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WRITING ABOUT LITERATURE
Grade 10
English Exam
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WRITING ABOUT LITERATURE
This handbook is designed to help you plan, organize and write a synthesis or literary analysis
essay. It contains examples and tips to walk you through each part of the essay.
What is a literary analysis essay?
A literary analysis essay is an essay where you offer your observations about a work of literature
(poem, story, novel or play). You must be critical in your evaluation of the literature and support
your observations with evidence from the literary work(s).
FAMILIARIZE YOURSELF WITH THE EXAM QUESTION
a. Read the exam question and identify the key words.
Who learns more from participating in competitive sports, Larry in “Lawrence
(Larry) Lemieux Lifesaver”, or Hazel in “Raymond’s Run”?
b. Transfer the exam question to the top of the page of the literary work that you are reading.
c. Read the short context statement (in bold print) for useful information.
READ WITH A PENCIL IN HAND
STEP 1: Read, locate and annotate.
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Read the literary work with the exam question in mind.
Locate and underline the words and phrases (evidence) that will help you answer the exam
question.
Annotate—write brief notes in the margin about what the evidence means. Look for textual
evidence in different parts of the literary work.
TIP Occasionally, you will find a verse/paragraph that does not seem to accomplish much in that
it will not help you to answer the essay question. Label it in the margin as N/I for “not
important”.
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STEP 2: Create a list of key ideas.
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Go back and read through your notes and evidence.
Create a list of 3-5 key ideas. These points will be the “heart” of your essay.
1. Both Larry and Hazel learn valuable life lessons from their participation in sports.
2. Both learn helping others is more important than personal victory.
3. Both come to the conclusion that life is more precious than winning.
STEP 3: Create an outline grid using the title of the works as organizers.
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In the grid, write each key point and the evidence in the literary work that supports the key
point you are making.
Lawrence (Larry) Lemieux Lifesaver
Raymond’s Run
(key point) Larry learns the early life lesson (key point) Hazel learns how to focus her
of the value of training and knowledge.
mind before competition.
(evidence/paragraph 1) “Though the
minimum age was typically 11, Larry was
accepted based on his experience and
ability.”
(evidence/paragraph 10) “I dream I am
flying over a sandy beach in the early
morning…”
*other responses are possible
WRITING A LITERARY ANALYSIS ESSAY
Now that you have outlined the key ideas and evidence, your job is to construct a well-formed
literary analysis essay. A literary analysis essay follows the same basic format as a standard
essay: introduction, body, and conclusion. It differs slightly, however, in the fact that it is
organized to include specific information in specific places. The following is a guide to follow in
setting up this kind of essay.
INTRODUCTION
SENTENCE #1:
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Includes the names of the authors and works you will be discussing.
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SENTENCE #2:
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Include the central idea you will be writing about.
Write a thesis statement. State exactly where you stand in regards to the question (how you
intend to answer it).
Larry in “Lawrence (Larry) Lemieux Lifesaver” and Hazel in “Raymond’s Run” learn a
lot while participating in competitive sports. Not only do both Larry and Hazel learn the skills
necessary to participate in their sport, in time both Larry and Hazel come to understand that
there is more to life than winning competitions.
BODY PARAGRAPHS
Once you have written your introduction, your job is to take the key points and turn them into the
body paragraphs. As you write each body paragraph, keep in mind the P.E.E Method.
P.E.E. METHOD
POINT
Open each body paragraph with topic sentence that includes a key point that in
a clear way is helping to answer the question.
EVIDENCE
Include examples from the literary work such as direct quotations (in quotation
marks) and paraphrasing of the work.
EXPLANATION
The explanation works like a needle and thread, sewing point and evidence
together to illustrate how they connect to one another.
STEP 1: Begin with a strong topic sentence.
Participation in competitive sports creates an environment that allows both Larry and Hazel to
learn valuable life lessons.
What makes this sentence a good topic sentence?
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It tells the reader what the paragraph will discuss (valuable life lessons).
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It tells the reader how the paragraph will discuss the topic (by showing how participation in
sports creates a set of conditions that leads to changes in attitude).
STEP 2: Develop a single key point.
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Don’t skip around in your paragraph or try to stuff in too much material. Body paragraphs
are like bricks—each individual brick needs to be strong and sturdy or the entire structure
will collapse. Make sure you have really proven your point before moving on to the next one.
STEP 3: Use transitions effectively to argue, explain and compare ideas.
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Good literary essay writers know that each paragraph must be clearly and strongly linked to
the material around it. Think of each paragraph as a response to the one that precedes it.
however... therefore... because... but... and...
furthermore… also... in addition... then... as well as...
next... whereas... in contrast... later... at first...
similarly...
this implies... this suggests... which gives the
impression that... this shows... this clearly shows...
possibly... perhaps... this indicates that... obviously...
this conveys to the reader that... this is apparent…
although this is true…at the same time…but…on the
other hand…in
comparison…however…meanwhile…nevertheless…on
the contrary…conversely…
Argue
Explain
Compare
Participation in competitive sports creates an environment that allows both Larry
and Hazel to learn valuable life lessons. While enrolled in sailing school as a young boy, Larry
learns the value of training and knowledge as this quote implies, “Though the minimum age was
typically 11, Larry was accepted based on his experience and ability.”
Similarly, Hazel learns the life lesson of how to focus her mind before a competition.
This allows her to escape the confines of her environment and to concentrate on running and
winning. This is conveyed to the reader in the following quote, “I dream I’m flying over a sandy
beach in the early morning”. As participants in competitive sports and at a young age, both Larry
and Hazel learned the value of hard work, training and focussing on the task on hand.
CONCLUSION
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A good conclusion will:
1. Include the central idea presented in the introductory paragraph.
2. Synthesize the arguments, not summarize them. Similarly, don’t repeat the details of your
body paragraphs in your conclusion.
3. Stay relevant. Your conclusion is not the time to pad your essay with all the extra,
interesting ideas you came up but couldn’t fit into the essay proper.
4. Use transitions such as: on the whole, summing up, to conclude, in conclusion, as I have
shown, as I have said, hence, therefore, accordingly, thus, as a result, consequently, on the
whole.
In summary, as a result of their participation in sports the lives of both Larry and
Hazel have been enriched. Not only did Larry and Hazel learn valuable life lessons at a young
age, they both come to the same realization that winning is not just about beating the
competition, but how they can help and support others.
Tips
1. Check that each paragraph does more than summarize the text. It should analyze textual
passages according to the thesis assertion. You will lose marks if you just retell.
2. Open each paragraph with a topic sentence. This is a sentence that clearly makes a point that
is to be developed in your argument. Use your topic sentence to keep you on track in your
writing.
3. Check back to make certain that you are still answering the question asked. You do not want
to be one of the students that drift off the question as the essay goes on.
4. Miss a line between paragraphs so the marker can clearly see where your next point begins.
5. Write a conclusion. A conclusion consists of 2-3 sentences but these will need to be
convincing and authoritative. It is crucial to keep the conclusion brief and to the point and,
above all else, do not introduce new material in the conclusion.
6. Use literary vocabulary such as “work of literature”, literary work, not “story”.
EDIT
1. Read your essay aloud to check for overall sense and sound.
2. Check your sentences for rhythm, balance, and correctness. Does each sentence express a
complete thought (no fragments)? Is each punctuated as a complete sentence (no comma
splices or run-ons)?
3. Make sure your writing is concise. Take out any words, phrases, or ideas which are repeated
unnecessarily, which sound flowery, or which pad rather than add to an explanation.
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4. Study each paragraph for overall effectiveness and clarity. Does each paragraph have a clear
purpose and focus? Have you used appropriate transitions within and between paragraphs?
PROOFREAD – 3 TRICKS
1. Check your writing for any words or phrases which may have been left out.
2. Check your writing for spelling, capitalization and punctuation errors.
3. Read over for grammar and spelling.
Thank you to my Britannia students for their (unedited) writing examples.
Linda O’Reilly 2010
© Permission given to copy for student use only.
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Linda O’Reilly 2010
© Permission given to copy for student use only.