how to write a literary essay introduction

Literary terms refer to the words people use when discussing literature, whether prose or poetry. For example, you could describe characterization, or the character's personality, in relation to the conflict in a novel. in English writing. It is a short part but it has to catch an attention of your audience, use all your writing talent. One option is to take a quotation directly from the story or poem; particularly moving words grab attention. Depending on the angle of literary analysis, you may need to include background information, a description of the period or even a brief summary of the piece. Another strategy is to ask thought-provoking questions. The first step is to read the book that you wish to analyze and take notes. The thesis statement usually is placed at the very end of the introduction, or right after your hook statement at the start. Alternatively, writers can pose a rhetorical question that gets answered later in the essay. The introduction also includes the title and author of every pieces being discussed. Students analyze these elements in essays to gain a better appreciation and understanding of a piece of literature as a whole. It may be helpful to begin with your introduction (though not always). The final sentence of the introduction is the thesis statement. Published on February 4, 2019 by Shona McCombes. The paper starts with the hook. The main goals of your introduction are to: Catch your reader’s attention and interest. A literary elements essay catalogs how different components of literature work in a piece. The statement must be debatable, so evaluate your sentence to determine whether readers could argue with it. A literary elements essay catalogs how different components of literature work in a piece. Alternatively, the essay could function as a comparison between two literary works' use of imagery. A typical literary analysis essay always has an introduction, body part, conclusion. An introduction usually makes up 5–10% of your whole essay, although there is no absolute rule. Copyright 2020 Leaf Group Ltd. / Leaf Group Education, How to Write a Good Argumentative Essay Introduction, How to Write a Conclusion in a Critical Lens Essay, Rules for Writing a Reading Response Essay, How to Start a Narrative Essay for English, Gwynedd Mercy College: How to Write a Literary Analysis Essay, Purdue Online Writing Lab: Writing a Literary Analysis Presentation, Purdue Online Writing Lab: Literary Terms, University of Maryland University College: Introductions, Purdue Online Writing Lab: Developing Strong Thesis Statements. For example, if you’re writing an essay about foreign aid, you can describe the tragedy of undernourished children to evoke some emotions in your readers. Give context and background on … Develop a sequence to your ideas. Writing an introduction. Make a flow chart in connection to the sequence of ideas starting with the introduction, body, and conclusion. To develop the thesis, consider the angle you are taking with the literary elements. The content and style of an introduction to an essay will depend on the purpose of your writing. Revised on July 17, 2020. Introduction . You should start it creatively in order to gain your reader’s interest. NOT IN THE MIDDLE The introduction may not be the first part of the literary elements essay that students write, but it needs to be a strong paragraph that serves as a preview to the following analysis. Literary elements are the tools writers use to express their ideas. In writing a literary essay, the following guidelines and for content winning essay should help: Brainstorm all ideas and write them on a piece of paper and choose which will be best as your topic. Nadia Archuleta has a B.A. Give a brief preview of your main points, transitioning the reader from the broad context of the poem to the essay's specific point. Action plan to write a good literary analysis essay 1) Read a Book. The essay builds on the strength of the thesis statement. An introduction may be more than one paragraph, though in a short essay, it is typically only one. The introduction of an essay starts from the general and works to the specific. Look for different literary devices that the author is using as the story develops. She spent five years working abroad and has traveled extensively. Literary Terms . For example, in an essay about characterization, you could start with, "Why would a person choose to …," naming some action that relates to the conflict. Another option is to take a literary element such as symbolism, using an object to stand for something else, and relate it to a larger textual theme such as ideas about love or religion. This is a good strategy, especially when writing a persuasive essay introduction about a personal topic. If you are writing a literature essay, planning will help you decide which parts of the text to focus on and what points to make. A good introduction paragraph is both engaging and informative. Concentrating on one or two literary elements makes the claim manageable. A thesis statement must also be narrow enough to verify within the confines of the essay; you'll support your thesis statement with evidence from the text. If writing about how a literary element relates to the wider world, you could start with a startling generalization that you later support in the essay. How long should an introduction be? A strong introduction starts with an effective hook, or attention-getter. Numbering them helps you decide on the order. Begin to write the paper. It will help you get your audience emotionally involved in the topic. Make one concrete statement related to that angle and consider its effectiveness as a thesis statement. Your introduction may also provide an outline of the key argument(s) presented in the essay and how you are planning to answer the question. The introduction may not be the first part of the literary elements essay that students write, but it needs to be a strong paragraph that serves as a preview to the following analysis. Literary terms refer to the words people use when discussing literature, whether prose or poetry. She has worked as an English as a Foreign/Second Language teacher for 12 years. If supporting the statement seems overwhelming, it is too broad; keep narrowing down the angle until it feels manageable. 1) The introduction is the first paragraph in your literary analysis. 16. How to write an essay introduction. Seems overwhelming, it is typically only one their ideas Language teacher for 12 years introduction ( though always. Your writing essay catalogs how different components of literature work in a piece 's personality, relation! Characterization, or right after your hook statement at the start being discussed five years working abroad has... 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