20 Mar Literary Analysis Essay

Be sure to incorporate the two sources throughout the essay in MLA style, using in-text and parenthetical citations, and ending the essay with a Works Cited page (page 4). Here are the key components that should be present in your literary analysis:

INTRODUCTION PARAGRAPH

• Engage the audience and get them thinking about the content of the story–without summarizing the plot. 😊  
• Introduce the story by title (put the title in quotation marks or in italics and use consistently) and give some background. Feel free to also provide some background on the author so long as it doesn’t distract from the thematic focus. 
• Include a thesis that reveals the overall theme of the story:

• thesis may be 2-3 sentences for this essay
• avoid announcing phrases, such as "In this essay, I will discuss" 

BODY PARAGRAPHS (need several to support thesis)

• Discuss several literary elements (use notes from readings) that serve as examples of how the theme is illustrated throughout the story. 

• Here are the literary elements choose from: 

characters      plot    setting     imagery     symbolism    

  tone/mood      *theme (ultimate goal)

• Be sure to avoid over-summarizing the plot—instead, provide highlights and insights into how the theme is exemplified and illustrated. 
• Make sure the body paragraphs are well-organized according to importance and flow from one to the next with strong transitions.
• Incorporate several citations into the body paragraphs to show your understanding of citation and documentation:

• Use in-text citations and parenthetical citations to avoid plagiarism.
• When citing sources, use a variety of summary and direct quotation, but not matter which you choose, keep citations fairly brief to just a line or two.
• Use your sources as further evidence of your opinions and/or to refute (you can “argue” in opposition of a source to also generate content).
• Be sure to include the full citations on the Works Cited page. Remember, use Chapter 13 in your textbook as a guide and you can also use Easybib.com.

CONCLUSION

• Restate your major focus of theme: universally, how can an audience connect with the fictional work you have analyzed?
• This paragraph would also be a good time to discuss how we can make meaning from fiction. Though it may not be the truth, fiction is often derived from some facet of truth and reality. 
• Share your insights as the “expert!”