The Guide to Writing a Literary Essay

Writing a Literary Essay

A literary essay is a discussion about a piece of literature. In this case, you will be given a topic (the thesis statement) and your essay will “prove” that the topic is true by using examples from the story.

This kind of essay will follow the same format (with some variations) from Secondary I right through to Secondary V, so it is a format that you need to learn. Here is a basic outline of the format, which is composed of the Introduction, the Body (paragraphs 2, 3 & 4) and the Conclusion.

• Paragraph 1 – Introduction
• Paragraph 2 – Point #1, discussion & example(s)
• Paragraph 3 – Point #2, discussion & example(s)
• Paragraph 4 – Point #3, discussion & example(s)
• Paragraph 5 – Conclusion

The Formalities of a Literary Essay

There are a few things to note about writing a literary essay. First, it is a formal piece of writing. Slang and “writing shortcuts” – for example, chat-style spelling – are not appropriate. Second, you need to have a clear understanding of the thesis and how it relates to the story. What is the thesis asking you to think about? What details in the story relate to that idea? Third, you need to plan out your essay so that the ideas flow from paragraph to paragraph.

This kind of writing requires a time of thought before you start writing the essay – in fact, writing is nearly the last step in the process. Re-read the story. Make notes on what details in the story support the thesis. Make an outline before you start writing.

Finally, once you’ve finished the writing and the editing and you’ve done the best job you can possible do, let the writing “sit” for a couple of days. Don’t read it, and don’t even think about it! Then, when you go back to it, try to see it with the eyes of the person who will be will be reading it. Does it make sense? Do the points support your argument? Could you make better vocabulary choices? Is this the best piece of writing you’ve ever done? If you’ve answered any of these questions in the negative, then you need to go back and do some revising. In the end, you should feel that you’ve produced a solid piece of writing that you can be proud of!

Paragraph 1 – The Introduction

This is the introduction to the essay. It tells the reader what and/or who will be discussed. It contains, in the following order:

• The thesis statement
• The name of the story about which the essay is being written
• The name of the author
• The name(s) of the characters that will be discussed
• A general sentence that relates to the thesis and wraps up the paragraph

Here is an example of the introductory paragraph to an essay on a story called “Flying”.

Any system that tries to force everyone to be the same will fail. In the short story “Flying” by Margo McLoughlin, Jessie and Wanda, the main characters, were among a small minority of people who had the gift of flying. The majority group of people, who were known as “groundwalkers”, wanted all flyers to abandon their way of life and become groundwalkers.

Paragraphs 2, 3 and 4 – The Body

These paragraphs are the body of the essay. They discuss the situation(s) in the story and provide evidence that supports the thesis. Here is the body of the essay on “Flying”.

Jessie and Wanda were two of the young flyers left in the society of groundwalkers. The groundwalkers had killed or taken away many of the children’s parents and sent their children to a school to be “re-educated” – to be turned into groundwalkers. The groundwalkers were afraid of the flyers because they seemed fearless and unpredictable. The groundwalkers felt that their society would be so much better, more calm and stable, if everyone was the same.

The young flyers were given new heavy shoes and clothing, and they had to attend classes where they were taught all the pleasures of conforming and becoming groundwalkers. They were supposed to graduate from the school as reformed members of society, with their feet firmly planted on the ground.

In any society, however, it is impossible to make everyone the same. One can change one’s perspectives, lifestyle, point of view and beliefs, but one cannot change what a person is born with - the core talents and essence that make a person an individual. In the case of the flyers, one might just as well have expected the birds to stop flying. It simply cannot be done!

Paragraph 5 – The Conclusion

The conclusion wraps up the essay by using a general statement that relates to the thesis. A final sentence that relates to the characters and/or the situation finishes off the essay. The conclusion must not introduce any new elements or ideas into the essay and must bring a feeling of having arrived at the end of the piece. Here is the conclusion to the essay on “Flying”.

At the end of the story, Jessie and Wanda, after solemnly swearing that they had changed their ways and become walkers, stood in the auditorium’s open doorway and felt the breeze and the urging of the rising winds. They looked at each other, tested the wind, and gently flew away. The society of the groundwalkers had tried to impose behaviours that denied the essence of what a flyer was – an attempt that by its very nature was doomed to failure. One cannot become what one is not.