Literature Essay Format

Introduction

The introduction should be a lead-in to the discussion in the body of the paper. Refer to your notes to determine a strategy for beginning your paper.

 always give author and title (title of full-length words are underlined; titles of short works are in quotation marks)

Thesis statement (one sentence that summarizes the points to be discussed)

Ex: Three examples of symbolism in "The Scarlet Ibis" are the physical similarities between Doodle and the ibis, the other-worldly natures of both Doodle and the ibis, and the season of Autumn as the setting for the story.

Ex: The Scarlet Ibis is similar to Doodle in that both are rare, both are vulnerable, and both are brave.

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Do not makes such statements as:

In this essay I will discuss…..

This essay will talk about….

These are unnecessary and will make your writing sound immature

Each separate discussion in the body needs to be developed thoroughly in its own paragraph. Do use the rule of threes. There is a natural symmetry to the number three. Arguments using three examples are just inherently stronger than those with fewer examples. Consequently, using the rule of threes, you should have three paragraphs in the body of your essay.

Ex: In discussing the symbolism in "The Scarlet Ibis,” each idea, the physical similarities of Doodle and the ibis, their other-worldly natures, and the symbolism of the Autumn setting, would have its own paragraph.

Similarly, in discussing how the scarlet ibis and Doodle are parallel characters each idea, the rarity of the Doodle and the bird, their vulnerability and bravery would each have its own paragraph.  Each paragraph needs to have a clear topic sentence, guiding the content of the paragraph and tying the discussion back to the thesis statement.

Ex: One important example of the symbolism in the story "The Scarlet Ibis" is the manner in which the character Doodle physically resembles the strange ibis.

Ex: Like the Scarlet Ibis, Doodle is rare, although his brother doesn’t immediately recognize just how special Doodle is.

The remainder of the paragraph is devoted to developing the topic sentence with specific details and examples. Once again, use the rule of threes as a guideline. Use specific examples from the text and fully explain.

Ex: Like the Scarlet Ibis, Doodle is rare, although his brother doesn’t immediately recognize just how special Doodle is. During an argument concerning Doodle, Aunt Nicey demands that Doodle be given special treatment because of his uniqueness. “Only Aunt Nicey disagreed. She said caul babies should be treated with special respect since they might turn out to be saints. Renaming my brother Doodle was perhaps the kindest thing I ever did for him, because nobody expects much from someone called Doodle” (48). Just as the bird is usually found only in the tropics and is therefore rare to the narrator’s region, Doodle, at least by Aunt Nicey, is perceived as special. Aunt Nicey’s belief that the caul baby might someday be a saint paints Doodle as an individual as rare as the bird is, but the narrator’s perception of his brother is quite different. The fact is that Aunt Nicey and the narrator are both right about Doodle. Doodle fulfills Aunt Nicey’s vision of his rarity by dying young, bravely, and tragically. However, Doodle also fulfills his brother’s predictions by becoming someone ‘nobody expects much from.” Ironically, though, Doodle accomplishes more than most people, not by traditional standards, but by much higher standards because even the smallest accomplishment is much more difficult for Doodle than it is for healthy people, the less rare people who are not as determined as is Doodle. In several ways, then, Doodle is as rare and as special as the tropical bird, the Scarlet Ibis. Conclusion

The conclusion is a summary of the main ideas presented in the body of the essay. One good technique for writing a conclusion is to restate your introduction using different terms where possible. Be sure to refer to your thesis statement. For other ideas on conclusions, refer to your notes

Try to avoid phrases such as:

In conclusion……

So, to conclude my essay……

This has been my essay on…….

General Items to Remember

 Do not use "I" or "I think," since you are writing the essay the reader knows it is what you think.  Do not use "you." The essay is not a personal conversation between you and the reader. "You" makes the essay sound less formal and applies your ideas to reader—not acceptable in academic writing.  Maintain a formal tone; this is not a note to a friend  Do not use slang. It’s informal.  Be sure you are using correct information to support your points.  Avoid making definitive statements such as saying that something is always true.  A literary essay is not a review of the story. Avoid personal opinions of the story or the characters.  Do not merely summarize the story. Analysis Tips The analysis comes from your desire to prove that your quote supports the assumption you stated in your thesis. In analysis it is important to focus on using what is in the quote to prove your thesis. Do not explain or summarize what happens during a scene. Instead focus on these important questions:

 How does one thing cause something else to occur?  What motivates a certain character?  What were the consequences of a character’s decision?  Why?  How?  What does this quote imply?

Always remember to ask yourself these questions when rereading your completed analysis:

 How does the quote prove the topic sentence?

 How does the quote relate to the thesis statement?