HOW TO WRITE THE LITERARY ANALYSIS

Step 1. You read the literary piece (short story or poem).

Use “close reading “technique. Take down notes your
observations. As example, you may consider the following
questions:

Are there recurring patterns of words or images? Do I see a

a repetition? How does the repetition reinforce the theme(s)?
How does the writer’s diction reveal or reflect the work’s
meaning? What is the plot, and how do its parts produce a
certain effect? Are there figures of speech used? What
figures of speech are used? (metaphors, similes, etc.)

What forces motivate the characters? Which behaviors or

conflicts are conscious and unconscious? Given their
backgrounds, how believable are the characters’ behaviors?
Are Freudian or other psychological theories applicable?

What is shown about economic or social power? Who has

social power and who doesn’t have it? How does this social
power impact the characters’ lives? How are the urban, rural,
or suburban values shown? Are societal forces or issues
(race, gender, and class) addressed? How do they shape
power relationships between groups or classes? Who has
power, and who doesn’t? Why? What is the relationship
between the characters and society? Does it challenge or
affirm the social order presented?

What aspects of the author’s personal life are related to or

important in this story? Which of the author’s stated beliefs
are shown? Does the writer challenge or reflect the values of
his/her contemporaries? What appear to be the author’s
major concerns? Do you see any of the writer’s personal
 experiences in the text? Do any of the events or characters
in the story correspond to real events or people?

Step 2. Determine three appropriate approaches to apply.

Notice that the questions fall on a particular approach. The
first being under the Formalist approach, the second set of
questions falls under the Psychological approach and the third set
is under Sociological Approach with the fourth set under
Biological Approach.

Step 3. The next to do is to write an essay prompt that would

explore and respond to the approaches you picked.

For example, if you choose Formalist, Psychological and

Sociological approaches, pick at least three (3) questions
answered “yes” or observations you would like your essay to
discuss.

For example:
Questions
Did you see recurring
patterns of words or
images? Did you see
repetition? How does the
repetition reinforce the
theme(s)? How does the
writer’s diction reveal or
reflect the work’s meaning?
What is the plot, and how
do its parts produce a
certain effect? What
figures of speech are used?
(metaphors, similes, etc.)
What forces motivate the
characters? Which
Prompts
The story (give the title and
author) is filled with
recurring patterns and
images. Repetition was
used to reinforce the theme.
Although the plot does not
follow the typical
chronological order it does
not hinder one from
following the unfolding of the
story. This was achieved
through the use of objects.
(3 sub-topics)
The greed for money
motivated Ramon (name of
behaviors or conflicts are
conscious and
unconscious? Given their
backgrounds, how
believable are the
characters’ behaviors? Are
Freudian or other
psychological theories
applicable
What is shown about
economic or social
power? Who has it and
who doesn’t? What is the
impact on characters’ lives?
How are the urban, rural,
or suburban values
shown? Are societal forces
or issues (race, gender,
and class) addressed? How
do they shape power
relationships between
groups or classes? Who
has power, and who
doesn’t? Why? What is the
relationship between the
characters and society?
Does it challenge or
affirm the social order
presented?
the character) in all his
endeavors. This brought
Ramon to be caught up in
conflicts categorized as Man
vs. man and man vs.
society. (2 sub-topics)
The story shows that the
moneyed control to a certain
extent the decisions of those
who don’t belong to the
stratum. Evident in the story
is the disparity of values of
people as factored by the
environment where they
lived. In addition, these
values may also change as
the environment changes.
The story mirrors the
nuances of a typical
community where the
struggle for power and
survival is always a priority.
Step 4. Write the Literary Analysis following the prompts you
came up with.

The story (give the title and author) is filled with recurring
patterns and images. Repetition was used to reinforce the theme.
Although the plot does not follow the typical chronological order it
does not hinder one from following the unfolding of the story. This
was achieved through the use of objects (3 subtopics/points).
(Discuss, explain or elaborate each point by providing
evidences culled or taken from the text.)

The greed for money motivated Ramon (name of the

character) in all his endeavors. This brought Ramon to be caught
up in conflicts categorized as Man vs. man and man vs. society.
(Discuss, explain or elaborate each point by providing
evidences culled or taken from the text.)
The story shows that the moneyed control to a certain extent
the decisions of those who don’t belong to the stratum. Evident in
the story is the disparity of values of people as factored by the
environment where they lived. In addition, these values may also
change as the environment changes. The story mirrors the
nuances of a typical community where the struggle for power and
survival is always a priority.
(Discuss, explain or elaborate each point by providing
evidences culled or taken from the text.)

Step 5. End your essay with an impressionistic approach.

Congratulations! You’re done!

Unfinished Sample Student Work

Feminist:
Similar to the views by society of women at the time of the
writing of the novel, As I Lay Dying by William Faulkner is guilty of
minimizing and stereotyping the role of women. Very little of the
novel is from a female point of view, as the vast majority of the
characters are men with particularly masculine perspectives. The
one significant female that does narrate somewhat regularly is
Dewey Dell, the only daughter of Addie Bundren. While only
having one main female in a novel is certainly not a prejudice act
in writing, it is the role which Dewey Dell represents that degrades
the image of women. Throughout the novel, Dewey Dell is entirely
consumed with thoughts of men, sex, and her already conceived
child. While the other characters show in-depth emotions about
Addie’s death and the task ahead of them, Dewey Dell is not
given any credit to narrate beyond her self-absorbed concerns
that are considered typical of women. She is never represented
as an individual, but rather as controlled entirely by the men that
she desires, that she needs to help her, and that she must obey.

(To complete this essay the writer must use (evidences)

examples from the novel, emphasizing Dewey’s stereotypical
part to contrast those of the strong males such as Jewel,
Darl, and Anse in the novel while depicting how they negate
the role of women.)