Literary Analysis Custom Essay

Literary Analysis

Introductory Paragraph – 15 points

This paragraph is fully developed (100+ words), coherent, and smoothly leads to a concise and focused thesis.
The introductory remarks or the thesis contains the author and the title of the short story. This title is placed in quotation marks.
The thesis presents what you believe to be the theme the author is attempting to convey within his/her literary work.
The thesis will also include the three literary elements the author uses to develop that theme/main idea of the story.
The thesis is the last sentence within the introductory paragraph.

Body Paragraphs – 45 points
Each of the three body paragraphs (200 – 250 words) contains a restricted topic sentence, unity and coherence.
Each paragraph contains ample primary and secondary supports which discuss each literary element used to support the thesis.
The primary supports are the writer’s assertions about the literary work.
The secondary supports are specific examples/details and direct quotes from the short story.

MLA Format – 15 points
A complete heading is placed in the upper left hand corner, and the title of the essay is centered.
The essay is double-spaced and each paragraph is indented.
There are a minimum of three direct quotes from the story using correct MLA parenthetical documentation.
The Works Cited entry is properly formatted for a short story within an anthology.

Concluding Paragraph – 5 points
This paragraph is fully developed and brings closure to the essay (50+ words)

Mechanics – 20 points
Check out this Grammar Guide located in our SPC Library Research Section. You may find it helpful as you revise and edit!
Correct grammar, punctuation, and spelling
Correct word choice: No first person “I”, second person “you”/”your” or third person “we”/”us”/”our”.
Refer to this Library Guide: Get The “You” Outta Here for help with avoiding the use of second person, “you”.
Correct sentence structure: No run-on sentences, sentence fragments or awkward sentences.

Part I: Literary Analysis Essay Requirements:

Five paragraph essay, 700 word minimum: introduction, 3 body paragraphs, conclusion.
One primary source which is a short story we have studied this session. You will take at least three direct quotations from this story for inclusion within your essay.
Document the three quotations using correct MLA format.
You do not need to do outside research for this assignment. The analysis must be your own.
Focus your analysis on the theme or main idea of the work, and show how the author develops this theme/main idea through the use of three literary elements we have studied.
Reread this sheet of LITERARY TERMS & DEFINITIONS as you consider your focus.
Read through this LIBRARY GUIDE FOR THE SHORT STORY LITERARY ANALYSIS regarding info on writing this type of essay.

Part II: Follow these guidelines when organizing and drafting your Literary Analysis:

Use correct MLA format when setting up your essay.
Create an original title for your essay which reflects the central idea of your work.
Within the introductory paragraph, introduce the plot but avoid an extended plot summary.
The thesis (the last sentence in the introduction) must focus on the theme or message about life the author is attempting to convey (the lesson learned), and be developed by three literary elements such as

characterization, point of view, setting, symbolism, irony, imagery, etc.
Include a preview of the three literary elements within your thesis, making sure to use parallel structure.
Again, refer to this list of LITERARY TERMS & DEFINITIONS as you develop the thesis for your essay.
Each literary element will serve as the central idea for each of the three body paragraphs.
Refer to this chart for the use of transitions in your writing.
Introduce your body paragraphs using restricted topic sentences.
Use at least three quotations from the short story to illustrate the main focus within each of the body paragraphs (minimum of one direct quotation per body paragraph). Use plenty of details and examples from

the story as well as your own commentary and interpretation.
Document quotes from the primary source/short story with correctly formatted parenthetical citations using MLA format. Also include a Works Cited section for the primary source/short story from your

Norton Anthology.
Finish the essay with a strong concluding paragraph.
Use only third person objective point-of-view. Do not use first person “I” or “me”, second person “you” or subjective third person “we”, “our” or “us”.

Examples of MLA documentation of direct quotes taken from a literary selection within an anthology

Part I: What follows is an example of an essay passage containing a direct quote taken from a short story .

Throughout the story, “A Rose for Emily”, William Faulkner introduces a tension between what is private, or belongs to the individual, and what is public, or the possession of the group. “When Miss Emily

Grierson died,” the tale begins, “our whole town went to her funeral: the men through a sort of respectful affection for a fallen monument, the women mostly out of curiosity to see the inside of her house

house”(391).

This example identifies the author as Faulkner; thus, the citation only includes the page number. “When Miss Emily Grierson died. . .” (391). (Note: Punctuation for this sentence is not at the end of the quote,

but at the end of the parenthetical citation.)
However, it is possible that you will quote without identifying the author in the post, in that case it would be – “When Miss Emily Grierson died. . .” (Faulkner 392). (Note: Again, punctuation follows the

parenthetical citation.)
Part II: This shows how to correctly format a Works Cited entry for a literary selection as well as the anthology containing that selection.

Works Cited

Faulkner, William. “A Rose for Emily.” The Norton Introduction to Literature. Shorter 11th ed.

Ed. Kelly J. Mays. New York: Norton, 2013, pp. 516 – 522 . Print.