Sherman Alexie “The Reservation Cab Driver”, Sherman Alexie “Superman and Me” and John Hope Franklin “The Train from Hate”
Analysis essay:
1. Read through the draft once for a first impression. What is your overall impression of this draft after your initial reading?
2. Now read the text again more slowly. In your own words, summarize the author’s main claim. Does the author “prove” his/her point by the end of the essay? Is this claim reasonable and logical given your understanding of the original literary text? Explain. Does the claim seem unfounded or completely off base? If so, why?
3. Does the writer use effective evidence from the story to support his/her claim? Are there places where more evidence is needed to support the claim? If so, note those places. Has the writer used the evidence appropriately? In other words, has the writer accurately reflected the text author’s intent? Have any quotes been taken out of context? Does the writer provide sufficient context for the quoted material to make sense?
4. Is the paper logically organized? Do the points lead smoothly from one to the next? Are there any big leaps of logic that the writer makes? If so, where are they?
5. Has the writer integrated quotes into the text appropriately? If not, note spots where the writer needs to do more.
6. Did the writer strike an effective balance between providing context for the evidence and plot summary? (Remember, an effective literary analysis does not rely on plot summary.)
7. What suggestions do you have for this writer to improve the literary analysis?