Content

• Steps
• Method 1 of 3: Basic Analysis for Beginners
• Method 2 of 3: Professional Techniques and Techniques
• Method 3 of 3: Analyzing text as you read
• Tips
• Warnings

Literary criticism, literature analysis, or literary criticism is the process of evaluating a literary work. The scope of critical analysis can include one aspect of the text or the entire work as a whole. In the latter case, it is customary to divide the text into separate components and assess the ability of the totality of such elements to achieve the set goal. Usually students, specialists and literary critics are engaged in the analysis of literature, but any person can perform a critical analysis of a work.

Steps

Method 1 of 3: Basic Analysis for Beginners

1. 1 Read the work carefully. Analysis does not begin when you sit down to write an essay, but when you first read the book. Consider why characters do certain things in any piece of literature - novel, story, essay, or poem.
2. 2 Create a visual diagram. Try to create a visual diagram to organize the plot and characters for later analysis. There are many options for visual diagrams that will help record your observations. It can be a web of ideas, or a Venn diagram, a T-chart, and other ways.
   • For example, use a T-shaped table and list the names of the characters in one column and their actions in the other. When you are finished reading the work, supplement the table with your ideas about the reasons for each act.
3. 3 Consider the literal meaning. When you finish reading the work, analyze the actions of all the characters and the consequences of such actions for the plot. Use your visual diagram to understand the events in the book. Do not try to understand the author's intent at this stage. Just take the events and plot literally.
   • It's like analyzing a painting. At first, you just need to study the image, and not seek to determine the artist's idea. For example, what elements are present on Van Gogh's Starry Night? Do not try to understand the intent of the painting. Think of the stars, the vortices in the night sky, and the houses below.
4. 4 Consider the author's possible assumptions about humanity or society. Understand all the events of the book and try to understand what conclusions the author draws about human nature through his characters and their actions. Such ideas are called themes of a literary work.
   • For example, think about why in the fairy tale "Beauty and the Beast" the witch turned the prince into a monster? How does such an act characterize human nature?
   • Think about the lessons the reader can learn. What does this tale teach us?
5. 5 Formulate a thesis. Pick one lesson that readers can learn from the work and build your thesis based on it. A thesis is one sentence that makes one statement about a book that can be supported by evidence from the text, such as direct quotations from the work.
   • The thesis may look like this: _______ - true, since _________, __________ and ___________. The first element is your opinion. For example, Beauty and the Beast shows how important hospitality is.
   • The rest of the elements should support your claim: Beauty and the Beast shows how important hospitality is, because the prince learned from his mistake, he learned to empathize while he was a monster, and he regrets his rudeness towards the witch.
   • It is important to remember that the thesis can be formulated in different ways. The most important thing is to make sure that the thesis includes the statement and the rationale for such a statement. For example, formulate the thesis as follows: “The prince suffers because of his deed and thus The beauty and the Beast shows that you need to be hospitable with everyone, and this theme runs like a red thread throughout the tale. "
6. 6 Find proof of your thesis in the book. Examine your visual diagram again and look for events that support your statement. Underline events and include page numbers in the book.
   • You can summarize in your own words or use direct quotes from the book, just always include the page number so that you are not accused of plagiarism.
   • For example, provide a quote that shows the Beast's inhospitableness. Then use other examples from the text to develop this topic.
   • It is not necessary to always use direct quotes. You can rephrase the paragraph in your own words, or you can summarize large passages and reduce the details. In any case, always indicate the corresponding page in the text.
7. 7 Make a plan. Make a plan based on your thesis to write a literate essay. In your outline, use Roman numerals for each paragraph and Arabic numerals for subparagraphs. So, you can find an example of a good plan and, on its basis, think over your own plan for analyzing a work.
   • Add thematic sentences to your plan with textual proofs.
8. 8 Write an essay. If you have a detailed plan, then writing an essay is very easy. There should be at least five paragraphs. The thesis should be placed at the end of the first paragraph, and in all other paragraphs one or two examples from the text should be given. Enter quotations correctly, then explain each quotation or example in the main paragraphs.
   • End your essay with a final paragraph in which you should summarize your ideas.
9. 9 Reread the essay. Be sure to reread the text to correct mistakes. Look out for typos, grammar and punctuation errors. Correct any mistakes to get the job done without any issues. It is useful for another person to read the work, who will immediately see errors and typos.

Method 2 of 3: Professional Techniques and Techniques

1. 1 Read the work critically. If you need to read a work for the purpose of critical analysis (be it a poem, story, non-fiction or memoir), it is important to use a lively mind. Be sure to ask questions.
   • Take a pen, paper and dictionary. Write down key ideas in the margin and look up unfamiliar words in a dictionary.
   • Ask “how,” “why,” and “why” questions to critically reflect on the text.
2. 2 Analyze the text. In addition to important ideas in the margins, you also need to write out key ideas and topics in a notebook along with page numbers. It is important to evaluate the work from the standpoint of critical thinking (clarity, accuracy and relevance of the text).
   • As you read, evaluate the elements of the book such as plot, themes, examples of character development, setting, symbols, conflicts, and point of view. Think about how such elements interact with each other and become the main theme.
3. 3 Consider the aspect of your analysis. Before you formulate a thesis (in fact, in order to formulate a thesis), you should choose one aspect of the work that you want to consider. Review your notes and select interesting ideas to list and consider. You can choose a topic that is relevant specifically to you in order to assess how well the author coped with it. Use paragraphs from your notes. How to organize ideas:
   • make a list;
   • make a web of ideas;
   • use the free-writing technique.
   • For example, when you read Pride and Prejudice, you might think that Jane Austen could elaborate on the development of Mr. Darcy's character. Perhaps you are closer to the character of Jane, and not Lizzie, so it seems that the main character is not good enough (for example, Jane received the name of the author of the book, based on which it can be assumed that Austin also liked this character more). Make a list, cobwebs, or describe such ideas.
4. 4 Formulate a thesis. Make a list of ideas and choose a critical point of view based on your observations or critical theory, and then write a working thesis. “Worker” means one that can later be changed in accordance with the text of the composition.
   • The thesis must express a controversial opinion, which will be proven by convincing facts.
   • The thesis may look like this: _______ - true, since _________, __________ and ___________.
5. 5 Make a plan. Always use a plan that helps you organize your thoughts logically to make the analysis credible and convincing. In the outline, include your thesis, the content of the main paragraphs, and quotes and examples with page numbers. After that, it will be much easier for you to write an essay with text analysis.
   • You can also use the outline to write key sentences such as an intriguing opening (the first sentence of the first paragraph), topics and transitions for each paragraph, and a conclusion.
6. 6 Select quotes and examples to support your thesis. As you work on your plan, start writing down direct quotes and examples from the original source and other reviewed materials (secondary sources). Use topical sentences in each main paragraph to support each idea with a relevant quote.
   • Go through all the notes and find examples from the text that support your thesis, such as that the actions of Mr. Darcy can be objectively assessed only after the fact. This will show you the lack of character development in Pride and Prejudice (if you intend to prove that Mr. Darcy is not fully disclosed).
   • Include a page number or cite the author's text every time you look at a particular event, rephrase a quote, rephrase a paragraph, and when you use a direct quote. As a rule, the page number should be indicated in parentheses after the sentence.
7. 7 Look for critical papers to support your thesis. Rely on outside sources to craft a compelling thesis. They will increase the credibility of your statements and show that you are able to critically evaluate the work. External sources, which can also be called secondary sources, must be reliable. Use articles from reputable magazines, published books, and chapters from textbooks.
   • Also pay attention to critical articles that go against your thesis. Strong counter-arguments will increase the credibility of your work.
8. 8 Write the work according to the plan. Gather all the materials, formulate your thesis and make a detailed plan, and then proceed to the essay.At this stage, all the information collected is already well organized, so the work on the text should not cause any particular difficulties.
   • If the plan was created in a text editor, it can simply be supplemented with new information.
   • Use the plan as a guide. Check with him as you work on the text to review all points and selected examples.
9. 9 Consider requirements and stylistic norms. Be sure to follow the requirements of your teacher or supervisor. For example, in an essay, you need to answer specific questions. Sometimes there are requirements for page size or word count, stylistic norms and guidelines.
   • There is a formal business, scientific, artistic, journalistic and colloquial style.
10. 10 Consider quotes. The work should contain citations from the primary source (literary work) and secondary sources (articles and sections) to support your claims. So, it is necessary to analyze each cited quote in order to express your own opinion, and not other people's views.
    • For example, after a quote, explain its meaning and meaning, how it relates to your thesis. Don't just retell the quotes in your own words. This will not reflect critical thinking. Strive to explain to the reader the importance of each quote or example.
    • It is important to create a frame for the quote (meaning the place of the quote in the text). Preface the quote with an introductory sentence that contains information about the author, and after the quote, include one or more sentences with analysis.
    • Be sure to include a list of works quoted from in your essay to avoid accusations of plagiarism.
11. 11 Reread the text. When the text is ready, you need to reread it in order to make changes and find errors. You may not submit or publish a draft critical review. The work can be read aloud or shown to another person to find typos, bulky phrases, and weak causal relationships.

Method 3 of 3: Analyzing text as you read

1. 1 Study the author and the cultural context. If you are going to read the book for internal analysis rather than a separate work, then first try to understand the cultural context of the book. Information about social factors will help to better understand lexical units, time and place, motivation of characters. Without these aspects, an accurate analysis of the book is impossible.
2. 2 Underline and study incomprehensible words and passages. Take a pen or marker and mark any words you don't understand. Look up the meanings of words in the dictionary for a better understanding of the text, as is the case with the cultural context.
3. 3 Explore the meaning of the name. When you start reading, think about the meaning of the title. Why did the author choose this option? Is it a simple title that refers to a scene or a subject like the story “Yellow Wallpaper”? What is the reason for the choice of such a title for the work?
   • Think about the title to better understand the main topic and analyze the text more accurately.
4. 4 Define a central theme. The analysis of the title will help determine the main topic of the work, and the topic itself will become the framework on top of which the rest of the analysis will be located. If you understand what topic the structural elements of the text point to, it will be easier for you to evaluate how successfully the author coped with the task.
5. 5 Explore the structural components of the piece. Examine the structural elements and determine how they are presented in the text. Find examples of each element and determine how each relates to the main theme. You can write or sketch such connections to structure thoughts.
   • Time and place of action - describe your surroundings.
   • Plot - the events that take place in the text.
   • Characters - the motivation and depth of each character, how it changes or does not change due to the events of the plot. Characters can be people, objects, and even ideas (especially in poetry).
   • Conflict is the resistance that the protagonist faces, the climax and the solution.
   • Themes are the narrator's observations of human nature.
   • Point of view - the character's way of thinking (curiosity, condescending attitude). Sometimes it is a way of storytelling (from the first or third person).
   • Tone - sad, joyful, angry, indifferent mood of the text.
   • Symbols are objects, people and places that are constantly repeated in the plot and represent a different abstract idea.
6. 6 Interpret the text. Analyze the different elements of the text and then interpret based on your analysis. One can come to the following conclusion: the author could have done better, the author has done a thorough job, some elements of the text are unusually related to modern society.
   • At this stage, you can write down your version of the interpretation, as it can become a good preparation for a thesis, if later you need to write a work on the work.
   • You can also look at external sources like books or articles in reputable magazines to check the accuracy of your interpretation.

Tips

• Always consider how the author's technique affects the overall meaning of the work.
• If you have not been able to thoroughly grasp all the components of the text the first time, re-read the work again and keep such components in mind.
• The critical analysis should not contain a retelling of the entire book. Your task is to appreciate the essence, not present the plot.

Warnings

• The considered approaches to the analysis of literature are quite complex and take time to master. If you are not yet familiar with such methods and you do not need to complete an individual task, then it is better not to use such approaches for now.