genre analysis essay ideas

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Genre Analysis & Reverse Outlining

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This vidcast explains two tools that writers can use as they revise their documents: genre analysis and reverse outlining. Genre analysis involves looking at model texts to gain an understanding of how a particular document might be composed. Reverse outlining helps writers look at their organization throughout a document by looking at what sections are doing as well as what they are saying. Several handouts provide additional explanation of both topics and explain how to create a database of sentence templates to do particular kinds of rhetorical work.

Note: Closed-captioning and a full transcript are available for this vidcast.

Genre Analysis (PDF)

Genre analysis is a way of examining a type or style of writing in order to better understand the conventions, expectations, purpose, and target audience for that genre. This handout briefly outlines some steps for two approaches to genre analysis: (1) the global vs. local approach, which analyzes what a style of writing is doing on a large and small scale, and (2) the reverse outlining approach, which analyzes what a style of writing is both saying and doing at the paragraph level in relation to an overarching purpose.

Questions for Genre Analysis (PDF)

This handout contains questions that are intended to help guide writers working with model texts. It is recommended for use in conjunction with the Genre Analysis (PDF) linked in the preceeding section. The questions range from global rhetorical concerns to sentence structure and voice.

Organization & the CARS Model

This resource provides strategies for revising introductions. The CARS Model ensures that writers adequately put their research into a wider context, address what's missing in the surrounding scholarship in relation to the topic at hand, and explain how their writing seeks to address those gaps.

Reverse Outlining

Reverse outlining is a strategy that helps writers distill main ideas into short, clear statements.This tool is especially helpful for refocusing an argument and the overall organization of a text. This resource explains the steps for creating a reverse outline so that writers are empowered to revise their own work.

Creating a Database of Templates (PDF)

Scholarly writing features many sentences that follow a particular form, pattern, or template, such as when it indicates a gap in research or makes a counter-claim. This handout outlines how one can learn to write within a discipline by creating a database of template-sentences in their field.

University Writing Center
The Writing Mine

How To: Genre Analysis

Although most of us think of music styles when we hear the word “genre,” the word simply means category of items that share the same characteristics, usually in the arts. In this context, however, we are talking about types of texts. Texts can be written, visual, or oral.

For instance, a written genre would be blogs, such as this one, books, or news articles. A visual genre would be cartoons, videos, or posters. An oral genre would be podcasts, speeches, or songs. Each of these genres communicates differently because each genre has different rules.

A genre analysis is an essay where you dissect texts to understand how they are working to communicate their message. This will help you understand that each genre has different requirements and limitations that we, as writers, must be aware of when using that genre to communicate.

Sections of a genre analysis

Like all other essays, a genre analysis has an introduction, body, and conclusion.

In your introduction, you introduce the topic and the texts you’ll be analyzing.

In your body, you do your analysis. This should be your longest section.

In your conclusion, you do a short summary of everything you talked about and include any closing thoughts, such as whether you think the text accomplished its purpose and why.

Content

All professors ask for different things, so make sure to look at their instructions. These are some areas that will help you analyze your text and that you might want to touch base on in your essay (most professors ask for them):

1. Purpose of the text

What did the creator of the text want to achieve with it? Why was the text created? Did something prompt the creator to make the text?

Sometimes, the texts themselves answer these questions. Other times, we get that through clues like the language they use, the platforms the creator chose to spread their text, and so on. Make sure to include in your essay what features of the text led you to your answer.

If we take this blog post as an example, we can say that its purpose is to inform students like you about what a genre analysis is and the content it requires. You probably figured this out through the language I’m using and the information I’m choosing to include.

2. Intended audience

Who is the creator of the text trying to reach? How did you figure that out?

The audience can be as specific as a small group of people interested in a very niche topic or as broad as people curious about a common topic.

With this blog, for example, I’m trying to reach students, particularly UTEP students who have this assignment and are trying to understand it. My causal and informative tone, as well as the fact that the blog is posted on UTEP’s Writing Center blog, probably gave this away.

3. Structure

How is the text organized? How does that help the creator achieve the text’s purpose?

You need to know the information at the top of this blog post to understand what comes after, so this blog post is organized in order of complexity.

4. Genre conventions

Is the text following the usual characteristics of the genre? How is this helping or impeding the text to achieve its purpose?

Like most blogs, this one is using simple language, short paragraphs, and illustrations. My use of all these elements is helping me be clear and specific so you can understand your assignment.

5. Connection

Do the ideas in the text come from somewhere else? Can the reader or consumer interact with the text? Is the text inviting that interaction?

Most of the time, when the ideas come from another source, the text will make that clear by mentioning the text. In terms of interaction possible with the text, think about if it would be easy for you to say something back to the text.

For instance, if you wanted to ask a question about this blog post, you could type it in our comment section. I might not explicitly say that many ideas in this blog come from the guidelines your professor gives you for this assignment, but you probably gathered that because I mention that these areas are things most professors are looking for.

Hopefully, this information helps you tackle your assignment with a clearer idea of what your professor is looking for. Make sure to address any other areas the professor is asking you to.

If you still have questions or want to make sure you are on the right path, come visit us at the University Writing Center.

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The University of Texas at El Paso University Writing Center Library 227 500 W University El Paso, Texas 79902

E: [email protected] P: (915) 747-5112

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Introduction

You’ve been assigned a literary analysis paper—what does that even mean? Is it like a book report that you used to write in high school? Well, not really.

A literary analysis essay asks you to make an original argument about a poem, play, or work of fiction and support that argument with research and evidence from your careful reading of the text.

It can take many forms, such as a close reading of a text, critiquing the text through a particular literary theory, comparing one text to another, or criticizing another critic’s interpretation of the text. While there are many ways to structure a literary essay, writing this kind of essay follows generally follows a similar process for everyone

Crafting a good literary analysis essay begins with good close reading of the text, in which you have kept notes and observations as you read. This will help you with the first step, which is selecting a topic to write about—what jumped out as you read, what are you genuinely interested in? The next step is to focus your topic, developing it into an argument—why is this subject or observation important? Why should your reader care about it as much as you do? The third step is to gather evidence to support your argument, for literary analysis, support comes in the form of evidence from the text and from your research on what other literary critics have said about your topic. Only after you have performed these steps, are you ready to begin actually writing your essay.

Writing a Literary Analysis Essay

How to create a topic and conduct research:.

Writing an Analysis of a Poem, Story, or Play

If you are taking a literature course, it is important that you know how to write an analysis—sometimes called an interpretation or a literary analysis or a critical reading or a critical analysis—of a story, a poem, and a play. Your instructor will probably assign such an analysis as part of the course assessment. On your mid-term or final exam, you might have to write an analysis of one or more of the poems and/or stories on your reading list. Or the dreaded “sight poem or story” might appear on an exam, a work that is not on the reading list, that you have not read before, but one your instructor includes on the exam to examine your ability to apply the active reading skills you have learned in class to produce, independently, an effective literary analysis.You might be asked to write instead or, or in addition to an analysis of a literary work, a more sophisticated essay in which you compare and contrast the protagonists of two stories, or the use of form and metaphor in two poems, or the tragic heroes in two plays.

You might learn some literary theory in your course and be asked to apply theory—feminist, Marxist, reader-response, psychoanalytic, new historicist, for example—to one or more of the works on your reading list. But the seminal assignment in a literature course is the analysis of the single poem, story, novel, or play, and, even if you do not have to complete this assignment specifically, it will form the basis of most of the other writing assignments you will be required to undertake in your literature class. There are several ways of structuring a literary analysis, and your instructor might issue specific instructions on how he or she wants this assignment done. The method presented here might not be identical to the one your instructor wants you to follow, but it will be easy enough to modify, if your instructor expects something a bit different, and it is a good default method, if your instructor does not issue more specific guidelines.You want to begin your analysis with a paragraph that provides the context of the work you are analyzing and a brief account of what you believe to be the poem or story or play’s main theme. At a minimum, your account of the work’s context will include the name of the author, the title of the work, its genre, and the date and place of publication. If there is an important biographical or historical context to the work, you should include that, as well.Try to express the work’s theme in one or two sentences. Theme, you will recall, is that insight into human experience the author offers to readers, usually revealed as the content, the drama, the plot of the poem, story, or play unfolds and the characters interact. Assessing theme can be a complex task. Authors usually show the theme; they don’t tell it. They rarely say, at the end of the story, words to this effect: “and the moral of my story is…” They tell their story, develop their characters, provide some kind of conflict—and from all of this theme emerges. Because identifying theme can be challenging and subjective, it is often a good idea to work through the rest of the analysis, then return to the beginning and assess theme in light of your analysis of the work’s other literary elements.Here is a good example of an introductory paragraph from Ben’s analysis of William Butler Yeats’ poem, “Among School Children.”

“Among School Children” was published in Yeats’ 1928 collection of poems The Tower. It was inspired by a visit Yeats made in 1926 to school in Waterford, an official visit in his capacity as a senator of the Irish Free State. In the course of the tour, Yeats reflects upon his own youth and the experiences that shaped the “sixty-year old, smiling public man” (line 8) he has become. Through his reflection, the theme of the poem emerges: a life has meaning when connections among apparently disparate experiences are forged into a unified whole.

In the body of your literature analysis, you want to guide your readers through a tour of the poem, story, or play, pausing along the way to comment on, analyze, interpret, and explain key incidents, descriptions, dialogue, symbols, the writer’s use of figurative language—any of the elements of literature that are relevant to a sound analysis of this particular work. Your main goal is to explain how the elements of literature work to elucidate, augment, and develop the theme. The elements of literature are common across genres: a story, a narrative poem, and a play all have a plot and characters. But certain genres privilege certain literary elements. In a poem, for example, form, imagery and metaphor might be especially important; in a story, setting and point-of-view might be more important than they are in a poem; in a play, dialogue, stage directions, lighting serve functions rarely relevant in the analysis of a story or poem.

The length of the body of an analysis of a literary work will usually depend upon the length of work being analyzed—the longer the work, the longer the analysis—though your instructor will likely establish a word limit for this assignment. Make certain that you do not simply paraphrase the plot of the story or play or the content of the poem. This is a common weakness in student literary analyses, especially when the analysis is of a poem or a play.

Here is a good example of two body paragraphs from Amelia’s analysis of “Araby” by James Joyce.

Within the story’s first few paragraphs occur several religious references which will accumulate as the story progresses. The narrator is a student at the Christian Brothers’ School; the former tenant of his house was a priest; he left behind books called The Abbot and The Devout Communicant. Near the end of the story’s second paragraph the narrator describes a “central apple tree” in the garden, under which is “the late tenant’s rusty bicycle pump.” We may begin to suspect the tree symbolizes the apple tree in the Garden of Eden and the bicycle pump, the snake which corrupted Eve, a stretch, perhaps, until Joyce’s fall-of-innocence theme becomes more apparent.

The narrator must continue to help his aunt with her errands, but, even when he is so occupied, his mind is on Mangan’s sister, as he tries to sort out his feelings for her. Here Joyce provides vivid insight into the mind of an adolescent boy at once elated and bewildered by his first crush. He wants to tell her of his “confused adoration,” but he does not know if he will ever have the chance. Joyce’s description of the pleasant tension consuming the narrator is conveyed in a striking simile, which continues to develop the narrator’s character, while echoing the religious imagery, so important to the story’s theme: “But my body was like a harp, and her words and gestures were like fingers, running along the wires.”

The concluding paragraph of your analysis should realize two goals. First, it should present your own opinion on the quality of the poem or story or play about which you have been writing. And, second, it should comment on the current relevance of the work. You should certainly comment on the enduring social relevance of the work you are explicating. You may comment, though you should never be obliged to do so, on the personal relevance of the work. Here is the concluding paragraph from Dao-Ming’s analysis of Oscar Wilde’s The Importance of Being Earnest.

First performed in 1895, The Importance of Being Earnest has been made into a film, as recently as 2002 and is regularly revived by professional and amateur theatre companies. It endures not only because of the comic brilliance of its characters and their dialogue, but also because its satire still resonates with contemporary audiences. I am still amazed that I see in my own Asian mother a shadow of Lady Bracknell, with her obsession with finding for her daughter a husband who will maintain, if not, ideally, increase the family’s social status. We might like to think we are more liberated and socially sophisticated than our Victorian ancestors, but the starlets and eligible bachelors who star in current reality television programs illustrate the extent to which superficial concerns still influence decisions about love and even marriage. Even now, we can turn to Oscar Wilde to help us understand and laugh at those who are earnest in name only.

Dao-Ming’s conclusion is brief, but she does manage to praise the play, reaffirm its main theme, and explain its enduring appeal. And note how her last sentence cleverly establishes that sense of closure that is also a feature of an effective analysis.

You may, of course, modify the template that is presented here. Your instructor might favour a somewhat different approach to literary analysis. Its essence, though, will be your understanding and interpretation of the theme of the poem, story, or play and the skill with which the author shapes the elements of literature—plot, character, form, diction, setting, point of view—to support the theme.

BC Open Textbooks: English Literature Victorians and Moderns: https://opentextbc.ca/englishliterature/back-matter/appendix-5-writing-an-analysis-of-a-poem-story-and-play/

Literary Analysis

The challenges of writing about english literature.

Writing begins with the act of reading . While this statement is true for most college papers, strong English papers tend to be the product of highly attentive reading (and rereading). When your instructors ask you to do a “close reading,” they are asking you to read not only for content, but also for structures and patterns. When you perform a close reading, then, you observe how form and content interact. In some cases, form reinforces content: for example, in John Donne’s Holy Sonnet 14, where the speaker invites God’s “force” “to break, blow, burn and make [him] new.” Here, the stressed monosyllables of the verbs “break,” “blow” and “burn” evoke aurally the force that the speaker invites from God. In other cases, form raises questions about content: for example, a repeated denial of guilt will likely raise questions about the speaker’s professed innocence. When you close read, take an inductive approach. Start by observing particular details in the text, such as a repeated image or word, an unexpected development, or even a contradiction. Often, a detail–such as a repeated image–can help you to identify a question about the text that warrants further examination. So annotate details that strike you as you read. Some of those details will eventually help you to work towards a thesis. And don’t worry if a detail seems trivial. If you can make a case about how an apparently trivial detail reveals something significant about the text, then your paper will have a thought-provoking thesis to argue.

Common Types of English Papers Many assignments will ask you to analyze a single text. Others, however, will ask you to read two or more texts in relation to each other, or to consider a text in light of claims made by other scholars and critics. For most assignments, close reading will be central to your paper. While some assignment guidelines will suggest topics and spell out expectations in detail, others will offer little more than a page limit. Approaching the writing process in the absence of assigned topics can be daunting, but remember that you have resources: in section, you will probably have encountered some examples of close reading; in lecture, you will have encountered some of the course’s central questions and claims. The paper is a chance for you to extend a claim offered in lecture, or to analyze a passage neglected in lecture. In either case, your analysis should do more than recapitulate claims aired in lecture and section. Because different instructors have different goals for an assignment, you should always ask your professor or TF if you have questions. These general guidelines should apply in most cases:

A close reading of a single text: Depending on the length of the text, you will need to be more or less selective about what you choose to consider. In the case of a sonnet, you will probably have enough room to analyze the text more thoroughly than you would in the case of a novel, for example, though even here you will probably not analyze every single detail. By contrast, in the case of a novel, you might analyze a repeated scene, image, or object (for example, scenes of train travel, images of decay, or objects such as or typewriters). Alternately, you might analyze a perplexing scene (such as a novel’s ending, albeit probably in relation to an earlier moment in the novel). But even when analyzing shorter works, you will need to be selective. Although you might notice numerous interesting details as you read, not all of those details will help you to organize a focused argument about the text. For example, if you are focusing on depictions of sensory experience in Keats’ “Ode to a Nightingale,” you probably do not need to analyze the image of a homeless Ruth in stanza 7, unless this image helps you to develop your case about sensory experience in the poem.
A theoretically-informed close reading. In some courses, you will be asked to analyze a poem, a play, or a novel by using a critical theory (psychoanalytic, postcolonial, gender, etc). For example, you might use Kristeva’s theory of abjection to analyze mother-daughter relations in Toni Morrison’s novel Beloved. Critical theories provide focus for your analysis; if “abjection” is the guiding concept for your paper, you should focus on the scenes in the novel that are most relevant to the concept.
A historically-informed close reading. In courses with a historicist orientation, you might use less self-consciously literary documents, such as newspapers or devotional manuals, to develop your analysis of a literary work. For example, to analyze how Robinson Crusoe makes sense of his island experiences, you might use Puritan tracts that narrate events in terms of how God organizes them. The tracts could help you to show not only how Robinson Crusoe draws on Puritan narrative conventions, but also—more significantly—how the novel revises those conventions.
A comparison of two texts When analyzing two texts, you might look for unexpected contrasts between apparently similar texts, or unexpected similarities between apparently dissimilar texts, or for how one text revises or transforms the other. Keep in mind that not all of the similarities, differences, and transformations you identify will be relevant to an argument about the relationship between the two texts. As you work towards a thesis, you will need to decide which of those similarities, differences, or transformations to focus on. Moreover, unless instructed otherwise, you do not need to allot equal space to each text (unless this 50/50 allocation serves your thesis well, of course). Often you will find that one text helps to develop your analysis of another text. For example, you might analyze the transformation of Ariel’s song from The Tempest in T. S. Eliot’s poem, The Waste Land. Insofar as this analysis is interested in the afterlife of Ariel’s song in a later poem, you would likely allot more space to analyzing allusions to Ariel’s song in The Waste Land (after initially establishing the song’s significance in Shakespeare’s play, of course).
A response paper A response paper is a great opportunity to practice your close reading skills without having to develop an entire argument. In most cases, a solid approach is to select a rich passage that rewards analysis (for example, one that depicts an important scene or a recurring image) and close read it. While response papers are a flexible genre, they are not invitations for impressionistic accounts of whether you liked the work or a particular character. Instead, you might use your close reading to raise a question about the text—to open up further investigation, rather than to supply a solution.
A research paper. In most cases, you will receive guidance from the professor on the scope of the research paper. It is likely that you will be expected to consult sources other than the assigned readings. Hollis is your best bet for book titles, and the MLA bibliography (available through e-resources) for articles. When reading articles, make sure that they have been peer reviewed; you might also ask your TF to recommend reputable journals in the field.

Harvard College Writing Program: https://writingproject.fas.harvard.edu/files/hwp/files/bg_writing_english.pdf

In the same way that we talk with our friends about the latest episode of Game of Thrones or newest Marvel movie, scholars communicate their ideas and interpretations of literature through written literary analysis essays. Literary analysis essays make us better readers of literature.

Only through careful reading and well-argued analysis can we reach new understandings and interpretations of texts that are sometimes hundreds of years old. Literary analysis brings new meaning and can shed new light on texts. Building from careful reading and selecting a topic that you are genuinely interested in, your argument supports how you read and understand a text. Using examples from the text you are discussing in the form of textual evidence further supports your reading. Well-researched literary analysis also includes information about what other scholars have written about a specific text or topic.

Literary analysis helps us to refine our ideas, question what we think we know, and often generates new knowledge about literature. Literary analysis essays allow you to discuss your own interpretation of a given text through careful examination of the choices the original author made in the text.

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Shifting Genres

Understanding What is Meant by the Word "Genre"

What do we mean by genre? This means a type of writing, i.e., an essay, a poem, a recipe, an email, a tweet. These are all different types (or categories) of writing, and each one has its own format, type of words, tone, and so on. Analyzing a type of writing (or genre) is considered a genre analysis project. A genre analysis grants students the means to think critically about how a particular form of communication functions as well as a means to evaluate it.

Every genre (type of writing/writing style) has a set of conventions that allow that particular genre to be unique. These conventions include the following components:

Tone: tone of voice, i.e. serious, humorous, scholarly, informal.
Diction : word usage - formal or informal, i.e. “disoriented” (formal) versus “spaced out” (informal or colloquial).
Content : what is being discussed/demonstrated in the piece? What information is included or needs to be included?
Style / Format (the way it looks): long or short sentences? Bulleted list? Paragraphs? Short-hand? Abbreviations? Does punctuation and grammar matter? How detailed do you need to be? Single-spaced or double-spaced? Can pictures / should pictures be included? How long does it need to be / should be? What kind of organizational requirements are there?
Expected Medium of Genre : where does the genre appear? Where is it created? i.e. can be it be online (digital) or does it need to be in print (computer paper, magazine, etc)? Where does this genre occur? i.e. flyers (mostly) occur in the hallways of our school, and letters of recommendation (mostly) occur in professors’ offices.
Genre creates an expectation in the minds of its audience and may fail or succeed depending on if that expectation is met or not.
Many genres have built-in audiences and corresponding publications that support them, such as magazines and websites.
The goal of the piece that is written, i.e. a newspaper entry is meant to inform and/or persuade, and a movie script is meant to entertain.
Basically, each genre has a specific task or a specific goal that it is created to attain.
Understanding Genre
Understanding the Rhetorical Situation

To understand genre, one has to first understand the rhetorical situation of the communication.

Below are some additional resources to assist you in this process:

Reading and Writing for College

Genre Analysis

Genre analysis: A tool used to create genre awareness and understand the conventions of new writing situations and contexts. This a llows you to make effective communication choices and approach your audience and rhetorical situation appropriately

Basically, when we say "genre analysis," that is a fancy way of saying that we are going to look at similar pieces of communication - for example a handful of business memos - and determine the following:

Tone: What was the overall tone of voice in the samples of that genre (piece of writing)?
Diction : What was the overall type of writing in the three samples of that genre (piece of writing)? Formal or informal?
Content : What types(s) of information is shared in those pieces of writing?
Style / Format (the way it looks): Do the pieces of communication contain long or short sentences? Bulleted list? Paragraphs? Abbreviations? Does punctuation and grammar matter? How detailed do you need to be in that type of writing style? Single-spaced or double-spaced? Are pictures included? If so, why? How long does it need to be / should be? What kind of organizational requirements are there?
Expected Medium of Genre : Where did the pieces appear? Were they online? Where? Were they in a printed, physical context? If so, what?
Audience: What audience is this piece of writing trying to reach?
Purpose : What is the goal of the piece of writing? What is its purpose? Example: the goal of the piece that is written, i.e. a newspaper entry is meant to inform and/or persuade, and a movie script is meant to entertain.

In other words, we are analyzing the genre to determine what are some commonalities of that piece of communication.

For additional help, see the following resource for Questions to Ask When Completing a Genre Analysis .

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9.3 Glance at Genre: Rhetorical Strategies

Learning outcomes.

By the end of this section, you will be able to:

Identify key rhetorical strategies that authors use to persuade readers.
Analyze texts to demonstrate understanding of key rhetorical concepts.
Identify genre conventions and explain how they are shaped by purpose, culture, and expectation.

Rhetorical analysis is the genre , or type of writing, that examines the way writers and speakers use language to influence readers. Rather than describing or summarizing content—the what of characters or themes—rhetorical analysis focuses on the individual parts of a text to show how language works to create the effects the writer wants. In other words, in addition to content, writers use rhetorical strategies to deliver and strengthen their ideas and thus influence their readers. A rhetorical analysis should, therefore, address the rhetorical situation , or conditions of communication that surround the rhetoric. These consist of the author (who), message (what), readers (to whom), purpose (why), means (how), context (where and when), and culture (community).

Culture refers to the way of life that a defined group of people establish. Their beliefs, laws, customs, and habits represent them as a group and may provide a signature to identify who they are and what they have accomplished. Rhetorical analysis must take these factors into full consideration, especially because cultural patterns are constantly changing and evolving with new knowledge and behaviors. Moreover, culture will vary greatly from group to group. Subgroups within a larger culture—for example, minorities within a majority population—may have distinct expressions of culture. When rhetorical analysis approaches language of a particular culture, questions may arise about who is best equipped to do the analysis and on what criteria, based on time and place.

Writers of rhetorical analyses consider these elements carefully and ask questions based on them. What are the goals of the author of the text? What factors are at play in the author’s choice of strategies used to make a rhetorical impact? What may occur in the interaction between the writer and reader? Will readers approach the piece neutrally, with no previous opinions? Are they likely to agree because they are of the same opinion, or are they hostile and ready to reject the arguments? Have they heard or read the ideas before? Will the ideas be too radical or too familiar? Are readers likely to see the author as sharing the field with them or as a stranger who must win their confidence?

The Workings of Rhetorical Analysis

The aim of rhetorical analysis is not to find agreement with or praise for the writer, although either may be implied or stated. The essential task of analyzing requires a detachment that will convince the readers of the validity and effectiveness (or lack thereof) of the writing by identifying the writer’s tools and what they accomplish.

As you formulate your rhetorical analysis, be aware of the following approaches and strategies that writers use to persuade an audience. Your goal will be to identify them in your analysis, explain their use, and evaluate their effectiveness.

Establishing credibility. Writers include their credentials or experience with the subject to ensure that readers will take them seriously as someone who knows what they’re talking about. To reinforce their authority, they cite reliable sources as support for their points.
Sharing personal experience. Sharing a personal experience related to the subject enhances credibility and may also appeal to readers’ emotions.
Targeting emotional concerns. By specifically addressing those incidents or outcomes that readers may fear or desire, the author can rally them to take a particular position. Emotional concerns also include appeals to the five senses and to broader sentiments such as love, loyalty, anger, justice, or patriotism.
Using devices that draw attention to claims. These include literary devices such as parallelism, repetition, and rhetorical questions that writers and speakers use to emphasize points and unify a text.
Supporting claims with convincing evidence. Ways of supporting claims include quoting, summarizing, or paraphrasing expert opinions; relating anecdotes and examples; and citing appropriate statistics and facts.
Acknowledging the opposition. If a writer makes a point of explaining other groups’ positions carefully and respectfully, readers from those groups, as well as the target audience, are more likely to be responsive to the writer. By acknowledging the opposition, writers show they have considered opposing views and can then demonstrate that their position is preferable.
Questioning the motivation of the opposition. By exposing others’ possibly conflicting interests, the writer can undermine the credibility of an opponent’s character or argument.

In addition to these, writers may use more questionable rhetorical devices to persuade readers. While the techniques of each strategy differ, all lead away from the actual argument and seek to persuade through means other than reasonable, logical thought. Such strategies include bandwagon, ad hominem (name-calling), bait and switch, and more. Recall the roommates’ use of some of these in their efforts at persuasion in Breaking the Whole into Its Parts .

Rhetorical Strategies in Advertising and Public Policy

The strategies and other devices of rhetorical writing that are open to analysis are present in many types of communication, including multimodal examples such as advertisements that combine visuals with carefully crafted texts, dialogue, and voice-over.

Look at the M&Ms commercial, for example, in this collection of Super Bowl ads. Starting at minute 4:57, the prize-winning ad for M&Ms initially shows the widely recognizable candy in its multiple colors as both speaking cartoon figures and symbols of human behavior. The simple pitch: when people have offended others in one of a range of interpersonal blunders, the candy is offered as a peace offering. For example, the first image shows a man on a plane bumping into another passenger’s seat, causing him to spill his drink. The offender then offers the passenger a package of M&Ms. What is the rhetorical strategy behind the situation and the gesture? The ad appeals to pathos in the sense that people feel the need to be liked. Despite the humorous twist in the comment that he kicked the seat on purpose, the offending man nonetheless doesn’t want to be disliked. Nor do the others who commit other blunders. The sense of taste—sweetness—also comes into play, appealing to the senses, as does the sense of sight in the images of the colorful candy.

Furthermore, placing the ad during the Super Bowl targets an audience of game watchers whose ages, interests, and habits have been studied. They may be in a snacking frame of mind, so the appeal of candy is timely (kairos). The ad combines sophistication, appropriate adult behavior, and childishly amusing animation and personification. Seeing the product makes it more memorable. On the other hand, note the subtle use of the bandwagon fallacy: different people in different situations are doing the same thing—offering M&Ms. The bandwagon implication is that if you do something you’re sorry for or should be sorry for (or even if you don’t), giving out M&Ms is the way to apologize and be likable. Because travelers, businesspeople, the religiously observant, and others from different walks of life are doing it, so should you.

Figure 9.4 is an image from the U.S. Forest Service that also reflects the use of rhetorical strategies. Smokey Bear is a symbol created in 1944 to raise awareness of the danger of forest fires. Images of this gentle, personified bear are often accompanied by the slogan “Remember . . . only you can prevent forest fires” or a variation of it. The image shows Smokey dressed in rolled-up jeans, a name belt, and a ranger’s hat. He is reading letters delivered by a mail truck and sent to his own ZIP code, 20252, from children and adults promising to cooperate with his environmental efforts. The entire image is among the most recognizable of American cultural symbols.

The continuing identification of the bear and his appeal over decades is an example of the powerful use of rhetorical devices that speak without seeming to become dated and lose impact. First, a wild and dangerous animal is personified and made credible so that the credibility (ethos) of Smokey as a domesticated father figure with a fuzzy, playful cub climbing on the family mailbox removes any sense of danger and instead makes him into a believable voice for safety. No humans are emphasized in the illustration; the mail truck is seen only in the distance after having delivered another stack of fan mail. Other small animals are present in the background, as are familiar household items such as a shovel, a mailbox, an American flag, a boat on crystal clear water, and the playful images of the ranger’s hat and rolled-up jeans on crossed legs. The drawing features bright primary colors and the dark forest green of bountiful nature. The print medium in the center of the illustration, the sign reading “Prevent forest fires,” unifies the visual.

Because the images are emotionally accessible to children as well as adults, they appeal to widely shared pathos. The unspoken implication is that preventing forest fires will allow these young animals and forest plants to live rather than die in a carelessly started—and deadly—fire. In addition, it will allow human life to continue safely and pleasurably, as viewers can see, far in the background, people sailing and enjoying the water. If children’s wisdom and receptivity to images are present, this idealized picture has great appeal. Rather than a harsh rebuke for adult negligence, the lesson of Smokey relies on the power of rhetoric to modify behavior with specific, carefully crafted appeals. Yet the most frequently used slogan, “Only you can prevent forest fires,” is an example of hyperbole. Certainly “you” are not the sole person responsible for starting or preventing fires. Other people and other factors are at work aside from yourself.

More explicit, however, is this earlier image:

The rhetorical strategy again is pathos, appealing to a sense of guilt. If these children can help prevent fires, then surely adults can do the same, as they are likely more knowledgeable and care for the safety and health of their children.

Rhetorical Analysis: Key Terms

Rhetorical appeals.

When doing a rhetorical analysis, notice these appeals writers use to persuade their audiences.

Ethos : believable, authoritative voice that elicits credibility and audience trust.
Kairos : sense of appropriate timing when attempting to persuade.
Logos : credible information—facts, reasons, or examples—presented as evidence that moves toward a sensible and acceptable conclusion.
Pathos : the use of appeals to feelings and emotions shared by an audience. Some of the general categories are fear, guilt, anger, love, loyalty, patriotism, and duty.

Rhetorical Devices and Language Use

When doing a rhetorical analysis, notice these devices writers use to organize and emphasize their writing.

Figurative language : similes and metaphors. Comparing one aspect of things that in other ways are completely different is an essential part of rhetorical language. Simile example: “The treasure chest of nature’s wonders shone like a pirate’s gold tooth.” Metaphor example: “The pizza was a disk of saucy sunlight.”
Numerical data : statistics and figures. When accurate, numerical data can strengthen an argument.
Parallel structure : repetition of the same pattern of words to show that ideas are equally significant. Parallel structure, or parallelism, calls attention to these ideas, achieves balance, and makes the statements more memorable. Example: “Ask not what your country can do for you but what you can do for your country.”
Personification : giving an inanimate or nonhuman object human characteristics to make it seem alive and relatable. Examples: “The virus packed its bags and spread across the ocean”; “Twitter erupted in outrage.”
Repetition : repeating a single word or group of words to build emphasis. Example: “The first underline cause end underline is poverty; the second underline cause end underline is poor health; the third underline cause end underline is discrimination. These underline causes end underline have been studied, but to what effect?”
Rhetorical question : a question that is not expected to be answered, one for which there is no answer, or one that creates a dramatic effect. Examples: “Has it occurred to you to ask why the economy is so unstable? A first point to consider is . . .”; “Do you think poverty will go away by itself?”
Understatement : presenting something as less important than it is as a way of distancing from the truth. Understatement is often used sarcastically or ironically. Example: “It may not have occurred to politicians that poverty leads to a host of health-related issues.”

Rhetorical Fallacies

When doing a rhetorical analysis, notice these fallacies writers may use to unethically persuade their audiences.

Ad hominem : logical fallacy that attempts to discredit a person, not an argument. Ad hominem , meaning “against the man,” is often termed name-calling . Examples: “She’s just a leftover from another era who can’t accept change”; “He’s a stupid bully and an outright thief.”
Bait and switch : logical fallacy that introduces a point about one thing that is likely to be accepted and then changes the terms once initial agreement occurs. Example: “Buy these phones at this price before they’re all gone!” When you go to buy one, moments later, the phones are gone—and they’re far more expensive.
Bandwagon : logical fallacy often used in advertising and propaganda. It tries to make people do something or think a certain way because everyone is doing it, and if they don’t go along, they will be excluded. Example: “Everyone is buying these sneakers; get yours now before you’re left out.” Negative example: “This style is so dated; no one wears things like this now.”
Causal fallacy : the faulty logic of claiming or believing that an event that follows another event is the result of it. For example, losing your keys after going to a concert does not mean the events are connected causally; going to the concert did not cause you to lose your keys.
Hyperbole : exaggeration. Hyperbole is one of the staples of advertising language. Examples: “Season’s Best Peppermint Glazed Delights”; “I have a ton of homework.”

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Comparative genre analysis.

In the University Writing Seminar, the Comparative Genre Analysis (CGA) unit asks students to read writing from varying disciplines. The goal of the CGA is to prepare students for writing in their courses across the disciplines, as well as in their future careers. The CGA acts as an important introduction to the fact that, while elements of writing (e.g., evidence, motive) exist in all disciplines and genres, these elements often look different.

Over a 2-3 class sequence, students work independently and in groups to identify how writing across the disciplines varies and is similar in content, style, and organization. Instructors select four academic articles, typically one from the humanities, one from the sciences, and two from the social sciences (ideally one more humanistic social science, such as cultural anthropology or history, and one more quantitative social science, such as sociology or economics). These articles become the foundation for observing similarities in differences in writing. Class discussion on the final day of the CGA highlights not just HOW academic writing varies but WHY this variation exists.

At the end of the CGA class sequence, as well as at the end of the semester, students are asked to write reflections on what they have learned about writing across the disciplines and about what this might mean for them in future courses. Student reflections suggest that the CGA is effective in beginning the conversation about how writing is similar and different across the disciplines ( Sample Student Reflection below).

What does this mean for Writing Intensive (WI) classes?

Your students know that the writing in your discipline may be different in some/many ways from the writing they did in UWS or in previous courses.
Your students have the tools to start to predict how writing in a new discipline may be different. Because they understand, for example, why name/date citations are used in one discipline and name/page number citations are used in another, they can anticipate what a new discipline will require.
If you identify a writing convention in your discipline, students should be able to fit this into the larger conversation around writing similarities and differences that they participated in during UWS.
Students have discussed and reflected on what questions they might need to ask their professors / teaching assistants when writing in a new discipline (e.g., What citation style should be used? Is the first person allowed?).
WI instructors can facilitate the writing process for students by 1) identifying what element of writing they are discussing, using UWS language, and 2) explicitly describing the disciplinary-specific expectations for this element and reiterating why this convention is used.

Sample Student Reflection I believe the absolute most important thing a writer should consider is their intended audience. Whichever discipline the essay is for they all have a distinct and diverse readership. This readership cannot be overlooked when creating an argument. In future writing, no matter the subject, I will try to build a firm foundation of the writing in a discipline. By reading academic articles from respected sources, it will allow me to grasp the different ways the argument is presented in that particular field. I would also open a discussion with my class, colleagues, or teacher about the different ways they are approaching this discipline. When presenting their ideas in writing, I think the most important thing for scholars to consider is the audience who they are presenting it to. When writing, audience can affect multiple facets of any article or paper. For example, when presenting to a scientific audience, technical language can be used and an expectation for certain background knowledge can be considered. However, when presenting to a broader audience such as a public awareness piece, the writer may choose to use language that isn’t quite so technical and complex, making the paper more accessible to its desired audience. The CGA exercise has made me more aware of the types of data used in different disciplines when writing. For example, scientific pieces do not usually use many quotes because it’s not so much what was said that was important, rather the actual conclusion that can be drawn from the data. In more humanities focused pieces, quotes can play a major role in the focus of the paper while numerical data and experiments may not. The CGA exercise also made me more aware of how different disciplines require varying levels of formality in the presentation of ideas or information and differences in determining when to use a thesis or a hypothesis. Although we only examined four disciplines within our analysis, as I approach other disciples in the future, I feel that this exercise has given me a good base. I know that in the future I will approach the writing by first determining what matters most to my audience that I am writing for and the relationship between my audience and the motive behind my writing. In future classes when I need to know the writing style of a new discipline, I will ask the professor the writing style I should use and what format I should do my works cited in. I could also ask what the structure should be, what the length should be, and if I should be concise or more flowery. I could also ask if the essay should be personal and opinionated or more impartial. The CGA exercise has made me more aware that different disciplines have their own style of writing. It has made me realize that I cannot just carry over my writing style from a biology or physics paper and use that same style in an English essay. I am also aware that citation style is very important to writing papers. The differences in structure in the different disciplines is also very important when it comes to writing papers.

Elissa Jacobs and Paige Eggebrecht

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644 Literary Analysis Essay Topics & Good Ideas

18 January 2024

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Literary analysis essay topics include a diverse landscape of genres, time periods, authors, and themes. They can explore the subtle nuances of symbolism in F. Scott Fitzgerald’s “The Great Gatsby,” the treatment of femininity in Charlotte Bronte’s “Jane Eyre,” or the depiction of dystopia in George Orwell’s “1984.” Various themes may dissect the function of soliloquy in Shakespeare’s plays or delve into the role of realism and magic in Gabriel Garcia Marquez’s “One Hundred Years of Solitude.” Discussions on contemporary works might question the societal implications found in Margaret Atwood’s “The Handmaid’s Tale.” Analysis can also touch on broader aspects, such as the influence of historical context on literary development or the intersectionality of race, class, and gender in literature. Hence, literary analysis essay topics facilitate a profound exploration of literature’s multi-faceted nature.

Best Literary Analysis Essay Topics

Exploring Symbolism and Other Themes in F. Scott Fitzgerald’s “The Great Gatsby”
Decoding Gothic Elements in Bram Stoker’s “Dracula”
Interpreting Allegorical Meanings in George Orwell’s “Animal Farm”
Investigating Feminist Themes in Charlotte Bronte’s “Jane Eyre”
Scrutinizing Social Constructs in Jane Austen’s “Pride and Prejudice”
Unveiling Cultural Commentary in Chinua Achebe’s “Things Fall Apart”
Revealing Dystopian Elements in Margaret Atwood’s “The Handmaid’s Tale”
Examining Existentialism in Albert Camus’ “The Stranger”
Analyzing Satire in Jonathan Swift’s “Gulliver’s Travels”
Highlighting Racial Prejudice in Harper Lee’s “To Kill a Mockingbird”
Assessing Immigrant Experiences in Jhumpa Lahiri’s “The Namesake”
Dissecting Historical Context in Ernest Hemingway’s “For Whom the Bell Tolls”
Pondering on the Paradox of Freedom in Anthony Burgess’ “A Clockwork Orange”
Surveying Eco-Criticism in Barbara Kingsolver’s “The Poisonwood Bible”
Detailing Magic Realism in Gabriel Garcia Marquez’s “One Hundred Years of Solitude”
Probing the Clash of Ideologies in Ayn Rand’s “Atlas Shrugged”
Delineating Human Nature in William Golding’s “Lord of the Flies”
Comparing the Past and Present in George Eliot’s “Middlemarch”
Contrasting Class and Gender in Kate Chopin’s “The Awakening”
Understanding the Subversion of Gender Roles in Virginia Woolf’s “Orlando”
Decoding Satirical Portrayal of American Society in Mark Twain’s “The Adventures of Tom Sawyer”
Evaluating the Concept of Heroism in Ernest Hemingway’s “The Old Man and the Sea”

Literary Analysis Essay Topics & Good Ideas

Easy Literary Analysis Essay Topics

Unraveling the Psychology of Fear in Stephen King’s “It”
Comprehending Trauma and Healing in Khaled Hosseini’s “The Kite Runner”
Investigating Environmental Ethics in Rick Bass’s “The Watch”
Clarifying Absurdism in Samuel Beckett’s “Waiting for Godot”
Appraising Romanticism in Emily Bronte’s “Wuthering Heights”
Gauging the Effects of Colonialism in Joseph Conrad’s “Heart of Darkness”
Judging War’s Consequences in Kurt Vonnegut’s “Slaughterhouse-Five”
Differentiating Reality and Fantasy in Lewis Carroll’s “Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland”
Parsing Faith and Doubt in Yann Martel’s “Life of Pi”
Scrutinizing the Concept of Time in Marcel Proust’s “In Search of Lost Time”
Inspecting Self-Identity in J.D. Salinger’s “The Catcher in the Rye”
Delving Into the Power of Language in George Orwell’s “1984”
Analyzing Love and Sacrifice in Charles Dickens’ “A Tale of Two Cities”
Extrapolating Class Conflict in Thomas Hardy’s “Tess of the d’Urbervilles”
Measuring Human Connection in Virginia Woolf’s “Mrs. Dalloway”
Studying the Influence of Cultural Heritage in Amy Tan’s “The Joy Luck Club”
Surveying the Pursuit of Happiness in Aldous Huxley’s “Brave New World”
Deciphering the Intricacies of Memory in Toni Morrison’s “Beloved”
Contemplating Maturation in Mark Twain’s “Adventures of Huckleberry Finn”
Disentangling Illusion and Reality in Tennessee Williams’s “A Streetcar Named Desire”
Decoding the Dilemma of Choice in Robert Frost’s “The Road Not Taken”
Analyzing Symbolism in Nathaniel Hawthorne’s “The Scarlet Letter”
Discussing Themes of the Human Spirit in John Steinbeck’s “The Grapes of Wrath”
Probing Into the Conflict of Science and Religion in Ian McEwan’s “Enduring Love”

Interesting Literary Analysis Essay Topics

Probing Into Ethical Ambiguity in Herman Melville’s “Billy Budd”
Grasping Loss and Acceptance in Kazuo Ishiguro’s “Never Let Me Go”
Decoding Southern Identity in William Faulkner’s “The Sound and the Fury”
Tracing the Evolution of Feminine Independence in Henrik Ibsen’s “A Doll’s House”
Dissecting Political Machinations in Robert Penn Warren’s “All the King’s Men”
Understanding Postmodernism in Thomas Pynchon’s “The Crying of Lot 49”
Interpreting the Influence of Tradition in Gabriel Garcia Marquez’s “Love in the Time of Cholera”
Deconstructing the Dystopian Society in Ray Bradbury’s “Fahrenheit 451”
Appreciating Nature and Transcendentalism in Henry David Thoreau’s “Walden”
Evaluating the Role of Innocence in J.D. Salinger’s “Franny and Zooey”
Probing the Concept of Morality in Fyodor Dostoevsky’s “Crime and Punishment”
Assessing the Impact of Alienation in Franz Kafka’s “The Metamorphosis”
Investigating the Clash of Cultures in Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s “Americanah”
Analyzing the Absurdity of War in Joseph Heller’s “Catch-22”
Scrutinizing the Power of Ambition in William Shakespeare’s “Macbeth”
Critiquing Gender Stereotypes in Charlotte Perkins Gilman’s “The Yellow Wallpaper”
Interpreting the Notion of Justice in Harper Lee’s “Go Set a Watchman”
Dissecting Existentialist Themes in Jean-Paul Sartre’s “Nausea”
Exploring Rebirth and Redemption in Fyodor Dostoevsky’s “The Brothers Karamazov”
Examining Racial Identity in Ralph Ellison’s “Invisible Man”
Disentangling the Theme of Prejudice in Mark Twain’s “Pudd’nhead Wilson”
Investigating Power Dynamics in Mary Shelley’s “Frankenstein”

Literary Analysis Essay Topics for High School

Exploration of Heroism in Harper Lee’s “To Kill a Mockingbird”
The Portrayal of Society in Mark Twain’s “Adventures of Huckleberry Finn”
Symbolic Themes in F. Scott Fitzgerald’s “The Great Gatsby”
Understanding Gender Roles in Louisa May Alcott’s “Little Women”
Romanticism vs. Realism in Emily Bronte’s “Wuthering Heights”
Dystopian Themes in George Orwell’s “1984”
The Power of Fate in Sophocles’ “Oedipus Rex”
Fear of the Unknown in William Golding’s “Lord of the Flies”
The Influence of Setting in Nathaniel Hawthorne’s “The Scarlet Letter”
Love and Betrayal in William Shakespeare’s “Othello”
The Struggle for Identity in J.D. Salinger’s “The Catcher in the Rye”
The Interplay of Power and Corruption in George Orwell’s “Animal Farm”
Evolution of Characters in Arthur Miller’s “The Crucible”
Roles of Dreams in John Steinbeck’s “Of Mice and Men”
Unveiling Racism Through Narrative in Toni Morrison’s “Beloved”
Contrasting Morality in Fyodor Dostoevsky’s “Crime and Punishment”
Death as a Motif in Emily Dickinson’s Poetry
The Psychology of the Characters in Robert Louis Stevenson’s “Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde”
Irony and Satire in Jonathan Swift’s “Gulliver’s Travels”
The Dilemma of Choice in Robert Frost’s “The Road Not Taken”
Class and Social Conflict in Jane Austen’s “Pride and Prejudice”

Literary Analysis Essay Topics for Middle School

Disillusionment in Ernest Hemingway’s “The Old Man and the Sea”
Ambition and Its Consequences in William Shakespeare’s “Macbeth”
The Concept of Time in Gabriel Garcia Marquez’s “One Hundred Years of Solitude”
Reflection of Society in Charles Dickens’ “Great Expectations”
The Role of Prophecy in Homer’s “The Iliad”
Humanity’s Inherent Goodness in Anne Frank’s “The Diary of a Young Girl”
Illusion vs. Reality in Tennessee Williams’ “A Streetcar Named Desire”
Examination of Nihilism in Fyodor Dostoevsky’s “Notes From Underground”
Survival and Hope in Elie Wiesel’s “Night”
Nature and Self-Discovery in Henry David Thoreau’s “Walden”
Exploration of Mental Health in Sylvia Plath’s “The Bell Jar”
Tragedy and Redemption in John Green’s “The Fault in Our Stars”
Individual vs. Society in Ken Kesey’s “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest”
Parenting and Childhood in Harper Lee’s “Go Set a Watchman”
Unveiling Gender Stereotypes in Virginia Woolf’s “Orlando”
The Impact of Isolation in Mary Shelley’s “Frankenstein”
Quest for Immortality in Oscar Wilde’s “The Picture of Dorian Gray”
Depicting Class Struggle in John Steinbeck’s “The Grapes of Wrath”
The Paradox of Freedom in Anthony Burgess’ “A Clockwork Orange”
The Weight of Guilt in Nathaniel Hawthorne’s “The House of the Seven Gables”

Literary Analysis Essay Topics for College Students

Postcolonial Perspectives in Salman Rushdie’s “Midnight’s Children”
Gothic Elements in Mary Shelley’s “Frankenstein”
Feminist Critique of Virginia Woolf’s “To The Lighthouse”
Satirical Devices in Jonathan Swift’s “Gulliver’s Travels”
Existential Themes in Albert Camus’s “The Stranger”
Racism and Identity in Toni Morrison’s “Beloved”
Narrative Structure in “Wuthering Heights” by Emily Bronte
Exploration of Consciousness in James Joyce’s “Ulysses”
Religious Allegory in John Milton’s “Paradise Lost”
Examining Sexuality in E. M. Forster’s “Maurice”
Romanticism in Wordsworth’s “The Prelude”
Imperialism Critique in Conrad’s “Heart of Darkness”
Roles of Nature in Henry David Thoreau’s “Walden”
Impact of Industrial Revolution on Dickens’s “Hard Times”
Commentary on Social Class in Jane Austen’s “Pride and Prejudice”
Nihilism in Fyodor Dostoevsky’s “Notes from Underground”
Exploration of Southern Gothic in Flannery O’Connor’s Stories
Influence of the American Dream on Fitzgerald’s “The Great Gatsby”
Power Dynamics in George Orwell’s “1984”
War Commentary in Kurt Vonnegut’s “Slaughterhouse-Five”
The Concept of Time in Virginia Woolf’s “Mrs. Dalloway”

Literary Analysis Essay Topics for University

Commentary on Materialism in Theodore Dreiser’s “Sister Carrie”
Rebellion against Victorian Norms in Thomas Hardy’s “Tess of the d’Urbervilles”
Individualism in Ayn Rand’s “Atlas Shrugged”
Struggles of the Immigrant Experience in Amy Tan’s “The Joy Luck Club”
Reflections on War in Wilfred Owen’s Poems
Cultural Clash in “White Teeth” by Zadie Smith
Exploration of Adolescence in Judy Blume’s “Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret”
Examination of Insanity in Charlotte Perkins Gilman’s “The Yellow Wallpaper”
Postmodernism in Thomas Pynchon’s “The Crying of Lot 49”
Examination of Loss and Grief in Joan Didion’s “The Year of Magical Thinking”
Isolation and Loneliness in Herman Melville’s “Moby Dick”
Exploration of Self-Discovery in Paulo Coelho’s “The Alchemist”
Dystopian Themes in Margaret Atwood’s “The Handmaid’s Tale”
Examination of Childhood Trauma in Stephen King’s “IT”
Influence of Religion in Fyodor Dostoevsky’s “The Brothers Karamazov”
Exploration of Feminine Mystique in Betty Friedan’s Work
Roles of Faith in Elie Wiesel’s “Night”
Significance of Social Status in Edith Wharton’s “The Age of Innocence”
Modernism in T. S. Eliot’s “The Waste Land”
Influence of Culture and Tradition in Chinua Achebe’s “Things Fall Apart”
Destruction of Innocence in J. D. Salinger’s “Catcher in the Rye”
Examination of Hubris in Sophocles’ “Oedipus Rex”

Classics Literary Analysis Essay Topics

The Symbolic Role of Water in Homer’s “The Odyssey”
The Tragic Hero’s Journey in Sophocles’ “Oedipus Rex”
Gender Dynamics in Euripides’ “Medea”
Foreshadowing in Virgil’s “The Aeneid”
Portrayal of Power and Corruption in Shakespeare’s “Julius Caesar”
Fate in Ovid’s “Metamorphoses”
Theme of Justice in Aeschylus’ “Oresteia”
Exploration of Identity in Dante’s “Inferno”
Concept of Love in Shakespeare’s “Romeo and Juliet”
Conflict Between Individuality and Society in Austen’s “Pride and Prejudice”
Representation of War and Heroism in Homer’s “Iliad”
Nature of Gods and Mortals in Milton’s “Paradise Lost”
Revenge in Euripides’ “The Bacchae”
Examination of Madness in Shakespeare’s “Hamlet”
Symbolism of the River in Mark Twain’s “The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn”
Irony in Voltaire’s “Candide”
Exploration of Fate and Free Will in Sophocles’ “Antigone”
Theme of Transformation in Kafka’s “Metamorphosis”
Loyalty and Betrayal in Shakespeare’s “Macbeth”
Pride and Hubris in Sophocles’ “Oedipus Rex”

George Orwell’s “1984” Literary Analysis Essay Topics

Totalitarianism and Surveillance in George Orwell’s “1984”
Language and Control in Orwell’s “1984”
Rebellion and Resistance in “1984”
Power and Manipulation in Orwell’s “1984”
The Role of Technology in “1984”
Symbolism of Big Brother in Orwell’s “1984”
Love and Intimacy in a Dystopian Society in “1984”
Identity and Individuality in “1984”
Propaganda and Indoctrination in Orwell’s “1984”
The Theme of Doublethink in “1984”
Psychological Manipulation in Orwell’s “1984”
The Significance of Newspeak in “1984”
Rebellion through Art and Literature in “1984”
The Loss of Freedom and Privacy in Orwell’s “1984”
Roles of Memory and History in “1984”
Gender Roles and Sexual Repression in “1984”
The Critique of Totalitarianism in Orwell’s “1984”
Language as a Form of Control in “1984”
The Destruction of Love and Relationships in “1984”
Themes of Fear in Orwell’s “1984”
The Role of the Proles in “1984”

Literary Analysis Essay Topics on Coming-of-Age Novels

The Transformative Journey of Self-Discovery in “To Kill a Mockingbird”
Identity Formation and Racial Prejudice in “The Catcher in the Rye”
Rebellion and Independence in “The Perks of Being a Wallflower”
Gender Roles and Societal Expectations in “Jane Eyre”
Moral Development and Ethical Dilemmas in “The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn”
Maturation and Loss of Innocence in “Lord of the Flies”
Cultural Assimilation and Individuality in “The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian”
Exploration of Sexuality and Personal Growth in “Call Me by Your Name”
Class Divide and Social Hierarchy in “Great Expectations”
Acceptance and Belonging in “The Outsiders”
Coming-of-Age and the Pursuit of Freedom in “The Scarlet Letter”
Family Dynamics and Emotional Resilience in “To Kill a Mockingbird”
The Search for Identity and Heritage in “The Color Purple”
Friendship and Loyalty in “The Kite Runner”
Loss and Healing in “The Secret Life of Bees”
Discovering Personal Values and Morality in “The Book Thief”
Coming-of-Age in the Face of War in “All Quiet on the Western Front”
Self-Reflection and Self-Discovery in “The Bell Jar”
Rebellion Against Societal Norms in “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest”
Race and Prejudice in “Invisible Man”

Analysis Essay Topics on Gothic Literature

Supernatural Elements in Gothic Literature: Exploring the Role of Ghosts and Hauntings
The Sublime and the Gothic: Analyzing the Concepts of Terror and Awe
Female Characters in Gothic Literature: A Study of Their Roles and Representations
Madness and Insanity in Gothic Fiction: Portrayals and Symbolism
The Role of Setting in Gothic Literature: Examining the Haunted Houses and Dark Landscapes
The Power of Secrets in Gothic Novels: Unraveling Hidden Truths and Consequences
The Use of Symbolism in Gothic Literature: Decoding Cryptic Messages and Meanings
Psychological Horror in Gothic Fiction: Analyzing the Inner Turmoil of Characters
Duality and Doubling in Gothic Novels: Exploring the Split Identities and Shadows
Death and Decay in Gothic Literature: The Ephemeral Nature of Life and Beauty
The Portrayal of Villains in Gothic Fiction: From Monsters to Manipulative Minds
The Role of Women Writers in Gothic Literature: Examining Their Contributions and Challenges
The Influence of Gothic Architecture in Literature: Analyzing the Aesthetic and Atmosphere
Supernatural vs. Rational in Gothic Fiction: Clash of Beliefs and Realities
The Grotesque in Gothic Literature: Disfigured Bodies and Distorted Characters
Gothic Literature and the Exploration of Fear: Unveiling Human Anxieties and Phobias
The Subjugation of Women in Gothic Novels: Analyzing Power Imbalances and Patriarchy
Dreams and Nightmares in Gothic Literature: Unconscious Desires and Fears
The Evolution of Gothic Literature: Tracing its Development from Horace Walpole to the Present
The Role of Religion in Gothic Fiction: Exploring the Themes of Sin, Redemption, and Damnation
Love and Desire in Gothic Novels: Unconventional Relationships and Obsessions

Literary Analysis Topics on Historical Fiction

The Role of Power and Corruption in Historical Fiction
Exploring the Effects of War on Historical Fiction
Love and Betrayal in Historical Fiction Novels
The Portrayal of Gender Roles in Historical Fiction Literature
Analyzing the Theme of Identity in Historical Fiction
The Significance of Historical Settings in Fictional Narratives
Rebellion and Revolution in Historical Fiction
The Impact of Historical Events on Fictional Characters
Examining Historical Accuracy in Fictional Works
Social Class and Its Representation in Historical Fiction
Analyzing the Role of Historical Figures in Fictional Narratives
The Use of Symbolism in Historical Fiction Novels
Examining the Role of Religion in Historical Fiction
Exploring the Theme of Freedom in Historical Fiction Works
The Influence of Culture and Customs on Historical Fiction
The Representation of Historical Trauma in Fictional Narratives
Roles of Secrets and Hidden Histories in Historical Fiction
Analyzing the Power Dynamics in Historical Fiction Novels
The Portrayal of Race and Ethnicity in Historical Fiction Literature
Effects of Colonialism and Imperialism in Historical Fiction

Literary Analysis Topics About Magical Realism

Love and Transformation in Isabel Allende’s “The House of the Spirits”
Symbolism and Metaphor in Salman Rushdie’s “Midnight’s Children”
Magical Realism as a Vehicle for Social Critique in Toni Morrison’s “Beloved”
The Intersection of Reality and Fantasy in Laura Esquivel’s “Like Water for Chocolate”
Magical Realism as a Tool for Cultural Identity in Jorge Luis Borges’ “Ficciones”
The Exploration of Time and Memory in Haruki Murakami’s “The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle”
Feminine Power and Magical Realism in Angela Carter’s “The Bloody Chamber”
The Use of Magical Realism in Haroun and the Sea of Stories by Salman Rushdie
Myth and Legend in Alejo Carpentier’s “The Kingdom of This World”
The Theme of Supernatural in Octavia Butler’s “Wild Seed”
Magical Realism and Postcolonialism in Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s “Half of a Yellow Sun”
The Concept of Dream and Reality in Milan Kundera’s “The Unbearable Lightness of Being”
The Role of Magical Realism in José Saramago’s “Blindness”
Dreams and Visions in Gabriel García Márquez’s “Love in the Time of Cholera”
Magical Realism and the Power of Imagination in Italo Calvino’s “Invisible Cities”
The Influence of Magical Realism in Zora Neale Hurston’s “Their Eyes Were Watching God”
Symbolism and Allegory in Yann Martel’s “Life of Pi”
Magical Realism and Political Satire in Salman Rushdie’s “The Satanic Verses”
The Theme of Destiny and Fate in Laura Esquivel’s “The Law of Love”
The Role of Magical Realism in Ben Okri’s “The Famished Road”
Nature and the Supernatural in Isabel Allende’s “Eva Luna”

Modernist Literature Analysis Topics

The Evolution of Cultural Identity in Modernist Novels
Exploring Fragmentation and Streamlining Consciousness in Modernist Literature
The Influence of World War I on Modernist Poetic Expression
Reimagining Gender Roles in Contemporary Modernist Fiction
Deconstructing Traditional Narrative Structures in Avant-Garde Novels
The Role of Urbanization in Shaping Modernist Literary Movements
Capturing the Essence of Modernity in Revolutionary Modernist Poetry
The Representation of Time and Memory in Innovative Modernist Prose
Modernist Literature and the Crisis of Faith in a Changing World
Experimentation with Language and Form in Cutting-Edge Modernist Poetry
The Impact of Psychology and Psychoanalysis on Bold Modernist Fiction
Social Critique and Satire in Provocative Modernist Novels
Rediscovering Mythology and Folklore in Transgressive Modernist Poetry
Modernist Literature and the Quest for Genuine Personal Expression
Examining Alienation and Isolation in Revolutionary Modernist Works
The Transformation of the Heroic Ideal in Groundbreaking Modernist Prose
Modernist Literature and the Exploration of Fluid Identity Constructs
The Representation of Modernist Sensibility in Abstract Poetry
Challenging Established Values and Morality in Defiant Modernist Novels
The Modernist Aesthetic: The Influence of Visual Arts on Literary Innovations

Literary Analysis Essay Topics on Movies

Cultural Identity in “Inception”: Exploring the Layers of Selfhood
The Power of Redemption in “The Shawshank Redemption”
Love and Sacrifice in “Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind”
Gender Roles and Stereotypes in “Mad Max: Fury Road”
Loss and Grief in “Manchester by the Sea”
Betrayal and Loyalty in “The Departed”
Technology and Humanity in “Ex Machina”
Social Class and Inequality in “Parasite”
Freedom and Rebellion in “V for Vendetta”
Existentialism and Absurdism in “Fight Club”
Coming-of-Age in “Moonlight”
Morality and Ethics in “No Country for Old Men”
Symbolism and Allegory in “Pan’s Labyrinth”
War and Its Consequences in “Apocalypse Now”
Identity and Belonging in “Lost in Translation”
Power and Corruption in “Citizen Kane”
Colonialism and Post-Colonialism in “The Last Emperor”
Individualism vs. Conformity in “The Truman Show”
Nostalgia and Memory in “The Great Gatsby”
The Hero’s Journey in “Star Wars: A New Hope”
Environmentalism and Nature in “WALL-E”

Postcolonial Literature Analysis Topics

Colonialism’s Impacts on Identity Formation in Postcolonial Literary Analysis
Decolonizing Language and Literature: Strategies Within Postcolonial Textual Analysis
Gendered Power Dynamics in Postcolonial Literary Works
Resistance and Rebellion Explored in Postcolonial Fiction
Subverting Colonial Narratives: Reimagining History in Postcolonial Literature
Hybridity and Cultural Identity Formation in Postcolonial Text Analysis
The Politics of Representing the Postcolonial in Fiction
Postcolonial Eco-Criticism: Nature and the Environment in Literary Analysis
Indigenous Perspectives and Voices in Postcolonial Literature
Exploring Postcolonial Diasporas: Migration and Exile in Literary Works
Examining the Language of Colonization in Postcolonial Texts
Rewriting and Reimagining Canonical Texts in the Postcolonial Context
Nationalism and Anti-Colonial Movements Explored in Postcolonial Literature
Globalization and Its Impact on Postcolonial Literary Spaces
Postcolonial Feminist Theory and Women’s Agency in Literature
Negotiating Identity in Postcolonial Autobiographies
Resistance through Oral Tradition: Folklore and Mythology in Postcolonial Texts
Slavery’s Legacy Explored in Postcolonial Literary Analysis
Revisiting the Past: Historical Fiction in the Postcolonial Context
Postcolonial Perspectives on Language and Translation in Literature

Literary Analysis Topics About Satire and Social Criticism

The Use of Irony in Swift’s “A Modest Proposal” as a Social Critique
Satirical Depiction of Political Corruption in Orwell’s “Animal Farm”
The Subversive Power of Satire in Twain’s “The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn”
Analyzing Gender Roles and Stereotypes in Austen’s “Pride and Prejudice”
A Critical Examination of Society’s Obsession With Wealth in Fitzgerald’s “The Great Gatsby”
Satirical Commentary on War and Nationalism in Heller’s “Catch-22”
Critiquing the American Dream in Steinbeck’s “The Grapes of Wrath”
The Use of Satire to Challenge Gender Inequality in Atwood’s “The Handmaid’s Tale”
Social Criticism and Satire in Vonnegut’s “Slaughterhouse-Five”
Analyzing the Satirical Portrayal of Religion in Voltaire’s “Candide”
The Critique of Victorian Society in Wilde’s “The Importance of Being Earnest”
Satirical Exploration of Consumerism in Palahniuk’s “Fight Club”
Examining Satire as a Vehicle for Criticizing Colonialism in Conrad’s “Heart of Darkness”
Social Commentary on Racism and Prejudice in Harper Lee’s “To Kill a Mockingbird”
Analyzing the Satirical Attack on Totalitarianism in Huxley’s “Brave New World”
Critiquing Class Inequity through Satire in Dickens’ “A Tale of Two Cities”
The Use of Satire to Highlight the Absurdity of War in Vonnegut’s “Mother Night”
Social Criticism of Victorian Morality in Wilde’s “The Picture of Dorian Gray”
Satirical Portrayal of Bureaucracy in Kafka’s “The Trial”
Analyzing the Satirical Critique of Education in Twain’s “The Prince and the Pauper”
Critiquing the Hypocrisy of Society in Austen’s “Sense and Sensibility”

Social Literary Analysis Essay Topics

Gender Inequality in Literature: Analyzing the Portrayal of Women in Classic Novels
Racial Discrimination in Contemporary Fiction: Examining the Representation of People of Color
Environmental Crisis in Literature: Depicting the Devastating Consequences of Climate Change
Social Class Struggles in Victorian Novels: Unveiling the Disparity Between the Rich and the Poor
The Role of Literature in Promoting Social Justice: Investigating the Power of Words in Activism
Immigration and Identity in Literature: Exploring the Experience of Cultural Assimilation
The Stigma of Mental Illness in Literary Works: Challenging Societal Misconceptions
Dystopian Societies in Science Fiction: Reflecting on Contemporary Social Issues
LGBTQ+ Representation in Contemporary Young Adult Literature: Celebrating Diversity and Inclusion
Substance Abuse and Addiction in Literature: Examining the Portrayal of Dependency
Political Corruption in Novels: Critiquing Power Structures and Governance
Bullying and Peer Pressure in Coming-of-Age Novels: Analyzing the Impact on Adolescent Characters
Aging and Ageism in Literature: Exploring the Challenges Faced by Older Characters
Homelessness in Urban Fiction: Shedding Light on Socioeconomic Marginalization
Mental Health Stigma in Historical Literature: Revealing the Cultural Attitudes of the Past
Disability Representation in Contemporary Fiction: Examining the Portrayal of Disabled Characters
War and Trauma in Literature: Investigating the Psychological Effects of Conflict
Cultural Appropriation in Literary Works: Addressing Issues of Identity and Authenticity
Human Rights Violations in Historical Fiction: Uncovering Social Injustices of the Past
Poverty and Social Inequality in Classic Literature: Reflecting on the Lives of the Impoverished

Literary Analysis Essay Topics About a Subject of Race

Societal Constructs of Race in Postcolonial Fiction
Cultural Identity and Racial Stereotypes Within Contemporary Narratives
Power Dynamics and Racial Divisions in Historical Literary Works
Racism and Resistance Explored in Afrofuturistic Novels
Language’s Roles in Shaping Racial Narratives and Identity
Intersectionality: Examining Race and Gender in Women’s Literature
Symbolic Representations of Race in Poetry From the Symbolist Movement
Racial Inequality and Pursuit of Social Justice in Young Adult Novels
The Representation of Biracial Characters in Literary Works
Racial Assimilation and Identity Crisis Explored in Immigrant Fiction
Racial Discrimination and Community Dynamics in Urban Novels
Race as Performance: Deconstructing Racial Expectations in Postmodern Literature
Formation of Racial Identity in Coming-of-Age Stories
Racial Injustices and Class Struggles in Southern Gothic Fiction
The Portrayal of Native Americans in American Literary Works
Racial Otherness and Exoticism in Colonial-Era Literature
Exploring Racial Violence and Trauma Through Literary Memoirs
Racial Reconciliation and Healing Themes in Contemporary Poetry
Race and Memory: Unpacking Historical Fiction’s Depiction of the Past
Satire and Social Critique: Analyzing Racial Themes in Satirical Novels
Racial Utopias and Dystopias in Speculative Fiction

Literary Analysis Essay Topics About Symbolism and Allegory

The Profound Symbolism of Nature in Romantic Poetry
Allegorical Representations of Good and Evil in Classic Literature
Symbolic Interpretations of Metamorphosis in Kafka’s Work
Shakespearean Tragedies: Unveiling Symbolic Layers
Allegorical Themes in George Orwell’s Satirical Works
Edgar Allan Poe: Unraveling Symbolism and Allegory
The Green Light’s Symbolic Significance in “The Great Gatsby”
Unveiling Symbolism: The Conch Shell in “Lord of the Flies”
Dante’s “Divine Comedy”: Journey Through Allegory
Symbolism and Allegory in Gabriel Garcia Marquez’s Masterpiece
The Symbolic River in Mark Twain’s “Adventures of Huckleberry Finn”
Allegorical Elements in Hermann Hesse’s “Siddhartha”
Toni Morrison’s “Beloved”: Uncovering Symbolic Layers
Aldous Huxley’s “Brave New World”: Allegorical Reflections of Society
Colors as Symbols in F. Scott Fitzgerald’s “The Great Gatsby”
Symbolism and Allegory in Nathaniel Hawthorne’s “The Scarlet Letter”
J. R. R. Tolkien’s “The Lord of the Rings”: A Tale of Symbolic Depth
Symbolism in Chinua Achebe’s “Things Fall Apart”
Allegorical Representations of Death in Emily Dickinson’s Poetry
Harper Lee’s “To Kill a Mockingbird”: The Symbolic Mockingbird

Literary Analysis of War and Peace Topics

Impacts of Conflict on Individual Identity and Sense of Self
Consequences of Diplomatic Negotiations in Historical Fiction
Societal Transformation: The Influence of Warfare and Peacemaking
Nonviolent Resistance as a Literary Expression
Familial Dynamics in the Context of Armed Conflicts in Literature
Exploring the Psychological Toll of Combat Through Literary Works
Symbolism of Serene Landscapes in Anti-War Novels
Women’s Roles in Wartime and Peace in Literary Texts
Analyzing the Metaphorical Language of Conflict and Harmony
Interplay of Love and Strife in Literary Depictions
Representation of War Heroes in Literature: Impact on Societies
The Use of Irony in Writings About War and Peace
Evolution of War Narratives from Classical to Contemporary Works
Theme of Reconciliation in Literary Works on War and Peace
Propaganda’s Influence on Public Perception of Armed Conflicts
Power Dynamics in Politics: War’s Influence in Literary Texts
Contrasting the Brutality of Warfare With the Ideal of Harmony
Exploring Loss and Grief in Literary Works on War
War Poetry: Representation and Emotional Resonance
Healing the Wounds of War: Role of Music and Art in Literature
Honor and Sacrifice: Conceptualization in War Novels

Women’s Literature Analysis Essay Topics

Exploring Female Identity in Contemporary Fiction
Unveiling the Subversive Power of Women’s Memoirs
Empowering Female Characters in Historical Novels
Examining Gender Roles in Science Fiction Literature
Deconstructing Patriarchy in Feminist Poetry
Resilience and Resistance: Women’s Stories of Survival
Challenging Stereotypes in Women’s Crime Fiction
Motherhood and Maternal Bonds in Literature
Reimagining Fairy Tales From a Feminist Perspective
Female Sexuality in the Works of Women Authors
Intersections of Race and Gender in Women’s Literature
Feminist Dystopias: Questioning Gender Norms
Women’s Coming-of-Age Stories: Identity and Self-Discovery
Subverting Male Gaze: Reclaiming Female Narratives
Exploring Sisterhood and Female Friendships in Literature
Women’s Roles in War and Conflict: Narratives of Courage
Portrayals of Mental Health in Women’s Literature
Resistance and Activism in Women’s Poetry
Breaking Boundaries: Female Protagonists in Historical Fiction
The Politics of Body and Beauty in Women’s Writing

William Shakespeare’s “Hamlet” Literary Analysis Topics

The Tragic Hero’s Soliloquies in “Hamlet”: Analyzing the Role of Self-Reflection
Deception and Betrayal: Unraveling Motives of Characters in Shakespeare’s “Hamlet”
Exploring the Complex Relationship Between Hamlet and Ophelia: Analyzing Love and Madness
Revenge as a Central Theme in Shakespeare’s “Hamlet”: Examining the Consequences of Vengeance
Supernatural Intrigue: The Influence of the Ghost in Shakespeare’s “Hamlet”
Analyzing the Role of Women in Shakespeare’s “Hamlet”: Gertrude and Ophelia’s Impact
Duty vs. Conscience: Hamlet’s Moral Dilemma and Its Ramifications
Sanity vs. Madness: Unraveling Hamlet’s Mental State
The Power of Language in Shakespeare’s “Hamlet”: Analyzing Rhetoric and Wordplay
Unmasking Deceptions: The Theme of Appearance vs. Reality in Shakespeare’s “Hamlet”
Fatal Flaw: Analyzing Hamlet’s Tragic Downfall
Mortality and Existentialism: Exploring the Theme of Death in Shakespeare’s “Hamlet”
Analyzing the Symbolism of “The Mousetrap” in Shakespeare’s “Hamlet”
Fate and Destiny: Examining the Tragic Elements in Shakespeare’s “Hamlet”
The Significance of Hamlet’s Delay: Investigating the Protagonist’s Inaction
Unveiling Corruption: Analyzing Political Intrigues in Shakespeare’s “Hamlet”
Comparing and Contrasting Hamlet’s Relationships With His Father and Uncle
Family Dynamics: Exploring the Theme of Family in Shakespeare’s “Hamlet”
The Inner Conflict of Hamlet: Analyzing the Struggle Between Passion and Reason
Foils: Examining Contrasting Traits of Characters in Shakespeare’s “Hamlet”
The Consequences of Indecision in Shakespeare’s “Hamlet”

William Shakespeare’s “Romeo and Juliet” Literary Analysis Topics

Fate and Destiny in Shakespeare’s “Romeo and Juliet”
Tragic Love in “Romeo and Juliet”
Gender Roles and Expectations in “Romeo and Juliet”
Youth and Impulsivity in the Tragedy of “Romeo and Juliet”
Contrasts Between Love and Hate in “Romeo and Juliet”
The Role of Mercutio in Shakespeare’s “Romeo and Juliet”
Social Class and Conflict in “Romeo and Juliet”
Parental Influence in Shakespeare’s “Romeo and Juliet”
Language and Wordplay in “Romeo and Juliet”
Light and Darkness in Shakespeare’s “Romeo and Juliet”
The Role of Nurse in Shakespeare’s “Romeo and Juliet”
Themes of Loyalty and Betrayal in “Romeo and Juliet”
Revenge in Shakespeare’s “Romeo and Juliet”
Death and Suicide in “Romeo and Juliet”
Individual vs. Society in Shakespeare’s “Romeo and Juliet”
Time and Hastiness in the Tragedy of “Romeo and Juliet”
Passion and Lust in Shakespeare’s “Romeo and Juliet”
Use of Foreshadowing in “Romeo and Juliet”
Friendship in the Play “Romeo and Juliet”
Music in Shakespeare’s “Romeo and Juliet”

William Shakespeare’s “Macbeth” Literary Analysis Topics

Ambition: A Catalyst for Destruction in “Macbeth”
Guilt and Conscience in Shakespeare’s Tragedy, “Macbeth”
Power and Corruption: Exploring “Macbeth”
The Tragic Hero’s Downfall: Analyzing “Macbeth”
Supernatural Elements in Shakespeare’s “Macbeth”
Gender Roles and Stereotypes in “Macbeth”
Fate vs. Free Will in Shakespeare’s “Macbeth”
Manipulation and Deception: Themes in “Macbeth”
Appearance vs. Reality: Unveiling “Macbeth”
Lady Macbeth’s Influence on Macbeth’s Tragedy
Blood Imagery: Symbolism in “Macbeth”
Ambiguity in Shakespeare’s “Macbeth”
Loyalty and Betrayal: Unraveling “Macbeth”
The Witches’ Role in Shakespeare’s “Macbeth”
Soliloquies: Insight into Characters in “Macbeth”
Madness and Mental Decline in “Macbeth”
Violence: Themes in Shakespeare’s “Macbeth”
Sleep and Dreams: Symbolism in “Macbeth”
Disruption of Natural Order in Shakespeare’s “Macbeth”
The Concept of Time in “Macbeth”
Honor and Macbeth’s Tragic Flaw: A Character Analysis

“Beowulf” Literary Analysis Topics

Heroic Archetypes in “Beowulf”: Exploring the Role of the Hero in the Epic Poem
Symbolism in “Beowulf”: Analyzing the Significance of Grendel’s Lair
Women in “Beowulf”: An Examination of Gender Roles and Femininity
The Concept of Loyalty in “Beowulf”: Unraveling the Threads of Trust
Fate and Destiny in “Beowulf”: A Journey of Predestined Heroes
Beowulf’s Moral Code: An Exploration of Honor and Virtue
The Theme of Good vs. Evil in “Beowulf”: The Battle of Light and Darkness
Christian Influences in “Beowulf”: The Clash of Paganism and Christianity
The Role of Kingship in “Beowulf”: Leadership and Power
The Importance of Boasting in “Beowulf”: Pride and Bravery
Revenge and Retribution in “Beowulf”: Examining the Cycle of Violence
The Supernatural Elements in “Beowulf”: Magic and the Otherworldly
Heroic Sacrifice in “Beowulf”: Analyzing Acts of Selflessness
The Concept of Time in “Beowulf”: Life, Death, and the Passage of Ages
Nature and the Environment in “Beowulf”: The Symbolism of Land and Sea
Beowulf’s Battle With Grendel: An Analysis of Violence and Conquest
Friendship and Companionship in “Beowulf”: The Bonds of Brotherhood
Honor and Reputation in “Beowulf”: The Price of Glory
Monsters and Monstrosity in “Beowulf”: The Line Between Human and Beast
Wisdom and Knowledge in “Beowulf”: The Importance of Experience

Mary Shelley’s “Frankenstein” Literary Analysis Topics

Romanticism in Mary Shelley’s “Frankenstein”: Exploring the Portrayal of Emotions and the Sublime
The Monster as a Tragic Hero: Analyzing the Character Development and Moral Ambiguity
Gender Roles in “Frankenstein”: Examining the Portrayal of Masculinity and Femininity
Nature vs. Nurture: Discussing the Influence of Environment and Upbringing on the Characters
The Pursuit of Knowledge: Investigating the Consequences of Scientific Ambition and Discovery
Social Alienation in “Frankenstein”: Analyzing the Theme of Isolation and Its Impact on the Characters
Responsibility and Accountability: Examining the Ethical Dilemmas Faced by the Characters
The Doppelgänger Motif: Exploring the Presence of Doubles and Reflections Throughout the Novel
Monstrosity as a Symbol: Discussing the Metaphorical Representation of the Monster in Society
Parent-Child Relationships in “Frankenstein”: Analyzing the Dynamics Between Victor and His Creation
Gothic Elements in the Novel: Examining the Use of Darkness, Horror, and the Supernatural
The Role of Fate in “Frankenstein”: Discussing the Influence of Destiny and Predestination
The Power of Language: Analyzing the Importance of Communication and Rhetoric in the Novel
The Subversion of Gender Stereotypes: Examining the Unconventional Female Characters in the Story
Revenge and Retribution: Discussing the Motives and Consequences of Seeking Vengeance
The Prometheus Myth: Analyzing the Allusions to the Greek Myth and Its Significance
The Role of Science in Society: Discussing the Ethical Implications of Scientific Progress
The Theme of Ambition: Analyzing the Characters’ Pursuit of Power, Success, and Recognition
Guilt and Remorse in “Frankenstein”: Examining the Characters’ Moral Struggles and Regrets
The Role of Nature in the Novel: Discussing the Symbolic Significance of Natural Elements
The Sublime in “Frankenstein”: Analyzing the Awe-Inspiring and Terrifying Aspects of the Sublime

Literary Analysis Topics on F. Scott Fitzgerald’s “The Great Gatsby”

Influence of Wealth and Materialism in F. Scott Fitzgerald’s “The Great Gatsby”
Symbolism of the Green Light in Fitzgerald’s “The Great Gatsby”
Examining the American Dream in Fitzgerald’s “The Great Gatsby”
The Role of Social Class in Fitzgerald’s “The Great Gatsby”
The Significance of Gatsby’s Extravagant Parties in Fitzgerald’s “The Great Gatsby”
Exploring the Decline of the American Dream in Fitzgerald’s “The Great Gatsby”
Examining Nick Carraway as the Narrator in Fitzgerald’s “The Great Gatsby”
The Symbolic Role of the Valley of Ashes in Fitzgerald’s “The Great Gatsby”
Analyzing the Theme of Time in Fitzgerald’s “The Great Gatsby”
The Role of Morality and Ethics in Fitzgerald’s “The Great Gatsby”
Betrayal and Deception in Fitzgerald’s “The Great Gatsby”
Foreshadowing in Fitzgerald’s “The Great Gatsby”
Examining the Motif of Eyes and Vision in Fitzgerald’s “The Great Gatsby”
Religion and Spirituality in Fitzgerald’s “The Great Gatsby”
Analyzing the Theme of Isolation in Fitzgerald’s “The Great Gatsby”
Fate and Destiny in Fitzgerald’s “The Great Gatsby”
Nick Carraway’s Midwest Background in Fitzgerald’s “The Great Gatsby”
Hope and Despair in Fitzgerald’s “The Great Gatsby”
Dreams and Aspirations in Fitzgerald’s “The Great Gatsby”
Examining the Theme of Identity in Fitzgerald’s “The Great Gatsby”

Arthur Miller’s “The Crucible” Literary Analysis Topics

Individualism vs. Conformity in Arthur Miller’s “The Crucible”
Power and Authority: A Critical Analysis of “The Crucible”
Betrayal and Loyalty: Exploring Motives in “The Crucible”
Hysteria and Mass Psychology: An Analysis of “The Crucible”
Reputation’s Impacts on Social Standing in “The Crucible”
Justice and Injustice: A Closer Look at “The Crucible”
Truth and Deception: Unveiling Hidden Agendas in “The Crucible”
Guilt vs. Innocence: A Moral Examination of “The Crucible”
Religion and Morality in Arthur Miller’s “The Crucible”
Fear and Paranoia: Examining the Motifs in “The Crucible”
Gender Roles and Patriarchy: A Feminist Perspective on “The Crucible”
Integrity and Moral Courage in Arthur Miller’s “The Crucible”
Social Class and Inequality: The Struggle in “The Crucible”
Manipulation and Control: Unveiling the Tactics in “The Crucible”
The Power of Accusation in Arthur Miller’s “The Crucible”
Conflict and Resolution: Analyzing Dynamics in “The Crucible”
Redemption and Forgiveness: Themes in “The Crucible”
The Proctor Family: Examining the Role in “The Crucible”
Symbolism and Allegory in Arthur Miller’s “The Crucible”
The Significance of the Salem Witch Trials in “The Crucible”
The Destructive Power of Rumors in “The Crucible”

Literary Analysis Topics on Ray Bradbury’s “Fahrenheit 451”

Censorship and Its Influence on Society in Ray Bradbury’s “Fahrenheit 451”
Symbolic Imagery in Ray Bradbury’s Novel “Fahrenheit 451”
Character Development and Transformations in Bradbury’s “Fahrenheit 451”
The Role of Technology in Bradbury’s Literary Work “Fahrenheit 451”
Conflict Between Conformity and Individuality in “Fahrenheit 451”
The Power of Literature in Bradbury’s “Fahrenheit 451”
Social Criticism in Ray Bradbury’s Famous Novel “Fahrenheit 451”
The Dystopian Society Portrayed in Bradbury’s “Fahrenheit 451”
Loss of Human Connection and Relationships in “Fahrenheit 451”
Rebellion and Its Significance in Bradbury’s “Fahrenheit 451”
Fire as a Symbolic Element in Ray Bradbury’s “Fahrenheit 451”
Psychological Themes Explored in Bradbury’s “Fahrenheit 451”
Intellectual Freedom and Its Importance in “Fahrenheit 451”
Alienation and Isolation in Ray Bradbury’s “Fahrenheit 451”
The Role of Education in Bradbury’s “Fahrenheit 451”
Memory and Identity Exploration in “Fahrenheit 451”
The Importance of History in Ray Bradbury’s “Fahrenheit 451”
Gender Roles and Stereotypes Addressed in “Fahrenheit 451”
The Influence of Mass Media in Bradbury’s “Fahrenheit 451”
Dehumanization of Society in Ray Bradbury’s “Fahrenheit 451”

William Shakespeare’s “Othello” Literary Analysis Topics

Identity and Self-Deception in Shakespeare’s “Othello”
Manipulation and Envy in “Othello”
The Power of Language in the Tragedy of Othello
The Role of Women: Subversion and Agency in “Othello”
Love and Treachery in Shakespeare’s “Othello”
The Tragic Hero’s Downfall: Othello’s Demise
Deception and Illusion in “Othello”
The Destructive Nature of Revenge: Themes in “Othello”
Racism and Prejudice in the Play “Othello”
Influence of Social Hierarchies: Shakespeare’s “Othello”
The Burden of Guilt and Conscience in “Othello”
Friendship and Loyalty Explored in “Othello”
Hubris: The Fatal Flaw in Othello’s Character
The Consequences of Iago’s Machinations in Shakespeare’s “Othello”
Loss of Innocence: Themes in “Othello”
The Role of Fate and Destiny in Othello’s Tragedy
Othello and Desdemona: A Tragic Love Affair
Symbolism of the Handkerchief in Shakespeare’s “Othello”
Honor and Reputation in the Play “Othello”
Themes of Illusion and Reality in “Othello”
Power Dynamics and Control in Shakespeare’s “Othello”

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How to write a rhetorical analysis | Key concepts & examples

How to Write a Rhetorical Analysis | Key Concepts & Examples

Published on August 28, 2020 by Jack Caulfield . Revised on July 23, 2023.

A rhetorical analysis is a type of essay that looks at a text in terms of rhetoric. This means it is less concerned with what the author is saying than with how they say it: their goals, techniques, and appeals to the audience.

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Key concepts in rhetoric, analyzing the text, introducing your rhetorical analysis, the body: doing the analysis, concluding a rhetorical analysis, other interesting articles, frequently asked questions about rhetorical analysis.

Rhetoric, the art of effective speaking and writing, is a subject that trains you to look at texts, arguments and speeches in terms of how they are designed to persuade the audience. This section introduces a few of the key concepts of this field.

Appeals: Logos, ethos, pathos

Appeals are how the author convinces their audience. Three central appeals are discussed in rhetoric, established by the philosopher Aristotle and sometimes called the rhetorical triangle: logos, ethos, and pathos.

Logos , or the logical appeal, refers to the use of reasoned argument to persuade. This is the dominant approach in academic writing , where arguments are built up using reasoning and evidence.

Ethos , or the ethical appeal, involves the author presenting themselves as an authority on their subject. For example, someone making a moral argument might highlight their own morally admirable behavior; someone speaking about a technical subject might present themselves as an expert by mentioning their qualifications.

Pathos , or the pathetic appeal, evokes the audience’s emotions. This might involve speaking in a passionate way, employing vivid imagery, or trying to provoke anger, sympathy, or any other emotional response in the audience.

These three appeals are all treated as integral parts of rhetoric, and a given author may combine all three of them to convince their audience.

Text and context

In rhetoric, a text is not necessarily a piece of writing (though it may be this). A text is whatever piece of communication you are analyzing. This could be, for example, a speech, an advertisement, or a satirical image.

In these cases, your analysis would focus on more than just language—you might look at visual or sonic elements of the text too.

The context is everything surrounding the text: Who is the author (or speaker, designer, etc.)? Who is their (intended or actual) audience? When and where was the text produced, and for what purpose?

Looking at the context can help to inform your rhetorical analysis. For example, Martin Luther King, Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech has universal power, but the context of the civil rights movement is an important part of understanding why.

Claims, supports, and warrants

A piece of rhetoric is always making some sort of argument, whether it’s a very clearly defined and logical one (e.g. in a philosophy essay) or one that the reader has to infer (e.g. in a satirical article). These arguments are built up with claims, supports, and warrants.

A claim is the fact or idea the author wants to convince the reader of. An argument might center on a single claim, or be built up out of many. Claims are usually explicitly stated, but they may also just be implied in some kinds of text.

The author uses supports to back up each claim they make. These might range from hard evidence to emotional appeals—anything that is used to convince the reader to accept a claim.

The warrant is the logic or assumption that connects a support with a claim. Outside of quite formal argumentation, the warrant is often unstated—the author assumes their audience will understand the connection without it. But that doesn’t mean you can’t still explore the implicit warrant in these cases.

For example, look at the following statement:

We can see a claim and a support here, but the warrant is implicit. Here, the warrant is the assumption that more likeable candidates would have inspired greater turnout. We might be more or less convinced by the argument depending on whether we think this is a fair assumption.

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Rhetorical analysis isn’t a matter of choosing concepts in advance and applying them to a text. Instead, it starts with looking at the text in detail and asking the appropriate questions about how it works:

What is the author’s purpose?
Do they focus closely on their key claims, or do they discuss various topics?
What tone do they take—angry or sympathetic? Personal or authoritative? Formal or informal?
Who seems to be the intended audience? Is this audience likely to be successfully reached and convinced?
What kinds of evidence are presented?

By asking these questions, you’ll discover the various rhetorical devices the text uses. Don’t feel that you have to cram in every rhetorical term you know—focus on those that are most important to the text.

The following sections show how to write the different parts of a rhetorical analysis.

Like all essays, a rhetorical analysis begins with an introduction . The introduction tells readers what text you’ll be discussing, provides relevant background information, and presents your thesis statement .

Hover over different parts of the example below to see how an introduction works.

Martin Luther King, Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech is widely regarded as one of the most important pieces of oratory in American history. Delivered in 1963 to thousands of civil rights activists outside the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C., the speech has come to symbolize the spirit of the civil rights movement and even to function as a major part of the American national myth. This rhetorical analysis argues that King’s assumption of the prophetic voice, amplified by the historic size of his audience, creates a powerful sense of ethos that has retained its inspirational power over the years.

The body of your rhetorical analysis is where you’ll tackle the text directly. It’s often divided into three paragraphs, although it may be more in a longer essay.

Each paragraph should focus on a different element of the text, and they should all contribute to your overall argument for your thesis statement.

Hover over the example to explore how a typical body paragraph is constructed.

King’s speech is infused with prophetic language throughout. Even before the famous “dream” part of the speech, King’s language consistently strikes a prophetic tone. He refers to the Lincoln Memorial as a “hallowed spot” and speaks of rising “from the dark and desolate valley of segregation” to “make justice a reality for all of God’s children.” The assumption of this prophetic voice constitutes the text’s strongest ethical appeal; after linking himself with political figures like Lincoln and the Founding Fathers, King’s ethos adopts a distinctly religious tone, recalling Biblical prophets and preachers of change from across history. This adds significant force to his words; standing before an audience of hundreds of thousands, he states not just what the future should be, but what it will be: “The whirlwinds of revolt will continue to shake the foundations of our nation until the bright day of justice emerges.” This warning is almost apocalyptic in tone, though it concludes with the positive image of the “bright day of justice.” The power of King’s rhetoric thus stems not only from the pathos of his vision of a brighter future, but from the ethos of the prophetic voice he adopts in expressing this vision.

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The conclusion of a rhetorical analysis wraps up the essay by restating the main argument and showing how it has been developed by your analysis. It may also try to link the text, and your analysis of it, with broader concerns.

Explore the example below to get a sense of the conclusion.

It is clear from this analysis that the effectiveness of King’s rhetoric stems less from the pathetic appeal of his utopian “dream” than it does from the ethos he carefully constructs to give force to his statements. By framing contemporary upheavals as part of a prophecy whose fulfillment will result in the better future he imagines, King ensures not only the effectiveness of his words in the moment but their continuing resonance today. Even if we have not yet achieved King’s dream, we cannot deny the role his words played in setting us on the path toward it.

If you want to know more about AI tools , college essays , or fallacies make sure to check out some of our other articles with explanations and examples or go directly to our tools!

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The goal of a rhetorical analysis is to explain the effect a piece of writing or oratory has on its audience, how successful it is, and the devices and appeals it uses to achieve its goals.

Unlike a standard argumentative essay , it’s less about taking a position on the arguments presented, and more about exploring how they are constructed.

The term “text” in a rhetorical analysis essay refers to whatever object you’re analyzing. It’s frequently a piece of writing or a speech, but it doesn’t have to be. For example, you could also treat an advertisement or political cartoon as a text.

Logos appeals to the audience’s reason, building up logical arguments . Ethos appeals to the speaker’s status or authority, making the audience more likely to trust them. Pathos appeals to the emotions, trying to make the audience feel angry or sympathetic, for example.

Collectively, these three appeals are sometimes called the rhetorical triangle . They are central to rhetorical analysis , though a piece of rhetoric might not necessarily use all of them.

In rhetorical analysis , a claim is something the author wants the audience to believe. A support is the evidence or appeal they use to convince the reader to believe the claim. A warrant is the (often implicit) assumption that links the support with the claim.

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435 Literary Analysis Essay Topics and Prompts [2024 Upd]

Literature courses are about two things: reading and writing about what you’ve read. For most students, it’s hard enough to understand great pieces of literature, never mind analyzing them. And with so many books and stories out there, choosing one to write about can be a chore.

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The picture says that literary analysis involves interpretation and evaluation.

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This article by our Custom Writing service experts presents a list of the most interesting and creative literary analysis topics. Additionally, you will find here:

helpful essay prompts;
a writing guide with simple tips;
a literary analysis example.

This comprehensive article can be helpful not only for university or college students but also to students of high and middle school.

🔝 Top 10 Literature Topics for High School
🔮 Top 10 Literary Topics for College
📜 Topics from Different Eras
🖋️ Poetry Analysis Topics
🎭 Shakespeare Essay Topics
📚 English Literature Topics: Different Authors
💡 Non-Fiction Literature Topics
⭐ Other Ideas
🖊️ Literary Analysis Prompts
✍️ Writing Guide
📃 Essay Example

🔗 References

🔝 top 10 literature essay topics for high school.

The role of religion in King Lear  
Milk symbolism in Beloved  
Is there gender inequality in Iliad ? 
Social issues of The Little Match Girl  
Gender roles in The Great Gatsby  
Frankenstein : historical background 
How is loyalty presented in Beowulf ?
Flower symbolism in A Rose for Emily
Politics in Titus Andronicus  
The presentation of power in Ozymandias

🔮 Top 10 Literary Analysis Essay Topics for College

Nature symbolism in Young Goodman Brown  
Childhood trauma in God Help the Child  
The consequences of Macbeth’s ambition 
The historical context of The Scarlet Letter  
Presentation of misery in The Chimney Sweeper
The supernatural in The Fall of the House of Usher  
What does Dorian Gray’s portrait represent? 
How is the true inner self discovered in Demian ? 
Natural beauty in I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud  
Endurance as a theme of The Old Man and the Sea

📜 Literary Analysis Essay Topics: Different Eras

Topics in ancient greek & roman literature.

Works of literature from Ancient Greece have a timeless quality. This is why they are still taught in schools centuries later. After thousands of years, there is little that hasn’t already been written about these works. That’s why we’ve gathered the only most outstanding topics that you will definitely find interesting:

Justice in Plato’s The Republic . Plato is perhaps the most influential thinker in the Western World. Accordingly, writing about his powerful philosophical dialogs is a challenging task. Most teachers will assign only portions of The Republic . We suggest you write about the theme of justice, but you can choose to focus on any other aspect of the dialog.
Determination in Sophocles’ Antigone . Antigone is one of the masterworks of the Greek playwright Sophocles. In this tale of royal succession, key themes include civil disobedience, natural and human law, and faithfulness.
Odysseus as an atypical hero in The Odyssey . The Odyssey by Homer is considered one of the most important poems in Classic literature. Odysseus is a unique epic hero facing an unusual challenge: his goal is not to win battles but to reconnect with his family. He has to rely on his wit rather than sheer power to achieve it. In your essay, explain how Odysseus differs from other heroes in Greek mythology .
Ethical principles in Aesop’s Fables . Aesop’s Fables represent a unique example of Ancient Greek literature. The stories written by a slave have become a cultural phenomenon centuries later. Even today, the morals of his works stay relevant.
The influence of Greek tragedy on modern theater. Sophocles’ and Aeschylus ‘ plays can still be found in the repertoire of many theaters. Moreover, their works often serve as inspiration for contemporary playwrights.
The tragedy of Oedipus in Sophocles’ Oedipus Rex . Oedipus is one of the best-known classic tragic heroes. In killing his father and marrying his mother, he fulfilled the prophecy of the Oracle. Through this play, Sophocles explores the themes of destiny and human flaws.
The variety of genres in the Metamorphoses. Millennia after Ovid’s Metamorphoses were written, scholars still argue about the genre of this work. Ovid blended historical events with fiction and experimented with the tone and themes of the poem.
The role of gods in Homer’s epic poems. In Homer’s Iliad and The Odyssey , gods often determine the outcomes of major events and change heroes’ destinies. They can become powerful allies or dangerous enemies of humans. Explore how divine interventions change the course of the story in both poems. Focus on Athene, Apollo, Aphrodite, Hera, and Poseidon.
Cicero’s legacy in Western politics and philosophy. Cicero’s letters are widely recognized as some of the most influential works of Latin literature. John Locke , Voltaire, and Martin Luther are among the figures inspired by him. Cicero’s philosophy teaching also influenced revolutionary movements in France and America in the 17 th century.

Literary Essay Topics: 19th and 20th Century

Many great literary works in the English language were written in the golden era of the 19 th and 20 th centuries. These works, ranging from epic novels to short poems, provide insight into the themes that define the Anglophone world’s spirit.

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The conflict between good and evil in The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes . Sherlock Holmes—a character created by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle—is considered the most famous fictional detective of all time. The Adventure of the Speckled Band is the favorite Holmes story of both the author and readers. Accordingly, many students choose to analyze this short story, which explores the themes of chaos.
Lord of the Flies as an allegory of modern society. Students of all ages have read Lord of the Flies , the classic novella by William Golding that explores the dangers of groupthink, the conflicts between rationality and irrationality, and morality and immorality., the classic novella by William Golding that explores the dangers of groupthink, the conflicts between rationality and irrationality, and morality and immorality.
The arbitrary nature of time and history in The Princess Bride . William Goldman’s The Princess Bride is such an entertaining story that it was adapted into an even more popular film. The key theme explored in this book is the power of love to conquer all.
The theme of money and greed in The Rocking Horse Winner . D. H. Lawrence is one of the masters of 20 th -century English literature, and his short story The Rocking Horse Winner clearly demonstrates his skill. In this tale of a struggling family, the themes of money and greed are thoroughly explored as a young boy uses clairvoyance gained on a rocking horse to predict race outcomes.
Is Of Mice and Men a classic tale of struggle? The American writer John Steinbeck captured the hardships faced by ordinary people during the Great Depression . The main recurring theme among Of Mice and Men characters is striving after dreams, often futilely, as demonstrated by them all: from George and Lennie to Candy and Curley’s wife.
The themes of reality and fantasy in A Streetcar Named Desire . Tennessee Williams’s masterpiece A Streetcar Named Desire is perhaps the most famous American dramatic play of all time. The central theme explored in this provocative play is the contemporary dependence of women on men.
Comparison of Ivan and Alexei in The Brothers Karamazov. The conflict between faith and doubt is arguably the central topic of Dostoevsky’s work, and The Brothers Karamazov is a perfect example of it. Alexei is a devout Orthodox Christian who believes in miracles. His brother, Ivan, rejects the concept of divine transcendence and embraces atheism.
Charles Dickens’ ambivalent attitude towards the poor. Dickens is widely considered an advocate of the poor’s rights and social change. Indeed, many of his impoverished characters are likable. However, Dickens also believes that the poor can be dangerous to society. Some of the works you can discuss are Oliver Twist, A Tale of Two Cities , and Barnaby Rudge .
Magic realism in One Hundred Years of Solitude . Gabriel Garcia Marquez’s masterpiece, One Hundred Years of Solitude, is written in the genre of magical realism. Marquez tells a fictional story of the Buendia family, blending daily routine with extraordinary events, effectively blurring the line between reality and fiction.
The differences between dystopian worlds in 1984 and A Brave New World . George Orwell and Aldous Huxley wrote the two most famous dystopian novels of the 20 th century. In both of them, the government has complete control over society, which is obtained through different strategies. In your essay, you may compare the policies in 1984 and A Brave New World .
On the Road as the landmark novel of the Beat Generation. Jack Kerouac and other members of the Beat movement challenged the typical American middle-class lifestyle in their works. On the Road embodies the main principles of their philosophy. Some of the topics to explore are freedom, spontaneity, and nonconformity.
The role of the changing narrative in Faulkner’s The Sound and the Fury . The Sound and the Fury is often praised for its experimental form. Four narrators tell the story from different perspectives and in contrasting tones. Explore how the changing narrative affects the overall perception of the novel.
Folklore, religion, and myth in Toni Morrison’s works. Toni Morrison is widely recognized as one of the most influential contemporary Black American writers. Her works are inspired mainly by her African heritage and Western mythology. Some of the novels to explore are Beloved and Song of Solo mon .
Expression of war experiences in American fiction. Wars in the 20 th century had a significant impact on American literature. Many writers participated in armed conflicts. Hemingway , Vonnegut, Salinger, and O’Brien are some of the authors who reflect on their war experiences in semi-autobiographic novels and short stories.

Contemporary Literature Essay Topics

Excellent books are still being written! Once in a while, your instructor may ask you to analyze a more recent work. Here are a few great books to consider for your next essay.

The theme of overcoming obstacles and poverty in Reservation Blues . Sherman Alexie’s novel Reservation Blues tells the story of a group of young men from the Spokane Indian reservation. They obtain the enchanted guitar of a legendary bluesman. Aside from overcoming obstacles, this book explores many other themes of Native American life.
Family obligations in Montana 1948 by Larry Watson . This novella is set in the Western American state of Montana, where a young man’s family struggles to survive. You may explore the theme of family obligations in conjunction with loyalty and justice.
The presentation of grief in The Lovely Bones . In Alice Sebold’s The Lovely Bones , the protagonist Susie dies violently. And then, her spirit proceeds to watch over the investigation of her disappearance and her family members’ lives.
Self-sacrifice as one of the central themes of Harry Potter . You may also want to write about any other theme of the Harry Potter series by J. K. Rowling. But remember: when you write about a book that was turned into a movie, make sure to actually read the book!
Cultural and religious references in Saunders’ Lincoln in the Bardo. One of the most acclaimed novels in recent years, Lincoln in the Bardo deals with the themes of death and the afterlife. A Tibetan concept of bardo inspires Saunders’ work, but the author also borrows ideas from other cultures and religions.
The theme of cultural assimilation in Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s Americanah. In her third novel, Adichie draws upon her personal experiences to tackle the issues African immigrants face when they move to the US. Explore the effects of immigration on the protagonist’s personality, views, and behavior.
Hypocrisy as the central theme of Ian McEwan’s Amsterdam. In Amsterdam , McEwan explores the contrast between public figures’ statements and their personal lives. None of the major characters in the novel act in accordance with their ethical standards. We suggest you focus on the figures of Clive, Vernon, and Julian.
Paul Beatty’s The Sellout : Satire on racial stereotypes. Beatty employs satire and irony to tackle some of the most pressing current issues in American society. The Sellout can be used as an encyclopedia of stereotypes associated with African Americans. Explore how the author uses literary devices to highlight their absurdity.
Cloning ethics in Kazuo Ishiguro’s Never Let Me Go . In the dystopian world of Never Let Me Go , cloning is a common practice. However, clones are used only as organ donors; they are not perceived as human beings. Explain how Ishiguro uses the narrative to challenge this social norm. For example, his characters can make art and fall in love.
Comparison of the New and Old Gods in Neil Gaiman’s American Gods. In American Gods , the narrative is based on the idea that humans created deities. The Old Gods in mythology represent the forces of nature, and The New Gods represent technologies that shape modern society. Discuss the similarities and differences between these two groups.

🖋️ Literary Analysis Essay Topics: Poetry

Many of the great works of literature are poems. Writing about them requires a special approach. Here’s a tip: don’t be afraid to quote the poem heavily and give several alternative interpretations. But first, check out this list of excellent topics:

A real-life war experience in Crane’s War is Kind . An American poet and writer Stephen Crane wrote the acclaimed American Civil War novel The Red Badge of Courage . But not everyone knows that he also wrote a collection of poems entitled War is Kind . Through these poems, he delved deep into the themes of war and violence based on his experience in the Spanish–American and Greco–Turkish Wars.
The theme of religion in John Donne’s sonnets. At the opposite end of the poetry spectrum, you can find the Elizabethan-era Englishman, John Donne . His works were written mainly in the form of sonnets focused on the themes of love, social criticism, death, and religion.
Mysticism in William Butler Yeats’s poetry . The occult, spiritualism, and Irish mythology profoundly influenced Yeats’ work. Many of his poems are preoccupied with the Apocalypse, immortality of the human soul, and the spirit world. Start your research with The Second Coming and Sailing to Byzantium.
Allusions in Edgar Allan Poe’s The Raven . The Raven is widely recognized as one of the most famous poems of all time. It contains numerous references and allusions to the Bible, folklore, and other literary works. Examine and quote Poe’s sources of inspiration.
The meaning of The Road Not Taken by Robert Frost . Robert Frost’s poetry is often praised for his rich metaphorical language. The Road Not Taken is a quintessential piece that’s often misunderstood. In your essay, you may explore its alternative interpretations.
The evolution of blank verse in English poetry. Blank verse emerged in English poetry in the 16 th century and has been used by some of the most influential poets since then. While its main features have remained largely unchanged, many prominent authors experimented with its form. For example, you can analyze the use of blank verse in the poetry of Shakespeare , Milton, and Wordsworth.
Main themes and features of Beat poetry. The Beat movement played a pivotal role in the cultural processes in the post-war US. Beat poetry is characterized by rebellion, transgression, and experiments with form. Some of the authors to check out are Allen Ginsberg , Gregory Corso, Lawrence Ferlinghetti , and Gary Snyder.
The narrator in Walt Whitman’s Song of Myself . Unlike many poets of his time, Whitman rejected the dichotomy of body and soul. In Song of Myself , the narrator represents the union of the “temporary” human body with the immortal soul. Consider exploring Whitman’s philosophy behind the notion of “self” in the poem.
William Blake’s influence on British and American poetry and culture. Blake’s contemporaries largely disregarded his poetry. However, his influence on the later generations is hard to overestimate. His values and ideas inspired the Pre-Raphaelites, the Beat Generation, and some of the prominent figures of the American music scene, including Bob Dylan and Jim Morrison. and Jim Morrison.

🎭 Literary Analysis: Shakespeare Essay Topics

Romeo and juliet essay topics.

How many Romeo and Juliet personal responses and analysis essays have already been written? There are too many of them to count, but there’s still room for more. Romeo and Juliet essay examples can help you find a unique topic for an essay about the play. Another option is to check out top Romeo and Juliet themes below:

How does fate affect the love plot in Romeo and Juliet ?
Concept of contrasts in the language of the play.
The significance of time in Romeo and Juliet
The tragic love theme of Romeo and Juliet as a cliché for romantic fatalism
Mercutio as a representation of loyalty
Montagues and Capulets: the conflict between generations
How is irony used in the play?
The role of the family in Romeo and Juliet
The social and historical context of the play
Nurse’s role in the death of Romeo and Juliet

Hamlet Essay Topics

Shakespeare’s Hamlet may be the most widely assigned play in the English courses. Here are the top Hamlet essay topics worth exploring.

The theme of disillusionment in Hamlet
Mistreatment of women in Hamlet as a representation of misogyny in Shakespeare’s times
How has the tragedy’s theme of madness affected modern literature?
What role does melancholy play in Hamlet ?
The connection between friendship and betrayal in the character of Laertes
Comedic elements in Hamlet
The impact of Gertrude and Claudius’ marriage on Hamlet’s revenge
What is the symbolism of The Mousetrap play?
The impact of introspection on Hamlet’s revenge
Analysis of the Denmark setting in Hamlet

Macbeth Essay Topics

Shakespeare’s Macbeth is the last (and shortest) of the three big Shakespearean plays every high school student reads before graduation. Like the rest of William Shakespeare’s tragedies, it is full of meaningful themes that can serve as topics for literary analysis essays.

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The corrupting influence of ambition in Macbeth
Supernatural elements in Macbeth
The impact of loyalty and betrayal on the plot
What does sleep symbolize in the play?
Why is Macbeth a victim of fate?
The role of darkness as a setting in Macbeth
Is blood a symbol of guilt in Macbeth ?
The causes of Macbeth’s mental deterioration
The impact of Macbeth’s hallucinations on his character development
Minor characters’ contributions to the play’s action

Lady Macbeths real name was Gruoch and Macbeth’s real name was Mac Bethad Mac Findlaich.

Shakespeare wrote many more plays beyond the big three listed above. Here are a few more topics and works that show the range of the Bard.

The theme of madness in King Lear . Shakespeare’s King Lear is one of the longest works by the Bard. Many actors feel that the title role is one of the most challenging available for an actor because of the character’s gradual descent into madness. Accordingly, “madness” is perhaps the best topic related to this play.
The presentation of love and adoration in Sonnet 18 . Shakespeare’s sonnets make excellent essay topics because they are so concise but rich in meaning. Love and devotion, which are expressed in Sonnet 18 and throughout his other sonnets, serve as great critical analysis essay topics.
The theme of the crown in Shakespeare’s Henry IV
Sexuality, sensuality, and spirituality in William Shakespeare’s sonnets
Ambition in Hamlet and Macbeth : choices of men and women characters
The use of disguise in The Twelfth Night
Different faces of love in Shakespeare’s sonnets and plays
Appearance as the most potent disguise in Shakespeare’s plays
The use of satire in William Shakespeare’s comedies and tragedies
The line between acting and real life in Hamlet
Parallels between Shakespeare’s King Lear and Sophocles’ Oedipus Rex
The use of allusion in The Tempest
The complexity of the female character in Shakespeare’s Antony and Cleopatra
Archetypal female characters in Shakespeare’s plays and sonnets
William Shakespeare’s authorship: style, vocabulary, themes, and dates
The role of Shakespeare in the world of literature
How does William Shakespeare use the meter in his plays?
The depiction of the supernatural in Macbeth , The Tempest , and A Midsummer Night’s Dream
The theme of race and ethnicity in Othello
Personal identity in Hamlet and Henry IV

By the way, you can find all of Shakespeare’s works on our website for free.

📚 English Literature Essay Topics: Different Authors

Some can find it easier to focus on particular authors and their works. Are you one of them? Here are possible topics for those who like traditional approaches.

Literary Analysis Essay Topics: Geoffrey Chaucer

Chaucer’s works of the French and Italian periods
Primary themes and motifs in Troilus and Criseyde
Women’s virtues, as seen by Chaucer and his contemporaries
Gender: conventions and innovations in Geoffrey Chaucer’s works
Chaucer’s role in the development of a heroic couplet
Chaucer’s use of the vernacular language: nobility and nation
Religious morals in The Canterbury Tales
The roots of class conflict in The Canterbury Tales
Chaucer’s influence on modern English dialects
The critique of clergy in The Canterbury Tales
The influence of medieval Italian poetry on Chaucer’s work
Central themes in Geoffrey Chaucer’s The Book of the Duchess
The comparison of Chaucer’s Troilus and Criseyde and Shakespeare’s Troilus and Cressida
Elements of comedy in The Canterbury Tales
Chaucer as a pioneer of rhyme royal in English poetry
Chaucer’s primary sources of inspiration in Roman poetry: Ovid and Virgil
The depiction of the middle class in The Canterbury Tales

Literary Essay Topics on John Keats

Different shapes of death in John Keats’s works
What was wrong with Keats’s Otho the Great ?
Byron’s influence on Keats’s style and themes
The uniqueness of John Keats’ imagery
Keats’s letters and their influence on the English literature
Greek classics as a source of inspiration for Keats
Keats’ stance on social and political issues of his time
The importance of nature in Keats’ odes
The themes of melancholy and isolation in Keats’ poetry
Keats’ perception of art and its role in Ode on a Grecian Urn
The polemics on Keats’ statement “Beauty is truth”
The values of Romanticism in Keats’ poetry
Keats’ concept of negative capability and its examples in his poetry
The differences between the Romantic poetry of Keats and Coleridge
Keats’ attitude towards Christianity and pagan mythology

Literature Essay Topics on Oscar Wilde

A perfect wife as depicted in An Ideal Husband
The Picture of Dorian Gray as the aesthete’s manifesto
Wilde’s essential inspirations and the development of his views
The Picture of Dorian Gray : will beauty save the world?
Oscar Wilde’s personal traits in his characters
The Picture of Dorian Gray : Lord Henry’s morality or immorality
Irony, sarcasm, and satire in Oscar Wilde’s works
The use of metaphors in The Ballad of Reading Gaol
The Picture of Dorian Gray : was the young man innocent?
Conventions and innovations in Oscar Wilde’s fairy stories
Oscar Wilde as the most celebrated master of paradox
Play on words in Oscar Wilde’s major works
Christian theme in De Profundis
The Importance of Being Earnest as the critique of Victorian society
The role of the Dance of the Seven Veils in Wilde’s Salome
Wilde’s aesthetic philosophy in his essay The Critic as Artist
The Soul of Man under Socialism : an expression of Wilde’s political views
Wilde as one of the key figures of the Decadent movement
Women characters in Oscar Wilde’s comedies
The theme of sacrifice in Wilde’s short stories
The dichotomy of body and soul in The Picture of Dorian Gray and The Fisherman and His Soul
The recurring motifs in Oscar Wilde’s comedies

George Orwell Literary Analysis Essay Topics

Orwell’s imagery in the depiction of totalitarian regimes
George Orwell’s background: inspirations for themes and symbols
Orwell’s views on the English language and literature
The historical context of 1984 and Animal Farm
The role of the media in Orwell’s characters’ lives
The character of the Big Brother in 1984
Naturalism and imagery in The Road to Wigan Pier
Why was Animal Farm regarded as controversial in the 1950s?
Orwell’s religious views in Lear, Tolstoy, and the Fool
Winston Smith’s journey to freedom in 1984

💡 Literary Analysis Topics in Non-Fiction

The world of literature goes far beyond William Shakespeare and fiction in general. Here is a bunch of more literary analysis paper topics for other great works of literature that deal with real-life events.

Religious faith and dehumanization in Night . Elie Wiesel’s classic memoir of the Holocaust is a difficult book for many students to read. And yet, you may need to write a Night by Elie Wiesel essay at some point. Religion and dehumanization are prominent themes that can serve as great topics.
The power of nature in Jon Krakauer’s Into the Wild . The story chronicles the journey of 22-year-old Christopher McCandless from modern society into a 2-year trip in the wilderness of the western United States. This work of non-fiction explores the themes of escape, community, and the power of nature. (Warning: things do not end well for McCandless along the Stampede Trail of Alaska.)
Why We Can’t Wait by Martin Luther King as a source of inspiration for modern politicians and activists. Based on his Letter from Birmingham Jail , MLK’s Why We Can’t Wait is a study of the origins of the civil rights movement in the US. Analyze how activists and politicians can use ideas from this book in the 21 st century.
The themes of religion and technological progress in The Education of Henry Adams. In his autobiography, Henry Adams explores the influence of religion and technological progress on society. In the industrial world, technology has become a new religion. You may contrast and compare technological and religious societies in Adams’ work.
The banality of evil in Hannah Arendt’s Eichmann in Jerusalem. Hannah Arendt offers an original perspective on the nature of war crimes. According to her, ordinary people are capable of the most terrible deeds under specific circumstances. In your essay, explore Arendt’s concept of “the banality of evil.”
The role of photography in modern society, according to Susan Sontag. In her book On Photography , Susan Sontag explores how the role of this medium has been changing throughout the 20 th century. Analyze her arguments to establish the relationship between photography and political and social processes.
A Room of One’s Own as a manifesto of women’s literature. A Room of One’s Own reflects the women’s position in the literary scene. Woolf concludes that women’s writing capabilities match those of men. However, they often fail to reach their full potential because of the flawed structure of a male-dominated society.
Haruki Murakami’s Underground: a study of Japanese society. For Underground , Murakami conducted a series of interviews after the terrorist attack on the Tokyo subway. Rather than focusing on the act itself, the author uses this opportunity to explore the social issues that plague Japanese society.
T. S. Eliot’s literary criticism and views on poetry. T. S. Eliot is one of the most important literary critics and theorists of the early 20 th century. His theories and arguments have largely shaped the New Criticism movement in literature. Analyze the ideas expressed in Tradition and the Individual Talent and Hamlet and His Problems .

⭐ Literary Analysis Topics: Other Ideas

Literary essays don’t have to be devoted to analyzing a particular work. They may also include textual analysis essays, literary interpretations, critical response essays, and topic analyses. Here are some excellent options for you to consider:

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Character development of various protagonists. You may write an analytical essay describing and interpreting changes in the central characters of different novels. Try to be precise, provide examples, and prove the significance of these changes. You can consider the development of Soames in The Forsyte Saga or the title character in David Copperfield .
Context analysis of a historical period. Your analysis paper can be devoted to the settings of the short story, play, poem, or novel. Make emphasis on the role of the context in explaining the characters and the key ideas. For example, you can explore the wartime setting in Gone with the Wind .
Analysis of genre conventions. Another good choice is to dwell upon the practices used by various authors belonging to the same literary genre. You can write a critical essay about a realistic, romantic, gothic , or any other kind of novel and the author’s ability to meet or challenge genre expectations.
The impact of an author’s life on their legacy. The background of a novelist, short-story writer, poet, or playwright may also be of great interest to the reader. However, it is not enough to narrate the author’s life: you must be able to connect it with their style and themes. The most demonstrative analysis examples may include Henry Miller, Ernest Hemingway , and Lord Byron.
Comparative analysis of two authors . It is also a good idea to compare several authors. A critical evaluation essay may estimate their impact on the development of their genre. If these authors come from different backgrounds, it is also possible to evaluate how the culture they belonged to made a difference. For example, write about Dickens vs. Thackeray or Joyce vs. Woolf.
Comparative analysis of two texts . If you don’t want to compare authors, you may try comparing two literary works on the same topic or belonging to the same epoch or genre. For example, try analyzing the similarities and differences between Canterbury Tales and Decameron .
Analysis of a literary work’s structure. Analysis topics may include the stream-of-consciousness technique, theater of the absurd, etc. The idea is to show how new expressive means transformed the traditional approach to plot building and character development.
The role of irony in short stories. If you are to analyze a short story, you may describe how the author uses irony to communicate their message. Show how it creates meaning and what underlies it. Numerous authors employ irony as the major tool in their short stories, including Jerome K. Jerome and Salinger.
Analyzing the climax in a novel. Describing how the author builds the plot to reach the culmination is a good option for a novel critical analysis essay. Track how the tension is created and how it is released when the climax is reached. For example, you can try analyzing the climax in To Kill a Mockingbird .
Mood expression in a novel of your choice. Your essay may investigate how the vocabulary and grammar chosen by an author contribute to the text’s atmosphere. You can consider analyzing Lolita or Sons and Lovers .
The role of dialogue in plays. Your critical paper may highlight what means the playwright uses to make the characters’ speech expressive. For example, examine Oscar Wilde’s plays or Samuel Beckett’s Waiting for Godot .
Stage directions in plays. You may also want to pay attention to the importance of the author’s notes and scene directions in a play. They are particularly crucial in modern drama. Consider analyzing Beckett’s Waiting for Godot or Shaw’s Heartbreak House.
The use of allegory in poems. It’s an excellent topic for poem analysis. You can suggest your own literary interpretation of an allegory or consider why the author opted for this device. For example, consider analyzing the allegories in Vision of Judgement .
An open ending in a novel. Suppose the work under analysis doesn’t have a conflict resolution. In that case, your critical evaluation essay can give arguments for the author’s choice and interpret its meaning and possible continuation scenarios. For example, you may analyze an open ending in Joyce’s Finnegans Wake.
Comparison of critical opinions on a novel. If the piece you have read ranks among the best-known works in the world, it would be a good idea to compare literary criticism examples related to this work. You may select two different critics and juxtapose their views. For example, try comparing critical opinions on Mrs. Dalloway .
Analyzing side characters in literary works. If your task is to analyze a character, it doesn’t necessarily mean you should write about a protagonist. A more creative approach would be to pick a static character that doesn’t go through any transformations throughout the book and suggest why the author made them this way. One option is to write about side characters in Vanity Fair .
The narrative voice in novels. It can be challenging yet enjoyable to describe the narrative voice and focalization techniques that help the reader see the events in a certain way. It is especially complicated when a text has several points of view. For example, you may choose to analyze the narrative voice in Faulkner’s Absalom! Absalom! or As I Lay Dying .
The narrators in literature. The previous topic can be narrowed: you can take a work written from a first-person point of view and draw parallels between the author and the main character. For example, you can consider writing about the narrator in Moby Dick .
The cultural background of Dumas’ novels. In the case of historical novels, an analytical paragraph may be devoted to the historical and cultural background. Any of Alexandre Dumas’ novels, such as The Three Musketeers , may serve as perfect literature examples to write about.
Imagery used by various poets. You can analyze specific images that poets use in their works. For example, try analyzing how Walt Whitman uses industrial imagery in his works.

Profound Literary Analysis Topics in Women’s Literature

Literary analysis on the topics of gender and women in society is critical to understanding the modern world. Here are a few powerful essay topics in this area.

The disruption of traditional gender roles in The Color Purple . According to New Republic, this National Book Award-winning work is considered a cultural touchstone for African American women . It features many heavy themes, such as sexism and racism. Keep in mind that this book is not for the faint of heart.
The themes of family and generational differences in Alice Walker’s short story Everyday Use . The short story is about heirloom possessions passed down from one generation of women to another.
Social standing and wealth as the two key themes in Pride and Prejudice . The protagonist of this book, Elizabeth Bennet, must choose between two suitors. One is an amiable man. The other is better established in society but has a colder personality.
Marriage and social status in Emma . Emma is the tale of a young woman less interested in securing her own marriage than her sisters. You can analyze the constraints placed upon women in 17 th -century society as reflected in this book.
Women’s role in society and gender roles according to The Great Lawsuit . The Great Lawsuit is often considered one of the most important early feminist works. The author, Margaret Fuller, argues that gender equality is a crucial aspect of a progressive society. She describes an ideal relationship between a man and a woman as an intellectual companionship.
Dystopia and feminism in A Handmaid’s Tale . In A Handmaid’s Tale, Margaret Atwood describes a world where women’s societal role is reduced to producing children. This work largely follows the traditions of classic dystopian novels written by Orwell and Huxley. Explore how the presence of the feminist discourse makes Atwood’s work stand out.
Gertrude Stein’s experiments with form and style. Gertrude Stein’s work is notable for her distinctive avant-garde style. Stein was an avid art collector, and trends in visual arts influenced her writings. Her narratives are characterized by the original use of tenses, repetitions, and archaisms.
The stream of consciousness in Virginia Woolf’s work . Virginia Woolf was one of the first writers to systematically use the stream of consciousness in her works. The narratives of her novels, such as Mrs. Dalloway and To the Lighthouse, are rooted in the descriptions of characters’ emotions and thoughts.
Political writings of Mercy Otis Warren. Mercy Otis Warren is famous for her political poems and plays written during the American Revolution. Explain how she used political satire to criticize the British rule. Start your research with the plays The Adulateur, The Defeat, and The Group .
Gender inequality in Jane Eyre . Widely recognized as one of the most successful works of women’s literature, Jane Eyre was a revolutionary novel for its time. It depicts the struggles of women in their fight for independence and equality in patriarchal Victorian society .
The blend of fiction and reality in The Yellow Wallpaper. Charlotte Perkins Gilman wrote The Yellow Wallpaper to document the trauma and stress she had experienced due to “rest therapy” prescribed to her by a psychiatrist. Back then, women suffering from depression were discouraged from any intellectual activity, as it was thought that “domestic life” would benefit them. In Gilman’s story, this treatment ultimately drives the protagonist to insanity.
Cleopatra in literature: from Geoffrey Chaucer to Margaret George
The depiction of Eve in Milton’s Paradise Lost
Archetypical female and male characters in Beowulf
Emmy’s submissiveness and Rebecca’s quick-wittedness in Vanity Fair
William Makepeace Thackeray’s Becky Sharp as an antihero
Becky Sharp as seen by Thackeray’s contemporaries and modern readers
Women empowerment and independence in Jane Austen’s novels
Women’s love and death: Shakespeare’s Ophelia and Wilde’s Sibyl
A Room of One’s Own : a woman’s manifesto still relevant now
First female voices in the Middle Ages: Aelia Eudocia Augusta
The Brontë sisters: Lady writers who broke the rules
Gender roles as depicted by Maugham in Theatre
This is the woman’s world: feminist utopias and dystopias
Female writers: themes explored in the 1910s vs. 2010s
Women characters’ virtues and vices in the 19th century
Women of color: themes of violence, discrimination, and empowerment
A Doll’s House as seen by Ibsen’s contemporaries
Is Ibsen’s A Doll’s House still relevant today?
Beauty standards as women’s oppression in The Bluest Eye
The complexity of the mother-daughter relationship in Tony Morrison’s Beloved
The evolvement of masculinity from medieval to postmodern literature
Masculinity in The Garden of Eden by Ernest Hemingway
Masculinity, identity, and queerness in Tennessee Williams’s works
Gender roles in utopias and dystopias: More and Huxley
Sexuality and gender stereotypes in Williams’s A Streetcar Named Desire
Charles Dickens’s depiction of aging men and women
Fairy tales as sources of gender stereotypes

Powerful Literary Analysis Topics within the Subject of Race

Colonialism in J. M. Coetzee’s Waiting for the Barbarians . A short Waiting for the Barbarians summary should capture the narrative of the escalation of tensions between a fictional colonial town and its surrounding indigenous population. When the protagonist helps a native woman, he begins to doubt the humanity of colonialism.
The portrayal of racism in Joseph Conrad’s Heart of Darkness . Heart of Darkness is the chilling tale of young Marlow’s voyage up the Congo River. There he meets the wicked ivory trader Kurtz. The book explores the themes of imperialism and racism. It also questions the civility of Western society over supposedly “savage” indigenous people.
The conflict between man and nature in The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn . Mark Twain is one of the greatest American writers and satirists. But his masterpiece The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn delved into themes that would make some of the most serious literary analysis essay topics, such as the theme of freedom vs. slavery.
The theme of prejudice in To Kill a Mockingbird . Harper Lee’s novel was an instant classic upon release. To Kill a Mockingbird is set in the American South, and, like many books by Southern authors, it explores the themes of race and justice.
Anti-slavery narrative and racist stereotypes in Uncle Tom’s Cabin . Uncle Tom’s Cabin was one of the first universally acclaimed novels to tackle slavery. However, it is often criticized for its stereotypical portrayal of Black characters. Hence, it remains one of the most controversial pieces of American literature.
De Bois’ The Souls of Black Folk as the precursor of the Civil Rights movement. De Bois’ essays have largely laid the groundwork for the campaigns for racial equality in the 20 th century. He argued that African Americans deserved fundamental rights the White population had: voting, getting a higher education, and being treated fairly according to the law.
The notion of Black pride in A Raisin in the Sun . Lorraine Hansberry’s famous play touches upon topics of racial identity and pride inspired by real events. A Black family wants to purchase a house in a White neighborhood, but they are dissuaded from buying it. Eventually, they refuse to accept the buyout offer and move to their new place as planned.
Jefferson as a folk hero in A Lesson Before Dying . In A Lesson Before Dying , Ernest J. Gaines tells a story of a young Black man wrongfully accused of murder. Treated by White people as a sub-human, Jefferson completely loses his self-esteem at some point. However, with the help of a local Black teacher, he regains his pride and meets death with dignity. Explain how Jefferson’s transformation makes him a folk hero.
The impact of discriminatory laws on the life of African Americans in Fences. August Wilson’s Fences explores how discriminatory laws and attitudes defined the life of African Americans before the Civil Rights Movement. The protagonist, Troy Maxson, is a talented baseball player whose life is ruined because he didn’t get a chance to play in the professional league due to racial restrictions.
Internalized racism in Morrison’s Song of Solomon . In her book Song of Solomon , Toni Morrison explores the issue of internalized racism. Hagar and Macon Dead are the characters to study. Macon Dead, a Black entrepreneur, hates people of color and wants to leave his community. Hagar envies women with a lighter skin tone, as she sees them as superior to her.
I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings : A story of hatred and trauma. Maya Angelou is renowned for her autobiographical novels dealing with challenging topics like racism, trauma, and violence. I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings addresses the issues she faced growing up as a Black child in a White neighborhood.

Death-Related Literature Essay Topics

Death in works of dying writers: Keats and Blake
Death in Milton’s poetry: imagery and symbols
Emily Dickinson’s fascination with decay, degradation, and death
John Keats’s and William Shakespeare’s depictions of death
Views on death in the Renaissance literature
Murder and suicide in Shakespeare’s tragedies Hamlet and Romeo and Juliet
Depictions of death in Postmodernist literature
Aging as seen in medieval , Renaissance, and Postmodernist literature
Death and decay in Oscar Wilde’s The Picture of Dorian Gray
Love, life, and death in Huxley’s dystopian society
Murder in John Steinbeck’s Of Mice and Men
Herman Melville’s Moby Dick : The concepts of life and death
Simon’s death in William Golding’s Lord of the Flies
Kate Chopin’s ironic take on death in The Story of an Hour
Seneca’s life and philosophy: Death as liberation
The role of death in existentialism
The theme of death in Ernest Hemingway’s works
The depiction of heaven and hell in Richard Matheson’s What Dreams May Come
The concept of free death in Friedrich Nietzsche’s philosophy
Gothic writers’ fascination with death
Hades : The realm of the dead in Greek mythology

Literary Analysis Essay Topics: Man and Nature

Dehumanizing nature: Robinson Crusoe and Lord of the Flies
Struggles with nature: Defoe’s Robinson Crusoe and Paulsen’s Hatchet
Nature’s wonders and dangers in Emily Dickenson’s works
Natural forces: from Homer to H. G. Wells
Power of natural forces in William Shakespeare’s The Tempest
The depiction of nature in Fears in Solitude by Coleridge
William Wordsworth’s poetic language and symbols used to describe nature
Nature in Brave New World : urban and rural settings
Nature in post-apocalyptic novels: decay and revival
The role of nature in Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings
The conflict between man and nature in Ernest Hemingway’s The Old Man and the Sea
Post-apocalyptic fiction as the critique of industrial society
Environmentalism in Ursula Le Guin’s works
Personal life and climate change in Barbara Kingsolver’s Flight Behavior
The role of nature in John Steinbeck’s East of Eden
The emergence of eco-fiction—a new genre in world literature
Nature in Romanticism: Comparison of Shelley’s, Wordsworth’s, and Keats’ poetry
Natty Bumppo’s and Judge Temple’s conflicting views on nature in James Fenimore Cooper’s The Pioneers
The impact of country life on the character development in Cormac McCarthy’s All the Pretty Horses

Literary Essay Topics on Religion

Religious influences: biblical themes and allusions in Beowulf
Religion as another burden in The Bluest Eye
Views on religious conventions in Milton’s Paradise Lost
Jonathan Swift’s satirical view of religions in Gulliver’s Travels
The role of religion in Charles Dickens’s works
The evolvement of religious beliefs in John Dryden’s works
Religious controversies as depicted in John Milton’s Paradise Lost
A spiritual journey in Thomas Hardy’s Jude the Obscure
Biblical references in Herman Melville’s Moby Dick
Alternative narrative of the Biblical events in Mikhail Bulgakov’s The Master and Margarita
The meaning of Friedrich Nietzsche’s statement “God is Dead”
Billy’s Christian values in Kurt Vonnegut’s Slaughterhouse-Five
The figure of Moses in Biblical and Quranic narratives
Influence of The Pilgrim’s Progress on British and American literature
Buddhist and Hindu motives in Herman Hesse’s Siddhartha
Immanuel Kant’s critique of the arguments for the existence of God and his discussion of morality
Søren Kierkegaard’s critique of Christianity
Christian narratives and metaphors in C.S. Lewis’ works

Literary Analysis Topics: Justice and Judgment

The Hunchback of Notre Dame : who was the monster?
Justice and judgment in To Kill a Mockingbird
The role of judgment in Jane Austen’s novels
Judgment in Toni Morrison’s God Help the Child
A view of justice in John Milton’s Paradise Lost
Justice in dystopian novels: works of Orwell and Huxley
Judgment and guilt in Hawthorne’s The Scarlet Letter
The difference between justice and revenge in Aeschylus Oresteia
The genre of legal thriller in American literature
The themes of guilt, responsibility, and punishment in Bernhard Schlink’s The Reader
Justice and judgment in Fyodor Dostoevsky’s Crime and Punishment
Courtroom drama in American and British literature
Behavior modification experiment as an alternative to a prison sentence in Anthony Burgess’ A Clockwork Orange
Jeremy Bentham’s concept of panopticon prison and its critique in the works of other authors
Michel Foucault’s critique of the Western penal system
The role of the judgment of Paris in the Trojan War according to Greek mythology
Depiction of racial injustice in the works of African American authors

Literature Essay Topics on Good & Evil

A dichotomy of good and evil in the Middle Ages
Monsters and heroes in Beowulf : Beowulf, Hrothgar, Grendel
Wilde’s aesthetics: ugly is worse than evil
John Milton’s Satan : the good, the bad, and the beautiful
Victorian literary tradition: societal norms and personal happiness
Villains in the 19 th – and 20 th -century literary works
The good and the bad: The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde
Evil forces of death in The Fall of the House of Usher
Presentation of good and evil in The Tempest characters
The contrast between Thrushcross Grange and Wuthering Heights
Young Goodman Brown : a conflict between morality and temptation
The Creature and the humans in Frankenstein

Literary Analysis Essay Topics on War & Peace

Depiction of war in Shakespeare’s plays
The war between archangels and demons in Paradise Lost
War in Brecht’s Mother Courage and Her Children
War and peace in George Orwell’s 1984
Margaret Mitchell’s and Toni Morrison’s views on the Civil War
War as a part of human nature in Faulkner’s A Fable
Steinbeck’s exploration of injustice in The Grapes of Wrath
Wrongs of the modern society in Palahniuk’s Fight Club
The themes of war and nationality in Michael Ondaatje’s The English Patient
The Civil War as the background for Louisa May Alcott’s Little Women
Main themes in Erich Maria Remarque’s All Quiet on the Western Front
Depiction of war in Alexandre Dumas’ historical novels
The Cold War in John Le Carre’s novels
The political context of Arthur Miller’s The Crucible : The Cold War and McCarthyism
Depiction of war in children’s fiction
Leo Tolstoy’s views on history in War and Peace
Anti-militarism in Ernest Hemingway’s Farewell to Arms
Literature as a tool of cultural influence during the Cold War: The case of Boris Pasternak’s Doctor Zhivago

Literary Essay Topics on Vices on the Society

Thackeray: the culture of the 19th century as Vanity Fair
Dickens’s perspectives concerning social injustice in Oliver Twist
Ethnicity, discrimination, and identity in Orwell’s Burmese Days
Vices of totalitarian societies in George Orwell’s 1984
Injustice, torture, and dehumanization in Elie Wiesel’s Night
Vices of society in Francis Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby
J’Accuse: Emile Zola’s letter as critique of antisemitism and corruption
The emergence of transgressive fiction as a protest against conventional society
Critique of consumer society in Aldous Huxley’s A Brave New World
Social satire and political commentary in Harold Pinter’s later plays
Ray Bradbury’s science fiction as a means of social criticism
The emergence of dystopia: Evgeny Zamyatin’s We
Arthur Koestler’s Darkness at Noon as a critique of the totalitarian society
Claudius as an embodiment of human vices in Robert Graves’ I, Claudius
Geoffrey Chaucer’s critique of the wrongs of society in The Canterbury Tales

Interesting Literature Topics to Analyze: Literary Influences

Percy Bysshe Shelley’s interpretation of the Prometheus myth
William Shakespeare’s borrowings from ancient Greek writings and myths
Myths as a source of inspiration for Byron and Keats
Virginia Wolf’s fascination with Greek literature and Hellenism
James Joyce’s interpretation and use of Homer’s The Odyssey
Salome : Oscar Wilde’s retelling of a biblical story
John Milton’s exploration and interpretation of a biblical story
The influence of Keats’ Ode to a Nightingale on F. Scott Fitzgerald’s works
Biblical motifs in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J.K. Rowling
Don Quixote as an inspiration for Dostoyevsky’s The Idiot
Beowulf ’s impact on J. R. R. Tolkien’s The Hobbit
Shakespearean myths in Moby-Dick by Herman Melville

Literature Essay Topics: Various Genres

The evolution of horror fiction: from Mary Shelley to Stephen King
The place of fantasy in the modern literature
Why have fantasy novels gained such popularity today?
Fantasy novels by Tolkien and Martin: styles, imagery, themes
Major elements of modern fantasy novels and stories
The origins of fantasy fiction: the earliest works
The evolution of adventure fiction: from Homer to Fleming
Horror fiction: Stoker’s Dracula vs. Shelley’s Frankenstein
Theologus Autodidactus as an example of science fiction
Merging scientific and poetic elements in science fiction poetry
Comparing tragicomedies of Ancient Greece and 20th-century Europe
Significant features of a tragicomedy in postmodernist and metamodernist writings
Primary components of a coming-of-age novel: female and male perspectives
Elements of the coming-of-age novel in London’s Martin Eden
Satire in contemporary British and American literature
Satire or cynical humor: exploring Bierce’s The Devil’s Dictionary
Literary devices in naturalistic writing: Emile Zola’s approach
Elements of an antinovel in Laurence Sterne’s Tristram Shandy
Early examples of short stories: Charles Dickens’s style
Timeframes and symbols in Jonathan Nolan’s Memento Mori
Dystopian fiction in the 20th and 21st centuries
Coming-of-age novel or American dream novel: The Great Gatsby
The role of education and the media in dystopias
Crime fiction: is it pulp reading or high literature?
The suspense in Agatha Christies’ and Arthur Conan Doyle’s writings
The vampire in the 19th-century and 21st-century literature

Literary Topics: Uncommon Themes in Literature

Allegory and choice of animals in Orwell’s Animal Farm
Allegories in Faulkner’s A Rose for Emily
Multiculturalism and allusions in Toni Morrison’s Song of Solomon
Faulkner’s metaphors in The Sound and the Fury
Imagery in Edgar Allan Poe’s famous poem The Raven
Music and enigma in The Raven
The role of personification in William Blake’s poetry
Comparing Ancient Greek and William Shakespeare’s iambic pentameter
The function of trochaic meter in Shakespeare’s works
Symbolism and imagery in William Blake’s poem Ah Sunflower
Symbols and metaphors in The Picture of Dorian Gray
Flower symbolism in D.H. Lawrence Odour of Chrysanthemums
Color as a symbol of Morrison’s God Help the Child
Symbolism in Le Guin’s The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas
Satire in Absalom and Achitophel by John Dryden
Jane Austen’s personal traits in the narrator of Persuasion
Early forms of the stream of consciousness: Jane Austen’s style
Epistolary novels: works of Bram Stocker and Mary Shelley
Slave’s narrative in Toni Morrison’s Song of Solomon
Peculiarities of addressing the reader in Shakespeare’s sonnets
Virginia Wolf’s stream of consciousness: narration or confession?
The narrator in Somerset Maugham’s Of Human Bondage
Authorial intrusion as a way to entice readers

🖊️ Literary Analysis Prompts: Top 21

We’ve gathered a total of 21 excellent literary analysis prompts for you. They cover a wide variety of genres and epochs, so you’ll surely find something that suits your needs. Check them out to gain inspiration for your assignment or project!

The Cask of Amontillado Literary Analysis Prompt

The central theme of The Cask of Amontillado is revenge. In your essay, you can analyze how suspense contributes to the revenge plot.
You may also explore the story’s tone and how it helps to build tension.
Alternatively, you can focus on the Gothic elements and their impact on the story’s atmosphere.

A Rose for Emily Literary Analysis Prompt

There are several important symbols in A Rose for Emily , such as a strand of hair, Emily’s house, or the ticking watch. You can dive deeper into their meaning and significance.
You may also focus on the story’s themes. They include death and conflict between generations.
Try analyzing literary devices Faulkner uses, including metaphors, irony, and personification. How do they contribute to the story’s mood?

The Story of an Hour Literary Analysis Prompt

One of the central themes featured in The Story of an Hour is freedom. Analyze what kind of freedom is discussed and how free the main character really is.
You may also explore Kate Chopin’s writing style. For example, focus on how irony complements the story’s plot and tone.
Another aspect that you can focus on is symbolism . Notable examples include time, death, and heart trouble.

Tell-Tale Heart Literary Analysis Prompt

Analyze why Edgar Allan Poe chose to tell the story in the first person. How does it contribute to the gloomy tone?
Or, you may focus on the story’s themes : guilt, confinement, and mental health. How are they represented?
Finally, you can examine the symbols in Tell-Tale Heart , such as the house, the bed, the bedroom, and the eye. Try to find out the meaning behind them.

Fahrenheit 451 Literary Analysis Prompt

Explore the use of animal imagery and the lack of nature descriptions in the novel.
You can also focus on the harmful effect of technology and its contribution to the dystopian world of Fahrenheit 451 .
The story’s central theme is censorship vs. freedom of speech. You may explore this conflict in your essay.

Prompt for a Literary Analysis of The Canterbury Tales

Analyze the themes of The Canterbury Tales . These include deceit, the church’s corruption, and the importance of company.
Focus on examining the writing style. Try to find out how it contributes to the tales’ tone and atmosphere.
You may also explore the symbols, such as clothing, appearance, and spring. If you’re curious about this literary work, check out our article on the symbols in The Canterbury Tales .

Prompt for a Literary Analysis of Barn Burning

Consider examining the conflict between loyalty to one’s family and obedience to the law.
Focus on analyzing the symbols of Barn Burning , such as the soiled egg and fire.
You can also explore the role of darkness in the story. Dive deeper into its contribution to the tone of Barn Burning .

Make sure to check out our Barn Burning study guide to learn more facts about the story.

Death of a Salesman Literary Analysis Prompt

Examine how the author covers the American dream theme in Death of a Salesman . What is the characters’ interpretation of the American dream?
You can also try analyzing the symbols in the play, such as diamonds, seeds, the rubber hose, and Linda’s stockings.
You may also focus on exploring the mythological figures connected with the story. Dive deeper into the comparisons to the Greek gods, such as Hercules and Adonis.

Want to know more? Check out our Death of a Salesman study guide .

Frankenstein Literary Analysis Essay Prompt

In your essay, you can focus on the symbols of Frankenstein , such as darkness and fire. Why are they important?
Another aspect you can concentrate on is the point of view. Mary Shelley writes from the perspective of 3 different characters. What does it help to achieve?
You can also explore the novel’s themes: sublime nature, family, creation, and dangerous knowledge. Check out our article on the themes in Frankenstein to learn more about them.

Hamlet Literary Analysis Essay Prompt

There are numerous themes in Hamlet that you can examine in your essay, including revenge, the supernatural, death, corruption, and politics.
You can also focus on the symbols of the story and their significance. They include Hamlet’s dark clothes, the skull , and the weather.
One of the motifs in Hamlet is misogyny. You can analyze its representation in the play.

To understand the play better, check out our Hamlet study guide .

Hamlet has been translated into Klingon.

Prompt for a Literary Analysis of Night by Elie Wiesel

One of the themes of Night is silence. You can explore why it is important and what it represents.
You can also focus on the symbolism of night and fire . Try to find out the meaning behind them.
Consider analyzing the characters in the novel and their actions in dramatic situations. Check out our article on characters in Night to learn more.

Othello Literary Analysis Prompt

One of the central themes of Othello is isolation and its dangers. Examine how it is portrayed.
Another theme you can analyze is that of justice. Try focusing on how the characters are driven by the desire to do always the right thing.
Consider exploring the famous metaphors from the play, such as jealousy being a “green-eyed monster.”

If you want to understand this literary work better, make sure to check out our Othello study guide .

Pride and Prejudice Literary Analysis Prompt

When it comes to the themes in Pride and Prejudice , you can focus on integrity, love, family, gender, class, and reputation.
Another central theme of the novel is marriage. Discuss the importance of marriage and its connection to social status and money.
In your essay, you can elaborate on the symbolism of dancing and its significance.

Don’t forget to check out our study guide on Pride and Prejudice to learn more about the novel’s elements.

Sir Gawain and the Green Knight Literary Analysis Prompt

Consider analyzing the motifs of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight : games, the color green, and the seasons.
Apart from the motifs, you can also examine the themes of nature, chivalry, Christianity, courtesy, and truth. To learn more about them, check out our article on the themes of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight .
Finally, you may explore the symbolism of the green girdle. It’s an essential element of the poem and deserves special attention.

The Great Gatsby Literary Analysis Essay Prompt

One of the most popular symbols of The Great Gatsby is the green light. You can focus on exploring its iconic status in world literature.
One of the central themes of The Great Gatsby is the American dream . Analyze how it is portrayed and the author’s attitude to it.
Another idea for an essay is to write about the novel’s characters: Jay Gatsby, Nick Carraway, the Buchanans, and others. Make sure to read our article on The Great Gatsby characters to understand them better.

The Lottery Literary Analysis Prompt

What role do family ties play in The Lottery ? You can dive deeper into this motif and analyze its meaning and importance.
Another central theme of The Lottery is tradition. Your essay can focus on how dangerous it is to follow conventional practices blindly.
There are several symbols in the story, but the lottery itself is the key one. You can explore what it represents. And don’t forget to check out our analysis of The Lottery to learn more.

Kafka’s Metamorphosis Literary Analysis Prompt

One of the major themes of Metamorphosis is psychological distance. You can analyze how the main character’s transformation leads to his alienation.
Explore the story’s recurring symbols, such as food, the father’s uniform , and the portrait of a woman wearing furs.
Another point that you can focus on is the motifs of the story. They include transformation and sleep.

You’re welcome to read our The Metamorphosis study guide to learn more about the story.

The Necklace Literary Analysis Prompt

Consider analyzing the story’s themes. Some examples are greed, the deceptiveness of appearances, and vanity. Check out our article on The Necklace’s themes to learn all about them.
You can also focus on exploring the symbolism of the necklace . Try to dive deeper into how a piece of jewelry is connected to high status and wealth.
Explore how the class conflict is presented in The Necklace . You can also analyze the author’s attitude to it.

The Odyssey Literary Analysis Prompt

In your essay, focus on the epic’s main themes: vengeance, hospitality, and loyalty.
Homer uses many epithets in The Odyssey to describe the sea, such as “wine-dark.” Look into what they may represent.
Another good point for discussion is the symbolism. Consider discussing the significance of the wedding bed, the sea, eagles, and food.

To understand the poem better, check out our The Odyssey study guide .

The Yellow Wallpaper Literary Analysis Essay Prompt

The wallpaper is the central symbol of the story. In your essay, try to uncover its significance and how it affects the main character.
You can also analyze how Charlotte Perkins Gilman uses different types of irony in the story. Examples include dramatic, verbal, and situational irony.
You can also focus on The Yellow Wallpaper’s themes. Some of them are self-expression, mental illness, gender roles, miscommunication, and the role of women in marriage.

Don’t forget to check out our study guide if you want to know more.

Wuthering Heights Literary Analysis Prompt

Explore the symbolism of moors, nature, and ghosts. Emily Bronte uses these symbols to represent not only abstract ideas but also characters’ personalities.
You can also examine the central themes of Wuthering Heights. Some of them are love and passion, class conflict, revenge, and the supernatural.
Another point worth writing about is nature imagery and how the author uses it to represent the characters’ personalities. To learn about it, make sure to check out our Wuthering Heights analysis .

✍️ Writing a Literary Analysis: Step by Step

Now, after you’ve decided on your topic, it is time to write your analysis.

Don’t know where to start? Well, we got your back! Here are some steps for you to write a great literary essay.

If you wish to learn more, you can check out our guide on how to write a literary analysis.

Best Tips for Writing a Literary Analysis

There are many things to keep in mind when writing about literature. But there’s no need to worry: we are here to help you. Here are the four components that will help to make sure you get an excellent grade on your essay:

Make sure you refer to the literature you write about in the proper format. For example, the titles of plays and full-length books should be italicized, while poems and short stories should be in quotation marks. You may consult Purdue University’s excellent citation guides to be on the safe side.
Ensure that the quotes are properly attributed with the correct page numbers.
Avoid directly quoting or borrowing arguments from previously published literary analysis samples. Using the same forms of argument and language is a form of plagiarism.
Remember that you need a brief introduction with a clear thesis statement, distinct body paragraphs, and a cohesive conclusion. If you find it hard to write concisely, feel free to use our essay shortener to save time.

📃 Literary Analysis Example for Free

Looking for a fully-formatted literary analysis example? Look no further! Download our excellent sample in PDF format below.

The Little Match Girl is a short story by Hans Christian Andersen. It’s a touching tale about a poor girl who spends New Year’s Eve working on the streets, dreaming of a better life, and warming herself by lighting matches she failed to sell. Some of the main themes include loneliness, struggle, and cruelty.

We hope that you found some inspiration to take your essay on the next level. Let us know what literary studies topic you like the most and other literary analysis ideas you have!

❓ Literary Analysis Essay FAQs

If you’re writing a literary analysis, make sure you don’t summarize the text you are analyzing. Instead, focus on your thesis and the supporting evidence. You should also avoid using phrases such as “in my opinion.”

A literary analysis should always include information on the text’s components. They include plot, setting, themes, motifs, imagery, tone, and character analysis. Don’t forget to write about the way the author uses these elements and how they contribute to the overall work.

The introductory part of your literary analysis should include a thesis statement that conveys the structure of your essay. Don’t forget to mention the author and provide background information about the text. Remember to start your body paragraphs with a topic sentence.

A literary analysis is usually 5-paragraphs long. The introduction and conclusion consist of one paragraph each, while the main body has three.

A literary analysis is a type of writing assignment containing an analysis of a literary piece. In a literary analysis, you should evaluate and interpret the work by analyzing its plot, setting, motifs, themes, characters, and style.

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Like all other essays, a genre analysis has an introduction, body, and conclusion. In your introduction, you introduce the topic and the texts you'll be analyzing. In your body, you do your analysis. This should be your longest section. In your conclusion, you do a short summary of everything you talked about and include any closing thoughts ...
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Table of contents. Step 1: Reading the text and identifying literary devices. Step 2: Coming up with a thesis. Step 3: Writing a title and introduction. Step 4: Writing the body of the essay. Step 5: Writing a conclusion. Other interesting articles.
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Well, not really. A literary analysis essay asks you to make an original argument about a poem, play, or work of fiction and support that argument with research and evidence from your careful reading of the text. It can take many forms, such as a close reading of a text, critiquing the text through a particular literary theory, comparing one ...
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2. Any effective analysis essay deals with an explicit Research Question/Purpose whose answer is worth knowing, whose answer is not obvious to a one-time reader/viewer of the artifact, and which inspires you to have something worthwhile to say about rhetoric and the rhetor's ideas and choice of genre.
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Rhetorical analysis is the genre, or type of writing, that examines the way writers and speakers use language to influence readers. Rather than describing or summarizing content—the what of characters or themes—rhetorical analysis focuses on the individual parts of a text to show how language works to create the effects the writer wants. In ...
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genre" to frame your analysis to compare "The Dark Knight" (2008) and "Iron Man 2" (2010) in relation to popular film culture A comparison of 'the dark knight' (2008) and 'iron man 2' (2010) In relation to popular film culture The film technology has taken a center stage in many discussions concerning the film culture in the world today. With advancement in technology especially in relation to ...
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Consider these interesting literary analysis essay topics ideas to shake things up a bit: Irony in Mark Twain's Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. Satire in Jonathan Swift's Gulliver's Travels. Perspective shifts in William Faulkner's As I Lay Dying. Justice in Harper Lee's Go Set a Watchman.
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Using genre analysis and corpus linguistics to teach research article writing. Sally Burgess, Margaret Cargill, in Supporting Research Writing, 2013. Abstract: This chapter describes an approach to the teaching of academic writing using genre analysis and analysis of linguistic corpora. We discuss the origins of both kinds of analysis, explain in detail what they entail and show how they can ...
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Genre Analysis Essay. Genre Analysis preliminary draft due 2/3/10 at 1:30 pm. Genre Analysis final draft due 2/17/10 1:30 p.m. To deepen our understanding of discourse community concepts, we will analyze both traditional and multimedia documents as genres. A genre is a form of communication such as a book, a billboard, or a blog.
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Revised on July 23, 2023. A rhetorical analysis is a type of essay that looks at a text in terms of rhetoric. This means it is less concerned with what the author is saying than with how they say it: their goals, techniques, and appeals to the audience. A rhetorical analysis is structured similarly to other essays: an introduction presenting ...
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Describe the mood of a literary work. Analyze how the author creates that mood through word choices. 8. Describe a critical dialogue in a play or novel. Analyze how putting the words in a character's mouth is more effective than just having the author narrate the scene and action in it. 9.
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The theme of madness in King Lear. Shakespeare's King Lear is one of the longest works by the Bard. Many actors feel that the title role is one of the most challenging available for an actor because of the character's gradual descent into madness. Accordingly, "madness" is perhaps the best topic related to this play.