Requirements:
• 3-5 pages in length – not including a Works Cited page. Must be a minimum of 3 complete pages. You may want to start the 4th page to be safe.
• 3 outside sources (minimum).
• 4 quotations from the text you are analyzing (minimum).
• MLA Format
Grading will be based on:
• Thesis Statement – must be declarative, clear, and arguable.
• Organization – each paragraph must transition well into the following paragraph. Each paragraph should point back to the thesis statement. The conclusion summarizes points made in the essay and may repeat the thesis statement using different language.
• Analysis – the essay must support the argument made in the thesis statement. It must contain textual evidence, as well as support from outside sources.
• Quality of outside sources – Must provide support for the thesis statement and must be reliable.
• MLA – the essay must be in correct and complete MLA format
• Mechanics – spelling, punctuation, and grammar must be correct. For help with this, go to Net Tutor on Canvas a few days before submission.
When writing your Literary Analysis, DO NOT SUMMARIZE THE PLOT of the text. That is a book report. To write a Literary Analysis, you need to deconstruct the text; think about how each part works together to form a whole. Some of the constituent parts, or elements, of a text are the setting, structure, imagery, symbolism, language, metaphor, narrative point of view, characterization, tone, mood, conflict, etc.
Summarizing = WHAT (what happened)
Analyzing is explaining WHY it happened What was the author’s intent?
HOW did the author use literary devices to communicate the intent?
Remember, tell your reader how & why—don’t just summarize!