Wiley Guide to Writing Essays About Literature

Paul Headrick teaches English at Langara College in Vancouver, Canada. He is a published novelist and short story writer whose works include That Tune Clutches My Heart (2008) and  a volume of short stories, The Doctrine of Affections (2010).

“Overall Headrick has done the discipline of English a great service in tackling what we all know but seldom get round to saying to our students such comprehensive clarity or so courteously!.”  (The English Association Journal for Teachers of English, 1 October 2014

• Preface ixAcknowledgments xiChapter 1 Audience and the Literary Analysis Essay 1The Importance of Audience 1The Audience for the Literary Analysis Essay 2Exercise Set 1.1 Understanding Audience 7Chapter 2 Analytical Paragraphs 9Initial Analysis 9Analytical Paragraphs and Their Three Components 10Claims 10Exercise Set 2.1 Identifying Claims 13Evidence 14Exercise Set 2.2 Presenting Evidence 14Analysis 15Common Problems in Analytical Paragraphs 18Awkward repetition 18Confusion about what makes meaning 19Working with Analytical Paragraphs 20A sample analytical paragraph 20Exercise Set 2.3 Understanding Analytical Paragraphs 20Exercise Set 2.4 Creating Analytical Paragraphs 21Integrating Quotations from Literary Texts 24Guidelines for integrating quotations 24Exercise Set 2.5 Integrating Quotations 28Chapter 3 Theme 31Defining Theme 32Debating Theme 34Debating with the text: agreeing and disagreeing with themes 34Debating about texts: agreeing and disagreeing about themes 35Identifying Themes 36Identifying themes in drama and prose fiction 36Identifying themes in poetry 38Identifying complex themes 44Effective Statements of Theme 45A checklist for effective statements of theme 45Exercise Set 3.1 Identifying Statements of Theme 48Chapter 4 Argument Structure 51The Difference between a Logical Sequence and a List 51Sample outlines 53Exercise Set 4.1 Understanding Argument Structure 55Organizational Paragraphs and Titles 56Introductory paragraphs 56Working with introductory paragraphs 58Exercise Set 4.2 Understanding Introductory Paragraphs 59Transitional paragraphs 60Working with transitional paragraphs 60Exercise Set 4.3 Understanding Transitional Paragraphs 61Concluding paragraphs 61Working with concluding paragraphs 62Exercise Set 4.4 Understanding Concluding Paragraphs 63Titles 63Exercise Set 4.5 Understanding Titles 64Chapter 5 Types of Literary Analysis Essays 67Close Readings 67Passage Analysis Essays 70Introductions to passage analysis essays 70The structure of passage analysis essays 71Working with passage analysis essays 72Exercise Set 5.1 Understanding Passage Analysis Essay Structure 72Comparative Literary Analysis Essays 73The purpose of comparative literary analysis essays 73Introductions to comparative literary analysis essays 74The structure of comparative literary analysis essays 75Working with comparative literary analysis essays 75Exercise Set 5.2 Understanding Comparative Literary Analysis Essays 76Literary Analysis Research Essays 77Literary analysis research essays using critical sources 77Introductions to literary analysis research essaysusing critical sources 85Working with critical sources 85Exercise Set 5.3 Understanding the Use of Critical Sources 85Literary analysis research essays using historical sources 87Working with historical sources 89Exercise Set 5.4 Understanding the Use of Historical Sources 89In-Class Essays 90Appendix 1 MLA Format 93The Appearance of the Essay 93Documentation: Works Cited List 94Works cited entries: print sources 94Works cited entries: online sources 98Works cited entries: other non-print sources 99Documentation: In-Text Citations 99Formatting Quotations 101Short quotations 101Long quotations 102Changing quotations 103Appendix 2 Sample Essays 1051 A Literary Analysis Essay on a Short Story 1062 A Literary Analysis Essay on a Poem 1093 A Literary Analysis Essay on a Play 1114 A Literary Analysis Essay on a Novel 1155 A Literary Analysis Essay on a Film 1196 A Passage Analysis Essay 1237 A Comparative Literary Analysis Essay 1268 A Literary Analysis Research Essay Using Critical Sources 1309 A Literary Analysis Research Essay Using Historical Sources 137Appendix 3 “The Yellow Wallpaper,” by Charlotte Perkins Gilman 141Appendix 4 Selected Exercise Answers 157Appendix 5 Glossary of Literary Terms 165Appendix 6 Structure and Mechanics: Marking Abbreviations for Instructors and Peer Evaluators 183Titles 183Introductory Paragraphs 183Thesis Statements 183Analytical Paragraphs 184Integrating Quotations 184Index 187Structure and Mechanics Checklist 195