English 11 - Literary Analysis Guidelines

Ms. Rubin

Welcome to the wonderful world of literary analysis! I hope you will enjoy the journey you will take to becoming a more critical reader and astute writer. For this first analysis (there will be more), we will focus on character, plot and theme. You will choose a prompt to respond to, but each of your essays will differ based on the characters and other elements you choose to analyze.

Writing a Literary Analysis

A literary analysis is a careful examination of the book or play after you complete it. It is a critical evaluation and analysis of the story’s elements and the writer’s techniques.

Think about the characters, setting, plot, theme and use of literary elements; evaluate their effectiveness throughout the book or play. Following is a guideline of paragraphs to be used to help you make your analysis and evaluation. For your literary analysis, you will include: an introduction, a summary of the novel, analysis of a character, a literary device, a discussion of the theme, and have a conclusion. You will use quotes from the story.

Discuss specific incidents and settings, but remember that a literary analysis is not a plot summary and does not tell what the story is “about.”

Fill out the following for your essay:

1)Thesis: ______

2)Character: ______

3)Literary Device: ______

4)Theme: ______

Structure of the Analysis – 5 paragraphs

In the first paragraph, you should include the title and author; remember to underline the title each time you use it. Your thesis statement must be sharply focused and encompass a thematic element expressed by the author. (5-6 sentences)

The second andthird paragraphs will analyze a major character and literary device, as well as the development of each. Note the changes in the characters and literary devices throughout the story. Consider what we “learn” from them. Explain in detail and use quotes to support your observations. (8-10 sentences)

Your fourth andmost important paragraph is the interpretation of theme. NEVER be cliché or simplistic. A statement of theme establishes a universal message that is weaved throughout the story and hinges on the characters’ development and plot development. Discuss how the characters change and grow and how the literary elements establish and communicate the thesis(theme) of the story. Don’t forget to use quotes reflecting the 3-S Method to support your main ideas. (8-10 sentences)

Your conclusion follows the elements of good writing and offers insight regarding your thesis. You will briefly reflect on the main characters’ development and how they were agents of the thematic message. While you revisit your thesis statement and main points presented in you essay, you do not introduce any new ideas that take away from your argument in your conclusion. End your essay with a final thought that is interesting and academic. (4-5 sentences)

MLA Format Rules! (It ain’t pretty, but it’s required.)

  1. Font size: 12; Font type: Times New Roman ONLY
  2. Double-spaced throughout.
  3. No cover page or frou-frou graphics please.
  4. Do not skip extra lines between paragraphs.
  5. Proper MLA heading and pagination.
  6. Use third person, present tense (formal) voice throughout the essay.

Other important information:

  1. You must submit your final draft to by 7:30 pm on the due date. Submissions made after this time will be counted late and incur the appropriate penalty.
  2. You must turn in a hard copy to me on the due date during class, or it will be considered late and incur a penalty.

Due dates: You will get a stamp for all of these and they will be added to your 1st quarter grade

First Paragraph9/8

Second Paragraph9/10

Third and Fourth Paragraph9/11

Fifth Paragraph 9/14

Color Coding Draft in Class9/17

Final draft and submitted to

How to Use Quotation Marks

Using Quotation Marks

The primary function of quotation marks is to set off and represent exact language (either spoken or written) that has come from somebody else. The quotation mark is also used to designate speech acts in fiction and sometimes poetry. Since you will most often use them when working with outside sources, successful use of quotation marks is a practical defense against accidental plagiarism and an excellent practice in academic honesty. The following rules of quotation mark use are the standard in the United States, although it may be of interest that usage rules for this punctuation do vary in other countries.

The following covers the basic use of quotation marks. For details and exceptions consult the separate sections of this guide.

Direct Quotations

Direct quotations involve incorporating another person's exact words into your own writing.

1. Quotation marks always come in pairs. Do not open a quotation and fail to close it at the end of the quoted material

2. Capitalize the first letter of a direct quote when the quoted material is a complete sentence.

Mr. Johnson, who was working in his field that morning, said, "The alien spaceship appeared right before my own two eyes."

3. Do not use a capital letter when the quoted material is a fragment or only a piece of the original material's complete sentence.

Although Mr. Johnson has seen odd happenings on the farm, he stated that the spaceship "certainly takes the cake" when it comes to unexplainable activity.

4. If a direct quotation is interrupted mid-sentence, do not capitalize the second part of the quotation.

"I didn't see an actual alien being," Mr. Johnson said, "but I sure wish I had."

5. In all the examples above, note how the period or comma punctuation always comes before the final quotation mark. It is important to also realize that when you are using MLA or some other form of documentation, this punctuation rule may change.

When quoting text with a spelling or grammar error, you should transcribe the error exactly in your own text. However, also insert the term sic in italics directly after the mistake, and enclose it in brackets. Sic is from the Latin, and translates to "thus," "so," or "just as that." The word tells the reader that your quote is an exact reproduction of what you found, and the error is not your own.

Mr. Johnson says of the experience, "it's made me reconsider the existence of extraterestials [sic]."

6. Quotations are most effective if you use them sparingly and keep them relatively short. Too many quotations in a research paper will get you accused of not producing original thought or material (they may also bore a reader who wants to know primarily what YOU have to say on the subject).

Source:

Literary Analysis Rubric

Ms. Anderson

CATEGORY / Excellent / Good / Average / Approaching / Needsmuchimprovement
Intro & conclusion / Intro and conclusion are clear and developed. Thesis is complex, addresses theme and guides entire paper. / Intro and conclusion are clear but need more development. Thesis is interesting, addresses theme and guides paper. / Intro and conclusion are clear and have some development. Thesis addresses theme and guides entire paper. / Intro and conclusion are minimal and lacks development. Thesis makes an attempt to address theme but may be unclear. / Intro and conclusion are weak and unclear. Thesis does not address theme and does not guide paper.
Character analysis / Character analysis analyzes the development of the character completely using significant detail with relevance to the other characters and the theme of the novel. / Character analysis analyzes character completely using details and examples. Character may be explored in relation to others. / Character analysis analyzes character some but needs more examples and details. Character is not explored in relation to others or the theme. / Character analysis analyzes character minimally and may have few examples and details. Character is not explored in relation to others or the theme. / Character analysis analyzes character at a surface level. There are few examples or none used for support. Character is not explored in relation to others or the theme.
Literary elements / Literary elements are explored and analyzed with insight using clear examples and connection to theme. / Literary elements are explored and analyzed with using clear examples and connection to theme. / Literary elements are analyzed with using clear examples. / Literary elements are listed but not analyzed and there are few or no examples for support. / Literary elements are not explored or explained. There are no examples given for support of main points.
Theme / Theme is analyzed completely with interesting, original insight. Several examples are used to support analysis. / Theme is analyzed with original insight. Several examples are used to support analysis. / Theme is analyzed with insight. Statements may be cliché or unoriginal. Some examples are used to support analysis. / Theme is not analyzed but merely stated. Statements may be cliché or unoriginal. Few examples are used to support analysis. / Theme is not analyzed. No examples or weak examples are used to support statements.
Conventions / Exceptionally strong control of standard writing conventions. The writer uses them effectively to enhance communication. Errors are few and minor. / Strong control of standard writing conventions. The writer uses them effectively to enhance communication. Errors are few and minor. / Control of standard writing conventions. Minor errors that do not impede readability. / Limited control of standard writing conventions. Errors begin to impede readability. / Little control of standard writing conventions. Frequent, significant errors impede readability.
3S method - support / 3S method is used correctly throughout essay. Analysis and interpretation of quotes is insightful and demonstrates clear, original understanding of the text. / 3S method is used throughout essay. Analysis and interpretation of quotes is demonstrates clear understanding of the text. / 3S method is used but needs to be used more throughout essay. Analysis of quotes demonstrates understanding of the text. / 3S method is used some but may require more throughout essay. Analysis of quotes is minimal but attempted and at times may show comprehension of the text. / 3S method is rarely or not used. Analysis of quotes is minimal but attempted and at times may show comprehension of the text.