Writing the Literary Analysis Essay

Use this Power Point as a Model for Writing the Literary Analysis Essay

Introduction

• Hook/Attention-grabber• Statement introducing theme and connecting

hook to thesis• Thesis Statement (last sentence of

introduction paragraph)

• Your thesis statement will typically include:– Title of the work you will discuss in your

paper (in italics) – The author of the work– The Thematic Statement

Thesis Statement

Sample Thesis Statement

• In the novel The Great Gatsby, F. Scott Fitzgerald develops the idea that money alone does not make people complete or happy using metaphors and descriptive details.

Sample Introduction

“The one who dies with the most toys wins.” Or does he? People are often drawn to wealth and fame; many people wish they had more money, or that they were more popular. In the novel The Great Gatsby, F. Scott Fitzgerald develops the idea that money alone does not make people complete or happy using metaphors and descriptive details.

Body paragraphs• Topic Sentence: includes author’s last name,

literary devices, argument verb, and purpose relating to theme statement.

• Introduce the quote by providing the context of the quote “direct quotation” (page).

• In your commentary sentences that follow the quote, explain what the author is DOING and not the characters (don’t summarize). Use argument verbs!

• Connect back to theme

Sample Body Paragraph Gatsby seems to have everything a person could want, and

yet Fitzgerald suggests that Gatsby is sad and lonely through metaphor. When there is a party, “a corps of caterers came down with several hundred feet of canvas and enough colored lights to make a Christmas tree of Gatsby’s enormous garden” (44). Comparing the garden to “a Christmas tree” implies that the garden is a place of color and life, filled with joy, just like the Christmas holiday. But earlier in the passage, Fitzgerald describes that in Gatsby’s “blue gardens men and girls came and went like moths among the whisperings and the champagne and the stars” (43). Here, the garden is described as “blue,” a color that suggests sadness, and the partygoers are not good friends of Gatsby’s, but merely “moths,” insects who are drawn to the light of his wealth. Ultimately, Fitzgerald reveals that Gatsby, despite his wealth, is truly alone, even when surrounded by dozens of people. They want his stuff--not his friendship.

Conclusion• Extends ideas by connecting theme/universal idea to

society today or to human nature in general– Answers questions like:

• What does this book reveal about America?• What does this book show us about people?• What can we learn about life from this author?

– Includes author’s name and argument verbs• Does NOT restate literary devices • Does NOT include any quotes• Does NOT mention any characters from the book• Don’t use “in conclusion” or “as you can see” – be

more creative.

Sample Conclusion Americans often classify success in terms of how

much money they make, how important their jobs are, how many important or influential people they know, or how many new gadgets and “toys” they have. But this novel turns the reader’s thinking about money upside down. Rather than see life as a competition to get more stuff or impress their neighbors, Fitzgerald encourages people to think about the deeper, more important meanings of success: that individuals must be proud of who they are and the choices they make, and that people should surround themselves with people who truly know them and care about them, and are not just using them. Fame and fortune cannot make people complete and satisfied; Fitzgerald demonstrates through The Great Gatsby that the items truly worth having in life cannot be bought at a store.