literary analysis

Examples of literary analysis in the following topics:

• Introduction to Writing in the Humanities

  • You might write a literary analysis of a novel, story, play, or poem; an analysis that explains how a written or visual text works to persuade a specific audience; an expository essay that shares personal experiences or explores ideas; a research paper investigating the history of a particular theoretical approach; or a persuasive article that works to convince a specific audience of your thesis.
  • An interpretation, or analysis, involves the discovery of meaning in a text (or film, or painting, etc.) or the production of meaning in the process of reading a text.
  • It tries to assist the reader in understanding specific events (literary, cultural, or otherwise) rather than just engaging in summary.

• Critical Thinking

  • The connection between the two thinkers is not immediately obvious: Derrida is primarily known for his theories about literary interpretation and linguistics; Derrida finds common ground with Lévi-Strauss, however, in their shared interest in the relationship between speech and writing.
  • If you apply it to a work of literature, for example, it can become the foundation of a detailed textual analysis.
  • Assess whether or not an author's argument is solid or in need of improvement using critical analysis

• Quoting Relevant Passages

  • You can also find quotes in secondary texts, which are analytical works such as literary criticism and political commentary.

• Italics

  • The titles of major literary works should be italicized.

• Quotation Marks

  • Quotation marks can also be used to highlight specific words, express the title of a short literary work, or to emphasize irony.
  • In research papers and literary analyses writers often need to quote a sentence or a phrase.

• Using Satire to Summarize

  • After engaging in a critical analysis or reading of your intended artifact, text, or given source, the next step in the process of completing an effective rhetorical analysis is to discuss the discoveries.
  • While the rhetorical strategies for effective communication are discussed in terms of writing about your findings, pertaining to your rhetorical analysis, it should be noted that these rhetorical strategies can be employed during the critical analysis or reading portion of your rhetorical analysis project.

• Supporting Your Thesis

  • Logical analysis: Eugene Debbs, the famous union leader and former Socialist candidate for President of the United States, described the novel as leading him "out of the darkness and into the light" of socialism, demonstrating the extent to which the novel has a history of being popular with politically progressive groups and individuals.
  • It will probably be helpful to adopt that as a model and conduct your analysis through progressive points, each one of which builds off the previous one.
  • Even if it seems like you are oversimplifying things, it is better to give your audience too much analysis than too little.
  • Similarly, you may write a great analysis of bad evidence, but that analysis will not count towards your argument because it is based on something unreliable.
  • To avoid these problems, take the time to confirm the trustworthiness of your evidence and to make sure that your analysis is thorough.

• Basic Principles of Academic Writing

  • There are countless examples of respected scholarly pieces that bend these principles—for instance, the "reader response" school of literary criticism abandons the objective stance altogether.

• Reading Carefully and Closely

  • Does the writer use any literary devices or figurative language?

• Introducing Objections Informally

  • In some cases, a writer can raise an objection that comes from his or her own analysis rather than an outside source.
  • In some cases, a writer can raise an objection that comes from his or her own analysis rather than an outside source .