1. How To Write a Literary Analysis
Step by step guide
2. Whatisliterary
Analysis?
A literary analysis is an essay that aims to examine and
evaluate a particular aspect of a work of literature or the
work in its entirety. It typically analyzes elements like
character development, plot twists, the sequence of
events and the piece's setting to offer the reader more
insight regarding the author's intent and the quality of its
execution. Knowing how to write a literary analysis is in
essence knowing how to read and think critically.
Unlike literary summaries and reviews, the goal of the
literary analysis is not to create a synopsis of the whole
work or offer an opinion on it, but rather to discuss
relevant elements within the text to figure out how the
piece of literature works.
3. What to include
in a literary
analysis
There is no single definitive list of elements that need to be
included in literary analysis. What to focus on typically
depends on the nature of the piece of literature to be
analyzed. However, there are some common elements that
usually are helpful and insightful when included in an
analysis, regardless of the particularities of the text in
question. These are:
The genre and type of the analyzed piece of literature
A thorough examination of the main characters
An outline of the work's plot and the main ideas present in
the piece
A review of the overall theme of the analyzed text
A description of the symbolism identified in the piece
An inspection of the work's structure and the writing style
used to create it
4. How to write a
literary analysis
Follow these five steps to create a thorough and relevant
literary analysis:
1. Examine the literary work
The first step should be to read the piece carefully, ideally
more than once. You will need to familiarize yourself with
every major aspect of the work, such as its main idea, plot,
characters and how the author expresses specific ideas
and points of view. The main purposes should be to
discover the most memorable parts of the text, identify
the author's style and observe how the characters develop
throughout the piece.
5. 2. Gather
arguments for
your thesis
After properly familiarizing yourself with the work, the
next step is to collect pieces of evidence that reinforce
your arguments. Forming a persuasive argument for your
ideas requires finding passages in the text that support
them
6. 3. Create a
rough outline
The first part of the actual process of how to write a
literary analysis is to create a synopsis of the entire
examination of the work. This will act as a framework for
your analysis and help make it more coherent and keep it
focused on the point you’re trying to make.
7. 3. Create a
rough outline
The first part of the actual process of how to write a literary
analysis is to create a synopsis of the entire examination of
the work. This will act as a framework for your analysis and
help make it more coherent and keep it focused on the
point you’re trying to make.
8. 4. Formulate a
thesis
Formulating a strong thesis is the next step, and it should
succeed in connecting the ideas and implementations of
the work's author to the points made in your analysis.
Your thesis will lay out how and why your ideas are
important to understanding the literary work.
9. 5. Write the
analysis
After creating the outline and formulating the thesis, the
final step is embarking upon the actual analysis. Each
paragraph should support a single idea, and their order
must unfold in a way that makes sense to the reader. After
writing it, revise your literary analysis to account for any
errors.
11. The
introduction
The opening statements of your literary analysis needs to
expose the reader to the critique's context and intentions.
It should include basic information, such as the author's
name, the piece's title and a thematic statement that
reveals the overall intention your analysis aims to convey.
The end of the introduction should include a thesis
statement that includes why the analysis is relevant and
what questions it aims to answer.
12. The body
This is the main part of the literary analysis, and it should
start with a statement directly related to the thesis. Its
main focus is answering the questions you posed about
the work and exploring how the author implemented the
methods outlined in your thesis by using quotes and
rhetoric. It should end with a strong statement that
reinforces the thesis of the analysis.
13. The
conclusion
The paragraph or paragraphs concluding the literary
analysis should explain its thesis and show how the
concepts presented in the body argue for the accuracy of
the ideas presented in the analysis. The conclusion is a
summary of your main points and where you bring home
their significance.
