240 / Types of Writing
• The paragraph follows clear organization.
• The conclusion refers not only to the topic sentence but also to the importance
of the image in Dickinson’s style. [See For an Author, earlier in this chapter, to
compare this comment with a literary analysis of Dickinson as an author.]Compare this sample with the later sample addressing the same poem. [See Sample
Literary Analysis of a Poem later in this chapter.]
SAMPLE LITERARY ANALYSIS of A CHARACTER
The following analysis, also a single paragraph, contrasts two characters in a short
story as the contrast affects theme. Thus, the paragraph follows the organization of a
comparison-and-contrast paper [see Chapter 8, Comparison and Contrast] but follows
the content plan for a literary analysis.
Chee and Old Man Fat: A Study in Contrast
Juanita Patero and Siyowin Miller in “Chee’s Daughter” depict the two main characters so that
their contrasts emphasize the story’s theme. Chee and his father-in-law, Old Man Fat, exhibit
significant personality differences. For example, Chee works and lives on his farm, while Old
Man Fat works in a small trading post near the highway. Chee is strong and hard-working; he
enjoys being outdoors, working on his farm. On the other hand, Old Man Fat shows nothing but
laziness. He stays inside the trading post and does as little work as possible. In addition, Chee
depends only on himself and the land. To earn money, he sells the crops he grows on his farm.
Old Man Fat, in contrast, depends on the trading post and on other people. He charges tourists
to see his Navajo mother-in-law weaving and to see the inside of a “real” Navajo home. Perhaps,
though, their personalities show the greatest differences in their general attitudes. Chee, the
very caring and generous person, loves his farm with all his heart. He believes that “a man took
care of his land and it in turn took care of him.” In contrast, Old Man Fat, greedy and selfish,
does not care about land or anyone else; he cares only about himself and making money. The
difference between the two characters underlines the story’s theme: Land, the most precious
natural resource, will not forsake a man who shares the “feeling of wholeness and of oneness
with the sun and earth and growing things.” It is caring for land that allows Chee to finally regain
his daughter from Old Man Fat, caring for land that, unlike people, does not cheat.ANALYSIS of THE SAMPLE LITERARY ANALYSIS of A
CHARACTER
The preceding single paragraph illustrates an analysis of a literary element developed
by means of contrast. These special effects bear noting:
• The introductory sentence includes the essential information.
• The topic sentence, here the second sentence of the paragraph, establishes the
contrast to be developed.