analysis Essay

Lord of the Rings Literary Analysis

The Great Gatsby Literary Analysis

Literary Analysis Example for 8th Grade

Literary Analysis Essay Topics 

Need a topic for your literary analysis essay? You can pick any aspect of any work of literature you like. Here are some example topics that will help you get inspired:

• The use of symbolism in "The Great Gatsby" by F. Scott Fitzgerald.
• The theme of isolation in "The Catcher in the Rye" by J.D. Salinger.
• The portrayal of social class in "Pride and Prejudice" by Jane Austen.
• The use of magical realism in "One Hundred Years of Solitude" by Gabriel Garcia Marquez.
• The role of women in "The Handmaid's Tale" by Margaret Atwood.
• The use of foreshadowing in "Lord of the Flies" by William Golding.
• The portrayal of race and identity in "Invisible Man" by Ralph Ellison.
• The use of imagery in "The Road" by Cormac McCarthy.
• The theme of forgiveness in "The Kite Runner" by Khaled Hosseini.
• The use of allegory in "Animal Farm" by George Orwell.

To conclude,

Writing a literary analysis essay can be a rewarding experience for any student or writer, But it's not easy. However, by following the steps you learned in this guide, you can successfully produce a well-written literary analysis essay. 

Also, you have got some examples of essays to read and topic ideas to get creative inspiration. With these resources, you have all you need to craft an engaging piece. So don't hesitate to start writing your essay and come back to this blog whenever you need.

The deadline is approaching, but you don't have time to write your essay? No worries! Our analytical essay writing service is here to help you out!

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Frequently Asked Questions

What are the 4 components of literary analysis.

The four main components of literary analysis are: 

• Conflict 
• Characters 
• Setting 

What is the fundamental characteristic of a literary analysis essay?

Interpretive is the fundamental characteristic of a literary analysis essay. 

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Introduction

You’ve been assigned a literary analysis paper—what does that even mean? Is it like a book report that you used to write in high school? Well, not really.

A literary analysis essay asks you to make an original argument about a poem, play, or work of fiction and support that argument with research and evidence from your careful reading of the text.

It can take many forms, such as a close reading of a text, critiquing the text through a particular literary theory, comparing one text to another, or criticizing another critic’s interpretation of the text. While there are many ways to structure a literary essay, writing this kind of essay follows generally follows a similar process for everyone

Crafting a good literary analysis essay begins with good close reading of the text, in which you have kept notes and observations as you read. This will help you with the first step, which is selecting a topic to write about—what jumped out as you read, what are you genuinely interested in? The next step is to focus your topic, developing it into an argument—why is this subject or observation important? Why should your reader care about it as much as you do? The third step is to gather evidence to support your argument, for literary analysis, support comes in the form of evidence from the text and from your research on what other literary critics have said about your topic. Only after you have performed these steps, are you ready to begin actually writing your essay.

Writing a Literary Analysis Essay

How to create a topic and conduct research:.

Writing an Analysis of a Poem, Story, or Play

If you are taking a literature course, it is important that you know how to write an analysis—sometimes called an interpretation or a literary analysis or a critical reading or a critical analysis—of a story, a poem, and a play. Your instructor will probably assign such an analysis as part of the course assessment. On your mid-term or final exam, you might have to write an analysis of one or more of the poems and/or stories on your reading list. Or the dreaded “sight poem or story” might appear on an exam, a work that is not on the reading list, that you have not read before, but one your instructor includes on the exam to examine your ability to apply the active reading skills you have learned in class to produce, independently, an effective literary analysis.You might be asked to write instead or, or in addition to an analysis of a literary work, a more sophisticated essay in which you compare and contrast the protagonists of two stories, or the use of form and metaphor in two poems, or the tragic heroes in two plays.

You might learn some literary theory in your course and be asked to apply theory—feminist, Marxist, reader-response, psychoanalytic, new historicist, for example—to one or more of the works on your reading list. But the seminal assignment in a literature course is the analysis of the single poem, story, novel, or play, and, even if you do not have to complete this assignment specifically, it will form the basis of most of the other writing assignments you will be required to undertake in your literature class. There are several ways of structuring a literary analysis, and your instructor might issue specific instructions on how he or she wants this assignment done. The method presented here might not be identical to the one your instructor wants you to follow, but it will be easy enough to modify, if your instructor expects something a bit different, and it is a good default method, if your instructor does not issue more specific guidelines.You want to begin your analysis with a paragraph that provides the context of the work you are analyzing and a brief account of what you believe to be the poem or story or play’s main theme. At a minimum, your account of the work’s context will include the name of the author, the title of the work, its genre, and the date and place of publication. If there is an important biographical or historical context to the work, you should include that, as well.Try to express the work’s theme in one or two sentences. Theme, you will recall, is that insight into human experience the author offers to readers, usually revealed as the content, the drama, the plot of the poem, story, or play unfolds and the characters interact. Assessing theme can be a complex task. Authors usually show the theme; they don’t tell it. They rarely say, at the end of the story, words to this effect: “and the moral of my story is…” They tell their story, develop their characters, provide some kind of conflict—and from all of this theme emerges. Because identifying theme can be challenging and subjective, it is often a good idea to work through the rest of the analysis, then return to the beginning and assess theme in light of your analysis of the work’s other literary elements.Here is a good example of an introductory paragraph from Ben’s analysis of William Butler Yeats’ poem, “Among School Children.”

“Among School Children” was published in Yeats’ 1928 collection of poems The Tower. It was inspired by a visit Yeats made in 1926 to school in Waterford, an official visit in his capacity as a senator of the Irish Free State. In the course of the tour, Yeats reflects upon his own youth and the experiences that shaped the “sixty-year old, smiling public man” (line 8) he has become. Through his reflection, the theme of the poem emerges: a life has meaning when connections among apparently disparate experiences are forged into a unified whole.

In the body of your literature analysis, you want to guide your readers through a tour of the poem, story, or play, pausing along the way to comment on, analyze, interpret, and explain key incidents, descriptions, dialogue, symbols, the writer’s use of figurative language—any of the elements of literature that are relevant to a sound analysis of this particular work. Your main goal is to explain how the elements of literature work to elucidate, augment, and develop the theme. The elements of literature are common across genres: a story, a narrative poem, and a play all have a plot and characters. But certain genres privilege certain literary elements. In a poem, for example, form, imagery and metaphor might be especially important; in a story, setting and point-of-view might be more important than they are in a poem; in a play, dialogue, stage directions, lighting serve functions rarely relevant in the analysis of a story or poem.

The length of the body of an analysis of a literary work will usually depend upon the length of work being analyzed—the longer the work, the longer the analysis—though your instructor will likely establish a word limit for this assignment. Make certain that you do not simply paraphrase the plot of the story or play or the content of the poem. This is a common weakness in student literary analyses, especially when the analysis is of a poem or a play.

Here is a good example of two body paragraphs from Amelia’s analysis of “Araby” by James Joyce.

Within the story’s first few paragraphs occur several religious references which will accumulate as the story progresses. The narrator is a student at the Christian Brothers’ School; the former tenant of his house was a priest; he left behind books called The Abbot and The Devout Communicant. Near the end of the story’s second paragraph the narrator describes a “central apple tree” in the garden, under which is “the late tenant’s rusty bicycle pump.” We may begin to suspect the tree symbolizes the apple tree in the Garden of Eden and the bicycle pump, the snake which corrupted Eve, a stretch, perhaps, until Joyce’s fall-of-innocence theme becomes more apparent.

The narrator must continue to help his aunt with her errands, but, even when he is so occupied, his mind is on Mangan’s sister, as he tries to sort out his feelings for her. Here Joyce provides vivid insight into the mind of an adolescent boy at once elated and bewildered by his first crush. He wants to tell her of his “confused adoration,” but he does not know if he will ever have the chance. Joyce’s description of the pleasant tension consuming the narrator is conveyed in a striking simile, which continues to develop the narrator’s character, while echoing the religious imagery, so important to the story’s theme: “But my body was like a harp, and her words and gestures were like fingers, running along the wires.”

The concluding paragraph of your analysis should realize two goals. First, it should present your own opinion on the quality of the poem or story or play about which you have been writing. And, second, it should comment on the current relevance of the work. You should certainly comment on the enduring social relevance of the work you are explicating. You may comment, though you should never be obliged to do so, on the personal relevance of the work. Here is the concluding paragraph from Dao-Ming’s analysis of Oscar Wilde’s The Importance of Being Earnest.

First performed in 1895, The Importance of Being Earnest has been made into a film, as recently as 2002 and is regularly revived by professional and amateur theatre companies. It endures not only because of the comic brilliance of its characters and their dialogue, but also because its satire still resonates with contemporary audiences. I am still amazed that I see in my own Asian mother a shadow of Lady Bracknell, with her obsession with finding for her daughter a husband who will maintain, if not, ideally, increase the family’s social status. We might like to think we are more liberated and socially sophisticated than our Victorian ancestors, but the starlets and eligible bachelors who star in current reality television programs illustrate the extent to which superficial concerns still influence decisions about love and even marriage. Even now, we can turn to Oscar Wilde to help us understand and laugh at those who are earnest in name only.

Dao-Ming’s conclusion is brief, but she does manage to praise the play, reaffirm its main theme, and explain its enduring appeal. And note how her last sentence cleverly establishes that sense of closure that is also a feature of an effective analysis.

You may, of course, modify the template that is presented here. Your instructor might favour a somewhat different approach to literary analysis. Its essence, though, will be your understanding and interpretation of the theme of the poem, story, or play and the skill with which the author shapes the elements of literature—plot, character, form, diction, setting, point of view—to support the theme.

Academic Writing Tips : How to Write a Literary Analysis Paper. Authored by: eHow. Located at: https://youtu.be/8adKfLwIrVk. License: All Rights Reserved. License Terms: Standard YouTube license

BC Open Textbooks: English Literature Victorians and Moderns: https://opentextbc.ca/englishliterature/back-matter/appendix-5-writing-an-analysis-of-a-poem-story-and-play/

Literary Analysis

The challenges of writing about english literature.

Writing begins with the act of reading . While this statement is true for most college papers, strong English papers tend to be the product of highly attentive reading (and rereading). When your instructors ask you to do a “close reading,” they are asking you to read not only for content, but also for structures and patterns. When you perform a close reading, then, you observe how form and content interact. In some cases, form reinforces content: for example, in John Donne’s Holy Sonnet 14, where the speaker invites God’s “force” “to break, blow, burn and make [him] new.” Here, the stressed monosyllables of the verbs “break,” “blow” and “burn” evoke aurally the force that the speaker invites from God. In other cases, form raises questions about content: for example, a repeated denial of guilt will likely raise questions about the speaker’s professed innocence. When you close read, take an inductive approach. Start by observing particular details in the text, such as a repeated image or word, an unexpected development, or even a contradiction. Often, a detail–such as a repeated image–can help you to identify a question about the text that warrants further examination. So annotate details that strike you as you read. Some of those details will eventually help you to work towards a thesis. And don’t worry if a detail seems trivial. If you can make a case about how an apparently trivial detail reveals something significant about the text, then your paper will have a thought-provoking thesis to argue.

Common Types of English Papers Many assignments will ask you to analyze a single text. Others, however, will ask you to read two or more texts in relation to each other, or to consider a text in light of claims made by other scholars and critics. For most assignments, close reading will be central to your paper. While some assignment guidelines will suggest topics and spell out expectations in detail, others will offer little more than a page limit. Approaching the writing process in the absence of assigned topics can be daunting, but remember that you have resources: in section, you will probably have encountered some examples of close reading; in lecture, you will have encountered some of the course’s central questions and claims. The paper is a chance for you to extend a claim offered in lecture, or to analyze a passage neglected in lecture. In either case, your analysis should do more than recapitulate claims aired in lecture and section. Because different instructors have different goals for an assignment, you should always ask your professor or TF if you have questions. These general guidelines should apply in most cases:

• A close reading of a single text: Depending on the length of the text, you will need to be more or less selective about what you choose to consider. In the case of a sonnet, you will probably have enough room to analyze the text more thoroughly than you would in the case of a novel, for example, though even here you will probably not analyze every single detail. By contrast, in the case of a novel, you might analyze a repeated scene, image, or object (for example, scenes of train travel, images of decay, or objects such as or typewriters). Alternately, you might analyze a perplexing scene (such as a novel’s ending, albeit probably in relation to an earlier moment in the novel). But even when analyzing shorter works, you will need to be selective. Although you might notice numerous interesting details as you read, not all of those details will help you to organize a focused argument about the text. For example, if you are focusing on depictions of sensory experience in Keats’ “Ode to a Nightingale,” you probably do not need to analyze the image of a homeless Ruth in stanza 7, unless this image helps you to develop your case about sensory experience in the poem.
• A theoretically-informed close reading. In some courses, you will be asked to analyze a poem, a play, or a novel by using a critical theory (psychoanalytic, postcolonial, gender, etc). For example, you might use Kristeva’s theory of abjection to analyze mother-daughter relations in Toni Morrison’s novel Beloved. Critical theories provide focus for your analysis; if “abjection” is the guiding concept for your paper, you should focus on the scenes in the novel that are most relevant to the concept.
• A historically-informed close reading. In courses with a historicist orientation, you might use less self-consciously literary documents, such as newspapers or devotional manuals, to develop your analysis of a literary work. For example, to analyze how Robinson Crusoe makes sense of his island experiences, you might use Puritan tracts that narrate events in terms of how God organizes them. The tracts could help you to show not only how Robinson Crusoe draws on Puritan narrative conventions, but also—more significantly—how the novel revises those conventions.
• A comparison of two texts When analyzing two texts, you might look for unexpected contrasts between apparently similar texts, or unexpected similarities between apparently dissimilar texts, or for how one text revises or transforms the other. Keep in mind that not all of the similarities, differences, and transformations you identify will be relevant to an argument about the relationship between the two texts. As you work towards a thesis, you will need to decide which of those similarities, differences, or transformations to focus on. Moreover, unless instructed otherwise, you do not need to allot equal space to each text (unless this 50/50 allocation serves your thesis well, of course). Often you will find that one text helps to develop your analysis of another text. For example, you might analyze the transformation of Ariel’s song from The Tempest in T. S. Eliot’s poem, The Waste Land. Insofar as this analysis is interested in the afterlife of Ariel’s song in a later poem, you would likely allot more space to analyzing allusions to Ariel’s song in The Waste Land (after initially establishing the song’s significance in Shakespeare’s play, of course).
• A response paper A response paper is a great opportunity to practice your close reading skills without having to develop an entire argument. In most cases, a solid approach is to select a rich passage that rewards analysis (for example, one that depicts an important scene or a recurring image) and close read it. While response papers are a flexible genre, they are not invitations for impressionistic accounts of whether you liked the work or a particular character. Instead, you might use your close reading to raise a question about the text—to open up further investigation, rather than to supply a solution.
• A research paper. In most cases, you will receive guidance from the professor on the scope of the research paper. It is likely that you will be expected to consult sources other than the assigned readings. Hollis is your best bet for book titles, and the MLA bibliography (available through e-resources) for articles. When reading articles, make sure that they have been peer reviewed; you might also ask your TF to recommend reputable journals in the field.

Harvard College Writing Program: https://writingproject.fas.harvard.edu/files/hwp/files/bg_writing_english.pdf

In the same way that we talk with our friends about the latest episode of Game of Thrones or newest Marvel movie, scholars communicate their ideas and interpretations of literature through written literary analysis essays. Literary analysis essays make us better readers of literature.

Only through careful reading and well-argued analysis can we reach new understandings and interpretations of texts that are sometimes hundreds of years old. Literary analysis brings new meaning and can shed new light on texts. Building from careful reading and selecting a topic that you are genuinely interested in, your argument supports how you read and understand a text. Using examples from the text you are discussing in the form of textual evidence further supports your reading. Well-researched literary analysis also includes information about what other scholars have written about a specific text or topic.

Literary analysis helps us to refine our ideas, question what we think we know, and often generates new knowledge about literature. Literary analysis essays allow you to discuss your own interpretation of a given text through careful examination of the choices the original author made in the text.

ENG134 – Literary Genres Copyright © by The American Women's College and Jessica Egan is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License , except where otherwise noted.

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How to Write a Literary Analysis Essay- Tips and Strategies

Unlock the Secrets to Writing an A+ Literary Analysis Essay

So you’ve got to write a literary analysis essay, huh? I feel you – it can seem super daunting, especially if you’re not sure where to begin. I remember being totally overwhelmed the first time I had to write a literary analysis in high school. I mean, what was I even supposed to analyze? How should I structure this thing? What if my interpretation was totally off base?

But here’s the thing – over time, as I wrote more and more of these essays in high school and college, I started to get the hang of it. And you know what? It actually became kind of fun. No, really! Writing a literary analysis is your chance to dig deep into a work of literature and share your own unique take on it. And with some practice and key strategies up your sleeve, you can totally learn to write impressive literary analysis essays too.

So if you’ve ever found yourself staring at a blank page, wondering how the heck to even start writing about literature, you’re in the right place, my friend. I’m here to give you the lowdown on everything you need to know to knock your next literary analysis essay out of the park. We’re gonna talk about picking a juicy topic, doing a close reading, crafting a killer thesis , structuring your essay, working in that evidence, and so much more.

Let’s dive in!

Finding Your Focus

First things first: what should you even write about? Sometimes your teacher might make that decision for you by assigning a specific topic or telling you to focus on a certain element of the work, like symbolism or character development .

But if you get to pick your own adventure, so to speak, then you’ll want to start by just reading the work and seeing what jumps out at you. As you’re reading, ask yourself:

• What characters, events, symbols, themes or patterns really grabbed my attention or left me with questions? Jot down anything that intrigues you, puzzles you, or resonates with you.
• What overall impression or interpretation of the work started to form in my mind? What messages or ideas does the work seem to be expressing?
• How is this work similar to or different from others by the same author or from the same time period or genre? What makes it unique?

From there, start narrowing in on your focus. Here’s the thing about literary analysis writing: it works best when you really zoom in on one specific aspect of the work rather than trying to tackle every single element all at once. It’s like using a microscope instead of a telescope, you know?

So try honing in on just one character, one symbol, or one theme that seems really central to the work, and that you personally find fascinating.

Let’s say, for example, that you’re writing about Shakespeare’s Hamlet. Man, there are SO many angles you could take—the theme of indecision, the recurring images of rot and decay, the parallels to other revenge plays—the list goes on. But if you tried to cram all of that into one essay, it’d end up feeling really scattered and surface-level.

Instead, you might decide to zoom in on the specific issue of Hamlet’s indecision, and how that tragic flaw ends up being his undoing. You could explore how Shakespeare really brings Hamlet’s inner turmoil to life , how his constant hemming and hawing drives the plot forward (or doesn’t), and what that ultimately reveals about his character and the play’s central themes. By picking that ultra-specific focus, you can do a deeper, richer, and more nuanced analysis.

Go Sherlock Mode with Close Reading

Okay, so you’ve got your focus – now it’s time to sleuth out all the juicy evidence you need to back up your ideas. And that, my friend, is where the power of close reading comes in. When we talk about close reading in literary analysis, we basically mean reading with a magnifying glass—really scrutinizing all the little details of the text to see how they’re creating meaning.

When you’re poring over the work and jotting down notes, pay special attention to literary elements like:

• The plot – What are the most important events in the story, and how do they connect to the specific aspect you’re analyzing? How does the story arc develop and change over time?
• The characters – How does the author depict the characters – what are their most essential traits, goals, relationships? Do they evolve or transform in some way?
• The point of view – Whose perspective are we getting the story from? How does their specific vantage point color the narrative and influence its meaning?
• The setting – Where and when is the story taking place? How does that context shape the characters and themes?
• Imagery and symbolism – What vivid descriptions, metaphors, or symbols does the writer use? What deeper significance might they hold?
• Language and style – What interesting word choices, sentence structures, or literary devices jump out at you? How do they contribute to the work’s mood and meaning?
• Themes – What overarching messages or insights about life, society, or human nature seem to bubble up from the text?

As you’re making your way through the story, take notes on how those different elements relate back to that specific focus you’ve chosen for your analysis. Keep your eyes peeled for patterns, contrasts, recurring images, or anything else that seems to support, complicate, or expand on your ideas.

Here’s a pro tip: try using different colored highlighters or symbols to color-code your notes based on topic.

So for our Hamlet example, you might use yellow for anything related to the theme of indecision, blue for notes on Hamlet’s characterization, and green for stuff that connects to those gnarly images of rot and decay. Or bust out the trusty Post-its to flag important pages and passages you might want to come back to later.

Bottom line: you want to read thoughtfully and deliberately, constantly asking yourself how and why the author made certain choices, and what deeper meaning those choices might suggest. Doing that kind of meticulous, attentive reading is how you’ll unearth all the evidence you need to build a strong analysis and interpretation.

Nailing Your Thesis

As you’re sifting through the text and gathering your evidence, you also want to start homing in on the overarching argument or interpretation that will be the backbone of your entire essay. In other words, it’s time to work on that all-important thesis statement.

So what exactly makes for a strong literary analysis thesis? It should:

• Make a specific, debatable claim about the work’s meaning or how the author achieves certain effects
• Hint at the key pieces of evidence you’ll use to defend your interpretation
• Give the reader a clear preview of the main points you’ll cover in your essay

So let’s go back to our Hamlet example. Suppose as you were taking notes , some of the key ideas you latched onto were:

• Hamlet’s indecisiveness stems from him being majorly freaked out by the implications of taking action
• His fear of making the wrong move leads to a bunch of hesitation and foot-dragging that allows his shady uncle to scheme away unchecked
• By the time Hamlet finally works up the nerve to act, things have spiraled way out of control, and his wishy-washiness ends up dooming not just him but basically everyone around him

Drawing from those ideas, you might whip up a thesis statement like:

Hamlet’s tragic flaw of indecision, spurred by his paralyzing fear of taking action and facing the consequences, leads directly to a string of delays, missteps, and escalating violence that ultimately bring about his downfall and the downfall of the entire kingdom.

See what we did there?

This thesis statement offers up a specific claim about the root cause and ripple effects of Hamlet’s indecisiveness, while also previewing some of the key evidence that will be used to support that claim in the body of the essay. It’s basically a quick sketch of your overall interpretation and a roadmap for the analysis to come.

Now, here’s the thing – your thesis might shift a bit as you keep digging into the evidence, and that’s totally cool. Think of that first thesis as your working draft, a starting point that can evolve along with your ideas. At this point, you’re just aiming for an arguable claim that you’re pretty sure you can back up with concrete evidence from the text.

Structuring Your Essay

Alright, you’ve got your thesis locked and loaded – now it’s time to start sketching out the rest of your essay. Nine times out of ten, your literary analysis writing is going to follow a standard academic essay format :

• A juicy hook to grab your reader’s attention right off the bat
• A little bit of background info on the work and author you’re analyzing
• Your rockstar thesis statement

The body paragraphs:

• A topic sentence that sets up your first big supporting claim
• Textual evidence (like quotes, descriptions, examples) that illustrate that claim
• Your brilliant analysis of how that evidence supports your claim and overall thesis
• A quick concluding sentence and smooth transition into your next point
• Rinse and repeat for each major claim

The conclusion

• Remind us of your central argument
• Sum up your most important points
• Spell out why your analysis matters in the grand scheme of things
• Leave your reader with a thought-provoking observation or question to chew on

The real meat of your essay is going to be those body paragraphs, and each one should focus on fleshing out a specific aspect of your thesis. And I know it’s tempting to just dive in and start writing, but trust me – taking a few minutes to sketch out a quick outline of your main points and the evidence you’ll use to support each one will save you a ton of time and frustration in the long run.

So for our Hamlet essay, an outline might look something like:

Thesis: Hamlet’s tragic flaw of indecision, spurred by his crippling fear of action and its consequences, leads directly to delays, missteps, and escalating violence that ultimately bring about his downfall and the downfall of the kingdom.

• Right from the start, Hamlet’s fear of taking action and his wishy-washiness are front and center, and they’re directly tied to his angst over the ethics and fallout of revenge
• Textual evidence: Hamlet’s super emo “To be or not to be” monologue
• Hamlet stalling on his revenge mission by putting on that play to try to catch Claudius’s guilty conscience
• Hamlet’s excuse to his mom about why he’s still bumming around the castle instead of going back to school

2. Hamlet drags his feet and overthinks everything at every turn, which gives Claudius way too much time and space to plot against him

• Hamlet chickening out on killing Claudius when he had the chance, both when Claudius was praying and when he was creeping on Gertrude
• Hamlet accidentally killing Polonius and being all “Oops, my bad, thought you were someone more important!”
• Ophelia going mad with grief and ultimately drowning herself, all because she’s collateral damage in Hamlet and Claudius’s dysfunctional family feud

3. Hamlet’s indecisiveness snowballs into an avalanche of violence and tragedy by the end

• Evidence: That whole duel scene where Hamlet and Laertes both end up getting stabbed with the poisoned sword
• Hamlet’s last words “The rest is silence” – pretty much sums up the inevitability of all this tragedy
• Fortinbras showing up and being like “Wow, what a mess” and taking the Danish crown—order is restored but at a crazy high cost

By sketching out how your main points connect to your thesis, you’re making sure your essay will feel focused and cohesive. Having this blueprint in hand before you start writing the actual paragraphs will make the whole process feel way more doable.

Don’t Skimp on the Evidence

When you’re writing up those body paragraphs, remember: you’ve gotta support your analysis with TONS of evidence from the text. This is where all that diligent close reading you did earlier will seriously pay off.

You want to weave in quotes, vivid descriptions, and specific examples to back up every point you’re making. But here’s the thing – in a literary analysis, it’s not enough to just write a bunch of quotes and call it a day. You’ve got to show how the evidence illustrates your unique interpretation of the work and actually advances your argument.

So every single time you bring in a piece of textual evidence, hit your reader with a few sentences of analysis that tie it right back to your central thesis. As you’re working, always ask yourself:

• What does this little snippet reveal about how the author is using literary elements and devices to construct meaning?
• How does it shed light on the specific character, theme, or symbol I’m laser-focused on in this essay?
• What new layers or wrinkles does it add to my overall interpretation of the work?

So like when you’re making the case that Hamlet’s soliloquies reveal his crippling indecision, don’t just copy-paste a few lines and move on. Really spell out the significance for your reader:

In his most famous angsty monologue, Hamlet waffles back and forth about whether he’d rather deal with his bleak misery or “end” it all: “To be or not to be–that is the question…” . As he weighs the pros and cons of action vs. inaction, he keeps coming back to his paralyzing fear that actually doing something could backfire horribly.

Only a few scenes earlier, he was chastising himself “O, what a rogue and peasant slave am I!” for hesitating to act on his revenge quest, especially compared to the passionate actor performing a dramatic speech. But even while he recognizes his own “cowardly” delay, he can’t bring himself to decisively act on his convictions.

That kind of close examination shows how Shakespeare uses Hamlet’s own words to vividly depict his internal tug-of-war between knowing he should act, and fearing the consequences of action.

Another trick to creating a really cohesive essay is to use transitions to connect your ideas and paragraphs. You don’t want each body paragraph to feel like an island. Instead, use transitions to show how each piece of the puzzle fits together to create the larger picture of your overall analysis.

Some go-to transitions you can try:

• Not only that, but [new point] also illustrates [thesis]…
• That said, [new point] adds another layer of complexity by…
• Taken together, [previous points] lay the groundwork for understanding [new point]…
• So if [previous points], then it follows that [new point]…

By always linking back to your thesis and showing how your ideas play off each other, you’ll end up with a tight, well-developed analysis that persuasively proves your point.

Final Words of Wisdom

As you’re crossing the finish line of your literary analysis essay, keep these last tips and common pitfalls in mind:

• This isn’t a book report , so don’t just summarize the plot. A little bit of context is great, but most of your paper should zoom in on interpreting and analyzing the story, not just recapping what happened.
• Watch out for sweeping generalizations and cliches. Arguing that a character’s arc “proves love conquers all!” or that an author “uses nature to symbolize new beginnings” are super broad, generic claims that need way more evidence. Your thesis should be specific, original, and grounded in the text.
• Stay laser-focused on your thesis. If you catch yourself going off on tangents or throwing in evidence that only sort of connects to your main point, you might need to refocus your analysis. Every single paragraph should clearly support your central argument.
• Use those literary terms correctly. Peppering in a bunch of fancy jargon just to sound smart can easily backfire if you don’t really understand the concepts. Make sure you’re clearly defining and applying any lit terms you bring into your essay.
• Get an outside perspective. Having a friend, classmate, or teacher take a look at your draft is a great way to catch spots that are confusing, irrelevant, or need more evidence.
• Always, always proofread . Even the most brilliant analysis can get overshadowed by sloppy spelling and grammar mistakes. Give yourself enough time to do one last edit and clean up any sloppiness before you turn it in.

I’m not gonna lie—writing a literary analysis essay can feel overwhelming, especially when you’re new to it. But you can totally become a pro at examining texts and crafting thoughtful interpretations by putting in some practice and mastering a few key strategies.

So next time you’re staring down a literary analysis assignment, channel your inner Sherlock Holmes. Do some super-close reading to find a unique angle for your analysis. Come up with a clear, arguable thesis and map out how you’ll prove it with evidence. And as you’re writing, make your case with plenty of quotes and examples, and always show how they illustrate your brilliant insights. Keep polishing and refining until you’ve got a literary analysis that would make your English teacher proud.

With these strategies in your toolkit, you’ll be ready to face any literary analysis writing challenge that comes your way. So go crush your next essay—and don’t forget to have some fun with it! Diving deep into a great work of literature to uncover new meaning is honestly pretty darn cool when you think about it. Your unique spin on these classic stories and poems matters, so don’t be afraid to let your voice shine through. You got this!

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How to Write a Literary Analysis Essay: Purposes, Outline, Samples

Firstly to understand what a literary analysis essay means, it’s a way to determine and understand the work of an author, even if it is a single work or an entire body of work. Literary criticism is a description, analysis, evaluation, or interpretation of a particular literary work or an author’s writings as a whole.

Many students, writers, and english scholars are told to write essays on different literary analysis essay topics because this type of assignment helps and makes writers to think about the reason why a poem, short story, novel, or play was written. To analyze literature, writers will need to remember that authors have specific decisions for particular reasons. Your essay should point out the author’s decision and try to explain their intentions.

Learn how to write a book review and check out related guides: poem analysis essay , poetry analysis essay or critical lens essay at EssayHub blog.

What Is A Literary Analysis Essay?

The most comprehensive literary analysis definition goes as follows. It is a text that objectively analyzes the weak and strong points of another text. One author shares their opinion on what another author wrote. The most common literary analysis format is an essay.

The writer examines a novel, short story, or another type of fiction created by someone else. They praise or criticize the plot, style, characters, and other aspects of the text. After reading a piece of literary analysis, people should understand whether the book is worthy or not. 

What Is The Purpose Of A Literary Analysis Essay?

When a newbie checks literary analysis examples, they will see that they are very personal. Different people might perceive the same text very differently. It depends on their character, life experience, and cultural background. The aim of writing a literary analysis is to express one’s individual understanding of the text and back it up with facts.

It is not sufficient to say, "I enjoyed every minute of reading this book!" or "It is too dull." All types of literary analysis involve the assessment of both technical and emotional aspects of the text. It implies an impartial balancing of pros and cons.

Imagine that someone is looking for a good book. Their time and finances are limited, so they can afford just one text. They want to avoid hit-or-miss decisions. They prefer an expert to recommend to them what to read.

They do not want this expert to be a high-brow professional critic. They are interested in the opinions of people whose lifestyle and worldview are close to theirs. They read book blogs and unbiased reviews on profile sites. When they finally buy a piece of fiction, they know what to expect of it.

After a reader gains experience, they become ready to share viewpoints with others. They read articles on how to analyze literature and start writing their own reviews. They can post their works in their private blogs or share them on social networks. Plus, literary analysis is an essential part of the educational process in schools and colleges.

Content Of A Literary Analysis Essay

There are many topics for literary analysis, but it all depends on the kind of work that a writer analyzes. For instance, the approach is not the same in poems as it is in the case with a play. Before writing it is important to know what you want to analyze in the literature that you have read. That brings us to types of literature analysis. How can a writer analyze the literature? This is done by:

• Character Analysis
• Symbolism Analysis
• Theme Analysis
• Setting Analysis
• Structure and Style Analysis
• Diction, Imagery, and Denotation Analysis. etc.

How To Write A Literary Analysis Essay?

Read the text critically.

When carrying out literature analysis, a person should read slowly. They should start a notebook where they would put down their thoughts. They should take notes when they find themselves in one of the following situations:

• disagree with the author;
• want to praise the author’s skills;
• come across a plot twist that resembles their own lives;
• have anything to say on the matter.

When people read an interesting text, they have controversial desires. On the one hand, they want to finish it to get to know what happens in the end. On the other hand, they want to enjoy it for as long as possible. When compiling a literary analysis sample, people should focus on their thoughts and not emotions.

Literary Devices

When newbies ask about how to write a good literary analysis, literary devices become the most challenging aspect for them. These devices involve the following terms and notions:

• literary elements, such as plot, mood, and protagonists;
• figurative language, including symbolism and metaphors;
• literary techniques, such as foreshadowing and repetition.

To be able to analyze these aspects, newbies should read theory in textbooks. Also, they should examine enough sample literary analysis essays. They need to see how other writers handle the overview of literary devices without making their texts too formal.

In a literary analysis paper, it is not enough to say that the author has a masterful command of the word. The writer should concentrate on the following important aspects.

• Is the language modern, archaic, or full of slang?
• Does the author use poetic phrases?
• Are the sentences predominantly long or short? How does the rhythm of the text impact its mood?

It would be wise to answer the following question in a literary analysis essay example. Do all characters speak the same language, or does each one have their particular style? Individual speech manners are significant merits of fiction.

Narrative Voice

A text can be written either from a first-person or third-person perspective. In a literary analysis example, the author should explain the position of the narrator. Are they omnipresent, or does the reader hardly notice them? Are they reliable, or do they share a distorted version of events?

Writers with little experience might ask how to do literary analysis when the narrator is absent. In this case, speak about the tone. Is it neutral, comic, or tragic? What emotions does it evoke in the readers from the first passage? How often does the reader come across exaggerations, irony, or incongruities?

In a novel, the key elements of literary analysis are chapters. In a play, these constituents are acts and scenes. In a poem, these are lines and stanzas. The author of the essay should think of how skilfully the writer divided their text into parts.

Chapters, scenes, and stanzas should be interconnected logically and emotionally. The last line of the previous part should motivate the reader to glance through the next one. The structure of the text helps emphasize its conflicts and build up the tension. The pauses between every two parts might speak louder than a thousand words.

Most examples of literary analysis essay include comments on the timeline of the story. Do the events unfold in chronological order? Does the author make the readers travel back and forth in a time machine? How easy is it to switch between different time layers, and which effect does it produce?

The following types of conflicts are most likely to be present in a literary analysis:

• one person versus another;
• person versus society;
• person versus technology;
• person versus supernatural forces;
• an inner conflict within a person (good versus bad intentions).

Instead of one person, there might be a group of people.

Newbies should not get confused about how to write a thesis for a literary analysis. The term "thesis" denotes the main point that they are planning to focus on. Modern books are multifaceted: they feature numerous problems and give readers a lot of food for thought. Yet, the writer should concentrate only on a handful of aspects in their work.

There are three approaches to thesis writing:

• analytical;
• argumentative;
• explanatory.

The literary analysis thesis of the first type strives to answer the questions "why?" and "how?" The writer tries to explain why the author created that book. Why is their perception of the world so unique and innovative? Why do they draw certain parallels and use specific devices?

This sentence might serve as a good example of an analytical thesis: "Outraged by gender inequality in this Eastern country, the author ridicules the problem instead of trying to undermine the traditions."

An argumentative thesis for literary analysis implies that the writer explains their own perception of the text. They take a certain position that might differ from the opinion of the majority. They further prove their point by quoting the book. For instance: "While most critics perceive this novel as an educational one, I believe that the main conflict lies in the lack of tolerance in society."

Literary analysis thesis examples of the explanatory type do not include the author’s opinion at all. They just help other readers understand the message of the book: "The author depicts their ideal political system."

Write A Literary Analysis Essay

Write a title.

After reading the title, the person should understand what the literary analysis paper example is about. The title should contain the digest of the paper. It should reveal the writer’s attitude to the piece of fiction that they criticize. 

Those who do not know how to start a literary analysis can use a popular trick that works for any book genre. They can include a short quote from the book in the name of their essay. Then, they should put a colon and accompany the quote with their own comment.

Write An Introduction

The instruction on how to write literary analysis starts with a clear statement of one’s goals. The author should tell their readers what the book they are going to criticize is about and why they chose it. They should share the title of the text and the name of its writer. They might briefly outline the plot and problems of the manuscript. They might focus the readers’ attention on the main points of their essay — language, characters, or conflicts.

Write A Body

All the best examples of literary analysis essay have an identical structure. Each paragraph is focused on one aspect or topic. In the first sentence, the author briefly outlines this topic. That initial phrase should be concise and unambiguous. 

The last sentence of each paragraph should summarize its essence. It should not contradict the first phrase and overall logic of the passage.

The writer should avoid lengthy and complicated structures. Even if the author of the book prefers compound sentences, a literary analysis sample should be easier to read. One phrase should contain only one thought. To link sentences, the writer should use transition words.

"The book dissects the impact of virtual reality technologies on the life of single people in cosmopolitan cities" — this is an example of a topic sentence that opens a paragraph. "Nevertheless, its target audience is not geeks or die-hard gamers" — here, the word "nevertheless" serves as a transition.

In any literary analysis template, the writer should back up their opinion with textual evidence. They should quote parts of the original texts only if they contain no more than 30 words. Otherwise, they should reword the quotes to deliver the essence of large passages.\

Write A Conclusion

The answer to the question "How to conclude a literary analysis?" is very simple. The writer needs to reword and sum up everything that they have said above. They should share no original quotes and introduce no new thoughts. It is enough to summarize their main ideas logically and concisely.

Literary Analysis Essay Outline

Introduction.

Introduction should be sophisticated and creative, and it should catch the reader’s attention, so they can read the rest of the essay. A literary analysis should not sound boring. It should create some enthralling and fascinating quotes, reflection or motives. The main sentences of the introduction should give backdrop facts so that the analysis will make sense; facts such as Title of the Book, Name of Author and little information about the book. Don’t write bulky details of the book the reader would have read this book and they just want to read the analysis. Make sure that your backdrop information and your thesis statement are short and transitional. To make the reader understand and connect to the literature and what exactly is been analyzed. The analysis or thesis statement is what you will prove in your essay, and it should come at the end of your introductory paragraph. The Intro could be more than one paragraph but about 5 important sentences.

The body must be very convincing. Here start rendering evidences of the argument. A convincing body will have at least three to four paragraphs or more. Also, do not go out of context the question has to be related. How does it relate to the overall theme of what the analysis? Make emphasis on the ways in which these elements bestow to the entire quality of the book. Emphasize one major point per paragraph in this section. No need to rush all of your evidence into one idea. Do more reading and analyze different factors in your literary analysis. Argue on a character's development, for example how the individual changes from the beginning to the end of the book. Center core on a character's fatal flaw and query or question the person's mistakes.

The conclusion should end dynamically and energetically. Start rounding up the literary essay paper in the last paragraph. It should include all the major points that have been made in the aforementioned statements of your literary analysis. Also, make emphasis on the on the implications of your argument.

Literary Analysis Essay Example

Symbolism Manifestation in Little Prince By Antoine De Saint-Exupery

The storyline arose from the author's personal experience. He survived an airplane accident in a desert. It happened when the writer served as a pilot during World War II.

A seemingly simple-hearted fairy tale has two main plotlines that uncover deeper problems. The leading one is the pilot-narrator line, lined up with the metaphor of adult reality. The second line dwells on the adventures of the Little Prince. Two protagonists travel to different planets, get acquainted with various characters, both positive and negative. 

Each planet introduces the readers to a different philosophical conundrum. Each item and being in the book bear unique symbolic meaning. 

The Pilot impersonates the author in his adult years. Antoine de Saint-Exupéry was, in fact, a pilot and survived a plane crash in the desert.

The sudden encounter of an adult and a child (both are metaphors for inner psychological states) occurs in the desert, symbolizing the disastrous inner state of the narrator. The story unravels during the repair of the plane. The maintenance itself is a metaphor for mending the inner traumas through direct dialogue with the inner child.

The Little Prince

The description of the Little Prince gives the readers a hint of its relation to the author in his childhood years. Antoine de Saint-Exupery came from an impoverished aristocratic family. Through the Little Prince, the author shows himself. He reveals his struggle to survive within the boring world of adults. 

His visit to our planet is a symbol of birth. The return to the home planet occurs through physical death from the poison of a snake. Here, we can observe the impact of Christian religious thinking on the plotline. The physical death of the protagonist is a reference to the religious idea of an immortal soul. Thus, after receiving knowledge about life from the Fox and Pilot, Little Prince has to die to be reborn into a new state.

The line telling about the love of the Little Prince and Rose shows an allegorical depiction of love. It reveals the ironic unsimilarity of how men and women see and express this feeling. 

Rose gets introduced to the readers as a proud and beautiful character who has power over the Little Prince and his feelings. Gentle, timid, dewy-eyed Little Prince suffers from the frivolity of Rose. Because of his naïve perception, the protagonist struggled to see that it was necessary to love her for her essence – for the aroma and the joy she brought him.

When the protagonist sees that roses are abundant in the gardens on Earth, he feels disappointed. Later, he meets the Fox who serves as the guide to the little lost being. Fox explains to the protagonist some basic philosophical truths. He teaches the Little Prince to look with his heart, not his eyes, and be responsible for those we have tamed.

When Little Prince absorbs the knowledge imparted by his new friend, he becomes mortal. This transition symbolizes him growing up and shaking off idealistic world perception.

Planets And Their Inhabitants

The author shows his readers two sorts of evil. The first kind of evil reveals itself in the negative sides of separate people. 

The inhabitants of different planets, visited by the protagonist, reveal the most dangerous human vices. It seems relevant to note that all of them are adults. Drunkards, politicians, and selfish people seem quite morally bankrupt.

The author exposes life devoid of meaning as a common vice. The only relatable person to the protagonist is a lamplighter. He differs because his craft is good for others.

Baobab Trees

Another element of evil in the book is macro-evil. Baobabs represent evil in general. This image is a metaphor for fascism. Saint-Exupery gently leads the readers to the idea that such evil endangers the world. It should be extinguished like undesirable plants.

The main idea of the used allegories is the presentation of true values. The author contrasts naive and rational ways of world perception, the individual, and the crowd. In the tale, the unraveling of the main themes is connected with compositional structure, metaphors, and similes used by the author. 

The author dwells on deep philosophical issues through similes and symbols. He emphasizes such topics as true love, friendship, and loneliness.

Romantic traditions play a keynote role in the plot formation. Unraveling the deep problems of humanity in a form of the fairytale is the main sign of that. It comprises all typical elements of this genre: child protagonist, fairy-tale characters, and a fantastic journey. These symbolic characters and items introduce the depth to the plot. They make readers see deeper into the book and reconsider their perception of reality.

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Step-by-step guide to crafting a powerful literary analysis essay.

Writing a literary analysis essay can be a challenging task, but with the right approach, it can also be incredibly rewarding. Analyzing a piece of literature allows you to delve into the nuances of the text, uncovering hidden meanings and exploring the author’s intentions. To help you craft a compelling and insightful literary analysis essay, we’ve compiled some of the best tips and strategies below.

1. Choose a Strong Thesis: Your thesis statement is the foundation of your literary analysis essay. It should clearly articulate the main argument or interpretation you will be presenting in your essay. Make sure your thesis is specific, focused, and debatable, as it will guide the rest of your analysis.

2. Support Your Thesis with Evidence: In order to make a convincing argument, you need to support your thesis with evidence from the text. This can include direct quotes, examples, and passages that illustrate your points. Be sure to analyze and interpret the evidence you present, showing how it supports your overall argument.

3. Analyze Literary Devices: Pay close attention to the literary devices used in the text, such as symbolism, imagery, metaphor, and irony. These devices can provide insight into the author’s themes and intentions, so be sure to analyze how they contribute to the overall meaning of the text.

Tips for Crafting a Strong Literary Analysis Essay

1. Choose a specific and focused topic: When writing a literary analysis essay, it’s important to select a topic that is narrow and manageable. Avoid broad topics that are too general or vague.

2. Develop a strong thesis statement: Your thesis statement should clearly articulate the main argument or interpretation you will be making in your essay. It should be specific, debatable, and concise.

3. Use textual evidence: To support your analysis, use direct quotations and examples from the text you are analyzing. Be sure to provide context for your quotations and explain how they support your thesis.

4. Analyze the text thoroughly: Take the time to closely read and analyze the text, paying attention to themes, characters, symbols, and literary devices. Consider how these elements contribute to the overall meaning of the text.

5. Organize your essay effectively: Structure your essay in a clear and logical manner, with an introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion. Make sure each paragraph is focused on a specific aspect of your analysis.

6. Revise and edit your essay: Before submitting your essay, carefully revise and edit it for clarity, coherence, and correctness. Check for grammatical errors, punctuation mistakes, and typos.

Identify the Theme

When crafting a literary analysis essay, one of the key elements to focus on is identifying the theme of the literary work. The theme is the central idea or message that the author conveys through the story, and it is essential to understand it to analyze the text effectively.

To identify the theme, pay attention to recurring motifs, symbols, and images throughout the story. Consider the characters’ actions, the setting, and the conflicts they face to determine the underlying message.

It’s crucial to look beyond the surface and delve deeper into the text to uncover the thematic elements that the author has woven into the narrative. Once you have identified the theme, you can analyze how it is developed and how it contributes to the overall meaning of the work.

Understanding the theme will not only enhance your analysis but also provide insight into the author’s intentions and the broader implications of the literary work.

Analyze the Characters

One of the key aspects of crafting a literary analysis essay is delving deep into the characters of the story. When analyzing the characters, pay attention to their motivations, interactions, development, and relationships with others in the story. Look for character traits, conflicts, and how they contribute to the overall theme of the work. Consider how the characters change or grow throughout the narrative, and how their actions shape the plot. By analyzing the characters, you can gain a deeper understanding of the author’s intentions and the effects they have on the story as a whole.

Discuss Symbolism and Motifs

When crafting a literary analysis essay, it is crucial to delve into the symbolism and motifs present in the text. Symbolism refers to the use of symbols to represent ideas or qualities, while motifs are recurring themes or elements that contribute to the overall meaning of the work.

Examine how the author uses symbols such as objects, characters, or events to convey deeper meanings. Consider the significance of these symbols within the context of the story and how they help to develop its themes.

Identify any recurring motifs in the text and analyze how they reinforce the central ideas or messages of the work. Pay attention to the patterns or repetitions of these motifs and discuss their implications for the narrative.

By exploring the symbolism and motifs in a literary work, you can gain a deeper understanding of its themes and appreciate the layers of meaning that the author has woven into the text.

Consider the Author’s Style

When crafting a literary analysis essay, it is crucial to consider the author’s writing style. Pay attention to the language, tone, and literary devices used by the author to convey their message. Analyzing the author’s style can provide valuable insights into the themes, characters, and overall meaning of the text.

Look for recurring motifs, symbolism, and imagery in the author’s writing. Consider how the author structures their sentences and paragraphs, as well as the overall flow of the narrative. Is the writing formal or informal? Does the author use complex or simple language?

By closely examining the author’s style, you can gain a deeper understanding of the text and its significance. This analysis can help you develop a stronger argument and interpretation in your literary analysis essay.

Write a Convincing Thesis Statement

One of the most important elements of a literary analysis essay is the thesis statement. This statement serves as the central argument or main idea that you will explore and support throughout your essay. A convincing thesis statement should be clear, specific, and debatable. It should also provide a roadmap for your reader to understand the focus of your analysis.

When crafting your thesis statement, make sure to take a stance on the literary work you are analyzing. Avoid vague statements or summaries of the plot. Instead, think about the key themes, symbols, or motifs in the text and formulate a statement that highlights your interpretation or analysis of these elements.

Additionally, your thesis statement should be supported by evidence from the text. Use quotes, examples, or references to specific passages to back up your claims and strengthen your argument. This will show that you have engaged with the text critically and can support your analysis with textual evidence.

In summary, a convincing thesis statement for a literary analysis essay should be clear, specific, debatable, and supported by evidence from the text. Take time to carefully craft this statement, as it will guide the direction of your essay and help you make a strong, persuasive argument about the literary work you are analyzing.

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Home > Blog > Literary Analysis Example: Structure of a Literary Analysis

Literary Analysis Example: Structure of a Literary Analysis

• Smodin Editorial Team
• Published: September 24, 2024
• General Guide About Content and Writing
• Step-by-Step Instructions for Writing

So, you’ve read the novel. But what did the text mean? How do you interpret the author’s figurative language? What about character development?

Exploring the author’s literary devices is essential in your studies. You’ve got to spot deeper meanings and aim to complete an in-depth text analysis. This is called a literary analysis essay.

Find out more! Read our expert guide to creating an excellent literary analysis example in your essay.

What Is a Literary Analysis Essay?

If your educator asked you to write a literary analysis essay, what would you do? Chances are, you’d be puzzled. But consider this. You’ve probably created many examples of literary analyses before without ever realizing it!

Literary analysis just means analyzing the literature. It might be a novel, a play, a poem, or a short story. Either way, every time you think about why a character is doing something or acting a certain way, you’re performing an analysis.

Merriam-Webster defines analysis as a detailed examination or a separation of a whole into its component parts. Therefore, to create a literary analysis, you’ve got to look beyond each individual word and think more about meanings. Literary analysis of most texts will be available online so it’s important to avoid content plagiarism .

What Literary Elements Do I Need to Focus On?

When writing a literary analysis, you must analyze specific elements of your excerpt. Here are some of the elements you need to focus on.

Figurative language

Has the author used vivid imagery to convey a picture to the reader? Does the figurative language jump out at you, cementing the reader’s understanding?

Figurative language helps portray more details about the situation to the reader. As a writer, you can expand the scope of the text and draw the reader closer to the story.

Look for any examples of syntax when analyzing the text. Syntax describes the structure of each sentence, providing tone and clarity to the reader. The author can achieve this by carefully considering tense, word order, sentence length, and subject-verb agreement.

To analyze diction, consider the words that the author has used. The vocabulary and the choice of words instantly change the tone.

Consider if there’s formal or informal diction. Is it positive or negative? How does the author’s choice of words impact the text and the analysis?

Character Development and Dialogue

Think about the fictional characters and how they have developed across the whole story. Could each character represent qualities or ideas on a wider scale?

What conversations do the characters have with one another? How does dialogue affect the plot used in the story?

Plot and Setting

What is the plot of the story or poem? Does a feeling of suspense, excitement, or confusion build throughout? Is a main conflict present?

Additionally, think about where the story takes place. Does the setting link with the conflicts in the story, or the character development?

The structure of the story refers to the order of the plotline. Can you identify a linear or non-linear narrative? Often, the structure of the story shapes the meaning.

The theme of the story is the overall idea that the author is exploring in the story. Consider the importance of the theme and any wider issues you can identify.

Think about the attitude of the author. Does the author use the text to convey their attitude? How does the tone impact the story and the overall theme?

Approaches To Analyzing Literature

You could adopt one of the following approaches to your literary analysis to provide a clear structure.

• Biographical criticism is understanding the life and thoughts of the author in a broad context. What were the author’s overall political and societal viewpoints and experiences? Sometimes an author might use literature to portray wider opinions. Also, think about the literature that the authors might have read themselves. What influenced them?
• Historical context is also a good starting approach when analyzing literature. Understanding the period and societal attitude when the author was alive can provide background to the text.
• The genre of the text should be identified and explored. Is the text genre Romanticism, Edwardian, American Transcendentalism, or something else? You could compare the text to literature in the same genre at the same period. How do the texts differ and how are they similar?
• Character analysis might be a good option to explore. Think about the character’s personality, how they interact with other characters, and how they are perceived. Do the surroundings affect their character? How do their decisions steer the plotline? Does the character learn anything as the story progresses?

Writing a Literary Analysis Essay: Step-by-Step Guide on What To Include

Now you know what to look for, how do you create literary analysis essays? Here’s a simple structure to follow.

The Question

You must always read the question carefully so you know what you need to do. What does the question ask? Does it want you to focus on specific literary elements or any that you feel are relevant? Highlight the important sections of the question.

The Main Text

You need to read the text, even if you’ve read it before. This is essential before you start an essay . If you’ve been given a short excerpt, read it a few times. Make notes of the literary elements you find.

If you have been asked to analyze an entire book, you should have made notes already. A thorough study of a text includes note-taking and highlighting important literary factors.

Title and Introduction

As with all essays, you need a title and an introduction. Your title must include the name of the text and the name of the author. Don’t try to write an essay quickly when you are creating a literary analysis.

To create an engaging title, pick out a relevant quote from the text. You can then use a colon and finish off your title.

Your introduction should reference the text and author and provide some context. You may then finish with a strong thesis statement.

Thesis Statement

You might need to create a thesis statement at the beginning of your essay. It’s good practice to use this section to let your reader know what the essay will be about. You will include this section at the end of the introduction.

So, refer to the question at the beginning. Explain that you will be creating an analysis of your literary work and include the reference to the text.

Your thesis statement is an essential part of your answer. When your educator reads the thesis statement, they should know what the essay is about. Include the title and author of the text here along with the relevant literary elements.

It’s also essential to summarize your overall findings here. The thesis statement should be strong enough to stand alone but portray the full essay message.

Body Paragraphs

You would normally create five paragraphs in your entire essay. This includes an introduction, three main body paragraphs, and one conclusion paragraph.

When writing the main body of your essay, each of your three paragraphs must include a separate argument. You don’t need to include everything you know about the text. You need to identify the main points and the strongest supporting evidence.

Each point made must include a contextualized quote, introducing the quote so the reader understands its inclusion. In other examples, it might be more appropriate to paraphrase the text instead of quoting a large section. Remember that paraphrasing and summarizing are similar. You can also include quotes from secondary sources and textual evidence.

Remember that you do not always need to portray the text in a positive way. You can employ literary criticism if it’s appropriate. However, each point made must offer a coherent argument.

Clear Conclusion

As you approach the end of the literary essay, a conclusion is required. As you create the conclusion, you must not include new literary techniques. Solely refer to the previous ideas discussed.

Instead, you must summarize the key points made in the main body and arrive at your conclusion. Refer back to your thesis in your writing process.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are examples of figurative language.

The most common examples of figurative language are similes and metaphors. A simile shows a comparison between two items. A metaphor makes a comparison that cannot be true.

Other examples include symbolism which shows ideas represented by color or images.

What types of characters could be in the text?

The protagonist is the main character. They might be the story’s hero or the story’s main focus. An antagonist is the protagonist’s opposition.

You might also find a static character who never changes during the story. Or a dynamic character who transforms considerably.

What is meant by ‘foreshadowing’?

‘Foreshadowing’ is a term that refers to hints in the text regarding the future storyline. This might be done in an obvious way or it might be very subtle.

Join the Smodin Community and Create Compelling Literary Analysis Essays

You should now be ready to analyze literature and create a literary analysis example yourself! Take a short story or a poem and create your own literary analysis.

Look out for the main points of analysis and draw out excellent examples of quotes and supporting arguments.

If you need more inspiration for your essays, look no further than Smodin AI. We offer several AI tools to help you write compelling essays in just minutes!

Don’t delay, visit Smodin now and create different types of essays easily.

English Resources: Writing a Literary Analysis

• Writing a Literary Analysis
• Annotated Bibliography
• MLA Citations
• Please Take This Instruction Survey This link opens in a new window

Thesis Statements

• Literary Analysis Thesis Statement
• Thesis Statements - UNC Chapel Hill What a thesis statement is, how to create a thesis statement, how to know if your thesis is strong, and examples

Other Literary Analysis Resources

• Literary Analysis Handout Created by the Baptist University of Americas' University Writing Center
• How To Write A Literature Review

What is a Literary Analysis

The purpose of a literacy analysis is to provide a careful examination and evaluation of a work of literature to better understand the work. It is not meant to be a summary of the work.

Example topics of literacy analysis include (but at not limited to):

• Discussing the nature and potential symbolism of characters (are they meant to stand in for a particular ideology or emotion)
• Compare and contact choices different characters make
• A reading of a work based on an outside perspective (i.e. looking at a work from a feminist standpoint)
• A study of the historical events taking place in the background of a particular work and how it effects the characters and story
• An analysis of a reoccurring symbol or image in the work
• A study of the social, political, or economic context in which a work was written

What Makes a Good Literary Analysis?

In selecting the focus of your paper, you want to make sure that you have a debatable thesis statement with a solid argument backed up by evidence. Your thesis should be limited in scope and offer a specific interpretation of the work that will guide you in organizing your paper.

What Type of Evidence Should be Used?

Your analysis should use a mix of primary and secondary sources.

The primary source for a literary analysis is the work which you are writing about and which is the central focus on your paper.

Secondary sources are resources that discuss the primary source or discuss other information such as theories, symbols, social and historical contexts, etc. To find secondary sources, you can use the databases listed on the main page of this guide .

What Are Examples of Evidence?

Your evidence may include:

• Examples from the text in the form of direct quotations, summaries, and paraphrases (Primary)
• Other literary critic's opinions or analysis of a work in the form of critical essays - they can be used as support or as counter arguments (secondary)
• Background information discussion the historical and social context in the form of books or article (Secondary)

Your main evidence should be coming from the text itself and secondary sources (such as critic's opinions and background information) should be used sparingly.

Citing Evidence with MLA

In-text citations for MLA require two elements: Author's last name and page number. There is no punctuation between these two elements.

Direct Quotations

Require a page number. If a page number is not evident, you can also provide a paragraph number i.e. (Smith par. 3).

Paraphrases

If you are paraphrasing a part of the literary work, you still need to provide a page number or page range to indicate where you are getting your information from i.e. (Smith 11-13)

If you are summarizing a work as a whole or a large chuck of a work, a page number or page range is not required, however, you still need to provide a citation or the author's last name.

Paraphrasing Vs Summarizing

Paraphrase:

putting a passage into your own words

condensing idea slightly

requires a page number

summarizing only the main points or broad overview

requires citation; but not a page number

Ways to Format In-Text Citations

The following are different ways you can format your in-text citations:

Author’s name in text (page number): According to Cuno, “for years, archaeologists have lobbied for national and international laws, treaties, and conventions to prohibit the international movement of antiquities” (1).

Author’s name in reference (page number): The argument runs that, “the term 'Czechoslovak' had become a rich source of contention almost immediately after the state's formation” (Innes 16).

No known author : A similar study was done of students learning to format a research paper ("MLA In-Text Citations").

Note: Use an abbreviated version of the title of the page in quotation marks to substitute for the name of the author

Citing authors with same last names, provide the first initial:

Although some medical ethicists claim that cloning will lead to designer children (R. Miller 12), others note that the advantages for medical research outweigh this consideration (A. Miller 46).

Author’s name in text (no page number): Cassell and Jenkins compared reaction times. . . .

Author’s name in reference (no page number): In a recent study of reaction times (Cassell & Jenkins). . .

Note: If the source does not have page numbers, but explicitly labels its paragraphs or sections, you can give that number instead with the appropriate abbreviation. For example, (Lee, par. 2). When a source has no page number or not other kind of numbering, do not give a page number in the parathesis. Do not count paragraphs if they are not numbered.

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You need to interpret a piece of writing for a literary analysis essay. With the deadline quickly approaching, you don’t know where to begin! That’s exactly why we’ve explained how to write such an essay and provided multiple literary analysis essay examples.

Here’s a simple literary analysis essay definition: A personal interpretation of a piece of writing. It’s not just a summary or an explanation of a piece of writing but an argumentative take that highlights your take on a particular poem or story. This is evidenced by the support of quoted sections from the original piece. 

Get your literary analysis essay perfectly edited to score high! Learn more

Here are the steps to write a literary analysis essay in detail:

1. Read and analyze the text

In order to understand how to start a literary analysis essay, you need to realize the importance of strong research. Before you begin writing your essay , make sure to thoroughly go through your text and take detailed notes. Observe and note the words used by the author, the structure and tone of the piece, the point of view, and so on.

The goal here is to build textual connections within and outside the text. Ask yourself the following questions:

• Are there logical connections to be derived from the structure, theme, or words used?
• Does the piece make any allusions to other works?
• Is this piece similar or different from the author’s other writings?
• Are there any thematic similarities between this work and others in the same time period?
• What have critics said about this text? Can it be useful for my argument?

Let’s take a deeper look at how to analyze a literary text:  

A. Use of structure

While writing an essay , studying the structure of a text is an indispensable part of literary analysis. Authors and poets divide their texts into chapters, scenes, or stanzas, which may be deliberate and intentional. Pay close attention to the organization of the text to obtain clues into the author’s intention or to create your own arguments about it.

When analyzing novels or short stories, focus on the following details:

• What is the mechanism for the organization of chapters or sections?
• Does the story begin at the beginning or middle of the action?
• Is time in the text linear, cyclical, or fluid? What effect does this have on your perception of characters, story events, and the climax?
• What role does the climax play in the narrative?

When analyzing poems, ask the following questions:

• Is there a logic behind the organization of stanzas or verses in the poem?
• Does the poem follow a set meter and rhyme scheme?
• How does rhythm in the poem influence its tone and meaning?

A play is the most structured genre of writing. When analyzing, focus on the following aspects:

• What effect does the arrangement of acts and scenes have on the audience?
• How is dramatic irony used in the play?
• What methods does the playwright employ to bring about the plot twist, if one exists?
• Are there any red herrings that are explained later on in the play?
• Does the playwright make use of foreshadowing in their play?

B. Use of narrative voice

One of the most important aspects of a piece of writing is the point of view from which it is written. While going through your text you need to observe who “speaks” and the manner in which they do. 

Is the narrator removed from the text or are they part of it? Are they narrating the events faithfully or distorting it according to their perspective? Does the main character of the story or poem break the fourth wall by directly addressing the reader?

Often, writers make use of distorted points of view recounted by an unreliable narrator. One such example is The Tell-Tale Heart by Edgar Allen Poe. In his short story, Poe delves into the mind of a highly disturbed individual who is fixated on an old man’s “vulture eye”. This distorted perspective can suggest a variety of literary analysis essay topics.

C. Use of language

While going through the text, focus on the language and tone used by the author. Try to answer the following questions as you analyze the writing:

• Are the sentences used simple or verbose? 
• What is the tone of the piece? 
• How has figurative language been used in the text, if at all?
• What do the sensory descriptors and imagery signify?
• Is there any paradoxical or peculiar use of words?

After making notes on the language structure, you can move on to the broader aspects of the piece such as the narrative voice.

Also read: Top 10 Essay Writing Tools in 2023 | Plan, Write, Get Feedback

2. Construct a strong thesis statement

A thesis statement for a literary analysis essay is the main point or argument made based on the analysis of a particular text. It is the base that gives your essay direction and keeps it from being an arbitrary assembly of events or a mere summary. 

While deciding upon your thesis statement, it is a good idea to pick an argument that can be proven or disproven with the help of the information provided in the text.

Make sure that your thesis statement is a well-rounded argument and not simply a yes or no answer. Here are some examples of well-written and poorly-written thesis statements:

Romeo and Juliet is a literary classic that is based on the themes of love and betrayal.

The themes of love and betrayal are blatantly portrayed in Romeo and Juliet . Your thesis statement should be a nuanced and, at times, debatable take on the text under scrutiny.

Here’s a better example:

The nurse’s actions and decisions in Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet significantly contribute to the tragic deaths of the titular characters.

The following thesis statement examines the role of Juliet’s nurse and confidante. It discusses how the careless actions of the nurse resulted in the tragic death of the main characters.

Let’s consider one more thesis statement:

Edgar Allan Poe makes use of symbolism and repetition to enhance his poem The Raven .

Although the thesis statement describes important literary devices used in Poe’s poem, it does not include any argument that can be elaborated on or debated.

Here’s a more well-rounded example: 

In Edgar Allan Poe’s poem The Raven , the repetition of the word “nevermore” serves as a haunting and symbolic refrain, representing the protagonist’s descent into despair.

The following thesis statement example focuses on the significance of the word “nevermore” in The Raven . Although the thesis statement also revolves around literary devices, the significance behind “nevermore” is interpreted with a specific approach. This creates an argument that can be elaborated on or contradicted. 

3. Write well-organized body paragraphs

A literary analysis essay generally consists of three body paragraphs, along with an introduction and conclusion. However, the number of body paragraphs present varies from one essay to another. Understand the structure of a MEAL paragraph to write effective body paragraphs.

Each body paragraph begins with a topic sentence. This sentence details the aspect on which your body paragraph is based. Make sure that each body paragraph discusses only one aspect of your literary analysis essay.

Each topic sentence should be evidenced with the help of information present in the piece of writing. This information can be in the form of direct quotes, summaries, as well as paraphrases. It is important to ensure that these pieces of information are focused and relevant to the point you’re trying to make.

Each body paragraph is concluded with a transition that links to the next topic sentence. Here’s an example of an effective body paragraph:

• Topic sentence
• Evidence presented
• Transition sentence

The raven’s perch upon the bust of Pallas, the goddess of wisdom, enhances the symbolic significance of the word “nevermore.” In stanza 14, the speaker describes the raven’s positioning, stating, “Perched upon a bust of Pallas just above my chamber door.” This juxtaposition of the raven, a symbol of death and darkness, with the statue of wisdom, reinforces the irony and futility of the protagonist’s quest for answers. The symbol of the raven, paired with the recurring utterance of “nevermore,” serves as a constant reminder of the protagonist’s entrapment within his grief. The gloomy atmospheric setting along with a constant sense of despair heightens the overall feeling of hopelessness which contributes to the tragic mood of The Raven .

Also read: How to Write an Essay Outline: 5 Examples & Free Template

4. End with a powerful conclusion

Like all essay types, the conclusion of a literary essay analysis shouldn’t introduce any new arguments. Rather, this space should be used to emphasize the significance of your argument. This can be done by summarizing all the key aspects of your essay and linking them back to your main argument. 

It’s a good idea to conclude your essay with the help of a powerful statement that creates an impression. This can include a quote by the author of the piece you’re analyzing or your own interpretation of the subject matter.

Here’s an example of a well-rounded conclusion:

• Updated thesis statement
• Summary of main points of the essay
• Concluding statement

As we can see, the repeated use of the word “nevermore” serves as a powerful symbol that encapsulates the protagonist’s descent into despair and his futile struggle to find solace or meaning in the face of loss. Through the relentless repetition of this word, Poe creates a sense of finality and negation that magnifies the protagonist’s torment, leaving him trapped in a cycle of despair. The raven, perched upon the bust of Pallas, further intensifies the symbolism, as it becomes an embodiment of the protagonist’s own tortured thoughts and emotions, denying him the wisdom and solace he yearns for. The poem’s dark and atmospheric setting adds to the overall mood, enhancing the emotional impact of the narrative. Together, these elements converge to create a chilling exploration of the fragility of the human psyche in the face of irrevocable loss.

Having written the body paragraphs and conclusion, you can construct an attractive title and introduction based on the content of the rest of your essay.

5. Write an impactful introduction

The introduction of your essay provides a quick overview of the direction it’ll follow. It may include a general theme present in your chosen piece of literature or your take on a particular aspect of the text. 

Make sure to cite the name of the text in question along with the writer of the piece in your essay introduction . This will provide the readers with the necessary context for your essay. Your introduction can also include a commonly held interpretation of a piece of writing by the general public. This belief can either be substantiated or disproven by evidence present in the text.

Your introduction provides a synthesis of the main argument you’d like to present in your essay, also known as the thesis statement. You could also end with a brief overview of your essay by signposting the main topics you’d like to discuss in your essay.

Here’s an example of an ideal essay introduction:

• Opening sentence
• Background information
• Thesis statement

Edgar Allan Poe’s iconic poem, The Rave, is a masterpiece of gothic literature that delves into the depths of human emotions and the haunting presence of loss. Within this enigmatic work, Poe employs the repetition of a single word, “nevermore,” as a haunting and symbolic refrain. In this essay, we will explore how the repetitive use of “nevermore” serves as a profound symbol, representing the protagonist’s descent into despair and his futile struggle to find solace or meaning in the face of overwhelming loss.

6. Come up with a good title

The first thing that attracts the reader to your work is an attractive title. An effective title should be succinct and to the point, yet intriguing. An effective essay title consists of the name of the text you’re examining accompanied by the aspect you’ve analyzed.

Using the name of the text concerned without any alteration is simply not sufficient. You also have to put your own spin on it. The idea is to provide the gist of your essay in a single sentence. There are several ways in which you can do this. 

Here are a few examples of effective literary essay titles:

• The dual nature of sin and redemption as portrayed in The Scarlet Letter
• The significance of “nevermore” in The Raven
• A warning against totalitarianism and surveillance presented in 1984
• The Great Gatsby : The illusion of the American dream
• Moby-Dick: Exploring the themes of obsession and fate
• The complexities of revenge and madness explored in Shakespeare’s Hamlet
• The Catcher in the Rye : A search for authenticity
• Frankenstein : The dangers of ambition and scientific progress
• Examining the link between social injustice and human resilience in The Grapes of Wrath
• Pride and Prejudice : Unveiling the social constructs of marriage

Literary analysis essay example

The following literary analysis essay example examines the role of Captain Arthur Hastings as an unreliable narrator in Agatha Christie’s last novel, Curtains. It explores how the personal biases of Hastings add a sense of mystery to the novel.

Examining Hastings’ Perspective in Agatha Christie’s Curtains

Agatha Christie’s novel Curtains presents readers with a captivating murder mystery, skillfully crafted to keep them guessing until the very end. The role of Captain Arthur Hastings, both a close friend and narrator of the story, is crucial in shaping the readers’ understanding of events. However, an analysis of Hastings’ character reveals that he is an unreliable narrator, prone to biases and limited perceptions. This essay explores the reasons behind Hastings’ unreliability and its impact on the reader’s interpretation of the narrative.

Hastings’ unreliability stems from his inherent subjectivity and personal biases. As an involved character in the story, he possesses preconceived notions about the suspects, events, and motives. This subjectivity can cloud his judgment and influence the information he chooses to reveal or withhold from the readers. His personal biases can lead to misinterpretations, creating a skewed version of events that may misdirect readers in their pursuit of the truth.

Another factor contributing to Hastings’ unreliability is his limited observations and perceptions. As a narrator, he can only provide insights into what he personally witnesses or is directly told by others. Consequently, his knowledge is restricted to the information available to him at any given moment. Hastings may overlook crucial details, misinterpret clues, or fail to grasp the significance of certain actions due to his limited perspective. This limitation can result in gaps or inaccuracies in the narrative, causing readers to form incomplete or incorrect conclusions.

Hastings’ emotional involvement and personal relationships further contribute to his unreliability. His close friendship with Hercule Poirot, for example, may lead him to downplay or overlook Poirot’s mistakes or biases. Additionally, Hastings’ emotional state throughout the investigation, whether it be fear, confusion, or loyalty, can impact his ability to objectively interpret events. Emotions can cloud his judgment and affect his narrative, potentially leading readers astray in their own deductions.

Agatha Christie’s choice to present Captain Hastings as an unreliable narrator adds an element of uncertainty and intrigue to the story. His subjectivity, limited observations, and emotional influences all contribute to his unreliability, shaping the readers’ understanding and interpretation of events. By questioning his version of the truth and scrutinizing his biases and perceptions, readers are encouraged to actively engage in the process of solving the mystery alongside the characters. The unreliability of his narration serves as a reminder that in the world of detective fiction, unraveling the truth requires careful consideration and a discerning eye.

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Are you looking for extra tips and tricks to help you write your first literary analysis? Read this article to find out how to write a literary analysis.

Part of being a literature or even a high school student was writing a literary analysis essay. The teacher allotted the essay topic to you or you were expected to choose one yourself. Either way, it was a task that required great focus.

Usually, when it comes to writing a literary analysis, students find it hectic because of the extra layers within it. Choosing the topic, researching, and reading the text are a few of the many things that require attention. The list goes on. However, it is important to clarify what literary analysis is not.

When writing a literary analysis, it is crucial to know that it is not a summary or synopsis. Your instructor can find that on the internet as well. They want an analysis. A literary analysis is a critique of a text. It is a requirement that helps boost a person’s ability to think outside of the box.

If you are unsure where to start, this article is for you. We have broken down all the elements and tactics that give a clear indication of what to write for your analysis, what to include, and how to write it. It is important to know what elements make or break a good essay. For this reason, we have broken down the article to tackle all the factors crucial for this. Read through this article to find the answers to your question: how to write a literary analysis?

Table of Contents

What is literature?

Before moving on to defining all the elements that describe and make a literary analysis what it is, the first step is to define literature.

Literature is any text or group of texts that convey meaning or an idea. Usually, literature is a text that is read for leisure. It acts as a window that opens the door to a world of imagination and creativity.

Literature is also seen as a voice that the author uses to express emotions or tell the world their story. It comes in many forms and sizes. It can be a long epic poem or a short story. Typically, the job is to unleash all the imaginative worlds that reside within the author onto a piece of paper.

A piece or form of literature is the basis of a literary analysis. When reading a novel or a poem, certain questions and ideas erupt in the mind of the reader. To explore and answer those questions you conduct an analysis.

What is a literary analysis?

Literary analysis is the process of reading, interpreting, and analyzing a piece of literature. The most common mistake people make is confusing literary analysis with summary writing.

To understand what it is, we need to break the term down.

The word ‘literary’ is extracted from literature itself. This insinuates the idea that the aspect explored is a piece of text. The text can be fiction, non-fiction, or even a poem. The term ‘analysis’ means intricately exploring all the nitty-gritty details of an idea. An analysis can be conducted on an image, a video, a new tech device, and yes, a piece of literature.

Combining them both, ‘literary analysis’ is the process of critically and intricately analyzing a literary text with hopes of exploring underlying meanings.

Importance and purpose of literary analysis

Now that a clear definition of literature and literary analysis is out of the way, let’s understand the why. Why is literary analysis important and what is its purpose.

When re-reading certain books you might find something new. An element or component that you did not see before. That enhances your perspective and adds another dimension to your understanding of the text. Here are things you might focus on.

Author’s choice

The author’s choice is extensively and carefully explored. To explore it meaningfully, you need to dive deep into the author’s choice of words, their chosen literary medium, what the background was, and what impact these have. There are also instances where some authors might hint at why they wrote the said piece. A literary analysis covers all that.

But why would you want to explore them? What is the purpose? The answer: To expand on ideas and add more layers of critical understanding.

Understanding style

Literary texts are read to pinpoint a change in style. For instance, various English literature eras have been explored and how each era differs from the other. We have had romantic poetry, gothic literature, Greek plays, and realism. What caused one style to be replaced by the other, is what literary analysis does.

Exploring new elements

The underlying elements that make the text what it is, presents themselves via analysis. A literary analysis also helps to explore new possibilities, providing a lens through which generalized ideas stand out.

Usually, under the layers of a literary text, are hidden meanings. A literary analysis takes and points them out while giving valuable insight into their usage. Lastly, a text usually reflects a specific era, and relating them together gives a general historical lesson on impact.

Benefits of Literary Analysis

There are innumerable benefits of writing a literary analysis. As we have already discussed and stated, it helps us to explore the untethered dimensions of a text. However, numerous benefits surround this analysis..

Enhance critical thinking

When composing your analysis, you are expected to understand and extract all the ideas that the author may embed. It prompts the reader or writer to critically think.

You can uncover the notions that hide between the lines of the text. Analyzing a literary work means looking for more than just what is on the surface. This enhances critical thinking. By analyzing literature, you can connect the dots, look for converging points within the text, provide a more coherent and varied perspective, and reflect. All these elements are crucial for a critical thinker to have. You can solve problems and provide greater and more foolproof strategies while introducing a topic that everyone skimmed passed.

It does not matter whether or not you have a keen interest in literature. The mere act of raising questions and looking for ways to answer them is a sign that you are a critical thinker.

Helps to focus

Part of writing an analysis is focusing on the text. Sure, there are numerous distractions here and there. But at the time of analyzing and breaking down a text, you need to remain constantly vigilant.

Closely exploring a task or in this case, a piece of a literary text, asks for complete focus. All external forces are blocked and proper care is placed on the text. The reason that this focus remains consistent is because of the attention that this form of work requires.

In reality, you are taking apart and putting together a simple piece of text constantly. One little distraction can break it down. To remain consistent with your grounding, focusing on the task is the way to go.

Helps to form claims

It is pretty cool when someone starts quoting from Thomas Hardy’s book or Jane Austen enters the chat. You are in awe. Even when someone validates a point by quoting a line from Wuthering Heights, you are left amazed.

As cool as it sounds, it also becomes a great and monumental forum from where you can provide more insight. It is a great way to prove your point and sometimes gives you that edge.

Once you can back up your claim with, if not with quotes, but underlying ideas stated by the writer, your argument becomes sound.

Approaches to literary analysis

Literary analysis is a very broad term. There are many lenses from which the text can be looked at.It is not just a boring examination of the work but requires a plan.

These approaches help to specify the angle from which the analysis should be written. You can choose one of these lenses or even combine some of them. Either way, it will prove your point and add more credible value to it. These approaches are apparent once you start to conduct your research. For this, you need to open your mind to the endless dimensions of the text. It is imperative to back up the claim with a proper approach. You cannot use an approach just because you ‘feel like it.’ There are several different types of approaches to literary analysis. Each of them has its significance.

Historical approach

When carrying out your research or reading through the text, you might see elements that interlink the text with the context. When you focus on the text’s historical background, you employ a historical approach to conduct your analysis.

For instance, when analyzing Ernest Hemmingway’s “A Farewell to Arms”, you can focus on how it is a tale that surrounds the state of the First World War. The same is the case with Joseph Heller’s “Catch-22”, and its portrayal of World war II or Joseph Conrad’s “Heart of Darkness” which highlights the brutality of slavery.

An analysis conducted from this approach helps to create a clearer and more accurate understanding of the text. Why the text was written the way it was and what caused it to reach this sort of height. You represent the external events that occurred when the text was written.

Thus, historical approaches clarify and further explains monumental events that took place in the past.

Cultural approach

Another approach that one can take when conducting an analysus is cultural. The cultural approach is when you focus on the cultural background that surrounds the text or is embedded within it.

For instance, “Beowulf” or “The Canterbury Tales” by Geoffrey Chaucer, narrate certain prominent cultural beliefs. Chaucer, in his poem, talks about certain members going on a pilgrimage and the values, beliefs, and laws that surrounded the cultural heritage at the time.

A cultural approach works to not just bring into light what culture is represented but also how the author displayed the culture. 

Psychological approach

When reading a literary text, you see elements where the character’s or even the author’s psychological state is highlighted. The question ‘what was the author’s mental state?’ or ‘is the character suffering from a mental illness?’ becomes a defining factor.

When reading “The Perks of Being a Wallflower” by Stephen Chbosky or “The Bell Jar” by Sylvia Plath, you realize certain characteristics that pose the above question. A psychological approach helps to approach a text from the perspective of uncovering and understanding the character or text.

Many authors, poets, and playwrights employ this form of approach to showcase their personal feelings as well. An example is a play written by Sarah Kane, “4.48 Psychosis”, and Eugene O’Neil’s “Long Day’s Journey into the Night”.

These two plays not only show the mental state of the characters but also of the person who wrote them. Thus, this sort of approach can help to understand all the intricacies that remain unexplored. 

Feminist approach

Some essays take the approach of studying the text through the lens of feminist theories. A feminist approach would look at a piece of literature and try to point out the tilted treatment of men and women.

Feminist literary analysis can focus on the characters of the text itself and even on the author. An analysis employing a feminist approach might state that the author has written against females. They point out the influence of the patriarchal society and the stereotypes that surround women. They may even focus on the idea that the character has some sort of malice against women.

For example, a feminist literary analysis of “The Handmaid’s Tale” by Margaret Atwood can focus on how the setting within the novel is primarily focused on a regime set out to destroy women. The hysterical stereotype associated with women in the play “A Streetcar Named Desire” by Tennessee Williams. Or how “The Hunger Games” by Suzzane Collins showcases a strong female lead.

All three examples look at how a text is analyzed from a feminist approach and how genders are treated within the text by other characters or the author.

New criticism approach

This sort of approach to an essay does not include external factors. Such as the background or historical context, when the play was written, and the cultural values of the society. The author’s life and background are also not the main concern. The only focus is just one aspect: the text.

A new criticism approach helps to understand how the text is impactful. It is valued and understood not because of external factors but internal factors.

What style is used, is it first-person or second, what is the plot, and what are the roles of the characters? All these questions are answered when conducting a literary analysis from a new criticism approach. Taking “The Perks of Being a Wallflower” by Stephen Chbosky, you can analyze why it was written in the form of letters and not chapter-wise.

That is its impact. You study and analyze the text solely for its case.

Types of literary analysis

We have already learned possible ways of approaching a literary analysis. However, many other things need to be checked before moving forward: the types of analysis that exist. Literary analysis on its own is a very long project. It requires a lot of details. To go about assessing the aspects of the text you need help.

Just like the approaches that help you to specify the lens or lenses you want to use, these types help you to start your analysis altogether.

Let’s take a look at them with some examples of literary analysis.

Theoretical

Theoretical literary analysis is the process where a writer inspects the text through different theories. A writer lists down all the possible theories that support the main message of the text. After this, they use the theories to support their claim.

This adds an extra layer of proof and strengthens the claim of the writer. A theoretical framework is usually employed for this literary analysis. The theory chosen helps the writer to back up the analysis and convince the reader.

An example would be applying Sigmund Freud’s theory of hysteria to the character of Blanche from “A Streetcar Named Desire.”

Comparative

A comparative literary analysis is much broader. The text, as the title suggests, is compared. You can write a literary analysis by comparing texts written by the same author, texts written in the same era, or even similar texts.

In this process, the writer wants to see how various themes, styles, or even topics are similar in an array of various texts. Comparing all of Jane Austen’s novels in terms of themes or converging ideas to depict the writer’s attempt at showcasing cultural beliefs is an example of comparative literary analysis.

A contextual literary analysis focuses on bringing all the external elements into the text. But only elements that emphasize your point. It is when you explore the time in which the text was written and how the background affected the text.

An example would be to study Alexander Pope’s “The Rape of the Lock” as a mock-epic that satirizes the trivial beliefs of society.

Close reading

Understand the text for what it is, that is close reading. Close reading is analyzing the piece of literature and looking at all minor elements. The language the author used, the words, the structure, and all the details that may seem unimportant comes out with close reading. The use of language to express Holden’s alienation in “The Catcher in the Rye” is an example of close reading.

Elements of literary analysis

Literary analysis is extensive. To make sure you write the perfect analysis essay, we have broken down and introduced certain elements of literary analysis.

Why are these elements important? Because they specify all the components present in a text. There are thousands of things that you can choose to work on when writing your essay. But you cannot focus on them all. These elements help you narrow down your research.

A broad study for an analysis is not helpful. So, what do we do? We find out what those elements are and how you can choose what to focus on.

Literature elements and their analysis

There are many different types of literary texts. They come in all shapes in sizes. Each text has its own set of elements that have their own literary analysis.

A poem is composed of several lines and an undefined structure. It can be as long as a novella or even a one-page poem. A poem usually follows a theme or the inner thoughts of the poet. A poem’s analysis may focus on literary devices, the meter, the rhythmic pattern, or the author’s background. It can also focus on the various structures and types of poems such as epic, sonnet, ballad, mock-epic, etc.

Novels/novellas and short stories

Novels are usually organized in the form of chapters or segments, unlike short stories. Both, however, have characters, a plot, and a storyline. They may also employ a specific genre. A novel and short story can be as long or as short depending on the author. An analysis of novels or short stories would focus on character development, the plot’s organization, and the main theme.

A drama is a form of literature that is intended to be performed on stage. It has a specific setting, plot, and characters that reenact through dialogues. The setting on the stage is changed depending on the context of the text. An analysis on a drama could focus on the character’s language, their settings, and who it represents in an era. It may also focus on the plot and the devices the playwright employed to make a connection between the audience and the text.

Character and character development

Every form of literature contains characters. These characters carry the plot and make the theme of the novel, short story, or drama stand out. Even poems have characters, like T.S. Eliot’s The Waste Land.

Character development focuses on how the character of focus has changed. This can be a negative or positive development. A character’s development can be correlated with the plot.

There are four types of characters present in most literary works:

• Protagonist
• Side characters
• Anti-heroes

Plot and plot development

Novels, short stories, and dramas are forms of literature that have a plot. Plot development is the pace at which the story moves forward. A plot is made of the following components:

• Rising Action
• Falling Action

In every plot, these elements focus on the plot’s overall structure. They determine the starting point, the climax, and the resolution. As an effect, people understand what significance these elements play.

Literary devices

Literary devices are present in all sorts of literary texts. These devices make the text interesting to read. Literary devices determine how the author evokes a sense of empathy, helps the reader visualize, or creates a rhythmic tone.

A literary analysis mainly relies on these literary devices. This is because they communicate basic information that makes the text what it is. There are many different types of literary devices, too many to count. Here are some of the most frequently used literary devices:

• Onomatopoeia
• Personification
• Alliteration
• Foreshadowing

Writing style

Different writers use different forms of writing styles. These writing styles play a crucial part in the formation of the text. A literary analysis may focus on how the writing style affects the reader, the impact it creates, and the environment it evokes.

There are three different perspectives from which the author might write:

• First-person perspective: The author acts as the character.
• Second-person perspective: The author addresses the reader.
• Third-person perspective: The author narrates the story of the main character.
• Third-person omniscient perspective: The author narrates the story from the perspective of various characters.

The writer may also choose to use either one or jump between times when writing in the present, past, or future. These voyages through time help the audience to gain a basic idea of what is happening and when it is happening.

Literary analysis outline

Now that we have covered the basic elements, approaches, and types of literary analysis, let us get on with writing one. It is primarily made of four crucial parts:

Introduction

Body paragraphs.

Let’s explore them one by one.

A title is the first and most crucial part of any literary analysis. It states the main theme and captures the attention of the reader. A title relays the basic idea of what it is that you are exploring in your analysis.

A catchy title will contain the author’s name and the work that you plan on analyzing. You can start the title with a quote relevant or from the piece of literature you plan on analyzing. Either way, the title should capture the attention of the reader and push them to read it.

Every literary analysis should have a proper introduction. An introduction not only carries the main theme of your analysis forward but also captures the audience’s attention. An introduction informs the reader of what your argument is based on.

An introduction should always include a thesis statement which will be discussed further.

An introduction needs a hook sentence. And as the name suggests, it should hook the reader and capture their attention. For an introduction to attract the reader, it needs to have a general statement that relays information about the literary text and the author who wrote it. You can also give a simple and clear overview of what you plan on exploring in the text and how you plan to carry the analysis forward.

An introduction provides context and informs the reader of all the details that are vital to the analysis. In your introduction, you need to address the question, why? Why is this literary analysis important, how can it benefit the literary world, and what new ideas are explored?

You need to convince the reader through your introduction that the topic you have chosen is worth reading and exploring. You need to emphasize the importance of the literary text and the impact it has had on the world. At the end of your introduction, after you have narrated the significance of the study, you need to present your thesis statement.

The introduction you write should be complete and easy to understand. It should aid the reader and help them understand what the literary analysis essay talks about. Avoid writing vague and incomplete statements.

A literary analysis is made up of several body paragraphs that relay ideas regarding your topic. It is the main part of the whole analysis. It provides plausible information that makes your argument compelling.

You address the question and the idea posed in the thesis statement. To convey your idea, body paragraphs tend to have relevant quotations from the literary text. Each body paragraph should end in a way that would prove your point. Typically, there are three to five body paragraphs, and each paragraph addresses a component in the analysis. Each body paragraph also starts with a topic sentence which we will talk about in what to include in a literary analysis.

All the information that asserts your argument is added within the body paragraph. It is important to add relevant quotes and information rather than narrating a tale. Each body paragraph should talk of a specific point and not mesh with the others. You can end a body paragraph with a transition sentence. A literary analysis is made up of body paragraphs that convey the underlying idea behind your study. In these sections, you need to convince the reader and provide enough data to support your thesis statement.

If the reader is not convinced, you need to do more work.

Literary analysis conclusion

A conclusion in a literary essay is when you summarize all your arguments. These closing remarks leave a huge impact on the reader as they reiterate what is said in the body paragraph and the introduction.

However, you mustn’t introduce a new topic, a discovery, or add a new perspective to the literary analysis. The thesis statement and the questions answered in the body paragraphs are addressed in the conclusion.

A conclusion should be precise and should not contain extensive sentences or paragraphs. The conclusion is the easiest thing to write in a literary analysis essay as it talks about your thesis statement, major findings, and how they are interlinked.

What should a literary analysis include

Every literary analysis is made up of a title, introduction, body paragraphs, and conclusion. But you cannot simply start writing them without a proper plan or structure. Many other components make your literary analysis outline more coherent.

Thesis statement

A thesis statement is added within the introduction of your analysis. It is a one or two-sentence-long statement. A good thesis statement will not be vague or complex but simply pose a question within the readers’ minds. You would also inform the reader how you plan on answering that query. A thesis statement for a piece of literature mentions shreds of evidence that can back up your essay. Not only does the thesis statement help your reader to understand what you want to explore but also keeps you on track. You remain consistent with the main idea of the analysis.

Topic sentence

Each body paragraph of your essay starts with a topic sentence. A topic sentence, as the name suggests, summarizes the topic you will address in the following paragraph. It acts as a preview of what is explored in the paragraph. A topic sentence might also follow up on the previous paragraph and add another dimension to it. It can start with a transition sentence such as, ‘furthermore’, ‘however’, ‘moreover’, etc.

Evidence from the text

You cannot prove your point or add value to its meaning without evidence. To prove your stance you need to quote relevant instances from the text. The quote you plan to use should fit into the argument and should be explained. You can paraphrase the quote and link the instance with the argument that you are building.

How to write a literary analysis

Many fear that writing a literary analysis requires a lot of extra work. It is fairly simple when you know the whats and hows. It is not as complicated as it sounds. We have already discussed the important components present in literary analysis; title, introduction, thesis statement, body paragraph, topic sentence, and conclusion.

Here are the tips you need to answer the question: how to write a literary analysis?

Before you start writing your analysis, you need to conduct research. You need to know what you are writing for, what is the purpose, and if any other work has been carried out on the topic. The research will help you to bring in data and comments made by other researchers and critics. You can use these comments to build up your analysis. This is a long and hefty process but it helps you to choose a topic and implement changes.

Your literary analysis should be an argument and assessment of the topic you have chosen. You need to develop a good, complete, and easy-to-understand argument. You can create your argument and fully present it when you have carried out your research on the topic. Researching will help you narrow down your approach, the type of literary analysis you want to choose, and the argument as well. To determine what your argument should focus on, the best thing to do is to narrow down your research. The more broad your argument is, the vaguer it is. Your argument is hinted at in your title and then elaborated on on in your introduction. You present it clearly so that the audience may understand what your goal is. 

Every piece of literature is made up of various literary devices. A literary device beautifies the text, making it more interesting. When you write an analysis, you need to be aware of the multiple literary devices present in the text. These literary devices strengthen your essay and make it more interesting. You use these devices to explain your point and add to your argument. To do that, you need to know what the literary device is, what impact it has, and how the author uses it. 

Whichever approach you choose for your analysis, you need to closely read the text to conclude. Close reading is a literary analysis technique that helps to pinpoint and extract all the necessary data which can support your topic. Close reading is crucially important to conduct before even starting the analysis. This is because it creates a clear and coherent idea as well as provides necessary evidence.

Brainstorm titles and organization

Now that you have carried out the basic steps, you need to brainstorm for titles and the structure of your analysis. Your topic, the argument, and the literary devices are all done. You should brainstorm for a title that would capture the attention of the reader as well as convey the topic of your analysis.

Your title is plastered on the front page of the essay. It needs to be catchy. Two things every literary analysis title has are: the author’s name and the text’s name. You can add a quote that is the crux of your topic as well. You also need to organize your analysis. We know the typical format and it has been stated above. But you also need to organize which argument or which body paragraph should come first. This adds proper coherency to your essay. You cannot jumble the arguments but need to keep them properly intact.

Now we start writing our analysis. We are aware of what needs to be added to ananalysis essay. Let’s quickly go through them

Your introduction explains your topic and title. It contains two very important things:

• Hook sentence
• Thesis sentence

A hook sentence in the introduction helps to grab the reader’s attention. It is exciting and relevant to the topic. Your introduction should contain details about the author and a small overview of the text. A thesis statement is presented at the end of the introduction. It further elaborates your title and becomes the foundation of your body paragraphs.

Your body paragraph explains your argument and adds value to your analysis. It is where you explain and build up your thesis statement. It starts with a topic sentence and ends with a transition sentence. Each body paragraph should cover and explains a different topic.

A conclusion wraps up all the arguments and summarizes the entire essay under one single heading. No new information or topic is presented in this section. It gives the reader closure and adds finality to the whole essay.

Proofread and submit

Once you have written your literary analysis, you must proofread it thoroughly. Check for any grammatical errors, punctuation mistakes, and spelling mistakes. Do not proofread the text once. You need to read it at least thrice.

Pro tip: read forward to detect any grammar or punctuation mistakes and backward for spelling mistakes.

Mistakes to avoid when writing a literary analysis

If you are writing your first literary analysis, you need to beware of making these mistakes.

• Do not summarize: A literary analysis is not a summary. You should only give a brief overview of the text in your introduction. Other than that, refrain from summarizing.
• Do not plagiarize: Your work should be original and should not be copied from any other writer or critic. Plagiarism discredits your entire argument.
• Do not use contractions: Never use contractions like ‘isn’t’, ‘can’t’, ‘don’t’, etc in your literary essay. An analysis should always be formal and adding contractions detracts from the topic.
• Do not address the reader: Do not directly or indirectly address the reader in your literary analysis.
• Unclear thesis statement: Make sure your thesis statement is clear and coherent. A vague thesis statement will confuse you and the reader.
• Adding unnecessary information: Adding unnecessary quotes and information within your analysis drags the essay.
• Not to add new information in the conclusion: your conclusion should not introduce a new topic. You need to conclude, not add.

Tips to help you write your literary analysis

Here are some more tips and tricks that can help you write an amazing literary analysis. These easy tips are some of the basic know-how that we usually miss.

The tips are to:

• Always write in the present tense
• Use third-person narration
• Remember to analyze not summarize
• Write a proper hook sentence and thesis statement
• Know all the literary terms
• Not use confusing and complex words
• Extract relevant quotes and evidence from the text
• Quote other critices
• Cite sources

Literary analysis helps you to understand the depth of the literary text from various perspectives. When it comes to how to write a literary analysis, many confuse it with summaries. Your essay should add new information. For a good essay, you need to research, choose a topic, thesis statement, and organize it perfectly. If you keep all these tips and tricks in mind, you are for sure going to write an amazing analysis.

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Writing A Literary Analysis Essay

• Library Resources
• Books & EBooks
• What is an Literary Analysis?
• Literary Devices & Terms
• Creating a Thesis Statement This link opens in a new window
• Using quotes or evidence in your essay
• APA Format This link opens in a new window
• MLA Format This link opens in a new window
• OER Resources
• Copyright, Plagiarism, and Fair Use

Video Links

Elements of a short story, Part 1

YouTube video

Elements of a short story, Part 2

online tools

Collaborative Mind Mapping  – collaborative brainstorming site

Sample Literary Analysis Essay Outline 

Paper Format and Structure

Analyzing Literature and writing a Literary Analysis

Literary Analysis are written in the third person point of view in present tense. Do not use the words I or you in the essay. Your instructor may have you choose from a list of literary works read in class or you can choose your own. Follow the required formatting and instructions of your instructor.

Writing & Analyzing process

First step: Choose a literary work or text. Read & Re-Read the text or short story. Determine the key point or purpose of the literature

Step two: Analyze key elements of the literary work. Determine how they fit in with the author's purpose.

Step three: Put all information together. Determine how all elements fit together towards the main theme of the literary work.

Step four: Brainstorm a list of potential topics. Create a thesis statement based on your analysis of the literary work. 

Step five: search through the text or short story to find textual evidence to support your thesis. Gather information from different but relevant sources both  from the text itself and other  secondary  sources to help to prove your point. All evidence found will be quoted and analyzed throughout your essay to help explain your argument to the reader. 

Step six: Create and outline and begin the rough draft of your essay. 

Step seven: revise and proofread. Write the final draft of essay

Step eight: include a reference or works cited page at the end of the essay and include in-text citations.

When analyzing a literary work pay close attention to the following:

Characters:  A  character  is a person, animal, being, creature, or thing in a story. 

• Protagonist : The main character of the story
• Antagonist : The villain of the story
• Love interest : the protagonist’s object of desire.
• Confidant : This type of character is the best friend or sidekick of the protagonist
• Foil  – A foil is a character that has opposite character traits from another character and are meant to help highlight or bring out another’s positive or negative side.
• Flat  – A flat character has one or two main traits, usually only all positive or negative.
• Dynamic character : A dynamic character is one who changes over the course of the story.
• Round character : These characters have many different traits, good and bad, making them more interesting.
• Static character : A static character does not noticeably change over the course of a story.
• Symbolic character : A symbolic character represents a concept or theme larger than themselves.
• Stock character : A stock character is an ordinary character with a fixed set of personality traits.

Setting:  The  setting  is the period of time and geographic location in which a  story  takes place.

Plot:   a literary term used to describe the events that make up a story

Theme:   a universal idea, lesson, or message explored throughout a work of literature. 

Dialogue:  any communication between two characters

Imagery:  a literary device that refers to the use of figurative language to evoke a sensory experience or create a picture with words for a reader.

Figures of Speech:  A word or phrase that is used in a non-literal way to create an effect. 

Tone: A literary device that reflects the writer's attitude toward the subject matter or audience of a literary work.

rhyme or rhythm:  Rhyme is a literary device, featured particularly in poetry, in which identical or similar concluding syllables in different words are repeated. Rhythm can be described as the beat and pace of a poem

Point of view:  the narrative voice through which a story is told.

• Limited –  the narrator sees only what’s in front of him/her, a spectator of events as they unfold and unable to read any other character’s mind.
• Omniscient –  narrator sees all. He or she sees what each character is doing and can see into each character’s mind. 
• Limited Omniscient – narrator can only see into one character’s mind. He/she might see other events happening, but only knows the reasons of one character’s actions in the story.
• First person: You see events based on the character telling the story
• Second person: The narrator is speaking to you as the audience

Symbolism:   a literary device in which a writer uses one thing—usually a physical object or phenomenon—to represent something else.

Irony:  a literary device in which contradictory statements or situations reveal a reality that is different from what appears to be true.

Ask some of the following questions when analyzing literary work:

• Which literary devices were used by the author?
• How are the characters developed in the content?
• How does the setting fit in with the mood of the literary work?
• Does a change in the setting affect the mood, characters, or conflict?
• What point of view is the literary work written in and how does it effect the plot, characters, setting, and over all theme of the work?
• What is the over all tone of the literary work? How does the tone impact the author’s message?
• How are figures of speech such as similes, metaphors, and hyperboles used throughout the text?
• When was the text written? how does the text fit in with the time period?

Creating an Outline

A literary analysis essay outline is written in standard format: introduction, body paragraphs, and conclusion. An outline will provide a definite structure for your essay.

I. Introduction: Title

A. a hook statement or sentence to draw in readers

B. Introduce your topic for the literary analysis. 

• Include some background information that is relevant to the piece of literature you are aiming to analyze.

C. Thesis statement: what is your argument or claim for the literary work.

II. Body paragraph

A. first point for your analysis or evidence from thesis

B.  textual evidence   with explanation of how it proves your point

III. second evidence from thesis

A. textual evidence   with explanation of how it proves your point  

IV. third evidence from thesis

V. Conclusion

A. wrap up the essay

B. restate the argument and why its important

C. Don't add any new ideas or arguments

VI: Bibliography: Reference or works cited page

End each body paragraph in the essay with a transitional sentence. 

Links & Resources

Literary Analysis Guide

Discusses how to analyze a passage of text to strengthen your discussion of the literature.

The Writing Center @ UNC-Chapel Hill

Excellent handouts and videos around key writing concepts. Entire section on Writing for Specific Fields, including Drama, Literature (Fiction), and more. Licensed under CC BY NC ND (Creative Commons - Attribution - NonCommercial - No Derivatives).

Creating Literary Analysis (Cordell and Pennington, 2012) – LibreTexts

Resources for Literary Analysis Writing 

Some free resources on this site but some are subscription only

Students Teaching English Paper Strategies 

The Internet Public Library: Literary Criticism

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