analytical essay

The Analytical EssayThe Analytical Essay

“The thing is, to put a motor in yourself.”

Frank Zappa, Postmodern ComposerFrank Zappa, Postmodern Composer

DeCubellis

BENEFITSBENEFITS

1.1. Is extremely thorough and nearly fool-Is extremely thorough and nearly fool-proof in “on-demand” testing proof in “on-demand” testing situations.situations.

2.2. Equips you with a ready-made, Equips you with a ready-made, universally recognized, analytical universally recognized, analytical structure that helps you to structure that helps you to communicate your ideas clearly in an communicate your ideas clearly in an academic setting.academic setting.

3.3. Allows for creative expression (e.g. in Allows for creative expression (e.g. in the title, introduction, and conclusion).the title, introduction, and conclusion).

Snappy TitleSnappy Title

One One cleverclever— but not cute— clause that includes the essay’s— but not cute— clause that includes the essay’s

TOPICTOPIC,,

AUTHORAUTHOR,,

and and TITLETITLE of work you will be examining. of work you will be examining.

Helpful Devices to Make Your Titles “Pop”Helpful Devices to Make Your Titles “Pop”

AlliterationAlliterationConsonanceConsonanceAssonanceAssonanceChiasmusChiasmusParadoxParadox

PunPunIronyIrony

MetaphorMetaphorSimileSimile

OxymoronOxymoronUnderstatementUnderstatement..

EXAMPLE:EXAMPLE:

Prejudice, Paternalism, and Pride Prejudice, Paternalism, and Pride

in Shakespeare’s in Shakespeare’s The Merchant of The Merchant of VeniceVenice

Snappy TitleSnappy Title

PPrejudice, rejudice, PPaternalism, and aternalism, and PPride ride inin

Shakespeare’sShakespeare’s The Merchant of The Merchant of VeniceVenice

AlliterationAlliteration

AuthorAuthor Title of workTitle of work

Snappy TitleSnappy Title

NOTE: NOTE: NeverNever underline your underline your essay’s title. Do, however, essay’s title. Do, however,

underline the titles of longer underline the titles of longer works. Surround shorter works works. Surround shorter works

in quotation marks.in quotation marks.

Snappy TitleSnappy Title

Memory Hint: Memory Hint: Use the mnemonic Use the mnemonic SPACESPACE to to remember which works belong in quotation remember which works belong in quotation

marks:marks:

S S hort story titleshort story titles

P P oem titlesoem titles

A A rticle titlesrticle titles

C C hapter titleshapter titles

E E ssay titles.ssay titles.

Snappy TitleSnappy Title

Memory Hint: Memory Hint: Use the mnemonic Use the mnemonic New New England (NE) MapEngland (NE) Map to “guide” you toward to “guide” you toward

the works which belong in quotation the works which belong in quotation marks:marks:

N N ovel and Newspaper titlesovel and Newspaper titlesEE pic poem titles pic poem titlesM M agazine and movie titlesagazine and movie titlesA A lbum titleslbum titlesPP lay and Periodical titles lay and Periodical titles

Your title MUST be Your title MUST be Aligned with your ThesisAligned with your Thesis

INTRODUCTORYINTRODUCTORYPARAGRAPHPARAGRAPH

Contains…Contains…

Hook Hook (Stinger)(Stinger)

ThesisThesis

Pivot-PointPivot-Point

Projected Projected OrganizationOrganization

Occa$ionOcca$ion

The INTRODUCTORYThe INTRODUCTORYPARAGRAPH isPARAGRAPH is

FUNNEL FUNNEL SHAPEDSHAPED

The INTRODUCTORYThe INTRODUCTORYPARAGRAPHPARAGRAPH

Starts Starts BROADLYBROADLY by by connecting with the connecting with the audience.audience.

Finishes Finishes NARROWLYNARROWLY by stating the essay’s by stating the essay’s thesis and upcoming thesis and upcoming “proofs.”“proofs.”

A Hook is…A Hook is…

One to three sentences that cleverly One to three sentences that cleverly captures your reader’s attention. captures your reader’s attention.

Helpful Devices for Helpful Devices for Crafting HooksCrafting Hooks

QuestionQuestionAlliterationAlliteration

ConsonanceConsonanceAssonanceAssonanceChiasmusChiasmusParadoxParadox

PunPunIronyIrony

MetaphorMetaphorSimileSimile

OxymoronOxymoronUnderstatementUnderstatement

Avoid false drama!Avoid false drama!

An Occa$ion consists of…An Occa$ion consists of…

Several sentences that Several sentences that establish a relevant establish a relevant CONTEXTCONTEXT which hints at the potential which hints at the potential personal personal payoffpayoff for reading for reading your essay.your essay.

ExamplesExamples

AnecdoteAnecdote Celebrity appealCelebrity appeal Cultural commentaryCultural commentary Historical contextHistorical context Etc.Etc.

Helpful Devices:Helpful Devices:

Baby-stepsBaby-steps Slo-moSlo-mo DialogDialog Etc.Etc.

A Pivot-Point is…A Pivot-Point is…

ONE sentence that echoes back to the ONE sentence that echoes back to the occasion and signals forward toward occasion and signals forward toward the thesis. the thesis.

Pivot-PointPivot-Point

EXAMPLE:EXAMPLE:

Today’s comedians often cover their pain with Today’s comedians often cover their pain with humor, and similarly Stevie Smith’s poetry humor, and similarly Stevie Smith’s poetry explores such contradictions between explores such contradictions between feelings and behaviors.feelings and behaviors.

A Thesis is…A Thesis is…

ONE sentence that ONE sentence that “powers” your entire “powers” your entire essay. It’s the essay’s essay. It’s the essay’s motor.motor.

It’s the point you are It’s the point you are trying to prove.trying to prove.

In a thematic essay, your In a thematic essay, your essay’s thesis is the essay’s thesis is the literature’s theme.literature’s theme.

ThesisThesis

EXAMPLE:EXAMPLE:

Smith creates a Smith creates a paradox of a living paradox of a living death in “Not Waving death in “Not Waving But Drowning.”But Drowning.”

Projected Organization (PO)Projected Organization (PO)

ONE sentence that enumerates-- in the exact ONE sentence that enumerates-- in the exact order you will later present them-- the order you will later present them-- the “PROOFS”“PROOFS” that support your thesis. Typically, that support your thesis. Typically, you should use three proofs.you should use three proofs.

Projected Organization Projected Organization (PO)(PO)

THESIS

PROOF 1 PROOF 2 PROOF 3

NOTE: Your PO MUST be NOTE: Your PO MUST be written in grammatically written in grammatically parallel form.parallel form.

Projected Organization Projected Organization (PO)(PO)

Hamlet’s indecision Hamlet’s indecision causes his apparently causes his apparently contradictory contradictory thoughtsthoughts, , emotionsemotions, and , and actionsactions..

Parallel form: Parallel form: This PO is in This PO is in the form of a the form of a string of string of nouns.nouns.EXAMPLEEXAMPLE

Projected Organization Projected Organization (PO)(PO)

Your PO may also be a string of Your PO may also be a string of phrases tacked to the beginning phrases tacked to the beginning or end of your thesis sentence.or end of your thesis sentence.

Projected Organization Projected Organization (PO)(PO)

BeBeinging promoted promoted, , earnearninging an advanced college an advanced college degreedegree, and , and winnwinninging the the lotterylottery ironically leads to ironically leads to Lumpy’s suicide.Lumpy’s suicide.

This PO is in This PO is in the form of a the form of a string of string of gerund gerund phrases.phrases.

Projected Organization (PO)Projected Organization (PO)

Three charactersThree characters

Three stanzasThree stanzas

Three symbolsThree symbols

Three aspects of the Three aspects of the literature’s themeliterature’s theme

A character’s attire, A character’s attire, behavior, and feelingsbehavior, and feelings

The setting, dialog, The setting, dialog, and imageryand imagery

Samples of proofs you could Samples of proofs you could use in your PO:use in your PO:

INTROHOOK

OCCASION

PIVOT POINT

THESIS

PO

PROOF 1

PROOF 2

PROOF 3

BODYSECTIONSECTION 1 1

SECTIONSECTION 2 2

SECTIONSECTION 3 3

BODYBODY Usually consists of three Usually consists of three SECTIONS.SECTIONS.

Sections are presented in the exact Sections are presented in the exact order stated in the PROJECTED order stated in the PROJECTED ORGANIZATION.ORGANIZATION.

Each section contains a TOPIC Each section contains a TOPIC SENTENCE at its beginning which SENTENCE at its beginning which ties back to one segment of the PO.ties back to one segment of the PO.

Sections may contain more than one Sections may contain more than one paragraph depending on how much paragraph depending on how much supporting evidence you need to supporting evidence you need to prove your point.prove your point.

BODYBODYPARAGRAPHSPARAGRAPHS Set up the quotation by Set up the quotation by

providing a CONTEXT providing a CONTEXT which contains only the which contains only the 5W,H essential to clarifying 5W,H essential to clarifying the quotation.the quotation.

You should assume your You should assume your reader only has a passing reader only has a passing familiarity with the text.)familiarity with the text.)

BODY SECTION #1BODY SECTION #1

Use Use additional, additional, similarly similarly structured structured paragraphs paragraphs as needed as needed by each by each body body section.section.

PROOF 1

TOPIC SENTENCE

CONTEXT SET-UP

CLINCHER

QUOTE

TRANSITION word, phrase, clause, or sentence

ANALYSIS OF QUOTE

BODY SECTION #2BODY SECTION #2

Use Use additional, additional, similarly similarly structured structured paragraphs paragraphs as needed as needed by each by each body body section.section.

PROOF 2

TOPIC SENTENCE

CONTEXT SET-UP

CLINCHER

QUOTE

TRANSITION word, phrase, clause, or sentence

ANALYSIS OF QUOTE

BODY SECTION #3BODY SECTION #3

Use Use additional, additional, similarly similarly structured structured paragraphs paragraphs as needed as needed by each by each body body section.section.

PROOF 3

TOPIC SENTENCE

CONTEXT SET-UP

CLINCHER

QUOTE

TRANSITION word, phrase, clause, or sentence

ANALYSIS OF QUOTE

The CONCLUDINGThe CONCLUDINGPARAGRAPHPARAGRAPH

The CONCLUDINGThe CONCLUDINGPARAGRAPHPARAGRAPH

Starts Starts NARROWLYNARROWLY by by REPHRASING the essay’s REPHRASING the essay’s thesis and “proofs.”thesis and “proofs.”

REVERSES the REVERSES the introduction’s PIVOT-POINT introduction’s PIVOT-POINT sentence.sentence.

States the PAYOFF by States the PAYOFF by revisiting and completing the revisiting and completing the introduction’s OCCASION.introduction’s OCCASION.

Finishes Finishes BROADLYBROADLY by leaving by leaving the reader something profound the reader something profound

to think about.to think about.

CONCLUSION

THESIS REPHRASED

PIVOT POINT REVERSED

OCCASION COMPLETED

FINAL CLINCHER

PO

The CONCLUDINGThe CONCLUDINGPARAGRAPHPARAGRAPH

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