The Analytical Essay
Handbook
Structure
Introduction
Thesis
Body Paragraph 1
Body Paragraph 2
Body Paragraph 3
Conclusion
Here it is! Your first
glimpse of the
structure of a
fabulous analytical
essay.
• Please note that
each shape
represents a
different
paragraph, and
each has its own
shape because it has
a different purpose.
• Now let’s take a
closer look at each
part.
•
The Thesis
A thesis statement is an opinion about a
theme in a text that your paper will center
around proving.
A great thesis…
•Has an argumentative edge.
Strive for a statement that is not undeniably true.
The thesis should be debatable but also provable with
evidence from the text.
• Is specific and focused.
Even if you have many great arguments about a text,
do not try to tackle more than one in your thesis.
•Comes at the end of your Introduction.
It should be the final sentence in this paragraph.
*Remember, your thesis is the most important part of your
essay! Your entire paper will center on proving the thesis to
be true. Bad theses lead to bad essays—don’t cut corners,
put some thought into it!
The Thesis Continuum
A great thesis finds a happy home
between plot summary and
speculation, but dwelling at either end
of the spectrum will prove disastrous!
The Thesis Continuum
Plot-driven
thesis
This is the WORST
sort of thesis and
only concerns itself
with what happens
in the text (a book
report). It offers
no new insights,
only reviews the
bare plot.
Zone of Highest
Interest
“The Sweet Spot”
The perfect balance of
insightful textual
analysis and personal
opinion, a GREAT thesis
creates an opportunity
to use evidence from the
text to arrive at a
thoughtful, provocative
paper.
Outrageous,
unsupported
thesis
This thesis has no
evidence from the
text to back it up.
It wildly makes
claims that have
no ties to the
text.
The Introduction
1. Begin your Intro discussing the general
theme of your essay and how it
appears in the text. Be sure to state
the title and author of the text.
2. Create a few sentences that
specifically lead toward your
thesis.
3. Focus in on the
purpose of your
paper. Write
an edgy
thesis—
give it
As you write your
Intro, get increasingly
teeth.
specific, ending with a
narrow, argumentative
thesis.
Body Paragraphs
Like a hamburger (or veggie burger), a body
paragraph has several, distinct layers.
Your topic sentence is the first sentence (or layer) of your
paragraph and links the body paragraphs to the thesis. It does
not repeat the thesis or start the essay again, but instead shows
the reader how you will support your argument. Good topic
sentences echo the language of the thesis, borrowing a word or
two.
Next on the body
Topic
paragraph burger
Sentence
are the condiments,
Topic Sentence
where you build
up to the textual
example you will
be using.
Build up to your Example
Textual Evidence
Tag Analysis
The meat of your
body paragraph is
your textual
evidence which is
the proof from the
text for your
thesis. Usually this
is a quotation.
Quotations must never stand alone! Assume your reader won’t be able
to make the connection between your thesis and your evidence—in the
tag analysis, make that connection for them. Elaborate and explain
how this quotation proves your thesis.
Internal Quotations
* Internal Quotations are for quotes up to four lines. If your
quote is longer than four lines, see the instructions for
Dropped Quotes on the next page.
Begin your body paragraph with a
topic sentence that links back to your thesis.
After a strong start to the paragraph, begin
building up to your quotation. Once you are
ready for your quotation, and it is no more
than four lines, insert it in to the body of your
essay. “~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~” (#). Notice the
quotation marks around the quote, and the
citation telling where you found this
information. There is no need to put a “p” or
“pg”, the simple number indicates the page to
which you are referring. The period ending the
quote comes after the citation. Now, continue
with your tag analysis and close out your
paragraph.
Dropped Quotations
* Dropped Quotations are for quotes longer than four lines. If
your quote is four lines or less, see the instructions for Internal
Quotes on the previous page.
For this paragraph, still begin with a
great topic sentence. After you have taken a
few sentences to lead up to your quote, you
will set this larger body of text apart from the
main body of your paragraph. Using a colon
and no quotation marks, insert your doublespaced quote:
This quotation is indented one
inch from the left margin. It also
appears double-spaced, without
quotation marks. Notice that in the
dropped quote the period comes
before the citation. (#)
When you get back into the body of your
paragraph for tag analysis, do not indent.
Instead, continue on with the same paragraph.
Conclusions
The Icing on the Cake
Begin your conclusion with a sentence or two that
specifically echoes your thesis—but be careful to not
simply repeat it.
Now ask yourself “What is the bigger picture of my
paper?”. Take the time to guide your reader back
through your essay, showing them how all the parts fit
together.
Warning: Do not repeat what you have already said.
The reader has already read your essay.
Show them the bigger picture.
Finish your essay reflecting on the consequences of
your thesis. Try to arrive at a new, or bigger idea.
Why is your original thesis still important?
What greater affect will it have?
Miscellaneous Tips
Writing an analytical essay is the written equivalent of
dressing up. In order to dress up your writing, abide by
the following rules:

Write your essay in third person. This means do not use
pronouns like “I”, “We”, “Our”, “Me”, “You”, etc.

Use present tense. Literature lives forever, so when talking
about a text, be sure to speak of it in the present tense

Essays need to be properly formatted. This means use a
standard 12pt. font, one inch margins, and double spacing.

Create an original title. Do not use the title of the text, that
title has been taken already!

Put a cover sheet on your essay. Cover sheets should have
the essay title, your name, the date, and the class name all
centered in the middle of a blank page.

Avoid using contractions because they are too informal. Write
out words like “don’t”, “can’t”, “won’t”, “doesn’t”, and
“shouldn’t” in their full forms (“do not”, “can not”, “will not”,
“does not” and “should not”.)
Example Essays
Here are two example essays to examine.
The Finch Family
Raising a family well is perhaps the most important, yet
difficult, of tasks. The idea of a “good” family is a major theme of
Harper Lee’s To Kill A Mockingbird. In this novel, the main
character, Atticus, is faced with having to raise his children alone
after the loss of his wife. Despite being criticized by the
community of Maycomb for being an irresponsible father, Atticus
creates one of the most stable and loving families in the novel.
Atticus is being criticized by everyone, including his sister.
He says, “Sister, I do the best I can with them” (81). Some people
believe he does do a great job with his children by letting them go
out and do things the way they want. They truly learn something
that way when and if they make a mistake.
Example 1 Continued
Atticus is always there for his children. By doing that he
creates a very loving family. Here is something that Atticus says to
Scout:
First of all, he said, if you can learn a simple trick, Scout,
you’ll get along better with all kinds of folks. You never
really understand a person until you consider things from
his point of view—Sir?—until you climb into his skin
and walk around in it. (30)
He helps Scout and Jem learn lessons a different way. That way is a
good way just like any other way.
Atticus Finch is a good father and has one of the most
loving and stable families in all of Maycomb, possibly even all of
Example 1 Continued
Alabama. Many people thing that these two quotes show how
Atticus has ways of explaining things that are easier to
understand than other people’s way of explaining.
Example Essay 2
What Being A Family Is All About
Every family has daily routines and certain rules.
Traditions exist as well, like an elder leading the family and
providing for the younger members. Even arguments and
disagreements are common. If you compare an average family
to H. S. Hinton’s Curtis family, as written about in The
Outsiders, many similarities appear. Even though the Curtis
boys no longer have a mother and father, they do function as a
traditional family, including routines, rules and disagreements.
Breakfast is a routine in the Curtis home. Ponyboy
Curtis explains this morning ritual when he says, “The first one
up has to fix breakfast and the other two have to do the dishes”
(141). No matter what happens to the boys, they always have
Example 2 Continued
breakfast together. The entire family comes together to help out.
This fact shows strong family relationship and a definite order to
their lives.
Darry is the father figure that sets the expectations for
Ponyboy and Sodapop. Most families have rules about going out
on school nights and weekends. Ponyboy talks about his family’s
rules: “Darry was real good about letting me go places on
weekends. On school nights I could hardly leave the house” (16).
Without rules and limits, families can fall into chaos. Ponyboy
might not understand Darry’s reasoning right now, but he will as
he grows older.
Disagreements and arguments are present in every
family, and the Curtis boys are not an exception. Ponyboy feels
Example 2 Continued
that he is always being lectured by Darry:
Me and Darry just didn’t dig each other. I never
could please him. If I brought home B’s, he wanted
A’s, and if I got A’s he wanted to make sure they
stayed A’s. If I was playing football, I should be
studying, and if I was reading, I should be out playing
football. He never hollers at Sodapop . . .he just
hollers at me. (15)
Conflict between family members in inevitable. Darry wants the
best for Ponyboy and this is common for a parental figure.
The lives of the Curtis boys are strongly affected by
their circumstances, but this does not prevent them from being a
real family. Their habitual routines, specific rules, and heated
Example 2 Continued
arguments are not abnormal. Moreover, these three young boys
stay together and support each other through the good times and
bad. Maybe that is what being a family is all about.