Books are full of hidden meanings, which usually take the form of themes, symbols, or various forms of irony. The only way to uncover the meaning behind a text, though, is to stop and think about what the author is trying to say. When you analyze a work of literature—when you identify its parts and figure out how they work together, you are engaging in literary analysis. You may have written a literary analysis essay earlier this year, based on the novel Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry. This semester, you will complete an analysis of the nonfiction book you just finished reading—The Diary of a Young Girl.
Watch this video to learn more about the purpose of a literary analysis. As you watch and listen, imagine how you might use the same process to analyze nonfiction, such as Anne Frank's diary.
Literary Analysis
Remember how math problems were pretty straightforward when you were younger? You could easily count on your fingers or even memorize the multiplication tables. But as you began to grow in your studies, math became more complicated with geometrical theorems and algebraic expressions. Just like math, our study of literature also grows in sophistication. We no longer only just follow the plot and recite character names, but we dig deep into symbols and hidden meanings.
To accomplish this kind of advanced study, we employ literary analysis. This explains a work of fiction, poetry, or drama by interpreting it. This kind of exploration broadens and deepens our understanding. The key to literary analysis is the individual response, or interpretation, that addresses an often-elusive greater meaning.
While your interpretation of a certain work may be different from others, it is important to prove your analysis by finding a pattern of examples in the literature that supports your idea. For example, one could consider The Hunger Games a criticism of materialism by its consistent depictions of the Capitol's ridiculous extravagances. Other literary elements you can draw from are things like plot, point-of-view, character, setting, symbols, tone, and style. You may even be able to find evidence of your interpretation in secondary sources like published critical analyses.
The further you progress in mathematics, the more difficult the concepts become. Literature is no different—so don't be disappointed if this kind of analysis challenges you in new and different ways. You might discover even the most straightforward stories end up full of symbols and encoded significance.
Works of fiction reveal their meanings mainly through plot, setting, and character development. When you analyze nonfiction text, you will need to consider other elements as well, such as structure, purpose, and tone.
Question
If you and your classmates have read the same book, will your literary analysis essays say the same thing?
