1. The Literary Analysis Essay
Using The Most Dangerous Game
by Richard Connell as an example text

2. The Essay Prompt Proficiency Essay #1: Today’s Assignment:
Write an essay in which you describe three literary devices and how they shape the element of theme or purpose in a particular short story.
Today’s Assignment:
Write one stylistic analysis paragraph connecting one literary device to the theme, displaying it with two examples from the text.

3. Writing A Thesis Statement for a Literary Analysis Essay
Read the story, taking notes as you read (done, tom some extent, but will need to be reread for analysis).
Once you've read the story or novel closely, look back over your notes for patterns of questions or ideas that interest you.
Have most of your questions been about the characters, how they develop or change, or about setting, mood, or tone, which effect plot and theme? If you start here, with these elements, you can then start to see the devices (tools used to shape the elements) better.

4. Look at your notes:
For example: If you are reading Connell’s The Most Dangerous Game, are you most interested in how the author develops a sense of suspense throughout the story in order to show that we can never be too careful? Question: What does Connell seem to be suggesting about the world, people in it, or life in general (you are asking yourself to identify a theme)? Answer: Connell suggests that fear and danger can be felt even by the bravest of men. Pitfalls: Choosing too many ideas. Choosing an idea without any support.

5. Formulate Ideas for Thesis Statement
Once you have some general points to focus on, write your possible ideas in question form and answer them. For example: Question: How does Connell develop the idea that fear and danger are in our world? Answer: He uses imagery, foreshadowing, and irony to lead the reader deeper into the suspense of the story.
THEME
Literary Devices
Purpose

6. Example Thesis and Its Parts
In his short story, The Most Dangerous Game, Connell uses foreshadowing, irony and imagery to heighten the suspense of the story. The use of these literary devices suggests that Connell wanted to convey a sense of danger and fear.
Genre
title
literary elements
Author
purpose
theme

7. Write the Thesis Statement:
To write your thesis statement, all you have to do is turn the question and answer around. You've already given the answer, now just put it in a sentence (or a couple of sentences) so that the thesis of your paper is clear.
For example: In his short story, The Most Dangerous Game, Connell goes to great lengths to use foreshadowing, irony and imagery to heighten the suspense of the story; the use of these literary devices suggests that Connell wanted to convey a sense of danger and show that nobody, no matter how strong, is invincible.

8. PreWriting, Thesis, Support and Organization (worksheet)—for the entire essay
Thesis Statement: In his short story, The Most Dangerous Game, Connell goes to great lengths to use foreshadowing, irony and imagery to heighten the suspense of the story; the use of these literary devices suggests that Connell wanted to convey a sense of danger and show that nobody, no matter how strong, is invincible.
Key Point #1
Foreshadowing
Evidence: “ ”( ).
Evidence:
Elaboration (2-3 sentences)
Key Point #2
Imagery
Elaboration
Key Point #3
Irony
Organization

9. Thesis Statement: In his short story, The Most Dangerous Game, Connell goes to great lengths to use foreshadowing, irony and imagery to heighten the suspense of the story; the use of these literary devices suggests that Connell wanted to convey a sense of danger and show that nobody, no matter how strong, is invincible.
Key Point #1
As Connell opens his thriller, he uses dialogue that foreshadows the main conflict in the story.
Evidence: “ ”( ).
Evidence:
Elaboration
Key Point #2
Throughout the suspenseful plot, imagery becomes a means of drawing the reader in to the action.
Key Point #3
Connell also incorporates irony into The Most Dangerous Game to provide the mind with unexpected twists that enrich the story.
Organization

10. Each Body Paragraph Has:
Topic Sentence that connects and transitions to the previous paragraph.
Evidence (quote or detail), cited with page number and quotation marks (if needed).
Two elaboration sentences that explain the evidence, its purpose, and how it relates to the theme.
Another evidence sentence.
Two more elaboration sentences.
A concluding sentence.

11. Example Body Paragraph: In Class
(TS) As Connell opens his thriller, he uses dialogue that foreshadows the main conflict in the story, in which Rainsford learns that one can never be too careful. (Context) (Concrete Detail)(Elaboration:2-3 sentences) (Context) (Concrete Detail)(Elaboration:2-3 sentences) (CS)

12. Homework: Create Your Own
This must be submitted to turnitin.com. You must bring a thumb drive (which you will NOT hand directly to me) or this to yourself BEFORE class on Thursday. I will go over log-in information then, hopefully in the lab, or in clear detail. Two more body paragraphs will be assigned from there, and we will choose the best body paragraphs and my own introduction and conclusion to keep as a tool for when we come back to this specific essay genre later in the year.

13. Writing the Introduction
Insert language of the prompt.
Briefly touch on the plot of the story.
Create a thesis statement that identifies genre, author, title and theme of the story, as well as provide a roadmap of your essay.

14. Example of Introduction
Authors use many different literary elements to create a story. They choose from these elements to craft mood, plot and excitement in their tales. In his short story The Most Dangerous Game, Richard Connell tell of his protagonist Rainsford, who finds himself trapped in a deadly game of hunting on a Caribbean island. Connell uses the elements of foreshadowing, imagery and irony to create a sense of fear and danger in his writing.

15. Writing the Conclusion
Restate the thesis in different words,
Summarize the main points you have made,
Do not introduce a new topic in your conclusion.

16. Sample Conclusion
The themes of fear and danger are conveyed through the use of literary elements in Richard Connell’s The Most Dangerous Game. Foreshadowing, imagery and irony are all used to create the mood and develop the suspenseful plot in a way that is entertaining to the reader. Using these literary devices, Connell draws the reader in and keeps the pages turning through to the ending. He shows that the use of these devices is essential for telling an interesting story.