Final Tips on your
Literary Essay
Following the
“Yes” Test
Typed
2.
Times New Roman, 12 point Font
3.
MLA Format:
-Header on right side w/page # (all pages)
-Heading on left side (page 1 only)
1.
3-4 pages
2.
3 quotes that covers scope of the novel w/in-text
citations.
3.
Covers the scope of the novel
4.
Double Spaced
5.
Include all 3 drafts with revisions
1.
Avoid “Dead Words:
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So
Like
Very
A lot
Some
Gonna
‘Cause
-Stuff
-Things
-’nuff
-Kinda
-Sort of
-Basically
-Y’know
Other Common Mistakes
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1. Siddhartha,Vasudeva, and any
other names are proper nouns so
please capitalize them.
2. Please underline title: Siddhartha,
NOT Siddhartha.
3. Please refer to the main character
as Siddhartha NOT Sidd.
4. Citations: (author, pg#). NOT “blah
blah.” (author,pg). OR “blah, blah.”
(author, pg#)
5. Repetition of words or phrases. Ie:
“In the beginning, in the middle, in
the end.”
Focus
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This is an expository essay on
Siddhartha. Avoid words like “I”
or “My” because the essay is not
about you.
Organization
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Introduction: Hook, Thesis,
Subtopics
Body Paragraphs 1- 3:
Beginning, Middle, End. format
Conclusion: restate thesis and
subtopics with So what? at the
end.
The Title
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A title is optional, but if you include
one…
Your essay is NOT titled Siddhartha by
Hermann Hesse. Hawthorne has been
dead over 50 years and he did not write
your essay.
The author’s name is Hermann Hesse,
NOT Herman Hess
Please write Siddhartha or Siddhartha, not
“Siddhartha.” Only songs, poems, essays,
or short stories or in quotation marks.
Citation Sandwich
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Set-Up: Give the context of what
is happening in the scene.
Quote: Include the quote and
cite with author and page
number.
Analysis: Explain how the quote
ties to your thesis and use
phrases from the quote to
support your analysis.
How do I get to 3 – 4 pages?
If you are asking yourself this question, my
simple answer is refer to the citation
sandwich:
1.
Are you giving a complete picture what
goes on to set-up the quote?
2.
Is your quote long enough to explain your
point?
3.
Are you analyzing enough to explain how
the quote ties the thesis?
4.
Could you add another quote to support
your point?
5.
Do you have smooth transitions between
paragraphs?
Here is an example…
Set- Up: At the beginning of the book Hester
Prynne is on the scaffold with her daughter
Pearl for committing the sin of adultery. Her
punishment is to wear a scarlet “A” on her
chest and be publicly humiliated by the
Puritan society. She is interrogated by the
Reverend Arthur Dimmesdale, who the
reader later learns, is Hester’s lover and
Pearl’s father. Dimmesdale asks Hester to
reveal “the name” of the father. Hester
defiantly replies to him:
Evidence, Analysis, and
Transition
Quote: “My child should only know a heavenly
father because she will never know an
earthly one” (Hawthorne, 34).
Analysis: This quote is significant because it
demonstrates that Hester has no guilt for
her sin. By saying her child “will never
know an earthly” father she is telling
Dimmesdale, the other adulterer, you must
reveal yourself publically, because I will not
do it on your behalf.
Transition: Dimmesdale, on the other hand,
has his guilt weigh upon him for his sin,
which is revealed at the second scaffold
scene in the middle of the book.
Essay Checklist (In this order)
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Rubric (Please use your ID # instead of
name)
Final Draft
3rd Draft w/revision
2nd Draft w/revision
1st Draft w/revision
*Essay packet with Outline and Brainstorm
*Learning Log
*= indicated please turn in separately.
Please stand for Think on
Your Feet