Essay #4: Literary Analysis
LITERARY ANALYSIS ESSAY
English 101 – Sections 001 & 006
Professor Oster, Spring 2012
On Literary Analysis
You will find background information on the literary analysis genre in your textbook, How to Write
Anything. Keep this essay assignment in mind as you read the section on reports, and be sure to make
note of information in the reading that will help you write a successful essay.
The Assignment
The literary analysis essay is an opportunity for you to respond to a piece of literature we have read
in class by evaluating it and making a claim or observation about the way it relates to a larger issue or
idea.
Essay Topic: Literature, It's Not Just a Flight of Fancy
For this essay, you will analyze “The Lottery” by Shirley Jackson and explore its connections to a
larger issue we have already discussed in class. You may focus on an issue that you find meaningful
enough to discuss, but remember to narrow in your topic to a manageable breadth for the size of
this essay.
Essay Purpose & Audience
The purpose of this essay is to dig deeply into a piece of literature and to allow it to change you in
some way. Your audience will vary based on the topic you choose, and the piece you analyze.
Essay Requirements
Your essay should be typed, double-spaced, with one-inch margins, and in 12-point font (Garamond
or Times New Roman only). MLA format. 950 to 1200 words.
You should cite at least three outside sources in this essay.
Essay Proposal
In your proposal for this essay, identify:
 The piece of literature you plan to analyze
 The claim you plan to make about the literature
◦ Make sure the connection between the piece and its connections to a larger issue are
clear
 A brief (one paragraph) explanation of why you believe this is a topic worthy of discussion.