Essential Questions for Literary Analysis

[Pages:2]Essential Questions for Literary Analysis

Choose one of the following prompts and compose a five-paragraph essay based on the story you chose.

1. One of the most revealing types of conflict occurs when a character's inner struggles are resolved at great personal price. Often, the character learns a lesson, sometimes too late to help himself or another character and sometimes just in time to help himself or another character. Explain how, in the work that you read, a character struggles and learns/doesn't learn a lesson in time, and thus, serves as an example for the reader. In your essay, focus on the conflict within the character. Be sure to include the price paid or what was gained as part of the resolution and the lesson to be learned.

2. Often in literary works, authors choose a physical object (or other symbol), which takes on a special significance in the work and becomes a symbol of something beyond itself. Show how, in the work that you read, the author uses a symbol to convey an important meaning. In your essay, focus on the symbol and what it symbolizes. Be sure to discuss how the author uses it to convey a message to readers. You may choose three important symbols from the novel, or you may choose to elaborate on one symbol in all three body paragraphs (perhaps how the symbol affects the beginning, middle and end of the plot, mood...).

3. Authors often use descriptive details to develop a setting for several purposes. In an essay, explain how the setting of your book related to events from the plot, related to characters, or built suspense. You may write one body paragraph about each aspect of setting, or you may chose to elaborate on one particular aspect (plot, character, suspense) in all three body paragraphs.

4. What is the theme of the story? In your introduction, state the theme of the story. In your thesis, explain how the theme is developed (through various literary devices such as plot, character development, symbols, repetition...). In your body paragraphs, give specific examples of scenes from the novel/short story in which the author developed the theme.

5. Discuss the author's use of figurative language. Identify three examples of figurative language from the short story. Why did the author use these examples? What impact does the figurative language have on characterization, description of setting (imagery), mood, foreshadowing, theme, or the novel overall? In your essay, use a different example in each body paragraph. Be sure to explain the significance of each use of figurative language. Examples of figurative language vary. Some are symbolism, metaphor, simile, hyperbole, personification, allusion, conflict, dialogue...

6. Literary Devices give a linguistic technique that produces a specific effect and style to writing. Your job is to create a literary device essay concerning one of the stories we read in class and the author's specifics uses. Your essay should answer the question: How does the author use literary devices (example: foreshadowing, symbolism, and irony) throughout the short story to produce a specific effect (mystery, discomfort, tension)? Each device must have examples textual support. Please use appropriate citing and page numbers.

Some short stories may work better for some of these options than others. You may choose from the following stories for any one of these prompts:

1. F. Scott Fitzgerald's, "The Adjuster" and/or "Hot and Cold Blood." 2. Edgar Allen Poe's, "The Cask of Amontillado" and/or "The Tell Tale Heart." 3. Stephen King's, "The Ledge," "Quitter's Inc.," and/or "Strawberry Spring."

Each essay requires textual support. Please use appropriate citing and page numbers. Your quotes should look like this:

Example: An example of imagery in the story would be, "the morning of June 27th was clear and sunny, with the fresh warmth of a full-summer day; the flowers were blossoming profusely and the grass was richly green" (Jackson 409).

Please type double spaced, using MLA format, in five paragraph essay form and pay special attention to six trait writing.

Attention getter: Argument (thesis):

Literary Analysis Quick Graphic Organizer Introductory Paragraph

*Note: Your thesis should clearly state your three main support points that will be explained in detail in the three body paragraphs.

Body paragraph/ Support Point #1 Body paragraph / Support point #2 Body paragraph / Support point #3

Topic Sentence

Topic Sentence

Topic Sentence

Evidence/quotation from story supporting point #1:

Evidence/quotation from story supporting point #2:

Evidence/quotation from story supporting point #3:

Evidence/quotation from story supporting point #1:

Evidence/quotation from story supporting point #2:

Evidence/quotation from story supporting point #3:

Explanation/connection of how evidence/quotation supports paragraph's thesis:

Explanation/connection of how evidence/quotation supports paragraph's thesis:

Explanation/connection of how evidence/quotation supports paragraph's thesis:

Review structure:

Restated thesis: Final thought:

Conclusion Paragraph

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