The first step is to break down the process into manageable steps, and remember there are things to do before, during, and after you read a literary work.

Keeping to this system will help you when you’re looking for content to write, especially when analysing longer works. A short poem can easily be read multiple times, but a long novel will likely only get read once, so be sure you are clear on your task before you start reading.

Elements to think about before reading:

Remember there is nothing more important than answering the question you were asked, or in case of more advanced essays, including the entire point of view you were told.

In the case of being asked to analyse one of the following areas, be clear as to what information you should underline whilst reading. Explanations of each are included in “categories” which you can find to the left of your screen (computer), or at the top of the page (mobile).

Whilst reading:

The most important thing to do whilst reading (other than to be attentive!), is to underline things of interest and write comments in the margins. This will make things a lot quicker once you have finished, as you will easily know why you underlined an idea.

Sometimes, or some people, do not like to write on books or cannot as they are borrowed, this is not a problem, you can jot down page numbers and your comment on a pad or an electronic note you have available. You may also want to write down the first two or three words of the line you want to quote.

As you go on reading, try to remember what has been said, not only in a capacity to follow the story, but if you notice that certain things keep being mentioned, for example, colours or the time, then these will serve as elements for your analysis later.

Remember, everything down to the exact word chosen to express something, can be analysed.

To do after reading and before writing: The Analysis

After reading, sit back and ask yourself “What is actually going on in the story?” Respond in very basic terms e.g. maybe it was about society and women looking for husbands, or maybe an experiment gone wrong. Then expand from here.

The following is for a general analysis of a work. For specific analysis pointers, i.e. literary movements, comparative analysis etc. choose your desired option from “categories”. Bare in mind the following may help you to better structure your essay, and not forget any details, no matter your experience writing critical analyses.

Elements to analyse

To understand the story:

• What is the main plot about?
• What does the work centre around? The story’s events, the connection between characters, the time and location (ex. war time).
• What genre is it? (There is a full list in “categories”)
• What is the conflict in the story, what moment was its climax, and what outcome did it produce?
• What were the consequences of the outcome?

Elements chosen by the writer:

• Angle of vision: what type of story did the writer choose to tell, from which perspective, and how do they want the reader to feel about the characters?
• Themes / subject matter (explained further below).
• Form: prose, poem, or drama.
• Style: narrative, descriptive, expository (exposes facts).
• Everyday real world, or, fantastical, mythical.
• Mood* (the emotions the author wants to provoke in the reader overall): nostalgia, curiousness, optimism etc.
• Tone* (the author’s attitude toward subject matter): serious / trivial, formal / informal, and any human emotion (confusion, nostalgic, ironic etc.).
• Location and setting.
• The writer also chooses the order of events in a story, to give it dramatic effect for the reader.

*Mood is produced by specific word choice, themes, and setting. Tone is created through the words used in dialogue and description.

Narrative structure:

• Where does the reader join the story: after a decision has been made and we live the hardships of the choice with them; or before the decision and we live the struggle to choose with them?
• What is the first scene painted for the reader: is the character alone in a moment of solitude, reflection, or “dealing” with their problems and feelings; or in the swing of things surrounded by society and other characters?
• Does the reader see a history of the character’s “normal” life before the big event happened, or solely some flash back snippets?

Narration techniques:

• Some choices for narration are: the protagonist tells their own story; someone close to them tells it; or a third person narrative with an objective or subjective view tells it. Another choice includes a “stream of consciousness”.
• Omniscient: (3rd person) an all-knowing narrator who goes in and out of the characters' minds at will.
• Over-the-shoulder: (3rd person) the account is limited to what a particular character sees, and the reader experiences what this character experiences.
• First person: it could be the protagonist or a character not particularly involved in the story, they tell the events with their point of view.
• Multiple / mixed: the narration goes between various voices.
• Unreliable narrator: their rendition of the story may not be complete or acurate, this could be intentional or unintentional.

Themes:

• Themes indicate the important ideas of a literary work. “Love” is not a theme, but the issue it raises to teach characters and the reader, is. The resulting theme could be “love is selfless”, “true love will persevere” etc.
• Other examples can include, a story about a group of women looking for husbands, the themes could be: becoming a woman / adult; society’s expectations; social standing; family prospects; and the future. Another example could be a man keeping up appearances in the light of day, but then running around in the dark of the night, presenting themes such as: social respectability, reality, deception, human nature.

Motif:

• A motif is a reoccurring element during the story that helps represent a theme. It can be given as an object, image, or quote. For example, a clock (motif) which is frequently looked at by a certain character, could represent “the passing of time” (theme) which in turn shows how life is fleeting (theme).

Symbol:

• A symbol is an object, place, image, idea, or happening that represents something beyond its initial meaning. It can appear only once or it can be an ongoing element in the story, if it is reoccurring then it can also be considered a motif. A symbol, for example, could be white clothes to represent purity; water to represent rebirth; a forest to represent mystery and danger.

Characters:

• Identify the types of relationships between the characters, were they: family, romantic, friends, worker / employee, owner / slave, neighbours, of equal social standing, fellow academics, enemies, same ideology? Think about how these dynamics create the story, and how they drive the plot.
• Notice when something happens to a character, what was their reaction? If someone said or heard something terrible and remained calm, what does that say about them? Was it the situation that forced them to react that way, and then in private they took on another attitude? All information both given and not presented in a work, is a choice made by the author. Analyse it.

Your thoughts:

• What do you think about the work as a whole, and what is its impression on you? Get your thoughts in order because if you don’t clearly understand your stance, it will show in your writing.
• Think about the author’s intentions, your own personal point of view, and any other point of view the teacher has told you, such as, historical analysis, social analysis etc. (the list is at the top of the article).
• You need to question: the amount of description given, specific words used, individual events, choices made by characters, characters’ personality and behaviour, is any of the plot plausible? Did the themes teach clear and valuable lessons? What was the purpose of mixing these themes in one work, and do they mesh well or was the story forced? Should the author have taken a different approach, maybe a different narrator, or set a different tone? Did the setting enhance the story? There are endless details that can be mentioned, don’t hold back, and remember you can always ask your teacher if you have any doubts!
• Remember you don’t actually have to think these things personally and have big opinions on a work, but you do have to pick an angle and argue clearly for and against it. English literature isn’t everyone’s cup of tea but we do all have to study it.

Once you are ready to write:

• Once you have researched all the relevant information for your specific essay, brainstorm your personal views on what you have found.
• When you have all your ideas and opinions clear, put them in a logical order. Remember you should always include points for and against your premises to show balance, and that you have thought about the idea fully, and still support it.
• Choose your quotes.
• Try to use straight forward language so it is easy to follow, but substitute any basic words such as “good” using a thesaurus. And don’t forget to use strong connectors (yet, nonetheless, whereas) to start paragraphs and unify ideas.
• Prepare a strong introduction (this is sometimes easier to do after writing your essay, as you know exactly what you included).
• For the body of the essay, write clear paragraphs, using one of your ideas in each.
• Remember: use correct punctuation and a spell-check. Do not use suspension marks (…) at any time. If you are giving examples, write a maximum of 3 and use etc. Do not make the reader guess your thoughts.
• Always write a conclusion, and start it with a strong connector, for example, reviewing the aforementioned, in closing etc. It should sum up the essay reaching any statements you wrote in the introduction.
• A conclusion should never include a new idea or point of view.

After writing:

• Proof read: grammar, spelling, negatives, citations, layout (is it the specific requirements your teacher asked for?)
• Did you answer the whole question?
• Does it make sense?
• Did you pick an idea and stick to it?
• Is it repetitive?
• Does it have any counter points?
• Do you have an introduction, argument (body), and conclusion?
• Did you put any new ideas in the conclusion? (You should never do this).
• Did you use a maximum of three examples, followed by etc.? Remember never to use suspension points (…).

Note:

How you order what you find and how many words you dedicate to each idea, is up to you. Remember, there should be one idea to each paragraph, and each paragraph should roughly be the same length.

How long each paragraph is, will primarily be based on how long the essay is, is it 1 page homework, an essay of 3-6 pages, or the end of term project 12+ pages? Then think about how many ideas you found, and how much you have to say about each.

Also, think about how much you want to state the obvious by focusing on basic ideas, or if you prefer to directly concentrate on more exciting points, delving into the ones that intrigued you most as a reader. Additionally, know if you are required to include a small summary of the plot, as some teachers will ask this of you and many others will not accept this as good word count. Know your teacher!

And last but not least, remember that no reader reads the same today as the reader from yesterday, or the one from tomorrow. Humans will always understand things in different manners, this is because they are conditioned by their own experiences, and each to their own time. Interpretation is not based on what is actually written, but an individual’s perception.