There are several ways to use quotations from literature in an analytical essay.
Try to avoid using a “dropped quote” like the example below. A dropped quote is a quote that is not introduced by the writer, and it usually is an entire sentence of quoted material by itself:
One of the greatest losses a person can suffer is the death of her child, especially when the parent can do nothing but watch as her child dies. Nine days after Mary and Sarah are captured, Sarah finally succumbs to her injuries and dies. Distraught, Mary lies by Sarah’s dead body for the rest of the night. Later reflecting on the aftermath of Sarah’s death, Mary admits that she contemplated suicide. “I have thought since of the wonderful goodness of God to me, in preserving me in the use of my reason and senses, in that distressed time, that I did not use wicked and violent means to end my own miserable life” (66). Mary might have killed herself had it not been for her faith. She credits God with giving her the strength to carry on despite this horrible tragedy.
There are several ways to use quoted material effectively:
1.Use a colon after a complete sentence that introduces the quotation. Use this method sparingly.
Later reflecting on the aftermath of Sarah’s death, Mary admits that she contemplated suicide: “I have thought since of the wonderful goodness of God to me, in preserving me in the use of my reason and senses, in that distressed time, that I did not use wicked and violent means to end my own miserable life” (66). Mary might have killed herself had it not been for her faith.
2.Use part of the quotation and paraphrase the rest. Use this method often.
(Quote only the words or phrases that are especially descriptive or unique)
Later reflecting on the aftermath of Sarah’s death, Mary admits that she contemplated suicide. Mary comments that she credits God for giving her enough good judgment that she did not “use wicked and violent means to end [her] own miserable life” (66).Mary might have killed herself had it not been for her faith.
(* Note the use of brackets to indicate a change in wording – “my” is changed to “her” so it fits the sentence.)
3.Use the whole quotation and put a tag line at the beginning, middle,or end.
Later reflecting on the aftermath of Sarah’s death, Mary admits that she contemplated suicide. “I have thought since of the wonderful goodness of God to me, in preserving me in the use of my reason and senses,” Rowlandsonlater explains, “ that I did not use wicked and violent means to end my own miserable life” (66). Mary might have killed herself had it not been for her faith.
4.Use an ellipsis to indicate omitted material.
Later reflecting on the aftermath of Sarah’s death, Mary admits that she contemplated suicide: “I have thought since of the wonderful goodness of God . . . that I did not use wicked and violent means to end my own miserable life” (66). Mary might have killed herself had it not been for her faith.
Remember that the majority of a literary analysis should be your own observations and comments with a few quotations to support them. It should not be mostly quoted material with a few of your own sentences between them.
Introduce each quote by explaining the context in which it is found. Discuss what is happening in the novel, what the characters are discussing or contemplating, or how the quote connects to your thesis. After the quote, explain why it’s important and how it connects to your thesis.
Quotations should be integrated into your own sentences, not just dropped between them with no connective explanation.
Most of your quoted material should be words or phrases woven into your sentence; avoid quoting entire sentences or passages unless you have a good reason to do so.
If you do use passages longer than four lines, indent the entire passage in block form.
Use present tense to discuss literature, even if the literature is written in past tense:
“Mary admits…” not “Mary admitted…”