What Are the Main Qualities of an Effective Analysis Essay

A literary analysis essay is a useful type of the academic writing that advances critical thinking abilities. The purpose of the analysis is to study carefully a piece of literary work, for example, a poem, a play, a novel, or a short story, and interpret its elements in order to develop a topic assigned by the teacher.

Thus, an effective literary analysis essay should:

• have the appropriate structure.

Any essay consists of an introduction, main body, and conclusion. Present your thesis statement in the introductory part. Mention, as well, the title of the work and its author. Develop the topic further on in the main body. It should contain not less than three supportive paragraphs. Make sure that you have the correct structure within every paragraph: (1) a topic sentence related to thesis statement, (2) supportive evidence from the text, (3) commentary, and (4) concluding sentence. At the end summarize your paper.

• interest a reader at the beginning.

Start an introductory paragraph with an anecdote, funny story, an extract from the literary work, or a relevant dialogue between two characters, well-known fact, or historical background to arouse reader’s interest in the subject of your writing.

• include a powerful thesis statement.

Every literary analysis essay has a central idea that is developed throughout the whole piece of writing and is presented in the form of the thesis statement. It should be thought provoking and have beautiful wording to draw reader’s attention. Make sure that the topic sentence of every paragraph supports the central idea.

• contain relevant evidence from the text.

Comment every idea or statement in the research paper and prove it with the convincing evidence from the literary work, for instance, summary, direct quotation, or paraphrase to better understand the central idea of the text.

• employ an appropriate style and grammar.

Write in a clear and simple manner. However, do not forget that a literary analysis assay is an academic paper, thus use some specific words and terminology, like antagonist, protagonist, setting, irony, metaphor, and many others. Write in the present tense.

• contain deep analysis of the context.

Don’t retell the plot of the literary work. Instead, read between the lines. Thus, try to find symbols, metaphors, irony and explain how they support the main idea of the essay. have smooth transitions between the paragraphs. Use the link words, like however, moreover, nevertheless, and others to tie logically the paragraphs.

All in all, while interpreting the text, make sure you link everything to the central idea of your essay.