Literature Review Essays

Your formal written essay for this unit will be a “Literature Review.”

It must include the following:

·         An introduction to the piece of literature you are reviewing.

·         A brief synopsis of the novel. (No more than 5 sentences).

·         Some information about the author and their writing process or even their specific writing process for this novel.

·         An extended segment of analysis of how the author portrays the topic of accepting change and finality in life (You can view this as character based or thematic based, either way you are expected to include one quote, both supported with analysis and not merely plot summary).

·         A conclusion of your review that can offer either praise or fair criticism*. 

These steps do not have to be split up into separate paragraphs as they can be blended together throughout the essay. The organization choice is yours.

*Remember that “fair criticism” does not include statements such as “this author sucks” or “the novel was boring.” Instead, you can bring up certain concerns about the novel, example:

“Fannie Flagg tries to display racism in the South, but her constant focus on privileged white women unfortunately leaves many of the black characters pushed into the backdrop and as they are never fully developed.”

“While some readers may find Ken Kesey’s detailed descriptions of the mental institution useful in establishing the horror of the setting, others might find this method of writing a bit slow and lacking character development.”

Remember that the analysis section will probably be the most difficult part as it requires the most critical thinking. Make sure to incorporate a claim with “author’s purpose” (Why is the author portraying this particular message?) Use the following steps to make sure that you are writing effective analysis:

·         What is important about this passage?

·         What is the author saying without directly saying it? (Think of your passive aggressive friends).

·         What specifically from the quote (think about the word choice or the way the author is saying it) makes it support your claim?

·         Connect this analysis of the passage back to the significance your claim and overall argument. (This is tying it all together).

This essay should be 2-3 pages in length.

Due Date: Friday May 3^rd