Literary Analysis Brainstorming Answer the following questions about Their Eyes Were Watching God (See attached) to help you come up with a topic for your literary analysis essay. After you answer these questions below, make a claim about what the author is showing in the novel. Be prepared to back up that claim with textual evidence (quotations). What struck you? Did a particular image, line, character or scene linger in your mind for a long time? If it fascinated you, chances are you can draw on it to write a fascinating essay. What confused you? Maybe you were surprised to see a character act in a certain way, or maybe you didnt understand why the book ended the way it did. Confusing moments in a work of literature are like a loose thread in a sweater: if you pull on it, you can unravel the entire thing. Ask yourself why the author chose to write about that character or scene the way he or she did and you might tap into some important insights about the work as a whole. Did you notice any patterns? Is there a phrase that the main character uses constantly or an image that repeats throughout the book? If you can figure out how that pattern weaves through the work and what the significance of that pattern is, youve almost got your entire essay mapped out. Did you notice any contradictions or ironies? Great works of literature are complex; great literary essays recognize and explain those complexities. Maybe the title Happy Days totally disagrees with the books subject matter (hungry orphans dying in the woods). Maybe the main character acts one way around his family and a completely different way around his friends and associates. If you can find a way to explain a works contradictory elements, youve got the seeds of a great essay. How does the author comment on issues human beings face in society? Good literature provides narratives that everyday people can relate to. The content should provide a glimpse into the struggles of human beings and provide greater understanding of how to deal with them.Show more
