Lit Analysis FAQ

1. What's the point of writing a literary analysis essay?

The point of lit analysis essays is to demonstrate that you, the student, have learned the thinking and writing skills needed to understand the "deeper" meanings of literary works and to explain them in your own words (with the supporting ethos of published literary critics).

2. How do I start writing a literary analysis paper?

Start with your thesis statement. Write it down, and then go on to your first body paragraph. Come back later to finish your introduction.

How do I set up my introductory paragraph?

Follow the old cliche of paper writing and public speaking: "First, tell me what you're going to tell me. Then, tell me, and, finally, tell me why you told me." The introduction is the first part. Provide your thesis and give a brief summary of the major points that you are going to bring up in the paper. In other words, "Tell me what you're going to tell me." End the paragraph with a nice transition sentence, and you're off and running.

3. What should my paper's title be?

It depends on what your paper is about. It should not just be the title of the book you read. It should not be "English Paper." The title should present to the reader an idea of what your paper's focus will be. Capitalize the first letter of each major word of your title, but don't underline it, italicize it, or put quotes around it.

4. How should I make my body paragraphs?

There are many ways to set up a paragraph. The picture below is what I recommend. (You can click on it to make the picture bigger.) There are other ways to format a paragraph, but this is a good, safe, straightforward way. Plus, it puts the emphasis on your writing and your ideas. You are the author after all. Your words introduce the source, then you quote the source, then your words explain and analyze the connection between the source and your thesis.

5. How much plot should I include?

Nearly none. Assume the reader (your teacher) knows everything about the plot but nothing about the meaning. You only need to briefly describe the place in the book you're talking about. Spend more of your time explaining the deeper meaning of the book, and how the quotation you've chosen helps illuminate that meaning.

6. How many quotations should I use in my paper?

One or two quotations in each body paragraph. No more. No less, and usually not in the intro or the conclusion.

How many quotations should be from my book and how many from outside sources?

Roughly 50/50. If you're going to go heavy on one side, use more quotations from the novel/play that you're writing about:

7. How do I introduce quotations in my paragraphs?

There are several effective ways to introduce quotations. At its most basic, let's say you have a quotation from a single, literary work--Of Mice and Men. The simplest way to introduce a quotation is to just start writing about the content of the quotation your are going to be analyzing. For instance:

• Lennie's size and his simple, almost animal-like behaviors appear early in his description: "His huge companion dropped his blankets and flung himself down and drank from the surface of the green pool; drank with long gulps, snorting into the water like a horse" (Steinbeck 2). [follow with your analysis]

If you're going to be smooth about introducing quotations, you'll try your best to avoid phrases like "this quote shows . . . ." The example above is smooth. Simple, but smooth. For more complicated scenarios and how to deal with quotations from outside sources, check out this document.

8. What about all that MLA format and whatnot?

Head on over to the MLA format FAQ for all the info you need, plus you can see screenshots of a model paper that illustrates what we've talked about above.

9. What are some common mistakes that I should avoid?

So glad you asked. That is going to take another page. Click here for a list of mistakes that I see over and over again.