Reading and Writing About A Literature Mrs. N. Puder English 1302 Freshman Composition II

Analysis? n Separate a Whole into Parts Like n Character n Symbolism n Theme n Irony n Setting n Point-of-View

To Understand A Work: n It Must Be Previewed n Highlighted For Key Points and Cues to Meaning n And Annotated Carefully

Acknowledge the Following In a Literary Work n Patterns: Related groups of words, images, ideas that run through the work. n Anomalies: Unusual Forms, Unexpected Actions of Characters, or Unusual Treatment of Topic. n Connections: Links with Other Literary Work, with Historical Events, or with Biographical Information.

The Goal In Writing About Literature n Is To Make A Point (Thesis Statement) n Support That Point With Appropriate References From The Text And Or Secondary Sources

When Writing About Literature: n Support All Points With Specific Concrete Examples n Through Brief Summary n And Key Points Quoting Dialogue or Description, Painting a Picture of Characters or Setting With Words n Or Paraphrasing an Idea

Things To Remember When Writing An Analysis of A Short Story n Combine paraphrase, summary, and exact quotations with your own interpretation smoothly throughout your paper. n Use MLA Documentation Style Including A Work or Works Cited Page. n Refer to literature in present tense. n Be careful to avoid confusing narrator and author. n When quoting dialogue begin a new paragraph for each speaker. n Enclose a title in quotation marks and underline a book.

n When citing from a short story or novel supply page number (120) or author’s name and page number (Faulkner 120) if more than one author’s work will be cited n For a poem give the line number or numbers (2-4) n For a play, the act and the scene (Act 2, Scene 3) n When quoting more than four lines, follow the rules for setting off prose and poetry.

Do Not Use: n Subjunctive Expressions Like: n I Feel n I Believe n And In My Opinion n They Weaken Your Stance and Credibility With Your Audience