I was not introduced to the idea of analyzing literature until probably the sixth grade. Since then, my definition of the term “literary analysis” took a different direction with every new teacher that tried to break down such a concept. It was first taught to me as summarizing a piece of writing, including all of the main points. Moving on to the next couple grades, I learned that it involved understanding so called literary devices, such as metaphors, similes, allusions, and imagery to name a few. In the ninth grade, I reached a major turning point in my perspective on analyzing literature. I was taught that it is the act closely examining a piece of writing to find significant symbolism, roles, or effects of characters, settings, or parts of the plot. By the end of my sophomore year, I’ve come to define it as interpreting the author’s writing through deep examination and making a logical and arguable conclusion based off of my findings and my supported understanding. Consequently, there are no right or wrong answers in your interpretations as you are to prove your point with evidence from the text. With my current knowledge, putting analysis into an essay is somewhat similar to a persuasive essay for a mock trial class in terms of the argumentative position you take. My recent experiences with analyzing literature have been immensely profound, but there are certain strategies that I developed to take on the challenge. For the most part, Mr.McLoskey, my Freshman year
Power and control plays a big role in the lives many. When power is used as a form of control, it leads to depression and misery in the relationship. This is proven through the themes and symbolism used in the stories Lesson before Dying, The fun they had, The strangers that came to town, and Dolls house through the median of three major unsuccessful relationship: racial tension between the African Americans and the caucasians in the novel Lesson before Dying, Doll’s House demonstrates a controlling relationship can be detrimental for both individuals and The Stranger That Came To Town along with The Fun They Had show that when an individual is suppressed by majority they become despondent.
In past years, as well as, in the twenty-first century, African Americans are being oppressed and judged based on the color of their skin. In, A Lesson Before Dying by Ernest J. Gaines, this is the primary conflict that plagues Jefferson’s as well as Grant’s everyday life. By pleading guilty to a murder that he did not commit, Jefferson has to choose to die just as he is, a hog in the white’s eyes, or die a man. On the other hand, Grant, who is his teacher, is faced with being looked down upon by his community all because of his race and status. He is graced with the challenge of turning Jefferson into a man before his execution date. It is only a matter of time before they both realize that they cannot change the past and they have
Many people believe that material things will bring you peace and happiness. That is not always that case though.Everyone at some point in their life had gone through something that they thought would have a major positive impact on their life, but ultimately, it affected them very negatively. These can include anything from money, to power, even to women. Bernard Malamud explains these example in his book, The Natural, with his character, Roy Hobbs. Roy is the Knights star baseball player, when all goes wrong. He starts to chase different women, believing that those people will lead him to happiness in the end. Roy Hobbs is the main character in the book, The Natural, who finds himself in tough situations, and finally discovers that what he wanted from the start, won’t actually make him happy in the end.
I have minimal experience with writing analyses; therefore, my essay contained summaries with only a few pieces of analysis. I feel that my essay was mainly composed of miniature summaries with a sentence or two analyzing a specific literary device used, diction, etc. As I continue to write rhetorical analyses, I strive to be more familiar with the analyzing process so that when I have to write an analysis for class or the AP exam, I will be sufficiently prepared. The structure of my analysis is not as mature as it should be in relation to the standards of an AP English class.
After taking honors English for the past three school years, I now want the challenge of taking a higher level course: AP literature and composition. At this point in my high-school career, I’ve been able to take three advanced classes, and I want this class on my belt as well.
Analyzing an essay includes summary and paraphrase to better explain someone’s point, but it is also looking to how the author did that essay, why he did that essay, and to whom he wants this essay to be directed. While I was looking to all my previous assignments, I learned that while an individual is writing an analysis, it is very important for him/her to be aware of making the essay clear, and who is the audience. When I looked to my first brief assignment of identifying rhetorical choices, I saw how I did not understand select and explain rhetorical choices. It was unclear and some sentences did not make any sense. Also, because I am used to use an attention getter in every introduction, I thought that it could also be applied in an analysis essay, and what I learned is that I could use one, but not a long one because sometimes, it may distract the readers from what the essay is really about, an analysis. When I was taking English 1301, I also went to the writing center, and teacher’s office hours. It was very useful to me because I learned different ways to right a paragraph, and other things. In the writing center, I learned to think more about the audience, they made questions like: who is the audience, how will this reference affect the audience, and is it really worth to use some of the things that I wrote. Also, with my instructor, I learned that I
In the novel, Brave New World, written by Aldous Huxley, the author uses many literary
There are many different type of elements for literary analysis. Some are plot, setting, characterization, protagonist vs antagonist and the list goes on. Each one gives the story its own meaning and connects to the main idea of the story. Two stories that I will be talking about today, each introduce their own element of literary analysis. The two stories I chose are “A Pair of Tickets” by Amy Tan and “The Things They Carried” by Tim O’Brien.
War Is Peace. Freedom Is Slavery. Ignorance Is Strength. The government slogan illustrates the sense of stringency that characterizes the world created by George Orwell. The vast power of the Oceanian government kept their people in constant paranoia through perpetual publicity, mangled violence and persistent manipulation in order to keep their world regulated as much as possible. The scene in the Novel 1984 is positioned in the expansive nation of Oceania, a realm of the future that replicates London. It is a totalitarian state that is dictated by an perplexing figure named Big Brother, who may not even exist. The government of this world is prevailed by the group of the Inner Party, and use their dominance by inhibiting everything
English is a hard language to learn, for there are numerous elements of effective usage and writing. Many people, including me, struggle in writing because of a lack of knowledge. Since middle school, English was not a strong suit of mine. I struggled with the simplest of tasks often taking a considerably longer time to complete a task than the other students. Unmotivated teachers and a lack of interest resulted in remedial writing skills. To put it simply, I had little confidence in my writing and I dreaded taking the class because of the writing involved. In spite of my fears, I took the course and I was able to perfect and challenge my mediocre writing skills.
Chinua Achebe was a Nigerian novelist, poet, professor and critic. He is mainly known for his trilogy that investigates, using fiction, the history of Nigeria. The trilogy begins with Things Fall Apart, followed by No Longer at Ease and ended with Arrow of God. Furthermore, in this critically analytical essay, through a feminist perspective, a chapter of his second novel, No Longer at Ease, published in 1960, will be discussed. The setting of the novel is Lagos, Nigeria and Umuofia, Nigeria during the 1950s, before Nigeria attained independence from Great Britain. The novel, No Longer at Ease begins with Obi Okonkwo on trial, charged for accepting a bribe. However, using flashback, the author takes us back to the point before Obi’s departure
By writing a literary analysis it allows readers to criticize and survey an author’s work. It lets the readers truly be appreciative and to be able to comprehend what the writings meaning is. Analyzing the poems, short-stories, and anything else the author has written, may show the readers what factors helped shape how they wrote. It could also determine the themes given, how the character’s act amongst each other, and how certain scenes are presented. Overall, a literally analysis is written to let the readers really dig into the information given throughout the author’s work.
Throughout my two years during high school, I have learned a fairly good amount about analyzing literature. Although I am not fully confident about it, I do know the basics of analyzing literature and it is not just straightforward. Analyzing literature is not just about summarizing the text, it’s more than that. Out of the many ways of analyzing I learned to take each element of the story and looking at it “beneath the story.”
In Up Front by Bill Mauldin one of the major themes is how important communication is during the war. Communication is a major factor when it comes to success in the war. Individual divisions need to be in contact with each other as well as family and friends at home. Bill Mauldin exemplifies this when he discusses the Stars and Stripes newspaper and 45th Division News in Up Front. Furthermore, a quote from the American General Dwight D. Eisenhauer and a propaganda picture produced by Winchester help support this theme. These three accounts together help show different aspects of communication in the war and how each is important. Although they all show different parts of communication for the war they all come together to show how it has changed the nature of American ideals.
In the short story, “My Parents’ Bedroom,’ written by Uwem Akpan, the most defining role of literacy that sticks out is symbolism. The images that are engraved into readers brains are ones that have deeper meanings than what we initially see on the surface. The story is told through the eyes of a little girl named, Monique, who is only nine years old. It is told in first person point of view so that the reader feels as if he/she is actually experiencing the situations first hand. The symbolism in the story, “My Parents; Bedroom,” illustrates the day to day struggle of living in Africa during the genocide. Symbolism is