Writing a

Literary Essay
You HAVE to write a literary essay in PAPER 2, your literature paper, during the June examinations,
prelim examinations and final examinations. The literary essay is out of 25 marks and therefore
counts 31% of the paper. It is imperative that you understand HOW to write a literary essay and
that you don’t just summarise the plot of the story, as this is NOT what the examiner is looking for.
You will have to choose between writing a literary essay for The Picture of Dorian Gray and The
Crucible.
The easiest strategy to use to write a literary essay is to use the PEEL method.

The PEEL method essentially focuses on the format and structure when formulating a written piece.
Each element helps to strengthen your argument by allowing you to produce overall effective
paragraphs that complement and connect to one another.
POINT – Your topic sentence is extremely important for providing variability and unity within your
paper. Therefore, the first sentence of each paragraph should clearly state the point of the paragraph
which should be directly connected to the argument of the essay. Essentially keep it short and straight
to the point.
EVIDENCE – The evidence presented should be in line with your point of view, meaning the evidence
provided should be credible and verifiable such as examples from the text.
EXPLAIN – This portion of your paragraph may be the largest one as it involves interpreting, evaluating
as well as providing additional details to accompany your main idea. Similarly this section may also
include a verdict or claim being made in which you clearly state a supposition based on the evidence
provided.
LINK – When providing the link sentence at the end of your paragraph, you are not only linking back to
the bulk of the paragraph and the topic, but you are also allowing for a transition to the next topic or
paragraph. In some cases, you may consider the link sentence actually to be the first sentence of the
next paragraph. This may provide unity and coherence to the work.Use linking words e.g. However, in
addition, considering, in contrast etc.
These are things you HAVE to remember when writing a literary essay:

STRUCTURE
A clear THESIS STATEMENT must be provided.
A succinct CONCLUSION that reinforces the argument is required.
Quotations can be integrated into sentences, e.g. Lord Henry suggest that being a 'spectator of one's
own life' protects one from suffering.
The essay SHOULD NOT be written under sub-headings.
The essay SHOULD NOT be written in point form.
STYLE
The essay MUST BE written in the present tense.
No colloquiasms, profanities or expressions.
Personal pronouns should be avoided; OBJECTIVITY must be maintained. (Third person only)
Poor paragraphing, spelling, punctuation and muddled use of vocabulary will affect your language mark.
The essay must be written formally, no contractions may be used!
The essay must focus on the MAIN ISSUE given to you by the examiner. You will need to present your
argument by linking evidence from the text to the statement provided by the examiner.
THE PROCESS
Spend a maximum of 10 minutes planning your essay (in a mindmap, list, flowchart etc)
Read the statement (the question) and HIGHLIGHT the key words that must be addressed in the essay.
Brainstorm ideas that link to each key word from the statement and then provide examples of each idea
by referring to the text.
Arrange the ideas in a coherent manner so that your essay is structured correctly (usually starting
with points from the beginning of the text and then finishing it off with those from the end).
Remove any points that may be considered SPECULATION.
Write your essay in PEN as there is not enough time to re-write a final.
Re-read your essay and make corrections IN PEN should there be mistakes.

THE RUBRIC:
EXAMPLE OF A LITERARY ESSAY QUESTION:

In the novel, ‘The Picture of Dorian Gray’, written by Oscar Wilde, it is evident
that Wilde shows how the more reprehensible qualities in human beings, such
as the characters Lord Henry and Dorian Gray himself possess, can destroy
people.

Dorian Gray is introduced to Lord Henry by Basil Hallward, despite Basil not
wanting to introduce him. Lord Henry’s disregard for the consequences that his
controversial statements might have on others reflects his indifferent and
insensitive nature. This is evident when Lord Henry comments on Dorian’s
youth and beauty and does not realise the effect it has on Dorian. Lord Henry is
also selfish when he considers using Dorian as a social experiment once
introducing him to hedonism. This is evident when he takes pleasure in seeing
how his ideas influence and corrupt Dorian and furthermore when Dorian does
not take accountability for his role in Sibyl’s suicide and instead goes out to
dinner the very same evening of finding out about her death. Lord Henry can
therefore be held indirectly responsible for Dorian’s demise and his influence
on other people.

Dorian's narcissistic nature and determination to pursue his own pleasure,

leads him to engage in dishonourable behavior. His self-centredness becomes
clear when he chooses to spend time with Lord Henry just after meeting him,
instead of fulfilling his commitments to Basil and previously, Lady Agatha. His
cruel and callous mannerisms after Sibyl acted horribly on stage is further
evidence when his inexcusable treatment of Sibyl leads to her suicide.
Furthermore, Dorian realises after speaking to Sybil in that manner, that the
portrait grants him freedom from censure, and he begins to indulge in
increasingly dissolute behaviour, such as gambling, getting into fights with
sailors and he frequents opium dens and brothels.
Dorian can be seen as duplicitous, as he hides his corrupt nature from society
in an attempt to preserve his reputation and position. He hides behind his youth
and beauty whilst allowing the portrait to carry the burden of his sins.
Despite Basil showing love and concern for Dorian and his reputation, Dorian
murders Basil and blames him for Dorian’s own demise. Dorian also takes
pleasure in corrupting others and never takes accountability for their ruined
reputations, despite their lives being destroyed. This is evident when he sees
Adrian Singleton in the opium den but does not offer any help or apology and
when he blackmails Alan Campbell so that Alan will dispose of Basil’s body.
This ultimately leads to Alan’s suicide.

Dorian’s reprehensible treatment of Sibyl can be seen as a contributing factor

in James Vane’s death as her death prompts James to seek revenge. At the
same time, James might be seen as a character with reprehensible qualities,
as his desire for revenge is in itself reprehensible and destructive. This is
evident when he stalks Dorian at Selby Royal to avenge his sister’s death, but
ultimately leads to his own. Dorian’s depravity and disgust at his own
behaviour is evident when he destroys the portrait at the end of the novel,
contributing to his own destruction.

The reprehensible qualities of Lord Henry, Dorian Gray and James Vane not
only destroys people’s reputations and lives in the novel, but often leads to their
own demise.