What is a literary analysis? It is a paper where you give your personal interpretation of a piece of literature. In this instance, you will be asked to write a multiple paragraph essay analyzing one specific aspect of the novel
Fahrenheit 451 . The most important point to remember about writing an analysis is that VERY LITTLE of your paper should tell us details about the novel. Instead, you should explain why the details of the novel support your claim statement.
STEP 1:
Choose one topic and then write your claim! You have been given handouts or notes and had in-class discussions on all of the topics below. Use this information when writing your paper.
1.
Compare and contrast the characters of Montag and Beatty. Consider their motivations and relationships. Consider their quest for knowledge, feelings towards government and the society, and their feelings towards books. Support your response with examples from the text.
2.
One of the major issues Bradbury raises in Fahrenheit 451 is the fact that the government did not begin burning books. In fact, according to Beatty, years ago the citizens stopped reading and no longer cared when the government censored anything. From there, it escalated to the current society in Fahrenheit 451 , in which few people knew or cared about what they were missing, and books were burned constantly. Do you think Bradbury’s depiction of a society without books is realistic?
Explain your thoughts and support your ideas with specific examples.
STEP 2: Complete an outline centered on your chosen topic.
DATE DUE: __________________ (-5 if not completed by the due date)
STEP 3:
Write your Claim. Avoid all first person references or the word “you” anywhere in your essay.
Remember, a claim:

Is a statement, not a question

Identifies the subject and provides commentary (your view of the subject)

Tells the reader what you will be writing about in your paper

Is the LAST sentence of your introduction
Example Claim: In Fahrenheit 451
– a realistic sci-fi novel published in 1951 - Ray Bradbury uses character conflict to convey the idea that voluntary censorship leads to the suppression of society.
STEP 4: Write your rough draft. Rough drafts should be:

Double-spaced

Written in pen or typed
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Include quotations and citations from the novel
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Multiple paragraphs. It needs an introduction with an attention-getter and a claim, multiple body paragraphs, and a concluding paragraph that summarizes the main ideas of your paper in a NEW way.

Read through the checklist in step 5 to make improvements to your draft.
DATE DUE: __________________ (-5 if not completed by the due date)
STEP 5: Have someone peer-edit your rough draft using the checklist below.

Peer-editing Checklist: Name of Editor: _______________________
Be sure to include comments
+ = well done ? = unclear/can improve - = not done/poor
_____ Make sure each body paragraph has a topic sentence that tells the reader what the paragraph will be about. COMMENT:
_____ Make sure each body paragraph stays focused on the topic that you introduced with your topic sentence.
COMMENT:
_____ Include transitions that help the sentences and paragraphs flow smoothly.
COMMENT:
_____ Vary word choices and avoid hit-list words and passive voice verbs. Use present tense verbs. COMMENT:
Incorrect:
Correct:
Bradbury
Bradbury expressed expresses
his concern about ignorance. his concern about ignorance.
_____ Punctuate quotes correctly with a citation at the end. You do not need to write the author’s name in the parenthesis since everyone in the class is writing about the same book. Just put the page number with a period at the very end. COMMENT:
_____ Underline OR italicize the title of the novel and include the title in your paper’s introduction. COMMENT:
_____ No first person (I, me, my, our, us) and second person (all forms of you). They are not appropriate for a formal essay.
Exception: when in a direct quote.
Incorrect: I believe that Beatty tries to make decent decisions.
Correct: Beatty tries to make decent decisions.
_____ Write out contractions and abbreviations (ALWAYS in formal essays).
_____ Incorporate 4-6 quotations from the novel, cite page in parenthesis, and provide analysis.
COMMENT:
_____ The paper contains a clear voice, establishing a point of view which is well-supported and in line with the claim.
COMMENT:
_____ The person reading your paper has read the book. DO NOT SUMMARIZE THE STORY! You must analyze
the story (give your interpretation) using the TIQA Method:
TIQA Method for Body Paragraphs:
Body paragraphs, for the most part, follow the TIQA structure:

Topic Sentence

Introductory information (background) for the supporting quote or example

Quotation or example from the work that proves the topic sentence

Analysis showing how and why the quote proves the topic sentence
COMMENT:
STEP 6: Produce your final essay (typed, double-spaced, size 12 Times New Roman font)
Submit to Turnitin.com
Staple grading rubric to front of paper.
DATE DUE: ___________________