Literary Analysis
YOU MAY NOT MERELY SUMMARIZE THE BOOK. YOU WILL RECEIVE A “0” if you write a summary. This is the last part of your SSR grade. You must choose one of the following topics and defend/support your thesis by providing thorough analysis of TEXT FROM THE BOOK!
The topics you can choose from are the following (circle ONE):
TOPIC 1:
Often characters show love and compassion towards others. Analyze the compassionate actions of one or two characters. What is the author suggesting we do differently in our own lives by following these examples?
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TOPIC 2:
Motifs play a significant role in books. Choose one motif, discuss how it’s used to create meaning, and analyze the author’s purpose for using it.
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TOPIC 3:
Trace the change and transformation one of the main characters. What are we supposed to learn about life from this character?
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TOPIC 4:
There are moments of sacrifice in most novels. Analyze moments of sacrifice and discuss what we are supposed to learn about life from these examples?
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REQUIREMENTS:
- your typed literary analysis should be between 3-5 pages; you can’t do this well in less than that
- Manuscript Rules – look at the rubric to format your document using Word. I will review formatting in class.
- this will be written in 3rd person so using personal pronouns (he, she) to refer to characters is acceptable
- FOR THIS PAPER DO NOT use “I” and DO NOT use “YOU/YOUR”
- Since this is a formal essay, DO NOT use contractions – they are informal
- write in the present tense and be consistent about it; characters in novels are considered living, breathing human beings
- 5 quotations (w/citations) from the novel (for maximum points). Quotations should support your thesis.
SCORING: (100 pts. for the Final Draft)
DUE DATE: No later than: Friday, November 15th at the beginning of the period.
NOTES ABOUT THESIS STATEMENTS
Keep these things in mind when writing a thesis statement:
1. A thesis is NOT the whole essay; a thesis is the main idea, often expressed in a single sentence.
2. A thesis can also be thought of as the main argument of your paper
3. A thesis should NOT be a laundry list of your main points
4. It should merely set up the topic and give any general information the listener needs to know.
5. Every topic paragraph should clearly support your thesis – create strong links that return to what you are explaining throughout your paper.
There are three kinds of thesis statements:
- SIMPLE: Usually more descriptive and generic in nature
SPECIFIC SUBJECT + SPECIFIC FEELING[S]/FEATURES[s] = THESIS
EXAMPLES:
· The history of the United States is dominated by lust for money, possessions, and power.
· Unexpecting, average people like Mrs. Dubose, Atticus Finch, and Link Deas all show the real meaning of courage without the supernatural powers or fancy costumes throughout the novel.
- INTERMEDIATE: Usually more complex; addresses the larger message/call to action
AUTHOR + VERB + CHARACTER/SYMBOL/THEME/DEVICE/ETC. + PICK FROM BELOW + POINT
to discuss, in order to, to examine, to relate, concentrates on, to trace,
to see if, to show [shows,] to prove [proves,] to determine, to explain,
to argue [argues,] to persuade [persuades]
EXAMPLES:
· Harper Lee uses references to flowers as a symbol to prove that in times of despair one can always find beauty.
· Harper Lee illustrates the theme of childhood innocence through her young characters to represent the fact that things are not always as clear as they may seem to be.
3. ADVANCED: This developed thesis includes contrast and may use words like therefore or although. With this type of thesis sentence, you will want to include the part and whole.
EXAMPLES:
- Though many people wait for an extraordinary person to stop injustice, Lee passionately argues it is the courageous acts of average people that change society for the better.
- Ralph’s inability to lead exposes man’s inherent evil nature in the face of adversity.
Literary Analysis RUBRIC
Formatting: Presentation
Manuscript Rules:
name, course & class period, date, the first line, upper left corner (double spaced)
all margins set at 1 inch
there is a creative title, centered, w/blank line above and below
capitalize 1st, last, and all important words in title
title is not larger or in bold, underlined, no quotes, all caps., etc.
essay is double-spaced; no extra space between paragraphs
Times New Roman 12 pt. font for all text including title and heading
paragraphs are indented; 1 tab
page numbering
name (header) at the top of each page
5 all manuscript rules were followed (10)
4 one or two errors with manuscript rules (8-9)
3 a few errors with manuscript rules (7)
2 several errors with manuscript rules (6)
1 many errors with manuscript rules
Formatting: Research Skills
Proper Citation: (Hugo 38). – unless name is mentioned in intro. then use (38).
Passages that appear in Literary Analysis text as less than 4 complete lines:
Introduced with a comma
enclosed in quotation marks
followed by proper citation (as above)
Passages that appear in Literary Analysis text as 4 complete lines are more:
Introduced with a colon
NO quotation marks (unless you’re quoting dialogue then use single quotation marks)
Double indented & single-spaced
Followed by proper citation (as above)
5 ALL evidence is properly documented, spaced, punctuated, etc.
4 MOST of the evidence is properly documented, spaced, punctuated, etc.
3 SOME of the evidence is properly documented, spaced, punctuated, etc.
2 FEW pieces of the evidence are properly documented, spaced, punctuated, etc.
1 LESS THAN 3 pieces of evidence are properly documented, spaced, punctuated, etc.
Conventions
10 spelling, capitalization, punctuation are correct
grammar and usage are correct
8 spelling, capitalization, punctuation are mostly correct
minor errors with grammar and usage
6 several errors with spelling, capitalization, punctuation
some grammar and usage errors are repeated in a few places
3 spelling, capitalization, punctuation errors occur often but the message remains clear
many grammar and usage errors but the message remains clear
some fragments & run-ons present
1 spelling, capitalization, punctuation errors occur often and interfere with the writer’s message
grammar and usage errors occur often and distract from meaning
many fragments & run-ons present
Content: Ideas/Support
20 5 effective/purposeful quotations are included
All integrated well and thoroughly analyzed and linked to the topic/thesis
16 4 effective/purposeful quotations are included – 1 may be ineffective
Most integrated well and thoroughly analyzed and linked to the topic/thesis
12 3 effective/purposeful quotations are included – 2 may be ineffective
Some integrated well and thoroughly analyzed and linked to the topic/thesis
8 3 effective/purposeful quotations are included –
Few integrated well and thoroughly analyzed and linked to the topic/thesis
4 2 or less effective/purposeful quotes are included –
2 or less integrated well and thoroughly analyzed and/or linked to the topic/thesis
Content: Organization
10 well-written introduction, including an opener and thesis statement adequately introduces the essay
ALL topic sentences help to introduce/transition each body paragraph and refer back to the thesis
All body paragraphs end with some type of clincher that analyzes the support & links back to thesis
well-written conclusion that leaves the reader with something to think about
evidence of smooth, effective transitions between sentences, paragraphs, and ideas
8 introduction, including an opener and thesis statement clearly introduces the essay; may be awkward
ALL topic sentences help to introduce/transition each body paragraph and refer back to the thesis - one may be awkward
All 3 body paragraphs end with some type of clincher that analyzes the support & links back to thesis; one may be awkward
conclusion attempts to leave the reader with something to think about
a variety of transitions exist in and between paragraphs; pacing is developing
6 introduction introduces the essay; may be missing a component or unclear, or thesis may be more than one sentence
MOST topic sentences help to introduce/transition each body paragraph and refer back to the thesis - one missing or
may not link back to the thesis
MOST body paragraphs end with some type of clincher that analyzes the support & links back to thesis; one missing
or may not link back to thesis
conclusion concludes the essay; may be missing a component, unclear/awkwardly written, or may not indicate a deeper meaning
the transitions sometimes work
3 introduction is attempted but may need a lot of work
A topic sentence helps to introduce/transition one body paragraph and refers back to the thesis; two may be missing or may
not link back to the thesis
A body paragraph ends with some type of clincher that analyzes the support & links back to thesis; two may be missing or
may not link back to thesis
conclusion is present but needs a lot of work
missing or unclear transitions force the reader to make giant leaps
1 no introduction or no thesis statement
no topic sentences are present to introduce body paragraphs or no topic sentences refer back to the thesis
no body paragraphs end with a clincher or none of the clinchers link back to thesis
no conclusion
no transitions
Total ______/ 50 x 2=
Sample Book Report
(does not include a header with page #'s, your report needs a header with page #'s)
Ms. Student
Mr. Scandrett
English 12th
May 13, 2012
Fatalism in Slaughterhouse-Five
The events that happen in our life are all the effects of the choices that we make. One can choose to do something and this choice will affect the course of their life. Everything in life has been established and people simply choose a path that they wish to follow. There are many outcomes from a choice that one makes, but only one course will occur. Despite all these choices that we make there is one inevitable thing that we can never change and its death. The novel “Slaughterhouse-Five” by Kurt Vonnegut, tells the reader that in order to face death one must embrace fatalism.
“Slaughterhouse-Five” relates the entire life of Billy Pilgrim. He is a normal man that amazingly has the ability to time travel. He jumps to different moments in his life and has no control over this extraordinary ability. The wonders of his life are not limited to time traveling. He is abducted by aliens and taken to their planet, Trafalmadore, where he learns a whole new philosophy on time and death. This philosophy eventually helps Billy cope with life after the devastating fire-bombing of Dresden, where tens of thousands of people died. In this novel, Billy learns how to embrace fatalism and accept his death without remorse. His acceptance of this new philosophy is seen through the following quote “I Billy Pilgrim, the tape begins, will die, have died and always will die on February 13, 1976” (70). He then proceeds to describe other details of his death. Even though he knows how and when his death takes place he makes no attempt to prevent it. Billy Pilgrim learns through his experience that fatalism is inevitable.
A major plot of this novel is the firebombing of Dresden. The reader would expect to have some sort of hero in the story. On the contrary the reader is presented with Billy Pilgrim. He is weak, fearful, incompetent and shy. He is a weak character in mind and in body. In attempt to teach him how to swim his father throws him into a pool but Billy prefers to sink rather than swim, revealing his weak character and mind; he makes no attempt to even try to swim (43). He is weak in body that he is described as a filthy flamingo (33). “Saved your life again...Weary said to Billy […] It was absolutely necessary that cruelty be used because Billy would not do anything to save himself. Billy wanted to quit” (34). Through this quote one can see how weak in mind and body Billy is. Billy did not have enough will power to continue on with the hardships presented to him. He needed a constant force to push him to try and work harder. The novel presents the reader with a weak character with a purpose. This reveals how even the weakest person can eventually face death.
The novel is written in a very unique manner. It has no regard for chronological order; there is no linear progression. Everything is presented as a whole. Regardless of the fragmented format Billy Pilgrim's life the book still ends the same way and fulfills its purpose. This reveals that everything is already planned and chronological order has no effect on how things result. In the beginning of the novel the ending is revealed to the reader. “It ends like this: Poo-tee-weet” (22)? This shows that regardless of the events that take place, the end of the novel will end the same way. The ending of the novel has been set and nothing can change it. The following quote, “He came slightly unstuck in time, saw the late movies backwards, then forwards again. It was a movie about American bombers in Second World War and the gallant man who flew it” (74). proves that the order in which events happen have no influence on the bigger occurrences. No matter how Billy Pilgrim views the movie, the purpose of the movie was to show the war to its viewers.
The war in the novel symbolizes death and the inevitability of change. Billy Pilgrim had no choice but to go to war. “The bombing of Dresden was a great tragedy none can deny […] ponder on the fate of Dresden, where 135,000 people died as the result of an attack with conventional weapons” (93). This quote shows us a part of the war and the number of casualties from the bombing. This event is something that nobody had the power to change. As much as people disagree with it, it still happened. The war represents the events in life that are inevitable. Despite the efforts that people make, the war was still bound to happen. At first Billy Pilgrim tried to avoid and even escape, but as he time traveled and spent time with the Trafalmadorians he learned that change was inevitable. Billy does not know why there must be such atrocious disaster, but he still makes no objections to it, revealing his acceptance of the things that happen.
Another symbol in the novel are the horses. “[…] that the horses' mouths were bleeding, gashed by bits, that the horses' hooves were broken, so that every step meant agony, that the horses were insane with thirst. The Americans treated their form of transportation as though it were no more sensitive than a six-cylinder Chevrolet” (96). The horses represent how people embrace fatalism. The horses were in terrible pain from the way they were treated yet they simply fulfilled their purpose as means of transportation. They accepted the pain and the suffering that they were going through. Billy Pilgrim had no idea why the war had to take place; he simply obeyed the commands that he was told just like the horses did what they were ordered to do. Billy learned to accept the war as it was without complaining or questioning it. The same way, the horses simply accepted the pain that they were going through. People must simply accept the circumstances because anything that they do to try to change the events will be useless.
The prayer on Montana Widhack's, a mistress of Billy on the Trafalmadorian planet, locket is another example of symbolism. It said the following “God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, courage to change the things I can, and wisdom always to tell the difference” (102). This reveals that people want to have the chance to choose their fate and take control over their lives. Although people want to be able to take control they cannot. Every choice that they make has already been decided for them, it is not a choice, and the choice that people make is just an illusion.
The phrase “Poo-tee-weet” (105)? is the last phrase in the book. It symbolizes the end of life, a fate that everyone has. It represents the speechlessness of the people. There is nothing interesting or good to say about war and all negative talk about war is also useless. It will not change anything, because the war has already been destined to happen. “We know how the Universe ends […] A Trafalmadorian test pilot presses a starter button, and the whole Universe disappears. […] He has always pressed it, and he always will. We always let him and we always will let him. The moment is structured that way” (57). The Trafalmadorians know that it is not possible to prevent the destruction of the Universe so they simply allow this course of action to happen. The death of everything is certain so there is no point stopping it from happening. No one can completely understand death. Despite the many encounters with death, Billy still cannot fully understand why it happens. Billy only faces death after he's been in Trafalmadore and learned their philosophy on time and death.
The death of many characters in the book is ironic. “He […] drafted for military service in the Second World War. His father died in a hunting accident” (24). This passage shows death of Billy Pilgrim's father is ironic, because he is shot during a hunting trip. His father is the predator during this hunting trip but he ends up dying. Billy is overcoming the death of a loved one while at war. He has to kill in order to survive but is also hurt by the death of his father. This irony shows that nobody has control of what happens to them. Billy did not have any control over what happened to him and fate took him to war right after his father dies. Another ironic thing that occurs is that Billy Pilgrim survives the war, despite his weakness. Billy survives the war by taking refuge in a meat house. The location in which he takes refuge is a place where killing and death also take place and this is the place where he finds safety. His survival reveals that fate had other things planned for him. He survived the war to tell other people about his adventure in Trafalmadore. Through the ironies in the death of the characters, it is revealed that no one has the ability to change anything.
The acceptance of death throughout the book is shown through the phrase “so it goes” This phrase is mentioned after every death in the story. “There used to be a dog Spot, but he died. So it goes” (32). “There were hundreds of corpse mines operating by and by. […] But then the bodies rotted and liquefied, and the stink was like roses and mustard gas. So it goes” (105). These two passages show the all the deaths in the novel were considered equal, whether it was a natural death, an accidental or an intentional death. This phrase allows the reader to accept the death as something unavoidable and as something normal. At the same time though the repetition of the phrase allows the reader to see all the death that occurs and the inevitability of death.
Through Billy Pilgrim and his experience in the war and in Trafalmadore the reader can see that everything in life has been predestined and one must accept the fact that nothing can be changed. Since everything has been predestined, then death is simply another part of life. Billy Pilgrim comes to realize this which is why he is at peace. He faces death and makes no attempt to change it. Once a person realizes that they can do nothing to change the events that are to happen, they will also be able to accept death much more easily.
