USLH Analytical Writing
 Avoid using first person “I” in this piece, concentrating instead on “the reader.” You are not writing about your beliefs or opinions; you are making statements about your interpretation.
 Never shift to second person and say “you.” Be definitive in your stance.
 Remember, as the reader, you are an expert. You are offering your interpretation based on your intelligent reading of the text.
 Assume that your basic audience is a well-informed reader and is familiar with the plot.
A thesis is a complete sentence that states the central idea you will develop in your paper. Traditionally, the thesis is the last sentence of the introduction.
A good thesis statement has two important functions.
First, it states you focus. On what aspect of the text(s) will you focus your analysis?
Second, it makes clear to readers why this focus is important. It answers the question, so what? What does your focus tell readers about the text as a whole?
The general subject you are going to write about is your topic. However, a topic is not the same as a thesis statement. The thesis statement makes a statement about a topic; it is usually the result of thinking about the topic and narrowing it down to focus on some relationship between the topic and the text as a whole.
Choosing the “what”: Choose a topic
Narrow your focus
Choosing the “so what”: Identify one aspect of the novel as a whole (a theme, for example)
Analyze the relationship between your topic and the theme
Combine the “what” and the “so what” to write the thesis.
Write a thesis that shows the relationship between the character and the theme or the overall meaning of the novel.
Example: Topic — Jim’s role in The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn
Narrowed Focus — Jim’s role as a surrogate father to Huck
So What —Jim teaches Huck a great deal about equality (a theme in the novel)
Analysis — Jim’s role as a surrogate farther to Huck promotes the idea that black people are equal to white people. (This is the THESIS).
A good thesis is debatable and contributes something new to a reader’s understanding of a text. It is not always possible to create a thesis sentence without writing first. You may need to explore some ideas in a free write and decide if you can narrow your topic to a thesis statement based on the ideas explored in the writing.

USLH Analytical Writing
is argumentative/debatable.
Because the argument in the thesis should be debatable, it will not center around the most obvious points of the text.
Ex. of a thesis with this problem: Romeo and Juliet is a play about family loyalty.
Better thesis: Throughout Romeo and Juliet Shakespeare uses images of light and darkness to portray Juliet’s moral dilemma. is analytical, not evaluative.
The job of a literary critic is to create meaning by looking closely at the text; it is not to make moral judgments about characters or texts. Do not make evaluative judgments in analytical writing.
Ex. of a thesis with this problem: In its departure from familiar metrical forms of the day, Whitman’s
Leaves of Grass is ahead of its time.
Better Thesis: Whitman’s revolutionary form and content in Leaves of Grass challenge social conventions of his day. is specific.
Do not use generalizations like “humans have always…” or other statements that are so general as to be unsupportable. Be careful, too, when using “society” to support a claim; this is a potential generalization. is well-supported.
A good thesis should look closely at one aspect of the text; plot summary is not strong support for a debatable argument. Look for evidence from the text to examine closely as you make your argument.
Clichés are never good support for a strong thesis. explains both
you see in the text and
that is significant to a larger idea (the
).
Often the “so what” is your debatable point about what the author is trying to do or what the author inadvertently does in the text. This is the moment when you create meaning.
Ex. of a thesis with no “so what”: Money plays an important role throughout the novel Moll Flanders.
Ex. of a better thesis: Moll Flanders’ language exemplifies her obsession with economics in every facet of her life and serves as a vehicle for Defoe’s critique of capitalism. builds from one point to the next.
This will determine the organization of your paper. A strong thesis (at this stage of your writing lives) will not give three examples of the exact same idea. has a strong verb.
Ex. of a thesis with this problem: The representation of women in the novel was seen as a problem by the characters.
Ex. of a better thesis: Shakepeare’s portrayal of the nurse’s sexuality demystifies the stereotypical role of women as chaste and delicate.
to conclude to suppose to attribute X to Y to emphasize to acknowledge to call X into question to maintain to extol to claim to contend to reject to reflect to discount to critique to refute to challenge to assert to exemplify to suggest to question to fail to acknowledge / understand / comprehend to describe is / are linked to to explain to equate X with Y to justify to trace from to elucidate to account for

USLH Analytical Writing
ORGANIZING THE ESSAY
Your introduction must include the author, title, topic you’ll discuss, and thesis statement.
 The author is referred to by first and last name the first time it appears in the paper, and then by the last name only throughout the piece.
 The title of a novel is italicized. Poem, short story, and essay titles go in quotation marks.
The body of your paper elaborates on the thesis stated in the introduction. It offers additional insights about how you arrived at your interpretation and supports these claims with excerpts from the book.
You will have at least three body paragraphs, which means you will have three key points to support your thesis
Each body paragraph will have four key parts:
 A topic sentence that tells your readers how this paragraph supports the thesis;
 A sentence or phrase that introduces the quotation (tells readers where the quote comes from, offers specific information about where and when in the text this passage appears);
 A quote from the text without which a reader might not believe your argument;
 An analysis or explanation of how the quote supports your thesis/main point.
Your analysis of how the selected quote supports your interpretation is what is most important, so be sure to thoroughly explain your ideas. Always tie your explanation back to your thesis statement.
At the beginning of each body paragraph, use a transition, a word or phrase that connects the idea in the new paragraph with the idea in the last paragraph. Transitions make your ideas flow.
Your conclusion should bring your paper to a close, reassuring your reader that your points are valid and explaining how your interpretation is both thoughtful and intelligent. Think of a thread that runs throughout your piece—you tie a knot at the end of your paper that keeps it all connected. Get your main point (which may be your final point) in sharp focus. Give your ending an emotional impact.
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USLH Analytical Writing
Jim’s role as a father who offers protection
"De man ain't asleep -- he's dead. You hold still -- I'll go en see."
He went, and bent down and looked, and says:
"It's a dead man. Yes, indeedy; naked, too. He's ben shot in de back. I reck'n he's ben dead two er three days. Come in, Huck, but doan' look at his face -- it's too gashly."
I didn't look at him at all. Jim throwed some old rags over him, but he needn't done it; I didn't want to see him.
There are many subtle words that suggest Jim feels the need to protect Huck. Jim “throwed some old rags over him” so that Huck will not have to see the gruesomeness of death, and Jim specifically tells Huck not to “look at the face,” ensuring that Huck will not see the dead body. In the first line of the conversation, Jim, much like a father, tells Huck to “hold still” so that he can “go en see” to determine whether or not it’s appropriate for Huck.
Jim is ensuring Huck’s protection by putting his own at risk ; this is something a parent would do for their child. There is also a sense of power dynamics here: Jim willingly looks at the face and is not necessarily bothered by the sight, but Huck doesn’t want to look at it at all. In most cases, the father is more mature than the son and can handle situations that the son might not know how to handle. This is seen when Jim is able to look at the dead body and not get frightened or startled by it. He remains calm and handles the situation maturely and responsibly.
Throughout the book, Huck is very independent and mature for his age, and although Huck may act self-reliant, when he says” I don’t want to see him” it reminds the reader that Huck is still a boy who needs a father.
Jim’s role as a father who offers love and guidance
"What do dey stan' for? I'se gwyne to tell you. When I got all wore out wid work, en wid de callin' for you, en went to sleep, my heart wuz mos' broke bekase you wuz los', en I didn' k'yer no' mo' what become er me en de raf'. En when
I wake up en fine you back agin, all safe en soun', de tears come, en I could a got down on my knees en kiss yo' foot,
I's so thankful. En all you wuz thinkin' 'bout wuz how you could make a fool uv ole Jim wid a lie. Dat truck dah is
trash; en trash is what people is dat puts dirt on de head er dey fren's en makes 'em ashamed.” Then he got up slow and walked to the wigwam, and went in there without saying anything but that. But that was enough. It made me feel so mean I could almost kissed his foot to get him to take it back.
Jim’s role as a paternal figure is evident when he expresses his sadness at losing Huck. Jim “didn’ k’yer no’ mo’ what become er me en de raf’” and his “heart wuz mos’broke bekase you wuz los.” Jim’s love for Huck is obvious when
Jim suggests that without Huck his life is not important. This is a very strong emotion to feel, and it is similar to the grief a parent would feel after losing a child.
Jim’s relationship with Huck has developed and they are much more than companions on the river; Jim is the father Huck never had. Jim’s role as Huck’s father is also evident when he teaches Huck a lesson about human decency and how to treat a friend: “Dat truck dah is trash; en trash is what people is dat puts dirt on de head er dey fren's en makes 'em ashamed.” Offering moral guidance and instruction elevates Jim as not only Huck’s equal, but also as his father. The father-son dynamic between Huck and Jim not only challenges the notion of Jim’s inferiority due to his skin color but it also elevates Jim to equal status as Huck—it asserts Jim’s humanity.

USLH Analytical Writing
When a quote is embedded in the text of your paper, you need to use quotation marks to indicate the author’s words. When introducing a quotation with a phrase, use a comma after the introduction. When introducing a quotation with a full sentence, use a colon after the introduction. Follow the example in the paragraph below:
Example One
Throughout the novel, Calpurnia treats the kids with tenderness, showing them that whites and blacks feel the same emotions. As Scout grows older, she begins to appreciate Calpurnia’s commitment to the Finch family, and she feels less antagonistic toward Calpurnia: “Calpurnia bent down and kissed me. I ran along wondering what had come over her. She had wanted to make up with me, that was it” (33). When Cal kisses
Scout, she models forgiveness and reconciliation. These emotions will be a vital part of any future progress in the community. The tenderness that Cal feels for Scout shows Scout that antagonism between the races is not a permanent state of affairs.
If you have dialogue in the embedded quote , you need the double set of quotation marks, the first to indicate the author’s words and the second (which is an apostrophe ‘) to indicate the voices of the characters. Follow the example in this excerpt from a paragraph:
Example Two
Although Calpurnia is a domestic servant, her role in the Finch family transcends racial boundaries. As Atticus tells Aunt Alexandra, “’’I don’t think the children’ve suffered one bit from her having brought them up. If anything, she’s been harder on them in some ways than mother would have been…’” (139). Atticus affirms
Cal’s ability to raise the kids not only as a mother would, but also with a sense of right and wrong.

USLH Analytical Writing
The indented quote is used for longer passages (ones that consist of four lines of written text or more (in your paper)) and should begin on a fresh line that is indented five spaces. Quotation marks should not be used unless they appear in the original as dialogue. The page number goes outside the punctuation. Follow the example:
Example Three
Atticus’s sense of equality is evident through his treatment of Calpurnia. Atticus treats her like a person, not simply a servant:
Atticus’s voice was even: “Alexandra, Calpurnia’s not leaving this house until she wants to. You may think otherwise, but I couldn’t have got along without her all these years. She’s a faithful member of this family and you’ll simply have to accept things the way they are. Besides sister, I don’t want you working your head off for us—you’ve no reason to do that. We still need Cal as much as we ever did.”
(12)
By calling Calpurnia a “faithful member of the family,” Atticus shows that Calpurnia’s relationship to the Finches is not hindered by racial difference. Atticus wants his children to see that the relationship between whites and blacks should be a mutually respectful one.
When quoting poetry use a slash to indicate line breaks, and follow the same guidelines for deciding whether the quotation should be embedded or indented. Rather than including page numbers, include line numbers as demonstrated below:
Example Four
Perhaps the most important aspect of manhood for McKay is bravery in battle. Throughout the poem, real men overcome oppression by bravely fighting: “Like men we’ll face the murderous, cowardly pack,/Pressed to the wall, dying, but fighting back!” (l. 13-14). McKay directly asserts that acting “like men” demands the energetic resistance embodied in his participle “fighting.” He also reverses the traditional oppressive stereotype of African Americans as animals by calling the oppressors a “pack” and the oppressed men. Through this juxtaposition and reversal, McKay argues that aggressive, bold manhood is both necessary to and a prerequisite for breaking the bonds of oppression.