I: Short Story Literary Analysis Essay Requirements:
This Essay will be a Five Paragraph Essay, 700 word minimum: introduction, 3 body paragraphs, conclusion.
Choose ONE short story we have studied this session. You will take three direct quotations from this story for inclusion within your essay. You will use ONE quote per body paragraph.
Document the three quotations using correct MLA format for in-text citations.
There will be a correctly formatted Works Cited section for the short story. You will correctly cite the short story.
You will not use outside research for this assignment. The analysis must be your own.
Focus your analysis on the THEME of the work, and show how the author develops his/her THEME through the use of three literary elements we have studied.
Use the Literary Terms list (under this guideline). You will choose three literary terms from this list.
Read through this LIBRARY GUIDE FOR THE SHORT STORY LITERARY ANALYSIS regarding info on writing this type of essay.
II: Follow these guidelines when organizing and drafting your Short Story Literary Analysis Essay:
Create an original title for your essay which reflects the central idea of your work.
Within the introductory paragraph, introduce the plot but avoid an extended plot summary.
The thesis (the last sentence in the introduction) must focus on the THEME or message about life the author is attempting to convey and be developed by three literary elements such as characterization, point of view, setting, symbolism, irony, conflict, etc.- See posted example in Short Story Thesis assignment.
Include a preview of the three literary elements within your thesis, making sure to use parallel structure.
Again, refer to this list of Literary Terms provided as you develop the thesis for your essay.
Each literary element will serve as the central idea for each of the three body paragraphs.
Introduce your body paragraphs using restricted topic sentences.
Refer to this chart for the use of transitions in your writing.
Use three quotations from the short story to illustrate the main focus within each of the body paragraphs (minimum of one direct quotation per body paragraph). Use examples from the story as well as your own commentary and interpretation to support the point of each paragraph.
Document quotes from the primary source/short story with correctly formatted parenthetical citations using MLA format. Also include a Works Cited section for the primary source/short story from your Norton Anthology.
Finish the essay with a strong concluding paragraph.
Use only third person objective point-of-view. Do not use first person “I” or me , second person “you” or subjective third person “we”, our or “us”.
Submit the first fully completed draft of your essay in to the Short Story Final Essay Drop Box to check the Turnitin percentage. You should not have more than a 10% match. You can resubmit a final copy. The ‘most recent’ upload of your essay will be graded.
Introductory Paragraph:
This paragraph is fully developed (100+ words), coherent, and smoothly leads to a concise and focused thesis.
The introductory remarks or the thesis contains the author and the title of the short story. This title is placed in quotation marks.
The thesis presents what you believe to be the theme the author is attempting to convey within his/her literary work.
The thesis will also include the three literary elements the author uses to develop that theme/main idea of the story.
The thesis is the last sentence within the introductory paragraph.
Three Body Paragraphs:
Each of the three body paragraphs (200 – 250 words) contains a restricted topic sentence, unity and coherence.
Each paragraph contains ample primary and secondary supports which discuss each literary element used to support the thesis.
The primary supports are the writer s assertions about the literary work.
The secondary supports are specific examples/details and direct quotes from the short story.
Concluding Paragraph:
This paragraph is fully developed and brings closure to the essay (100+ words)
MLA Format:
A complete heading is placed in the upper left hand corner, and the title of the essay is centered.
The essay is double-spaced and each paragraph is indented.
There are a minimum of three direct quotes from the story using correct MLA in-text parenthetical documentation.
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