Notes on Literary Analysis: Theme, Argument Structure, and TKAM Example

Overview: Purpose of Literary Analysis

  • When we write a literary analysis, our job is to use the parts of a text to support an overall claim that we make in our thesis statement.
  • The parts of the text we analyze would be elements such as characterization, setting, symbolism, story structure (such as the use of flashbacks), and figurative language (such as similes and metaphors), just to name a few.
  • With that in mind, a strong thesis statement will do a couple of things:
    • Make a claim about the theme. A theme is not just one word, but rather the overarching idea that an author is trying to convey about an idea or belief.
  • Some tips for finding the theme in the piece of literature include:
    • Look at the story's title… does it offer a clue? If the title is used at some point in the work, look at that passage carefully as it is probably very important to the theme
    • Consider how the main character changes (or doesn't change) and why
    • Identify the lessons/other things the main character learns
    • Analyze the meaning behind key passages (those where the narrator or main character offers insights) in the story

What is an Argument?

  • Many people think of an argument as a disagreement, but in actuality, it is simply a debatable claim or position supported by evidence. Arguments can take many forms; they can be persuasive, informative, exploratory or academic.
  • When you analyze a text, you are making an academic argument, which simply means that you are addressing an audience that is already well-informed about the topic, using a formal style (in terms of your diction or word choice), and following standard formatting and grammar usage. Academic arguments also cite and document sources, and we will be using MLA format for this purpose.
  • To structure and support your written argument, you will need a central claim (thesis), expanded by related "subclaims" (topic sentences), supported by evidence (quotations, details or examples from the text), and developed with your own thinking and reasoning that provides a link between the evidence and the claims.

Structure of the Body Paragraphs

  • So, once you have your thesis statement, you will develop the support for it in your body paragraphs. Each of your paragraphs must begin with a clear topic sentence that introduces the aspect of your thesis you will develop in that paragraph.
  • EXAMPLE: Over the course of the novel, Scout evolves from an innocent child who judges people through a narrow social lens to a young adult who understands and values the differences in people.
  • In the topic sentence above, there is a clear connection to the thesis (claim that Scout's loss of innocence leads to mature and socially responsible thinking), along with a specific focus for the paragraph (the characterization of Scout). This body paragraph will then focus on analyzing some examples from the novel that show how Scout's character evolution occurs.

Analyzing TKAM: Theme and Elements

  • So, if you are thinking about the importance of innocence in TKAM, you need to think about what Lee is trying to convey about that idea.
  • You might come up with something like this:
    • "In To Kill a Mockingbird, Harper Lee reveals that the loss of innocence can lead to mature and socially responsible thinking."
  • Now, decide which literary elements you want to analyze to support this theme. In TKAM, the characterization of Jem and Scout, as well as some of the symbols in the novel, work well with the theme of the loss of innocence.
  • Assuming you want to use those elements, you would then incorporate them into your theme statement to form your complete thesis, as shown in the following example:
    • EXAMPLE: "In To Kill a Mockingbird, Harper Lee reveals that the loss of innocence can lead to mature and socially responsible thinking through her characterization of Scout and Jem, as well as her use of symbolism."
  • Topic Sentences
  • Topic sentences are a critical link between your thesis and the body of your essay where you will provide evidence to prove your overall claim. A topic sentence will make a "subclaim" that develops a particular aspect of your thesis (you can think of it as a mini-thesis for that paragraph).

Evidence and MLA Style

  • Remember, every piece of evidence requires the following:
    • Context
    • Lead-in (also called a signal phrase)
    • Quote itself
    • In-text citation in MLA format
    • Explanation which includes both the WHAT is shown in the evidence (explicit analysis) and the HOW it connect to the thesis (implicit analysis).
  • EXAMPLE: In the beginning of the novel, Scout believes the local legend that Boo Radley is a monster. As Scout, Jem and Dill are contemplating visiting Boo Radley's house for entertainment, Scout describes Boo as a \"malevolent phantom\" who \"went out at night when the moon was down, and peeped in windows. When people's azaleas froze in a cold snap, it was because he had breathed on them\" (Lee 9). Scout's description of Boo shows that she does not question society's view of him, reflecting her innocence as she does not at this point question what she has been taught.

Worked Example: Boo Radley and the Loss of Innocence (TL;DR of the evidence section)

"In the beginning of the novel, Scout believes the local legend that Boo Radley is a monster. As Scout, Jem and Dill are contemplating visiting Boo Radley's house for entertainment, Scout describes Boo as a \"malevolent phantom\" who \"went out at night when the moon was down, and peeped in windows. When people's azaleas froze in a cold snap, it was because he had breathed on them\" (Lee 9). Scout's description of Boo shows that she does not question society's view of him, reflecting her innocence as she does not at this point question what she has been taught.