Writing an
Analytical Essay
Writing an Analytical Essay
about a Literary Work
• Makes an argument:
– You are arguing that your perspective—an
interpretation, judgment, evaluation of the
literature—is a valid one.
• Proves a thesis:
– You must have a specific, detailed thesis
statement that reveals your perspective, and
like any good argument, must be one which is
debatable.
Taken from http://www.owl.english.purdue.edu/handouts/general/gl_lit.html
The Format of
an Analytical Essay
I. Introduction
II. Body Paragraphs
III. Conclusion
The Function
of an Introduction
An introduction:
•
•
•
•
captures your audience's attention.
gives background on your topic.
develops interest in your topic.
guides your reader to your thesis statement.
(Taken from http://leo.stcloudstate.edu/acadwrite/intro.html)
Developing a Thesis Statement…
A thesis statement must be:
• An opinion—not a fact
• Significant—worth spending the time developing
into an essay
• Provable—able to be supported with quotes from
the text
• Focused on one idea—must be a single idea
…Developing a Thesis Statement
A thesis statement must be:
• Valid/logical—be sure you have interpreted the
piece of literature correctly
• Clear—your readers should have no doubt what
you are proving
• Specific—focus on a particular aspect of your
topic
• A declarative sentence written in the active voice
• Usually the last sentence of the introduction.
Writing a Thesis Statement
Sample thesis statements:
1) Shakespeare uses character foils to emphasize important
qualities in his hero.
2) Fairy tales send young girls the wrong message because in
these stories the woman always needs rescuing by the man.
3) The characters of The Great Gatsby distort the American
Dream through the means they use to obtain it. Myrtle
Wilson, Jay Gatsby, and the Buchanans corrupt the American
Dream through the extreme and immoral measures they
employ to achieve their goals.
Writing a Thesis Statement
What’s wrong with these thesis statements?
1)
To Kill a Mockingbird takes place in Maycomb, Alabama.
2)
Shakespeare’s Hamlet is a play about a young man who seeks
revenge.
3)
Scout changes from a child to a young girl and Jem begins to
grow up, too.
4)
Harry Potter has the qualities to conquer his enemies and he
does and then he goes on to find something else to do.
Deciding How to Prove
the Thesis Statement
• The thesis statement may include your proofs.
OR
• The thesis statement may be followed by a
sentence which contains your proofs.
Deciding How to Prove
the Thesis Statement
Thesis statement + proofs in the final sentence of introduction:
Shakespeare uses character foils to emphasize important
qualities in his hero. To provide a clear picture of the hero,
Romeo, Shakespeare effectively uses three different foils,
Mercutio, Friar Lawrence, and Tybalt.
Thesis statement + proofs in the same sentence:
Although John Smith’s and William Bradford’s firsthand
accounts of early colonization are similar, they differ
significantly in purpose, content, and tone.
The Format
of the Introduction
• The introduction begins with a broad statement
about the main idea. This statement might
suggest background or the general category to
which the thesis idea belongs.
• The next sentences are more specific, moving
closer to the actual thesis of the essay.
• The final sentence of an introduction often
contains a fairly specific version of the main idea;
it is the thesis statement.
(Adapted from http://leo.stcloudstate.edu/acadwrite/intro.html)
The introductory
paragraph must include:
• A general statement brief summary
of the story
• The title and author of the story
• A brief summary of the story
• A clear thesis statement
The Introduction
(Adapted from http://leo.stcloudstate.edu/acadwrite/intro.html)
Writing the Introduction
• Sentence 1: The general statement
– Is a general topic sentence
– Introduces the topic of the essay
– Captures the reader’s attention through a quote,
observation, definition, or anecdote
• Sentences 2-4: The summary sentences
– Includes the title and author
– Brief summary and relevant background information of
novel or short story
• Sentences 5(-6)
– Contains the thesis statement and proofs
Sample Introduction
Is hunting really a civilized pastime? This is the question that
the author Richard Connell asks as he keeps his readers on the edge
of their seats in his famous short story “The Most Dangerous Game.”
Connell creates a situation in which a famous hunter becomes
another’s man’s prey. When the hunter, Rainsford finds
himself marooned on Ship-Trap-Island, he discovers that, as a
hobby, the owner of the island hunts men instead of animals.
Rainsford must outsmart his opponent in order to stay alive,
and so he experiences all the fears that an animal feels when
it is hunted. By putting a hunter in the role of prey,
Richard Connell demonstrates his belief that hunting is a
cruel sport. To illustrate this theme, Connell uses irony and
suspense.
Writing the Body Paragraphs
Each body paragraph:
• Contains a clear topic sentence which identifies
the connection between your
examples/explanation and your thesis .
• Demonstrates that the topic sentence is true by
giving evidence.
• Includes quotes from the short story or novel to
show that you didn’t make up the evidence.
• Reminds the reader of the connection between
your evidence and the thesis.
Sample Outline
of a Four-Paragraph Essay
I.
Introduction
A. Opening sentence(s):
B. Brief summary:
C. Thesis statement:
D. Proofs:
II.
Body Paragraph #1
A. Topic sentence:
B. Supporting details:
1.
2.
3.
4.
Commentary
III.
Sample Outline
for a Four-Paragraph Essay
III.
Body Paragraph #2
A. Topic sentence:
B. Supporting details
1.
2.
3.
4.
IV.
Conclusion
A. Topic sentence:
B. Restatement or summary of thesis
C. Evaluation of topic
D. Closing statement
Fairy Tales: Enduring Lessons
or Wrong Messages?
I.
Introduction
A. Topic sentence: Fairy tales are some of the oldest
and time-honored pieces of literature in the world.
B. Brief summary:
1. Found in almost every culture.
2. Read by or to young children.
3. Simple stories—easy to remember
4. Children impressed by moral or lesson.
C. Thesis statement: Fairy tales send young girls the
wrong message because in these stories the woman
always needs rescuing by the man.
D. Proofs: Popular fairy tales that demonstrate this
theme are Cinderella and Snow White
Fairy Tales: Enduring Lessons
or Wrong Messages?
II.
Body Paragraph #1
A. Topic sentence: Poor Cinderella is a
helpless victim of her cruel stepmother
and stepsisters until the prince arrives to
take her away.
B. Supporting details:
1.
2.
3.
4.
Fairy Tales: Enduring Lessons
or Wrong Messages?
III. Body Paragraph #2
A. Topic sentence: Snow White, hated for
her beauty by her own mother, is poisoned
and made comatose until a handsome prince
falls in love with her and breaks the spell.
B. Supporting details:
1.
2.
3.
4.
Fairy Tales: Enduring Lessons
or Wrong Messages?
IV.
Conclusion
A. Topic sentence:
B. Restatement or summary of thesis
C. Evaluation of topic
D. Closing statement
Resources
Maplewood Writing Center
http://www.kcmetro.cc.mo.us/maplewoods/writeplace/MWHandoutsIndex.html
Concepts of Critical Analysis
http://www.kcmetro.cc.mo.us/maplewoods/writeplace/CriticalAnalysis.html
Writing a Thesis Statement
http://www.kcmetro.cc.mo.us/maplewoods/writeplace/thesisstatement.html
http://leo.stcloudstate.edu/acadwrite/thesistatement.html
Writing Effective Introductions
http://www.kcmetro.cc.mo.us/maplewoods/writeplace/writingintros.html
http://leo.stcloudstate.edu/acadwrite/intro.html
Writing Effective Conclusions
http://www.kcmetro.cc.mo.us/maplewoods/writeplace/conclusions.html
Evaluating a Paragraph
http://www.kcmetro.cc.mo.us/maplewoods/writeplace/EvaluatingParagraph.htm