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Analysing Literary

this guids helps you analyse any literary works

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4 views2 pages

Analysing Literary

this guids helps you analyse any literary works

Uploaded by

yam6957
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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FACULTY OF FOREIGN LANGUAGES

DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH LANGUAGE

MODULE OF LITERATURE

Level Third Year

Miss. Ziane Bouziane Latifa

How do you analyze a literary text?

Reading literature (novels and plays, for example) requires a different approach than
reading a textbook. In literature, the meaning isn't often stated directly, but is implied. You
have to get a sense on your own of what the work means, instead of having the author
explicitly saying, "This is idea 1, and this is idea 2."

Good writers do create stories that are organized and comprehensible. For example, a
story usually follows some organization, whether it's told chronologically, in flashbacks, from
different perspectives, and so on. Also, writers provide many clues to the meaning or main
ideas they want you to get from the work.

In particular, the following points are important to consider when reading and
analyzing literature:

 Characters: Who are the main characters in the piece? What are the names and roles
of the main characters? Who is the narrator, the person telling the story? Does this
person have a bias? That is, can you trust what he or she is saying?

 Events and interaction: What happens in the story? How do the characters interact?
How are they related or connected? Why do the characters act or behave the way they
do? Why do the events play out as they do?

 Setting: Where does the piece take place? Is the setting critical to the story? Does the

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setting provide background? Does the setting give historical, physical, or other
information that is key to the story?

 Time: When does the story take place? Is it timeless, or is it grounded in a


particular place and time?

 Organization: How is the story organized? Most commonly, stories are told
chronologically, but in some works, you may find that the author moves back and
forth (in time as well as place).

 Writing style: What does the writing style tell you about the story? Is the writing
richly detailed? Is it sparse? How does the writing style affect the meaning? Do
you have to make assumptions or guesses because there are gaps?

 Symbolism: Symbolism can be tricky because, sometimes, as the saying goes: "A
cigar is just a cigar." Other time, a journey represents something beyond the trip
itself.

 Theme: What are the themes of the story? What elements or ideas are repeated or
emphasized? Think about this throughout your reading, not just at the end. Notice
what people, places, and events pop up over and over again.

 Retelling of a story: Many stories are in some way or form a retelling of a


previous story.

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