LITERARY ANALYSIS ESSAY
Literary Analysis Essay, Thesis, and Topic
Sentence
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Persuasive Writing
 Persuasive Thesis
 Persuasive Evidence
 Persuasive Commentary
 Effective Introductions and Conclusions
 MLA formatting
 Taboo Essay Words
 Literary Analysis Essay
 Literary Analysis Thesis and Topic Sentences
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LITERARY ANALYSIS ESSAY
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The goal of a Literary Analysis Essay is to discuss
your interpretation of a piece of literature using a
specific literary focus (like motifs, themes, symbolism,
humor, characterization…)
Things to keep in mind as you write:
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Never use “I”, “you”, “we”, “our” (even though this is your
interpretation, you may not provide opinions)
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Always talk about literature in present tense

Do not retell the story in your essay (this is not a book
report)
CONTINUED…
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Paper set-up
Intro with thesis
1st Body Paragraph- Elaborates on one element of you thesis
2nd Body Paragraph- Elaborates on another element of your
thesis
3rd Body Paragraph- Elaborates on yet another element of your
thesis
Conclusion
All of your Paragraphs must directly connect to your
thesis!!!
CHECK FOR UNDERSTANDING
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What is a literary analysis essay? What does it
do?
What tense does your essay need to be in?
What are some words you may not use in your
essay (unless in your quotes)?
How is this literary analysis essay set up?
THESIS STATEMENTS
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Thesis statements make an argument that you
work to prove throughout your essay.
Example:
Throughout The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, Twain
utilizes satire to reveal society’s obsession with fashion
and always “keeping up” with the current fads of the
moment no matter how ridiculous they may be.
I am arguing that Twain uses satire to reveal this in
his novel.
LITERARY ANALYSIS THESIS AND TOPIC
SENTENCES
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Thesis:
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Throughout The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, Twain utilizes [insert comic
device(s)] to reveal [insert what these devices reveal about people, society, and/or
the belief systems they hold].


Example #1:
Throughout The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, Twain utilizes satire to reveal
society’s obsession with fashion and always “keeping up” with the current fads of the
moment no matter how ridiculous they may be.


Example #2:
Throughout The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, Twain utilizes hypocrisy,
prejudices, and diction to reveal the stupidity and ignorance of adults.
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Example #3:
Throughout The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, Twain utilizes slapstick to
reveal the absurdity of education and adults’ attempt to always be in control of
their children.
You may choose any combination of comic elements and what
they reveal. Be creative; you get a lot of freedom with this essay
so write about what you are most interested in.
CHECK FOR UNDERSTANDING
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What do thesis statements do in a literary
analysis essay?
Give me an example of a thesis statement you
could possibly use in your essay?
What are the parameters around your thesis
statement (what is acceptable and what is not)?
CONTINUED…
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Your topic sentences MUST directly connect to
your thesis.

What that means is that you must use the same
wording in each of your topic sentences as you use in
your thesis.

Pay attention to the following example and how the
topic sentences directly connect to the thesis
statement.
CONTINUED…
(THIS WILL BE YOUR HOMEWORK TONIGHT)
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Thesis
Throughout The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, Twain utilizes satire
to reveal society’s obsession with fashion and always “keeping up” with
the current fads of the moment no matter how ridiculous they may be.
o
Topic Sentence #1
o
o
o
Topic Sentence #2
o
o
o
Twain utilizes satire to reveal society’s obsession with fashion.
Evidence: Aunt Polly’s glasses
Twain also uses satire to uncover society’s attempt to always “keep up”
with the current fads of the moment.
Evidence: The boys’ attempt to be religious
Topic Sentence #3
o
o
Finally, Twain employs satire to expose society’s ignorance when trying to
“keep up” with the current trends.
Evidence: Aunt Polly’s medicinal obsession (finding a cure)
CONTINUED…
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Notice:
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Your topic sentences and thesis statement need to
reveal overall flaws with society.
Example:
Do not say, “Twain uses satire to reveal Aunt Polly’s
obsession with fashion.”
 Instead say, “Twain uses satire to reveal society’s
obsession with fashion.”
 Your evidence of Aunt Polly wearing the ridiculous
glasses will prove how Twain uses satire to reveal
society’s obsession with fashion.

CHECKING FOR UNDERSTANDING
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Rephrase what I do and don’t want you to do with
your topic sentences.
What must your topic sentences ALWAYS
connect to?
TABLE OF CONTENTS
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Persuasive Writing
1
Persuasive Thesis
2
Persuasive Evidence
3
Persuasive Commentary
4
Effective Introductions and Conclusions
5
MLA formatting
6
Taboo Essay Words
7
Literary Analysis Essay
8
Literary Analysis Thesis and Topic Sentences 9
Literary Analysis Evidence
10
Literary Analysis Commentary
11
Parenthetical Citations
12
LITERARY ANALYSIS EVIDENCE
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Evidence must…
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directly support your topic sentence and thesis statement
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prove your argument
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be a quote taken directly from the novel (for each paragraph!!!)
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Example:
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o
o
Thesis:
Throughout The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, Twain utilizes satire to reveal society’s
obsession with fashion and always “keeping up” with the current fads of the moment no
matter how ridiculous they may be.
Topic Sentence #1:
Twain utilizes satire to reveal society’s obsession with fashion.
Evidence to prove my topic sentence and thesis:
“She seldom or never looked through them [glasses] for so small a thing as a boy, for they
were her state pair, the pride of her heart, and were built for “style” not service; she could
have seen through a pair of stove lids as well” (Twain 1).
CONTINUED… (REVIEW)
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Your evidence must be imbedded (a part of your
sentence)
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Example:
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Tom Sawyer noticed about Aunt Polly that “she seldom or
never looked through them [glasses] for so small a thing as
a boy, for they were her state pair, the pride of her heart,
and were built for “style” not service; she could have seen
through a pair of stove lids as well” (Twain 1).
If your evidence is a quote from a character’s mouth
do not use “SAID”!!!! Try and find other words to go in
place of the dreaded “said”.

stated, exclaimed, demanded, roared, claimed,
questioned… (this word should depict the tone of the
character)
LITERARY ANALYSIS COMMENTARY (THE
HEART OF A LITERARY ANALYSIS ESSAY)
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The goal of commentary is:
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to show the connection between the specific
character/event and society (example: how does Aunt Polly
needing to “keep up” with the current fashions reflect how
all of society wants to stay current).
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to answer what Twain is trying to reveal about all of us
through his characters?
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to answer why it is important to reveal this about society?
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Commentary must be 3-5 sentences long!!!
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Use your comic element chart to help you with
this!!!!!!
CONTINUED…
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o
o
Example:
Thesis:
Throughout The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, Twain utilizes satire to reveal
society’s obsession with fashion and always “keeping up” with the current fads of the
moment no matter how ridiculous they may be.
Topic Sentence #1:
Twain utilizes satire to reveal society’s obsession with fashion.
Evidence to prove my topic sentence and thesis:
Tom Sawyer noticed about Aunt Polly that “she seldom or never looked
through them [glasses] for so small a thing as a boy, for they were her state
pair, the pride of her heart, and were built for “style” not service; she could
have seen through a pair of stove lids as well” (Twain 1).
o
Commentary:
Through Aunt Polly’s need to wear glasses to keep up with the current style, Twain
exposes peoples’ obsession with fashion. He shows that people will do anything,
even look absolutely ridiculous, in order to be “in style”. He is commenting on this
in hopes that people see the ridiculousness of styles to stop adhering to them.
REVIEW
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What is evidence?
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What does the evidence do?
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How do you integrate your evidence into your
essay?
What is the goal of commentary (3)?
PARENTHETICAL CITATIONS
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Why use parenthetical citations?
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Parenthetical citations tell the reader exactly where
you found your evidence so the reader could
technically find you quote if he/she wishes to do more
research or confirm where you found your info.
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It is absolutely necessary that you follow the correct
format (it is part of the MLA guidelines)
CONTINUED…
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Format for novels only:
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“Quote” (Author’s Last Name page number).
No punctuation here! Quotation
marks follow the quote.

Quote” (Twain 36).
period goes after the
citation
CONTINUED…
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When you set a quote into the middle of a
sentence, you always cite at the end of the
sentence not the end of the quote.
Example:
Tom exclaimed, “Oh don’t cry Becky. I don’t care
for her anymore” as Becky tried to blame Tom for
liking Amy instead of her (Twain 60).