TYPES OF ESSAYS

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Analyze/Analysis
Don't panic when your instructor tells you that you need to write an analysis!
All he or she wants is for you to take something apart to see HOW it works.
To write an analysis, you need to think about how each part of something
contributes to the success of the whole.
Caution! Make sure that you're NOT just summarizing the original article, story,
novel, poem, etc. Go beyond simply telling us WHAT you are talking about:
describe HOW and WHY its elements function.
Specific Information for Analyzing Literature
Summarizing = WHAT
Analysing = HOW & WHY
When you think about analysis, try thinking about how you might analyse a car.
Ask yourself: What do we want the car to do or accomplish?
o Answer: (minivan) provide transportation for my family
Analysis: how does each part of the van achieve this goal?
Example: gasoline powers the engine
o Answer: (sports car) speed, agility, and style
Analysis: how does each part of the sports car achieve this
goal?
Example: light-weight construction enables speed
Types of Papers: Literary Analysis
If youve been asked to analyse a piece of literature, try following these
steps:
1. Identify the author's purpose. Ask yourself, what theme or main idea
did the author want the reader to understand after he or she had
finished reading?
2. Think of the characters, tone, setting, rhythm, plot, imagery, etc. as
devices or tools that help ensure that the reader "gets" the meaning
that the writer intended him or her to learn.
3. Ask yourself, why did the author choose to use these devices,
in these particular ways? How does this kind of character, plot event,
or type of imagery help the reader understand the theme?
Remember, tell us how & whydont just summarize!
Need an example?
Sample
Story

Summary

Analysis!

Robin
Hood

Robin Hood stole goods

and money from the
rich residents of his
town to give to the
towns poorer
residents.

The use of a monarchy or kingdom

setting in Robin Hood allowed the
author to portray the abuses of power
that often occur among the wealthiest
members of a community.

Snow
White

Snow White falls into a

deep, death-like
slumber when she takes
a bite of a poisoned
apple.

The use of certain plot elements in

Snow White, such as the poisoned
apple and resulting slumber, help
readers understand that being too
trusting can lead to dire consequences.

Cinderella Cinderella tells the

story of a young girl
whose evil stepmother
tries to keep her from
her true love.

The author of Cinderella paired lazy

female characters with a hardworking
female protagonist to show that hard
work leads to love and happiness.

SAMPLE ESSAYS
Deep Desires that Transcend Time
by Alyssa Ensminger
Winning Essay for Literary Analysis,
Beulah Davis Outstanding Freshman Writer Award
William Butler Yeats wrote two poems which are together known as the
Byzantium series. The first is "Sailing to Byzantium," and its sequel is simply
named "Byzantium." The former is considered the easier of the two to
understand. It contains multiple meanings and emotions, and the poet uses
various literary devices to communicate them. Two of the most dominant themes
of this poem are the desire for escape from the hardships of this world and the
quest for immortality. These are circumstances of the poet's life that influenced
the composition of the poem. Those personal experiences and Yeats's skillful use
of words come together to emphasize the need, or at least desire, that many
people have for escape and immortality.
The first stanza of "Sailing to Byzantium" describes a society of people who live
for the moment but ignore the wisdom and intellect that the poet finds important.
In his frustration, the poet says in lines 21-22 that his heart is "sick with desire /
And fastened to a dying animal." He is ready to leave this world of apathy and
arrive in his holy land of Byzantium, which is a sort of paradise in his mind
(Kennedy and Gioia 866-67). This is evidence of his desire for escape. In the
second stanza, Yeats describes an aged man as "a paltry thing, / A tattered coat
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upon a stick" (9-10). It is believed that the poet is describing his own condition
in these lines. The physical weariness he is experiencing causes him to want to
be able to sing through poetry to keep his spirit alive. He believes that his poetry
can help him to transcend time and old age, and that it will take him to his ideal
city of Byzantium (Thorndike 1852). He prays that the sages of God will "be the
singing-masters of my soul" (20). In other words, he wants to be taught how to
write the poetry that will sustain his spirit. This is the poet's attempt at achieving
immortality. As long as his poetry still exists and is read, a part of his soul
continues to live.
These two major themes in the poem are enhanced by the writer's use of
symbolism. Byzantium, as mentioned before, is a sort of ideal land, comparable
to the scriptural heaven. This is obviously one of the most predominant symbols
in the poem. Another symbol that carries throughout the work is that of a bird.
There is a reference to a bird in each stanza, but perhaps the best indicator of its
meaning is found in stanza 4. Yeats uses the image of a bird "set upon a golden
bough to sing" (30) to refer to the timelessness and spirit he craves. The bird that
is set in gold is there forever, singing for all time, and the poet longs to be able
to sing similarly through his poetry and therefore achieve immortality. Finally,
the metaphor of singing is present in each stanza and reinforces the poet's desire
to be able to create timeless music in poetry. He says that reading poems is a
kind of "singing school" (13) where he can learn to step into that world of
immortality (Thorndike 1853).
Similar to the way Yeats uses symbols to enhance this poem, he uses personal
experience to inspire it. Twenty years prior to writing "Sailing to Byzantium," he
was first exposed to Byzantine art. He saw mosaics that are regarded as the basis
for most of the imagery in stanza 3. Also, when Yeats was nearly sixty years old,
he suffered high blood pressure and had difficulty breathing. His wife took him
on a Mediterranean tour to help him relax, and on that tour he saw mosaics that
contrasted art with nature. This would explain his statement in the poem that
"Once out of nature I shall never take / My bodily form from any natural thing, /
But such a form as Grecian goldsmiths make" (25-27). In addition, Yeats did not
regret leaving his home on this excursion because he was depressed about his
health and dissatisfied with the political situations at home. Therefore, it is
probably that the imaginative voyage the man takes in the poem from one place
to a more appealing one is directly influenced by the poet's feelings at that time
(Allen 3728).
"Sailing to Byzantium" is a poem packed with emotion and meaning. It depicts a
man striving to reach a better place while leaving a piece of his soul behind for
all time. It expresses the weariness and frustration that everyone experiences at
some point, but especially with the aging process. It is a poem that encompasses
human desires and emotions and presents them almost as though they were in a
dream. However, it is almost as though the imaginative wording of the poem
makes it easier to see the reality behind its message. The poem refreshes the
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craving people have for a better world with no hardships, and the need they have
to leave a part of themselves here to sing eternally "Of what is past, or passing,
or to come" (32).

Works Cited
Allen, James Lovic. "William Butler Yeats." Critical Survey of
Poetry: English Language Series. Revised ed. Vol. 8. Ed. Frank N. Magill.
Englewood Cliffs: 1992. 3709-3729.
Kennedy, S. J., and Dana Gioia, eds. Literature: An Introduction to Fiction,
Poetry, and Drama. 6th ed. New York: Harper Collins, 1995. 866-868.
Thorndike, Jonathan L. "Sailing to Byzantium." Masterplots II: Poetry Series.
Vol. 5. Ed. Frank N. Magil. Englewood Cliffs: 1992. 1852-1854.
Instructor: Sarah Thomason
The Practices of Dr. Rank
by Denise Coday
In the play A Doll House, by Henrik Ibsen, the convention of marriage is
examined and questioned for its lack of honesty. The play is set in the late
1800s, which provides the backdrop for the debate about roles of people in
society. Ibsen uses the minor character, Dr. Rank, to help develop the theme of
conflicts within society. This, in turn, creates connections with the plot. Dr.
Rank's function in the play is to foreshadow, symbolize, and reflect upon the
truth of life and society and to break down the barrier between appearance and
reality.
One function of Dr. Rank in the play is to foreshadow events to come. Upon
Rank's introduction in Act I, the reader is immediately given insight into the
conflict Nora will face with Krogstad. Rank provides the reader with minute
details into Krogstad's past that will help in understanding his desperate
blackmail attempt. The reader can begin to see this in Rank's statement to Nora
and Mrs. Linde: "Oh, it's a lawyer, Krogstad, a type you wouldn't know. His
character is rotten to the root--but even he began chattering all-importantly
about how he had to live" (1574). Rank also foreshadows the change of society
that is a constant throughout the play. One can begin to see this foreshadowing
in the statement Rank makes about the morally sick being forgiven, "That's the
concept that's turning society into a sanatorium" (1574). Through these insights,
Dr. Rank provides the reader with an ability to form opinions important to the
plot.
Ibsen also uses Rank as a symbolic tool, enabling the reader to look deeper into
the plot. Dr. Rank is used as a symbol of a dying society as the main characters
in the play portrayed it to be. Rank's illness, tuberculosis of the spine, is used by
Ibsen as a symbol of the deteriorating backbone of society. It is also believed
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that Rank's illness is a product of his morally corrupt father, which widens the
connection with society's ignorant beliefs. On the night of Rank's final
examination, one can see the symbolic connection between Rank's death and the
"death" of Nora and Torvald's marriage. This can clearly be seen in what
happens after the statement Nora makes about receiving Rank's calling cards
telling of his coming death, "That when those cards came, he'd be taking his
leave of us. He'll shut himself in now and die" (1604). It is with this extremely
symbolic statement that the reader can see the connections between Rank, the
death of a society which does not allow honesty in marriage, and the end of
pretending by Nora. Almost immediately after Nora makes the statement about
Dr. Rank, she decides to perform a final "examination" of her life and lets the
letter from Krogstad be revealed. It is through the symbolism of Rank that the
reader sees the deterioration of society as it was known by the main characters.
Another function that Dr. Rank serves is that of reflecting upon the true
personalities of Nora and Torvald. Rank's friendship with Nora and Torvald is
thought to be the same, yet they are independently different. Nora is able to talk
more seriously with Rank then she is with Torvald. This aspect of Rank's
friendship with Nora becomes evident in her statement:
You see, Torvald loves me beyond words, and, as he puts it, he'd like to keep me
all to himself. For a long time he'd almost be jealous if I even mentioned any of
my old friends back home. So of course I dropped that. But with Dr. Rank I talk
a lot about such things, because he likes hearing about them. (1585)
From this statement the reader is able to understand that Nora is putting aside
her true self to please Torvald. On the other hand, when she is with Rank she is
no longer acting the part of a "doll." Rank's friendship with Torvald is also
revealing, and through their friendship the reader can see Torvald's
inconsistencies. In the play Torvald describes the effects of Krogstad's moral
corruptness as "poisoning his own children with lies and pretense . . ." (1583).
The reader can connect this statement with the fact that Rank is also a product of
a morally corrupt father, yet Torvald continues their friendship. Rank's
friendship with Torvald reveals him to be a man who will act only in ways to
benefit himself, not thinking of what he may have once declared to be truth.
Ibsen uses Rank to make these truths about Nora and Torvald's personalities
evident to the reader.
The roles that Ibsen gives Dr. Rank are crucial in the reader's understanding of
the plot. The functions that Rank performs are able to move the story along,
adding connections that force the reader to think about the appearance and
reality of the major characters' personalities. The greatest achievement in the
play is that of breaking down the walls of society, enabling Nora to evolve.
Ibsen is able to do this through the connections he provides through Dr. Rank
in A Doll House.
Work Cited
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Ibsen, Henrik. A Doll House. The Bedford Introduction to Literature: Reading,

Thinking, Writing. 5th ed. Ed. Michael Meyer. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin's,
1999. 1564-1612.

Types of Papers: Argument/Argumentative

While some teachers consider persuasive papers and argument papers to be
basically the same thing, its usually safe to assume that an argument paper
presents a stronger claimpossibly to a more resistant audience.
For example: while a persuasive paper might claim that cities need to adopt
recycling programs, an argument paper on the same topic might be addressed to
a particular town. The argument paper would go further, suggesting specific
ways that a recycling program should be adopted and utilized in that particular
area.
To write an argument essay, youll need to gather evidence and present a
well-reasoned argument on a debatable issue.
How can I tell if my topic is debatable? Check your thesis! You cannot argue a
statement of fact, you must base your paper on a strong position. Ask yourself
How many people could argue against my position? What would they
say?
Can it be addressed with a yes or no? (aim for a topic that requires more
info.)
Can I base my argument on scholarly evidence, or am I relying on
religion, cultural standards, or morality? (you MUST be able to do quality
research!)
Have I made my argument specific enough?
Worried about taking a firm stance on an issue?
Though there are plenty of times in your life when its best to adopt a balanced
perspective and try to understand both sides of a debate, this isnt one of them.
You MUST choose one side or the other when you write an argument
paper!
Dont be afraid to tell others exactly how you think things should go because
thats what we expect from an argument paper. Youre in charge now, what do
YOU think?
Do

Dont

use passionate language

use weak qualifiers like I believe, I

feel, or I thinkjust tell us!
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cite experts who agree with you claim to be an expert if youre not one
provide facts, evidence, and
statistics to support your position

use strictly moral or religious claims as

support for your argument

provide reasons to support your assume the audience will agree with you
claim
about any aspect of your argument
address the opposing sides
argument and refute their claims

attempt to make others look bad (i.e. Mr.

Smith is ignorantdont listen to him!)

Why do I need to address the opposing sides argument?

There is an old kung-fu saying which states, "The hand that strikes also blocks",
meaning that when you argue it is to your advantage to anticipate your
opposition and strike down their arguments within the body of your own paper.
This sentiment is echoed in the popular saying, "The best defence is a good
offense".
By addressing the opposition you achieve the following goals:
illustrate a well-rounded understanding of the topic
demonstrate a lack of bias
enhance the level of trust that the reader has for both you and your
opinion
give yourself the opportunity to refute any arguments the opposition may
have
strengthen your argument by diminishing your opposition's argument
Think about yourself as a child, asking your parents for permission to do
something that they would normally say no to. You were far more likely to get
them to say yes if you anticipated and addressed all of their concerns before they
expressed them. You did not want to belittle those concerns, or make them feel
dumb, because this only put them on the defensive, and lead to a conclusion that
went against your wishes.
The same is true in your writing.
How do I accomplish this?
To address the other side of the argument you plan to make, you'll need to "put
yourself in their shoes." In other words, you need to try to understand where
they're coming from. If you're having trouble accomplishing this task, try
following these steps:
1. Jot down several good reasons why you support that particular side of the
argument.
2. Look at the reasons you provided and try to argue with yourself. Ask:
Why would someone disagree with each of these points? What would

his/her response be? (Sometimes it's helpful to imagine that you're having
a verbal argument with someone who disagrees with you.)
3. Think carefully about your audience; try to understand their background,
their strongest influences, and the way that their minds work. Ask: What
parts of this issue will concern my opposing audience the most?
4. Find the necessary facts, evidence, quotes from experts, etc. to refute the
points that your opposition might make.
5. Carefully organize your paper so that it moves smoothly from defending
your own points to sections where you argue against the opposition.
SAMPLE ESSAY
The Faceless Teacher
by Dennis Gardner, Writing Tutor
The Internet is here to stay. Whether one lives in a backwoods shack or Silicon
Valley, the potential of online communication cannot be ignored. In facing the
twenty-first century, a fearless inventory of the role that the World Wide Web
will play in global culture must be taken. This phantom resource, where web
sites can shift and vanish like ghosts, should not lend itself to widespread
application without careful examination of the specific functions it will be
utilized to perform. The Internet is an entity without a master, and censure and
discretion on the Web are left to the responsibility of the individual publisher.
This means a student searching the vast fields of information that have flowered
on-line may find pay dirt or fertilizer. Overzealous use of computers, even in
innocence, to ease the burden of solid research in favor of convenience or for the
sinister purpose of cutting costs, will reduce learning from a creative process to
a point-and-click procedure, effectively diminishing students from sociallearners to a cyber-tribe of hunters-and-gatherers relying on the ability of
machines and the rote memorization of monitors displays.
The blank countenance of the computer screen, the faceless teacher, is a
frightening prospect of educations on-line future. Information is present as
print, yet the medium of transference is missing. The student may be receptive
and the information relevant; however, learning takes place not by passive
observation but in a dynamic whirlwind of uncertainty and intent. A student
enters the classroom to learn, and another human being must provide the nuance,
the animation, and the conscious feedback--in short, the simple bioactivity--to
stimulate a students mind. The professor provides another lifetime of
experience to contrast with the students own personal reality. This interaction
alone breaks the constraints of personal bias and helps to form a skill vital to
critical thinking: objectivity. In a formal classroom, the informality of the social
scene is left outside the door and a new discipline of rhetoric and discussion is
acquired. The human teacher, while not infallible, can explain different solutions
to a single problem, demonstrate objectivity and understanding, and illustrate
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alternate approaches to obstacles. The computer can calculate and display, but a
teacher can calculate and devise.
Innovation is the ability to employ creative methods to solve a problem. How
does one get it? Confronting problems directly and working through them is the
only way. Education supplies not just raw data but also the strategies for dealing
with that raw data, the template for forming this information into ideas by
shaping it with innovation, and eventually the arena to use these weapons in
challenging specific problems. Typing a command into a search engine or
deleting an errant pornographic advertisement from a screen does not teach or
even require critical thinking or innovation on the part of the student. Lessons
hide in the process of learning--the cross-referencing, the questioning that is the
lifeblood of the dialogue, and the discipline so important in the search for
knowledge--not in the simple instant gratification in the click of a mouse. The
ease of information acquisition provides the student with plenty of sources but
hinders the development of a critical and flexible frame of reference to interpret
this wealth of material. The computer can show but cannot teach. The student is
left alone in a sea of information without a means of propulsion.
If the student seems the scapegoat, portrayed as dull-witted or lazy, this is
unintentional. Though virtual education is only a keystroke away, and these
are possibilities, not inevitabilities, the Internet is powerful, and with power
comes the potential for abuse, by the teachers themselves as well as the students.
As the Web gives pupils the option to decrease human involvement in their
education, institutions may choose to use the Web as the primary classroom
forum in the quest to save money. The equation E=mc2 can also be employed
when examining a College or Universitys financial strategy. Substitute $ for
E, manpower for m, and leave c as it is to represent time squared. The
amount of time faculty members work multiplied by the size of the universitys
staff equals money exiting from that institutions bank account. Time equals
money, but money saved does not equal comparable education. It is vital that
quality face-to-face education wins out over cost-cutting measures.
Machines work well with machines and people work best with other people. The
human race is composed of a web of social animals. Human contact is essential
for the development of quality minds. However, there are prospective students
who, due to uncontrollable forces, find that a Web course is their only means of
education. In this unfortunate circumstance, the concession must be given that
any education at all is preferable to ignorance. But these on-line courses must be
offered with caution and should not become the norm.
The web can be an aid to education in the way that a calculator is an aid to
mathematics. With all of the speed and number crunching ability of a calculator,
it would be highly difficult to learn algebra directly from this device. In the same
respect, the World Wide Web is not a means to an end. It is not the magnificent
force that is the human intellect. The mind is humanitys greatest asset and its
refinement is humanitys greatest achievement. The evolution of such a device
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should not be left to anything less than its equal. The intangibles involved in the
shaping and growth of human consciousness--the excitement of sharing
knowledge, the drive to communicate in the most effective way, the value of
having a person take a personal stake in the education of an individual-- are
without parallel. In the complex chemistry of education, the computer is just a
tool. The true energy and force is in the experiment itself; the teacher is the
catalyst; and the student is the reaction.

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