How to: Analyze
A film, whether it is a blockbuster Hollywood production or a small independent effort, has a
number of elements that come together in order to guide the audience through the arc of the
story. The actors may be the most visible elements on the screen, but a number of other
craftsmen had to perform a lot of other functions in order to get that finished film in front of
an audience. If you are interested in analyzing why one movie succeeds and another fails, it is
important to understand how collaborative filmmaking really is. Here are some elements to
consider when analyzing a film for a review or personal critique.
1. Consider the effectiveness of the dialogue and storyline. Although many
professional screenwriters do not get the same attention as actors or directors, they are
the true architects of a movie. Screenwriters may adapt a book into script form, or they
may create their own original stories for the screen. Either way, you should be able to
sense an attention to detail in the dialogue and plotlines. A successful movie script
uses authentic dialogue and scenarios that the actors can handle with ease. A less
successful script places characters in situations that feel artificial or contrived. The
language of the characters may be peppered with obscenities, or thoughts that seem to
come more from a screenwriter's mind than the character's. When analyzing the
writing in a film, ask yourself if the dialogue felt honest and the scenes flowed in a
logical progression. Did you see all of the scenes you needed to see in order to stay
with the storyline? Did you have any moments where the dialogue took you out of the
movie?
2. Look at the background and set pieces. The job of a cinematographer (or director of
photography) is to create the proper atmosphere for the film. When you watch a film
for analysis, try to ignore the actors and dialogue for a few minutes. Pay attention to
the shapes and colors of the scenery, sets and costumes. They should all be working
together to create a specific mood or ambience. The use of light and darkness can be
very important, as can other atmospheric effects such as shadow and fog. In a good
film, the background information should enhance the scene but not overwhelm it.
When cinematography is not handled well, the audience might inadvertently focus on
a distracting wall decoration or an anachronistic car in the background. When
analyzing a film, ask yourself if the setting and background added more to the story or
distracted you from it.
3. The performance of individual actors should be considered. It can be easy to look
at a particular lead character's performance and fail to notice the supporting actors'
efforts. When analyzing a film, pay attention to what other characters are doing when
they are not part of the main action. A good actor understands that his or her role is to
drive the plot forward or establish a character in the audience's mind. The actor
portraying a villain, for example, must be a formidable opponent for the actor
portraying the hero. Supporting characters may not have much dialogue, but their
presence can still be felt by the audience. When analyzing the performance of actors,
ask yourself if they successfully inhabited the character and provided something for
other actors to work against.
4. Editing is a very important element of the finished film. Many film critics say the
real movie begins in the editing room. Sometimes a potentially good film is less
successful because of poor editing. Essential parts of the film's storyline may be cut
out entirely, or scenes which do nothing to move the plot forward are left in the final
cut. When editing is done right, it should be nearly invisible. When analyzing the
editing of a film, look for anything that jars or confuses you. Scenes with dialogue
should cut seamlessly between actors speaking the lines and others reacting to them.
Action scenes should maintain a steady, exciting pace that builds to a climax. A good
film should flow from scene to scene without denying the audience enough
information to follow the arc of the story.
5. Directors put distinctive fingerprints on their films. While much of a director's job
begins and ends with film production, his or her vision should still be apparent in the
look and feel of the finished movie. A good director understands the intentions of the
scriptwriters, the capacities of the actors and the skills of the crew. When analyzing a
film, it often helps to research the director's body of work and details of his or her
distinctive style. How do they get the best performances from their actors? What is
their reputation among other filmmakers? Two different directors could film the same
scene and an informed audience member should be able to tell the difference. When
analyzing the director's contribution to a film, look for signature elements such as
familiar actors, edgy dialogue, unique devotion to particular camera angles or
perspectives, or creative background music. Every director has at least one distinctive
feature, so look for it when analyzing a new film.
An Easy Way To Begin (POEM)
Poetry is the dramatization of experience in metrical language. To study or analyze poetry, one must
consider many elements. A good way to start is by reading the poem silently. Then read the poem a
second (third, fourth) time aloud. Reading the poem aloud makes its meaning clearer and you will hear
the various poetic sound devices such as alliteration, rhyme, rhythm, etc. Then try writing down a brief
summary to make sure that you are understanding the poem. Remember to read sentence by
sentence not line by line.
Questions To Answer Before Writing
1.
Who is speaking?
10.
End rhyme scheme?
2.
To whom?
11.
Alliteration?
3.
About?
12.
Assonance?
4.
Tone?
13.
Consonance?
5.
Examples of abstract imagery?
14.
Caesura?
6.
Examples of concrete imagery?
15.
Enjambment?
7.
Examples of denotative language?
16.
Theme?
8.
Examples of the 5 figurative
devices?
17.
Rhythm / Meter?
9.
Examples of rhetorical devices?
18.
Syntax?
Writing Your Paper
The actual writing of the paper is probably the easiest task because you have already identified
everything that needs to be covered. You may wish to cover all the important items in your own order,
however, the order listed above does work well.
Most likely you will not be able to simply write a few lines for each device, rather you must group these
devices together. A proper order of paragraphs may flow like this:
I.
Dramatic Situation
A.
Who is speaking?
B.
To whom is that speaker speaking?
C.
What is the situation?
D.
What is the speaker's tone?
II.
Imagery
III.
Theme
IV.
Diction (word choice)
A.
Connotation (suggested meaning of words)
B.
Denotation (dictionary definition)
C.
Abstract (can only be understood intellectually)
D.
Concrete (words describing physical objects)
E.
Kinds of language
1.
2.
V.
Figurative
a.
Metaphor (implied comparisons)
b.
Simile (comparison using 'like' or 'as')
c.
Personification (giving human characteristics to an inanimate object)
d.
Metonymy (the use of an attribute or quality of an object to represent the object
itself)
e.
Synecdoche (substitutes a significant part of something for the thing itself)
Rhetorical
a.
Irony (opposite of what is meant)
b.
Hyperbole (exaggeration)
c.
Allusion (reference to something)
d.
Pun (play on words)
e.
Paradox (contradictory)
f.
Oxymoron (self contradictory term)
g.
Litotes (form of understatement)
Syntax (sentence structure)
A.
Length
VI.
B.
Transposed elements
C.
"Unusual" sentences
Conclusion
Remember, when you are writing this paper you should use direct quotes wherever you can, you
should vary your sentence structure, and all rules of grammar still apply.
How to Analyze a Novel
When you set out to analyze a novel, you have a mighty task ahead of you. This is not a short
story, poem, or essay. Rather, it is a lengthy work of fiction, designed to create any number of
emotions in you. While most of them are inspiring, the thought of having to analyze a novel is
possibly terrifying because of the size of most novels. However, the beauty behind novel
analysis is that there are so many things you can do. Most novels have numerous serious
themes spread throughout, and many more sub-plots (sub-themes). The most important thing
to remember in analyzing a novel is that — like other analyses — there is not usually a right
or wrong answer. There is only an analysis that is supported with factual details and evidence
from the text. Everything you will need to analyze the novel will come from the novel itself.
You can always research farther; however, you can analyze a novel without going outside the
ends of the book.
Follow these simple guidelines to aid in your novel analysis.
1. Read the novel closely
A close reading of a novel is different than a quick skim. If you have time, it would
behoove you to read the novel at least twice. However, as a student, you probably do
not have sufficient time. So, pick up the novel, a pen, and read it while making marks
in the margins. Underline lines that stand out at you. These will be your best friends
while analyzing it in the future. Nothing is worse than having to look back at a novel
of hundreds of pages without having a clue as to where to find that specific line you
remember. If you marked it during your first read through, you will be able to find
specific lines much easier later on.
2. Make an appointment to speak with your teacher/professor
While analyzing a poem or story, you have people to discuss ideas with, as they will
be dealing with many of the same issues. It is helpful to share thoughts. However,
when analyzing a novel, you will probably not be writing or analyzing the same thing
as the rest of your peers. Your teachers will be great sources of inspiration and help.
You may get stuck on a certain idea, theme, or problem; they are trained to help teach
you analytical skills. After reading the novel and thinking about ideas for analysis,
discuss them with a teacher. Your teacher will then sway you in a specific direction
and help you organize your thoughts.
3. Select a specific topic
Once you have read the novel, discussed it in class or in private with a tutor, you are
ready to begin the analysis. You have already begun unofficially by thinking about it.
Now, with the numerous issues addressed in the novel, you have your easy pick, and
can focus on one specific theme to analyze in the book. A problem many students
encounter in this portion is that they try to analyze too many parts of the book or too
many themes. You must pick one theme (and show it in several characters) or select
one character and analyze him or her. It is imperative to stay on target and not veer
from you thesis (your central topic).
4. Find evidence
Once you have decided upon a topic to analyze in the novel, you must now go through
the book and find examples of how to prove your thesis (argument). If you had not
previously taken notes or wrote in the book, then you will have to go page by page to
find specific examples to use in your analysis. This step can be fairly time-consuming.
However, without this step, you have absolutely no analysis. You must have evidence
in order to analyze a novel.
5. Write an outline
Like any analysis, essay, or research paper, an outline is vital. It is the skeleton of your
analysis, the scaffolding that holds your ideas together. It is your organizational
crutch. Your outline for the novel analysis should begin with an introduction
(including a thesis statement), followed by three examples of the theme in your novel,
and a conclusion bringing all the examples of the themes together. This conclusion
will be significant in an analysis, for you will be putting together what you have just
explained into a greater context. The conclusion is the ultimate analysis of the novel
and should leave the audience/readership understanding the novel in a new light.
6. Write the paper
Now that you have all your themes and ideas written down in a nice outline, you are
ready to write your analysis. While it initially seemed like a daunting task, because
you have done all the work already, you can now simply place all the work together
into a nice organized and complete analysis.
If your novel analysis is meant to be an oral presentation, follow the same steps. You will still
need an outline, as presentations are no different than written papers in content. The only
difference is presentation. Your outline will serve as your notes. It will be your guide as you
speak to your teacher and class.
SHORT STORY ANALYSIS
1.
2.
3.
4.
Explain the title. In what way is it suitable to the story?
What is the predominant element in the story - plot, theme, character, setting?
Who is the single main character about. whom the story centres?
What sort of conflict confronts the leading character or characters?
a. external?
b. internal?
5. How is the conflict resolved?
6. How does the author handle characterization?
a. by description?
b. conversation of the characters?
c. actions of the characters?
d. combination of these methods?
7. Who tells the story? What point of view is used?
a. first person?
b. omniscient?
8. Where does the primary action take place?
9. What is the time setting for the action? Period of history? Season? Time of
day?
10. How much time does the story cover?
a. a few minutes?
b. a lifetime?
c. how long?
11. How does the story get started? What is the initial incident?
12. Briefly describe the rising action of the story.
13. What is the high point, or climax, of the story?
14. Discuss the falling action or close of the story.
15. Does this story create any special mood?
16. Is this story realistic or true to life? Explain your answers by giving examples.
17. Are the events or incidents of the plot presented in flashback or in
chronological order?
18. Was the selection written as a short story or is it a condensation or excerpt? Is
it taken from a collection of stories?
19. What is the general theme of the story? What is the underlying theme? Can
you name any other stories with a similar theme?
20. Did you identify with any of the characters?
21. Does this story contain any of the following elements?
a. symbolism?
b. incongruity?
c. suspense?
d. surprise ending ?
e. irony?
f. satire?
22. Was there a villain in the story? a hero? a dynamic character?
23. Can you find any examples of figurative language?
a. simile?
b. metaphor?
c. personification?
24. Does the story contain a single effect or impression for the read er? If so,
what?
25. Name one major personality trait of each leading character, and tell how the
author makes the reader conscious of this trait.
26. Does the story have a moral? If not, what do you think the purpose of the
author was?
1. Is it clear whose scene (story) it is, and what he or she wants?
2. What is the conflict of the scene (story)? Is it with one or more of the characters, with the
circumstances or the surroundings of the scene (story) (main plot), or is the conflict within the
character?
3. Where and when does the scene (story) take place? Could another time or location serve to
heighten the impact?
1. What characters are present at the beginning, which ones enter during the scene (story), and
who is there at the end?
5. Is any new character introduced? If so, does the introduction give the audience a glimpse into the
nature of the character and make the character memorable enough?
6. Where were the characters before the scene (story) started, and where are they going after it
ends?
7. Has time been ellipsed since the last scene? If so, is it clear to the audience that time has passed
and how much time has passed? Are any minor ellipses of time within the scene (story) clear and
believable?
8. Has there been a transition from the previous scene, and is there a transition to the next scene?
9. Is there a scene (story) of preparation or a scene (story) of aftermath? Is one necessary? Not all
scenes require them.
10. Does the scene (story) contrast in some way with the preceding scene (story) or the scene
(story) to follow? Again, not all scenes will contrast.
11. Do the actions of the characters fit their “through lines”? That is, do the character’s stay true to
whose they are and what they want?
12. Are the actions of the characters clear and motivated? Do they reveal character and move the
story forward?
13. Is there any use of dramatic irony? Is there unity of action? Is the scene thematically related to
the rest of the story?
14. Are the obstacles difficult enough? Are they too difficult?
15. Are the events plausible? Must disbelief be suspended? Do these events obey the “rules” of
previously suspended disbelief?
16. Does the audience know what might go right or wrong within the scene (story)? When in the
scene (story) do they know? When does one or more of the characters know?
17. Does the dialogue reflect character? Are the inner lives of the characters revealed through
action, dialogue, and reaction?
18. Are any elements of the future used? Should they be used? Does the scene bring the action of
the story too much to a standstill, or does it propel the story forward? Does the scene belong in the
story being told?
Dialogue must accomplish:
1. It must characterize the speaker, and perhaps the person addressed.
2. It must be idiomatic, maintaining the individuality of the speaker, yet still blend into the style of
the screenplay as a whole.
3. It must reflect the speaker's mood, convey his or her emotion, or provide some window into his
or her inner life.
4. It must often reveal the speaker's motivation or an attempt to hide his or her motivation.
16. It must reflect the relationship of the speaker to the other characters.
17. It must be connective, that is, grow out of a preceding speech or action and lead into another.
7. It must advance the action.
8. It must sometimes carry information of exposition.
9. Often it must foreshadow what is to come.
10. It must sometimes carry information or exposition. Often it must foreshadow what is to come. It
must be clear and comprehensible to the audience.