Lit Analysis Tips

Huish's Top 11 Literary Criticism No-Nos

1. Use "one" and alternate "his/her" or "people" and "they/their" to write about universal truths;
   1. Example: "People all want to be loved by their families," "one does better if one breathes frequently," etc.;
2. Use a formal and/or scientific Writer's Voice in lit analyses, if you're the only writer. If you're part of a group, use a formal and unified Writer's Voice;
3. Make sure to write about authors by using only their last names;
   1. Example: "Sedaris's 'Us and Them' is a hilarious story that mocks the suburban television culture."
4. Write about literature in the present tense (THINK: story time);
   1. Example: When you read The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe, you write about the characters, setting, and plot as though you have entered the story (even though the setting is Engand during World War II).