Problem
Concept: Analysis is the practice of looking closely at small parts to see how they affect the whole. Literary analysis focuses on how plot/structure, character, setting, and many other techniques are used by the author to create meaning. You will review the readings to look for ideas that you would like to develop into a literary analysis essay. Much of the writing that have to do at the college level involves examining patterns in literature. Go back through your materials and see if you can find any interesting literary patterns that you would like to explore in an essay.
Topics: Female Gender Analysis (Write it based on William Faulkner's "Barn Barning. Minimum 2000 words please): Looking at the different female characters in the play, draw a conclusion about what the author is trying to say about women, their roles in society, romantic relationships, motherhood, etc. Regardless of your topic selection, your major focus will be HOW the author goes about achieving this (character, theme, etc) with literary devices and techniques (ie . Symbolism, metaphor, theme development, character development, imagery, etc.)
Develop a THESIS: what is the principal point you want readers to take away from your literary analysis? Your thesis will be your subject, plus an original opinion about this subject that you can support with evidence from the play/reading.
I. To formulate a thesis, you will need to answer the following questions:
i. Do any literary elements stand out as more interesting or important than others?
ii. Do some of the details have qualities in common? Do certain details create a pattern?
iii. How do the details connect with the novel's overall meaning?
iv. How do these particular details help develop the themes of the novel?
II. Choose at least one literary element that relates to your topic and that stands out in your notes. Draft a sentence that states your idea, or conclusion about, the effects or purposes of the elements you have chosen to examine. Here is an example of a strong thesis statement for a literary analysis of Shakespeare's Macbeth:
The animal images in Macbeth symbolize Macbeth's transition from brave soldier to cornered tyrant by emphasizing how his overreaching ambition leads to his destruction.