Writing about Literature Checklist

 

General Tips:

 

• Be sure your first paragraph includes
  • A general introduction to the topic you’re addressing (loss, death, unreliable narrator, etc.)
  • The title and author of the text you’re writing about
  • Your answer to an interpretive question about the text

• Be sure your first or second paragraph includes a brief (2-5 sentence) summary of the text you’re writing about
• There is no right number of body paragraphs, but I would aim for at least three. In deciding how many body paragraphs to include, go through the text and identity the quotes you would like to discuss. I would try to get one from the beginning, middle, and end of the text, in addition to any other places you think important. Generally, include one quote to analyze in each body paragraph. Additionally, make sure your body paragraphs:
  • Begin with your words introducing the part of the story or how the quote relates to your answer to the question, not the quote itself (just like 101)
  • Include one quotation from the text. It can be as short as one or two words, but I wouldn’t go longer than 2-3 sentences (just like 101). We’ll discuss appropriate citation when you revise, so don’t worry about that in your rough draft
  • The majority of your body paragraph should be your analysis of the quote (just like 101)
    • What does it mean, in your own words?
    • Why is this part of the story important for supporting your answer to the prompt?

• Personal experience is NOT appropriate evidence for literary analysis, so it shouldn’t go in body paragraphs. However, you can talk about your connection to the text in the intro or conclusion
• You can use “I”