How To Organize A Literary Analysis Essay Properly To Get A Top Grade


A literary analysis essay is a type of academic paper where the author should analyze some nuances of a particular piece of literature. This task is rather difficult because it’s not about summarizing the plot of a book and adding your commentaries, but about doing your own research. If you’re instructed to write a literary analysis, but don’t know how to organize your work, read the tips below.

  1. Select an interesting piece of literature.
    2.

    For your paper to be strong, it’s advisable to pick a book that is worthy of being analyzed. This book should convey some message to the readers and have many details that can be discussed. Also, you should personally like the piece of literature so that it’s interesting for you to analyze it.

  2. Select a narrow topic.
    3.

    Your essay should be focused on some particular details of the chosen book in order to earn you the highest score. For example, you may concentrate on the role of symbolism used by the author.

  3. Compose your thesis.
    4.

    Your thesis statement should demonstrate the main purpose of your analysis and make your readers understand what to expect from your paper. Try to make it short and clear. Consult your teacher on this matter if necessary.

  4. Make an approximate outline.
    5.

    Before you start writing, you should create a plan of how your paper will look like. Here are some basic suggestions:

    • Introduction.
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      Start your opening paragraph with an interesting hook that will attract your readers to the text. Then, introduce the piece of literature that you’re going to analyze and indicate why you’ve chosen it. Place your thesis at the end of the paragraph.

    • Body.
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      The body should consist of a few paragraphs that support your thesis statement. Raise good arguments that can be proved by using quotations from the book. If your arguments rely only on your personal perception of the novel, your readers might not be persuaded by them.

    • Conclusion.
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      Restate your thesis and topic sentences to remind your readers about the main points of your essay. State the importance of your analysis.

  5. Write the draft.
    6.

    Write your paper in the present tense and third person. You may start writing body paragraphs first and compose your introduction at the end for it to present the contents of your paper correctly.

  6. Edit the draft.
    7.

    Proofread your draft for several times in order to get rid of all mistakes and sentences that don’t relate directly to your thesis.