ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHY

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WRITING ABOUT LITERATURE

Literary Analysis

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What does “analyze” mean?

  • To break something down into smaller parts and examine how those parts work
  • The parts might work individually or together or both
  • Use critical thinking to evaluate and find causal relationships between the parts
  • Ask “why” to probe deeper into the topic.

Analyzing Literature

  • The “why” of analyzing literature often has to do with the theme, and always has to do with literary elements (the parts), like characterization, setting, tone, and imagery.
  • It’s not a book report, plot summary, or even a review
  • Literary criticism asks questions like, “How does this piece of literature actually work?” and “Why might the author have made these choices about these literary elements?”

Steps of the Process

Ask questions

Mind-mapping and brainstorming techniques can be helpful.

2. Collect evidence

To use in your body paragraphs.

3. Develop a Thesis Statement.

4. Plan and organize

This usually involves an outline of the structure of your plan for your argument. Factor in the length requirement of the assignment!

Steps of the Process (cont.)

5. Write an Introduction

that gives your readers the background of your argument (assume they have read the piece!).

6. Write Body Paragraphs

that communicate the main points of the evidence one by one.

Write a Conclusion

that sums up the argument you have made.

Questions to ask yourself

  • What struck you?

Was there a particular image, line, or scene that stayed in your mind? Was there a character that you liked or didn’t like? Why?

  • What confused you?

Were you surprised by a character’s behavior, or was there an ironic twist that you did not expect? Ask yourself why the author made those choices.

  • Did you notice any patterns?

Is there a bit of dialogue or an image that repeats throughout the literary work?

Literary Elements of Story

These are the whats of the work—what happens, where, and to whom.

  • Plot

Refers to the events and actions of the work—what happens next.

  • Characters

are the “people” who act and are acted upon. The main character is called the protagonist. If the protagonist is not completely admirable, he/she is an antihero.

  • Conflict

is the tension that drives the action. The antagonist is the character who creates conflict by acting against the protagonist.

Literary Elements of Story

  • Setting

refers to when and where the plot occurs. It is also the social circumstances and the feeling of the “when and where.”

  • Narration

refers to the teller or voice of the story. The voice may or may not be a character in the story.

  • Theme

is the main idea or message of the work—some kind of commentary about people, society, relationships, life, innocence, etc. There can be more than one and they can even conflict with one another. The reader is to interpret the author’s meaning.

Elements of Style in Literature

These are the hows—how the story is constructed and how language is used.

  • Structure

is about how the parts of the story are assembled. Some novels are narrated in a linear, chronological fashion, while others skip around. Some plays follow the rules of the 3 or 5 act structure, and others are a series of loosely connected scenes. This can be a clue to the message of the work.

**Ask yourself, why would the author set the structure up this way? What effect is that supposed to have on the reader or viewer?

Elements of Style in Literature

  • Point of view

describes the perspective from which the story is told (narrated). The narrator may be the protagonist telling the story from the first-person point of view (pov).

Or, if the narrator is not a character, they narrate from the third-person pov. If so, he/she may describe not only the actions, but also intimate thoughts and feelings of the protagonist and/or other characters (omniscient).

Or, the narrator may only describe feelings and events surrounding one character (limited).

**What effect does the pov have on the reader?

Elements of Style in Literature

  • Diction

refers to the author’s word choice and can tell you a lot about his or her attitude and personality (which are clues to the theme).

**Is the narrator or are the characters using dry, clinical language? Is there flowery prose or lots of exclamation points?

  • Syntax

refers to word order and sentence construction and helps to establish the author’s narrative voice.

  • Tone

is the mood or feeling of the text. Diction and syntax contribute to the tone. For example: short, clipped sentences using small, simple words might feel cold and matter-of-fact.

Elements of Style in Literature

  • Imagery

is language that describes things that are interpreted by the senses—seeing, smelling, hearing, tasting, and touching.

  • Figurative language

is descriptive syntax that is not meant to be taken literally. Often it is in the form of metaphors and similes, which compare two things that have very different literal meanings.

  • A symbol

is a person, place, or object which has a meaning in itself but suggests other meanings.

More Questions to Ask Yourself

  • Did you notice any contradictions?

Great works are complex and explanations of their complexities make great literary essays!

  • What does the title have to do with the author’s main idea or message?

  • What is the message to you?

It’s up to you to interpret the theme and to explain why you think that it is so.


Ways that theme may be expressed:

  • By the way the author makes the reader or audience feel.

By sharing feelings and ideas of the main character, the reader may also share ideas. This can involve catharsis, in which the reader identifies personally with a character.

  • In thoughts and conversations, also known as dialogue.

Look for thoughts that are repeated in the words spoken by characters.

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Ways that theme may be expressed:

  • Through the characters’ process of change.

What does the main character learn? The protagonist is going to go through a process of change and learn something in the story.

  • Through the actions of characters and/or events.

Characters’ actions express their thoughts, ideas, and feelings, which are clues about the theme.

Conflict: big clue about theme

Conflict is the foundation of fiction because it creates and drives the plot.

  • Man vs. Man is the conflict of one person against another.
  • Man vs. Society: The values and customs by which everyone else lives are questioned and the character has problems because of his/her own questioning of that.
  • Man vs. Self is internal conflict. It involves interior conflicts of a character and how they are resolved.
  • Man vs. Nature refers to conflict with elements of the natural environment.

Effective Questions

Invite debate and discussion and can be argued against.

  • Are Romeo and Juliet’s parents responsible for the deaths of their children?

  • Why do pigs keep showing up in Lord of the Flies?

  • Are Dr. Frankenstein and his creation more alike than different in some ways? How?

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Ineffective Questions

Are just a rehashing of the summary or something that cannot be proven or argued using the text.

  • What happens to Scout in To Kill a Mockingbird?

  • What do the other characters in Julius Caesar think about Caesar?

  • How does Hester Prynne in The Scarlet Letter remind me of my sister?

Collect Evidence

  • From the text.

Dig around in the text. It’s the “primary source.” Keep track of passages, symbols, images, or scenes that deal with your topic. Use mind-mapping to make connections to use for a thesis statement.

  • Other sources.

In a research paper, you will find published literary criticisms to back up your ideas about the text. These are called “secondary sources.”

Construct a Thesis Statement

  • A Thesis Statement

describes a claim about a work of literature that needs to be supported by evidence and thoughtful arguments. It is the heart of the essay.

  • Not a thesis statement:

The Great Gatsby describes New York society in the 1920s. (This is a fact.)

  • Not an effective thesis:

Hamlet is a confusing but ultimately well-written play. (This is a personal opinion.)

Weak or Bad Thesis Statements

  • Both George and Lenny change a great deal in Of Mice and Men. (This is both obvious and vague.)

  • Dr. Frankenstein’s monster tells us a lot about the human condition. (This is less obvious, but still vague.)

Note: These examples are good questions to start the process, but what does “a lot“ or “a great deal” actually mean?

How does the monster tell us so much about the human condition? In what ways do George and Lenny change?

A Good Thesis Statement

  • Asks the right question: (but should not be a question-it should answer the question)

In Romeo and Juliet, which is more powerful in shaping the lovers’ story: fate or foolishness?

  • And is specific:

Though Shakespeare defines Romeo and Juliet as “star-crossed lovers” and images of stars and planets appear throughout the play, a closer examination of that celestial imagery reveals that the stars are merely witnesses of the characters’ foolish activities and not the causes themselves.

A Good Thesis Statement

  • A good question can be simple:

How does the bell jar function as a symbol in Sylvia Plath’s The Bell Jar?

  • A good thesis statement may also need some background information for clarity: (thesis should only be one sentence and is underlined in example)

A bell jar is a bell-shaped glass that has three basic uses: to hold a specimen for observation, to contain gases, and to maintain a vacuum. The bell jar appears in each of these capacities in The Bell Jar, Plath’s semi-autobiographical novel, and each appearance marks a different stage in Esther’s mental breakdown.

A Good Thesis Statement

  • The question may be a “what if?” one:

Would Piggy in The Lord of the Flies make a good island leader if he were given the chance?

  • The thesis takes a firm position on the issue (thesis underlined):

Though the intelligent, rational, and innovative Piggy has the mental characteristics of a good leader, he ultimately lacks the social skills necessary to be an effective one. Golding emphasizes the fact that Piggy lacks the social skills necessary to be an effective leader by giving Piggy a foil in the charismatic Jack, whose magnetic personality allows him to capture and wield power effectively, if not always wisely.

Compare these:

  • Weak: Mark Twain's Huckleberry Finn is a great American novel about the Mississippi River culture.

  • Better: In Huckleberry Finn, Mark Twain develops a contrast between life on the river and life on the shore.

  • Best: Through its contrasting river and shore scenes, Twain's Huckleberry Finn suggests that to find the true expression of American democratic ideals, one must leave "civilized" society and go back to nature.

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And these. . .

  • Weak: Little Women, a novel by Louisa May Alcott, is about three sisters who have different personalities.

  • Better: The plot of the novel Little Women, by Louisa May Alcott, revolves around the lives of three sisters with different personalities.

  • Best: The distinct personalities of the three sisters in Louisa May Alcott's Little Women create a sense of realism and catharsis for the reader, while also driving the action in the plot.

Questions to Ask about Your Thesis:

  • Is this argument worth making?
  • Is it interesting and compelling?
  • Do I really believe in my position?
  • Can I support this point effectively?
  • Do I have enough evidence to convince my readers?
  • Do I have enough to get the required length for the assignment?

The Introductory Paragraph

Write the introduction to your paper after you’ve got a Thesis Statement. Include:

  • The context of the topic of your thesis.

What book are you discussing? Who is the author? Are you going to write about characters? How does your argument relate to the theme of the book?

  • Answer the “So what?” question.

Why is your topic interesting? Why is your position worth consideration? Have you observed some less-than-obvious truths or made an unexpected connection?

The Introductory Paragraph

Present your Thesis Statement at the end of the Introduction

By this time, your reader should have a clear idea of the main argument of the paper and the shape of the path you will be taking to prove it.

Your intro should not:

  • Be vague.

Avoid words like “interesting” and “important” in your description. Be specific.

  • Open with dramatic and flamboyant assertions.

“Since the dawn of time. . .”

More Intro “don’ts:

  • Avoid wildly praising the work and/or the author.

The reader does not need to be told that “Shakespeare is the greatest writer in the English language.” If reputation or greatness is a key element of your argument, there might be an exception.

  • Don’t go off topic by adding things that you think will sound impressive.

Body Paragraphs should:

  • Begin with a clear Topic Sentence

Tell the reader the main point of the paragraph and how it connects to your argument (thesis statement). A topic sentence should not describe what happens in the story; it should be directly related to the argument.

  • Topic Sentences should also transition from the previous paragraph.

The main points of each paragraph should flow and connect with one another.

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Body Paragraphs should also:

  • Be a reasonable length.

At least 4 sentences, but usually no longer than 7. A page should have 2 longer or 3 average paragraphs. One paragraph indicates a severe lack of planning.

  • Contain evidence from the primary and secondary sources.

It will be either directly quoted, paraphrased, or cited as an example. Quotes of 4 or more lines should be blocked. See the handbook for guidelines for all types of citations.

Conclusion Paragraph

Once the required length has been accomplished, it is time to write the concluding paragraph.

The Conclusion should:

  • Synthesize the argument.

Don’t simply restate the thesis statement or list the main points that you have explained in the body paragraphs.

  • Address the “So what?” question again.

Why is it even clearer now, at the end, to the reader that your topic and position are important.

Conclusion Paragraph

In other words:

What does your reader know now that they did not know before?

How does this knowledge help them better appreciate and understand the literary work overall?

  • Move from the specific to the general.

Because you have discussed a specific element of the work so far, you now need to connect that to the larger context, or overall theme of it for the reader.

  • Stay relevant to your argument.
  • Don’t make dramatic or overblown closing statements. A catchy ending is fine, however!

A Good Essay:

  • Demonstrates a thorough understanding of the story, play, or novel.
  • Presents an original, compelling argument.
  • Thoughtfully analyzes the text’s formal elements.
  • Uses appropriate and insightful examples.
  • Structures ideas in a logical and progressive order.
  • Demonstrates a mastery of sentence construction, transitions, grammar, spelling, and word choice.