Student Writing Handbook Fifth+Edition

232 / Types of Writing

characterization

dialogue

figures of speech

imagery

mood

plot

point of view

rhythm

rhyme

setting

symbol

theme

tone

CHARACTERISTICS

Following are two lists of characteristics. One shows elements included in virtually
any analysis of literary elements. The other shows elements included in the specific
topics. A combination of the lists will give a thorough description of the respective
approaches to this kind of analysis.

First, any analysis of literary elements should

•    show a thorough understanding of the work as it gains meaning from the

literary elements,

•    include an introduction naming the work and its author,

•    include a topic or thesis sentence that names the literary elements to be

discussed and at least implies the means by which you will develop the

discussion [see Writing a Paragraph and Writing a Multi-Paragraph Paper in

Chapter 2, Writing, for a detailed explanation and examples],

•    follow a clear plan,

•    support your ideas with details from the work, either quoted [see quotation

marks in the Glossary] or paraphrased [see Chapter 32, Paraphrase],

•    explain how the literary elements affect the interpretation of the literature,

•    document any references to outside sources,

•    follow a rather formal writing style, limiting point of view to third person,

•    use the present tense to discuss the work but the past tense to discuss the

literary or historical period or the author’s background,

•    conclude with a reaction to the literary elements as they expand the work’s

meaning.

To effectively address certain literary elements, include these additional analytical
characteristics: