Literary essays are quite different from the general types of academic papers. The primary aim of assigning a literary analysis essay is to enhance students’ reading, analytical, and understanding skills. In addition, analytical essays are great methods to develop research skills. Researching is an essential part of both professional and personal life. Hence, we bring you a step-by-step guide on literary essays.
Definition
Literary essays are made by analyzing the arguments presented in a literary work. The analyzers are prompted to explore the author’s tone, background, characters, writing styles, etc., in fictional and non-fictional, novel, and drama stories. The critiquing skill of the students is amplified by this method. Questions are raised like why did the author use this particular tone and writing style for this passage? Hence, literary analysis reveals the effect of various sections of the work and their overall influence on the complete work.
The Framework
Every literary essay should contain the following sections and aptly satisfy all the requirements. Following is a step by step guide on a literary essay.
Introduction
The author’s name, the title of the document analyzed, and an effective thesis statement is presented in this section. The thesis statement is critical to the introduction as it conveys the idea that the essay is about to present to the audience. Therefore, it should be brief and easy to understand. The inclusion of interrogative sentences is recommended over affirmative statements as they have a stronger impact on the reader.
Body
The longest and most descriptive part of any essay is the body. The number of paragraphs in the body is determined by the word limit or the length of the essay you are targeting to write. Each paragraph must contain an argumentative sentence relevant to the thesis statement with the same perspective to maintain uniformity across the passage. The narrative method of description should be avoided, and a detailed explanation of everything provided in the essay should be included. Inclusion of transition words such as finally, evidently, moreover, etc. is recommended. Each paragraph should encapsulate certain aspects of the topic for streamlined analysis.
Conclusion
Like any other essay, the conclusive paragraph enumerates the findings of the paper after a brief reminder of the thesis statement. Do not rewrite the passage, rather provide a succinct description. Moreover, do not introduce new ideas or arguments in the conclusion.
Types of Literary Analysis Essays
| Theoretical Analysis
Various literary theories are employed to analyse the text presented. These theories are then used to compare ideas separately to provide a comprehensive picture of the composition of the work. |
Close Reading Analysis
The esoteric meanings of the passage as intended by the author are analysed for their viability. Furthermore, the psyche of the author can be understood by this form of analysis. |
| Historical Analysis
As the name suggests, historical analysis requires an in-depth understanding of past events and gaining information from sample information from other papers relevant to the topic. |
Comparative Analysis
Two different literary texts centred on a topic are compared for similarities. Additionally, the methods behind the adoption of these similarities are analysed. |
Writing a literary analysis essay is never an easy task. However, use these tips and step by step guide to writing excellent literary analysis essays. Great literary essays are not generated on the first attempt. Hence, keep practising and inculcate the right resources, skills, and tools to generate excellent results. If you still feel lost or are overwhelmed by the demands of such academic writing, consult our expert academicians with years of experience. Contact us for professional guidance and help.