How to write a literary analysis essay「essay writing skills」
How to write a literary analysis essay？A literary analysis essay is writing, in which you examine a piece of literature and understand links between small parts of texts and the whole work, and put it onto the paper. By composing this kind of essay students can better grasp the meaning of the literature. It involves decomposition of a book into parts and considering each part separately, but it isn't so hard as good book reports. You will need to use different approaches. In this article, we suggest several useful tips for your attention.his article provides you with relevant writing literary analysis essay tips, steps and examples for your reference.
一．What Is a Literary Analysis Essay
For high-school or college students, reading, assimilating, and critiquing texts are all core aspects of the learning process. As such, it is important to learn the basics and intricacies of literary analysis. But first things first. What is a literary analysis essay?
對于高中生或大學生來說，閱讀、吸收和評論文本都是學習過程的核心部分。因此，學習文學分析的基礎知識和錯綜復雜的知識是很重要的。但重要的事情要先做。什么是文學分析文章?
A literary analysis essay is any type of essay that comprises an in-depth, argumentative analysis of a given novel or literary work. It involves studying a text closely, interpreting its deeper meanings, and exploring the author’s choices. This kind of essay may examine novels, poems, plays, and any form of literature at all.
A literary analysis is not the same thing as a book review or summary. Your teacher or professor isn’t asking you whether you enjoyed the book or not. Rather, the literary analysis essay typically explores hidden themes and involves answering questions about the language, style, elements, and literary devices employed by the author in the text.
文學分析與書評或總結不同。你的老師或教授不會問你是否喜歡這本書。相反，文學分析文章通常探索隱藏的主題，包括回答有關語言、風格、元素和作者在文本中使用的文學手段的問題。
二．how to write a literary analysis essay
As a rule, this is a very chaotic process if you don’t have enough experience. In this case, we would strongly recommend making research on your chosen issue before starting to write. At least, read this article to the end to have a basic understanding.
First, you should remember that the choice of a topic is very important, so try to choose something you are really interested in. You will be inspired more if you discuss something that truly is meaningful for you. This way, it’s easier to capture readers’ attention. The topic should reflect the main idea of literary analysis writing. In addition, it should express your point of view on the chosen problem.
For example, if you’re going to discuss the process of development of a personality and factors that influencing this process, you can choose the following topic: “A Catcher in the Rye: Factors Influencing the Development of a Personality” as an option. A catchy topic provides 50% of the success of your work. Try to make it meaningful and informative to capture attention and evoke interest in readers. The choice of the topic is important because your further discussion will revolve around it.
例如，如果你要討論人格發展的過程和影響這一過程的因素，你可以選擇以下主題:“麥田里的守望者:影響人格發展的因素”作為一個選項。一個吸引人的話題為你的工作提供了50%的成功。試著使它有意義和信息，以抓住注意力和喚起讀者的興趣。題目的選擇很重要，因為你的進一步討論將圍繞它展開。
Second, you need to do a literary analysis essay outline. This will help you to define the central idea of a text and divide it into several parts for further discussion.
For example, you can collect information from texts written by literary critics to have an idea of how to start. Most probably, critics are more experienced than you, and you can take their opinions into account when developing your arguments. However, this doesn’t mean you have to support these opinions, follow them or use them as a starting point of your discussion.
Now you can start writing the first lines of your paper according to the outline. Make a short plan, ask questions that could help to disclose the idea and make a list of issues you would like to discuss under subheadings. Use your outline or a writing plan as a skeleton of your paper.
三．good literary analysis essay example
Prompt:Some stories can affect people emotionally, but once in a while a story can call a person to escape to it. The Lord of the Rings is an enchanting story with masterful use of setting and sensational characters that engages readers and can move them to experience life in a deeper way. As a child, J.R.R. Tolkien lived in Africa until his father passed away. Then his mother moved them to England. Mrs. Tolkien made certain that her children learned literature and languages. It was probably due somewhat to his mother’s influence that Tolkien became who he was: an author and a linguist (Corday).
Tolkien had a special interest in "obscure" languages, even to the point of creating his own. He called it High-Elven and often in his stories he used the language. Tolkien also invented an entire world called Middle Earth where The Lord of the Rings takes place. Because he had invented this world it had to bow to his will and rules. He was an accomplished linguist and this greatly helped his ability to vividly portray and create in the reader’s mind Middle Earth, a place that no person has ever been (Corday).
托爾金對“晦澀難懂”的語言有著特殊的興趣，甚至到了創造自己語言的地步。他稱之為高級精靈，在他的故事中經常使用這種語言。托爾金還創造了一個叫做中土世界的世界，《指環王》就是在這里發生的。因為他創造了這個世界，所以世界必須服從他的意志和規則。他是一位有造詣的語言學家，這極大地幫助了他在讀者心中生動地描繪和創造中土世界的能力，一個沒有人去過的地方(科戴)。
Charters defines setting as "the place and time of the story." Also according to Charters, "When the writer locates the narrative in a physical setting, the reader is moved along step by step toward acceptance of the fiction" (Charters 1008).
Tolkien’s setting gives the reader a sense of goodness or malevolence. Unlike an environment that is removed from the work, Tolkien’s setting sometimes is the story. Possibly the setting could even tell the story if there were no characters. For example, in the house of Elrond of the elves, Frodo's experience is defined by the setting. "He [Frodo] found his friends sitting in a porch on the side of the house looking east. Shadows had fallen in the valley below, but there was still a light on the faces of the mountains far above. The air was warm. The sound of running and falling water was loud, and the evening was filled with a faint scent of trees and flowers, as if summer still lingered in Elrond’s gardens (220).
This describes a peaceful place that is not quite reality. The rest of the world is moving into winter, but Elrond’s gardens haven’t realized that yet. Next, is another example of how Tolkien uses setting to create a picture that could not be obtained by just explaining the scenery. Tolkien is able to bring a place to life with words. We can see this when the Fellowship winds up going through the Mines of Moria.
The Company spent that night in the great cavernous hall, huddled close together in a corner to escape the draught: there seemed to be a steady inflow of chill air through the eastern archway. All about them as they lay hung the darkness, hollow and immense, and they were oppressed by the loneliness and vastness of the dolven halls and endlessly branching stairs and passages. The wildest imaginings that dark rumor had ever suggested to the hobbits fell altogether short of the actual dread and wonder of Moria (307).
連隊在寬敞的大廳里度過了那一夜，他們擠在一個角落里躲避氣流:似乎有一股冷空氣從東邊的拱門源源不斷地涌進來。他們躺著的時候，周圍籠罩著一片黑暗、空洞和巨大，他們被黑暗的大廳和無盡的分支樓梯和通道所壓迫著。這個黑暗的謠言給霍比特人帶來的最瘋狂的想象，與摩瑞亞真實的恐懼和驚奇完全不一樣(307)。
This description is one of dread and fear, but like the experience at Elrond’s house, it is filled with word pictures. It tells the reader that this place is terrible and that some evil is afoot.
Of course Tolkien received criticism as all writers do. For instance, Burton Raffel takes the opinion that "his [Tolkien's] descriptions often fail to create ‘sense impressions’ needed to make language ‘more deeply felt and more deeply worked." Raffel also claimed that "Tolkien’s nature descriptions are frequently somewhat overwrought..." (20).
Still, I maintain that Tolkien’s extraordinary ability to paint a picture with words takes the reader into a place they’ve never been and still manages to keep them following the story. The characters that Tolkien artfully created, accent the setting and bring them further to life. This is an attribute to a great setting. Charters explains that "setting must also have a dramatic use. It must be shown, or at least felt, to affect character or plot" (Charters 1008). All through The Lord of the Rings the setting is imposing feelings onto the characters (e.g. fear, dread, peacefulness).
Charters describes characters in literature as "the people who make something happen or produce an effect," and explains that the "characters must come alive" (Charters 1006-1007). Tolkien received criticism on his characters by Raffel as well. Raffel feels that there is "too little meaningful truth about human reality and our own existences in Tolkien’s characters." Kathryn Crabbe seems to disagree with this statement. In her efforts to describe the characters as heroic she also shows us they have some very modern human characteristics. Crabbe says that Frodo is "neither stronger than most men, nor braver than most...He is selfless in his love for his companions." If there is not enough "meaningful truth about human reality" in Tolkien’s writing, then maybe it is because he portrays a picture of ordinary people at their best. The heroes in The Lord of the Rings do not succumb to evil. They do not inadvertently get caught doing good. They are selfless. Isn’t this exactly humanity at its best?
Middle Earth is a place where the spirituality of a person is closely connected to the reality of the person. Tolkien’s characters are not mere people. Each has a position and job in the universe as well, something to make them heroic and larger than life-right down to Sam whose purpose it would seem is to guard and protect his "master". This is evident throughout the books but especially at the end of The Fellowship of the Ring when Sam, now understanding just what might lie ahead, insists on going with Frodo (397). The characters show that not just anyone is able to complete this quest. It requires a specific person for each job. For example, there is a reason that Tom Bombadil cannot take the Ring even though he is impervious to its power (259). Fate has chosen Frodo. In so doing Tolkien creates a story that even the average person can relate to. It propels people to see the possibilities of greatness amongst the commoners and restores our hope in the great ones. Almost anyone can find at least one hero among the fellowship.
One of the things that makes The Lord of the Rings so compelling is the way the setting and characters work together to produce the ultimate affect. The characters make the setting even more potent. As the external setting influences each character the reader sees how the struggle becomes internal. We are led to believe that the characters are closely connected to the earth. The diversity of the setting and characters simply propels us to see the uniqueness of each place. Where a group of caves might give us one thought, hearing Gimli discuss the majesty of his cave experience helps us to appreciate the diversity of the group and to see it through a cave dwellers eyes. "These are not holes," said Gimli. "This is the great realm and city of the Dwarrowdelf. And of old it was not darksome, but full of light and splendour, as is still remembered in our songs"(307).
The Lord of the Rings is essentially a story about the struggle of good verses evil. The setting helps the story personify the difficulties the characters face. The characters go through the trials and share their feelings of fear and triumph with us. The two work together to make an excellent portrayal of external and internal struggles that yield an otherwise impossible effect.
When it comes to writing literary analysis essays, most students often end up writing a summary of the plot. You should not summarize or retell the plot. Rather, analyze the story in concise, literary terms.But your literary analysis essay should be supported with sufficient quotations and paraphrases from the text or famous scholars. However, you should also ensure that a majority of the essay is written in your own words in order to give it credibility and authenticity.
在寫作文學分析文章時，大多數學生最后都會寫一篇情節總結。你不應該總結或復述情節。相反，要用簡潔的文學術語來分析這個故事。但是你的文學分析文章應該有足夠的引用和釋義，從文本或著名學者。然而，你也應該確保文章的大部分內容是用你自己的話寫的，這樣才能讓文章更有可信度和真實性。
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