English Final Essay: Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro
Explore how Kazuo Ishiguro explores a particular theme in his novel Never Let Me Go. This will result in a “theme-based” thesis statement and literary analysis.
For example, one possible theme could be death; therefore, your essay will explore not just the fact that he wrote about death, but what Ishiguro is saying about death.
Objectives of the Final Essay:
1. Analyze a work of literature.
2. Create a thesis that conveys a unique or interesting idea about the work, and then prove
your thesis using evidence from the text.
3. Use literary techniques (setting, tone, imagery, etc) to help prove your thesis.
4. Be sure to use specific quotes and examples from the piece to prove your point, and make
sure you cite them! (page number).
1. How many literary devices should I explore?
Between one (1) and three (3). If you are only exploring two literary devices, make sure you have enough textual evidence to write two paragraphs on the same literary device. The most important thing is that you have a strong, complex idea at the heart of your thesis. Whatever literary elements you see the author using to convey this idea are secondary to the idea itself.
2. How many proofs (quotes) do I need per paragraph?
Please use two-three (2-3) quotes per paragraph.
3. The title of a novel is either italicized or underlined: Never Let Me Go or Never Let Me Go.
4. Remember to analyze the quotes you provide. Don’t just observe that they are examples of a particular literary element, or repeat what the quote is describing, but rather analyze how the quotes contribute to the meaning/message of the novel (the “Big Idea” in your thesis claim).