Literary Elements Writing Project 1: Analysis of Literary Devices

Writing project 1: Literary elements

Select one or two works written by any author in volume c of your textbook and discuss his/her writing in the context of at least three literary elements (see list and links below). Please be sure to maintain a formal/ objective tone throughout and include direct quotations from the work(s) for support.  

To guide your audience to a place of deeper understanding of how the literary elements function together to enhance a work’s meaning and overall effect.

Students (peers) who have read your literary work but need help with interpretation, context, and understanding.

Requirements for final essay: 4-5 mla (8th ed.) formatted content pages plus works cited page with 1-2 primary source(s) – secondary sources not recommended brainstorming idea.

Experiment with this thesis “formula”:

In his short story “peace,” John doe uses x in order to show/ highlight/ discuss y.

X= characterization, irony, symbolism (or any three of the literary elements)

Y= your interpretation!

Common literary elements/ devices.

Characterization: People featured in the story, novel, poem, or play (how are they described? What choices do they make?

Does the author intend for them to deliver a specific message and/or represent something about human nature? How might the reader typically respond to them?  Are they “flat” Or “round”? Do they change or stay the same?

How the plot works (typical example: Exposition, complication, crisis, climax, resolution).

The time and place of the piece (consider urban/rural environments, past/present/future, cultural implications, etc.

The author’s attitude toward the material that then translates to the reader’s feelings about it (sad, hopeful, angry, funny, etc.

The speaker or storyteller/ narrator (1st or 3rd person) questions to ask:  

What do we know about this narrator? Why does it matter which of the characters or narrators does the actual telling? Is he/she reliable?

A technique indicating the opposition of/ difference between what is stated directly and what is really happening. People and situations are often not what they seem. Consider verbal, dramatic, and cosmic irony.  

Words and/or objects represent or suggest something else, often an abstract concept.  Examples: Dove = peace, biblical apple = sin, etc.

Patterns of stressed and unstressed syllables (often found in poetry).  Think of musical “beats.”

Word choice, syntax (arrangement of words/phrases), Sentence structure, organization of ideas

Make an appointment with the writing center soon! Those who work there, mostly a-b tech english instructors and student peer tutors, are available to help you during any stage of this process from brainstorming to drafting to making final revisions.