How To Write A Literary Analysis Essay

Whereas a summary of a work of literature states the events (the plot) of the story, an analysis will focus on one central item within that story and explain
what it represents as well as why it is important- its significance. This semester, we have been discussing several poems, short stories, and plays. For your
literary analysis essay, choose one or two of the works we have discussed to write on (I would suggest that if you are looking at a poem, you can use two, but
for a short story or one of the plays, just focus on one). You can either write on a theme that appears in the work, the importance of a character in a work, or
the significance of a reoccurring motif or symbol. Explain why this is important to understand a deeper meaning or message within the text. Finally, apply one
of the critical theories we have discussed to provide a possible interpretation of the text.