How to Write a Literary Analysis Paper

There are several ways of writing a literary analysis paper:

1. Start with choosing a topic that actually interests you, something in the novel or the story that you find to be strange, romantic, touching in some way. Otherwise, your literary analysis paper is going to be boring. Afterwards, start writing down all of your questions about this topic, why it interests you, etc. You should pick a topic that is very specific. Then, you should take the book and go through it. You should write down or type down all the passages from the novel or poem that will help to construct your literary analysis paper.

2. Go to library or go online and find works by other people who have written about similar subjects as the one you are writing about and take down good examples from the writings and use them in your own. Also, legitimize your opinion, back it up and contrast it so you have a more varied paper rather than just your ideas. You will have other people’s ideas as well. Do not summarize and explain your position in each paragraph. Take your opportunity at the beginning to write down your argument and then give your explanations, your examples in the body of your paragraphs. Do not summarize the plot of the story or your argument in each paragraph.

3. Try to come to a compelling conclusion. You are not the only one who has written about this piece of work and you are not the last person who is going to write about it. Therefore, leave the reader with an idea that you know there is more to come, to be written about your literary work that you are analyzing.

Categories: Writing Tips   Tags: analysis, literary analysis, paper