A Guide to the Literary Analysis Essay Writing an extended response.

A Guide to the Literary Analysis Essay

Writing an extended response

An extended response is a

paragraph with a topic sentence, support and a

concluding sentence

STEP ONE:

THE TOPIC SENTENCE: • Will use wording from the prompt • Has a limited topic: Answers the

question, “What’s my topic?”• Has a main Idea: Answers the

question, “What will I be saying about my topic?”

• States the author and the title of the work you are writing about

Step Two:

The Support• You will be using textual evidence• This is the use of direct quotations

or paraphrases from the novel, story, poem, article, etc.

Quotations Are…

• Anything a character says • Any passage/description, or anything

a narrator says that is written word for word onto your paper.

• Remember to put quotes around it

•Ex: “Ralph found his breath and blew a series of short blasts. Piggy exclaimed, ‘There’s one!’”

Paraphrases are…

•A quotation that you read, put into your own words and then write those words onto your paper

•Ex: Ralph blew a succession of blasts from the conch, which Piggy noted as loud enough to hear

Why use textual evidence

•To prove a point

How do I use textual evidence?

There are four steps to using textual evidence correctly.

SITE

S Begin with providing a supporting detail:

State a reason/point/detail that supports or explains why your topic sentence is true.

I Introduce your quote or paraphrase:

•It’s the where or when and who of the textual evidence you are about to use.–Provide the context (where or when in the novel)

–Also, state who wrote it or who said it

EX:

While on the beach, Ralph said to Piggy,

EX

While the boys on the island are asleep, Golding describes a battle fought high in the sky,

T Textual Evidence

• Write and cite a quote or a paraphrase from the text on your paper:

• After the quote/paraphrase you must note the author and the page number in parenthesis.

EX of quoting dialogue

“‘Aren’t there any grownups at all?’” (Golding 8).

Example of a paraphrase

Ralph blew a succession of blasts from the conch, which Piggy noted as loud enough to hear (Golding 17).

Another example of quoting dialogue:

“‘We’d better all have names,’ said Ralph, ‘so I’m Ralph’” (Golding 21).

Example of quoting narration

“...but there were other lights in the sky, that moved fast”(Golding 95).

E Explain how your textual evidence supports your topic sentence.

• Refer to your topic sentence by borrowing some of the wording from it

• You could explain why a character acted a certain way

• You could explain why a character said a certain thing

• Explain why you chose that quote/paraphrase without using the following wording:– “I used this quote because…

Remember to…

•REPEAT two more times•Use transitions between each use of SITE

Step Three: The Concluding Sentence• Rewords your topic sentence slightly and• Answer the “So what?” question

– Why is what you are saying important?– How does everything you just said,

apply to me?– to the world around me?– to the author’s life?– How is what you are saying true to life?

Some Don’ts

• Use first person– I think… In my opinion…

• Refer to your essay itself– As I said earlier…– I am writing this essay to

show…– This quote proves that…

Some more don’ts

• Use reading rainbow– This is the best

book I have ever read

– Steinbeck is the best author

– George is a great character

More don’ts

• Use a question– Have you ever had to face such a

tough decision?

• Use words like very, excellent, good, etc.–A good example of this is when,–This quote is excellent because

Some do’s

• Underline titles of novels or books when handwriting– In John Steinbeck's Of Mice and Men,…

• Italicize titles of novels when typing– In John Steinbeck’s Of Mice and Men,…

• Put quotation marks around titles of poems, short stories, magazine/newspaper articles…– In Langston Hughes’ “Mother to Son”

More Do’s

• Use the author’s last name.• Use proper format when typing

– Times New Roman– Size 12 Font– Double spaced – No extra spaces between paragraphs– Include a header and a footer

Please, please, please…

• Re-read your essay before you print• Use proper grammar and spelling.

When done incorrectly no one can understand what you are saying and therefore your content will receive a lower grade.

• Save often• Turn essays in already printed and on

time.