How Do You Write A Literary Analysis Essay?
How you write a literary analysis essay will differ depending on course requirements, but all essays should cover four key areas of literary analysis: theme, structure, plot and character. Every literary analysis essay should also include a motivating question or argument that drives the rest of the paper. Whether you want to provide a broad overview of a book or focus on a specific area, discussing the following five characteristics will result in a well-rounded literary analysis. The Purdue Online Writing Lab recommends choosing a thesis, also called a motivating question or argument, before beginning your paper. An example of a thesis for an essay on Herman Melville’s “Moby-Dick” could be “What is the significance of the whale’s white color?” State your thesis at the end of your first paragraph and use the remaining paragraphs of your paper to explore your question or support your argument. Identify several important motifs and themes in the work and explain what purpose they serve.
