Is focused on one topic
A theme or symbol(s) or development, and so on.
It may be interpretive or evaluative in nature
Is supported by:
textual examples
explanations
outside sources (cited, of course)
It examines the text, not the author.
It may consider any/all of the following:
structure, plot
setting(s)
character(s)
style, tone, language
symbols, allegories, allusions
theme(s)
If there is a summary, it is extremely brief (perhaps a sentence or two, certainly no more than a paragraph).
Remember that the narrator is not the same as the author.
Literature is crafted, so examine the craft
Consider the context of the literature:
What forces shaped it?
How was it received?
You essay must be :
Written in third-person narrative perspective
Use multiple (at least three) sources that are
Explained
Cited
Clearly organized
Follows MLA style and format
Five to seven pages in length, plus a Works Cited page and an outline