Some Examples for You! 
First Steps in the Process for Writing a Literary Analysis…
1.
2.
3.
Choosing your prompt (see the “prompt” hand-out)
Writing your thesis statement: One or two sentences
telling the main idea of your paper.
Write the introduction.
On the following pages, you will find three introduction
paragraphs to a literary analysis about “The Monkey’s Paw,” by
W. W. Jacobs. Each one has a DIFFERENT grabber. This is what
you will do for the introduction of your literary analysis over
“The Most Dangerous Game,” by Richard Connell.  After you
write three, I will help you choose the best one.
Pink = Grabber
Yellow = Transitional sentence
Blue = Thesis
Set the Scene:
Imagine a long, winding, dark lane in the English country side. The wind is
howling and a storm is brewing. This is the scene that opens the short story,
“The Monkey’s Paw,” by W. W. Jacobs. Jacobs uses setting, dialogue, and
horrific events to create a dark, suspenseful mood in this horror story.
General Statement:
Nothing is more exciting to me than sitting down with a good, scary story. “The
Monkey’s Paw,” by W. W. Jacobs is one of the best! Jacobs uses setting, dialogue,
and horrific events to create a dark, suspenseful mood in this horror story.
Quote:
“Deep into that darkness peering, long I stood there, wondering, fearing,
doubting, dreaming dreams no mortal ever dared to dream before.” This quote,
by Edgar Allen Poe, could also describe the feelings of characters in the short
story “The Monkey’s Paw,” by W. W. Jacobs. Jacobs uses these characters’
thoughts and feelings, in addition to setting and word choice, to create the
suspenseful mood in this short horror story.