Literary Analysis Essay Writing Flashcards

Grade 9 · English · Flashcards

Key concepts for writing strong literary analysis essays in Grade 9 English.

Flashcards

Thesis Statement: Arguable, specific claim about how a literary element creates meaning — the essay's central argument
Literary Analysis: Arguing HOW and WHY an author's choices create meaning — never just plot summary
PEEL: Body paragraph structure: Point (claim), Evidence (quote), Explanation (analysis), Link (connection to thesis)
Textual Evidence: Direct quotes or specific references from the text supporting your analytical claim
Analysis: The HOW and WHY — explaining exactly how evidence proves your point
Summary vs. Analysis: Summary: what happened. Analysis: what it means and how the author achieved that meaning
Analytical Lens: The literary element you examine: symbolism, character, tone, imagery, conflict, structure
Arguable Claim: A thesis a reasonable reader could challenge — not an obvious or universally agreed-upon statement
Topic Sentence: The first sentence of a body paragraph — states the paragraph's specific claim that supports the thesis
Quote Sandwich: Introduce a quote (context), present the quote, then explain its significance — never drop a quote without analysis
Synthesis: Bringing together multiple pieces of evidence into a unified argument — more than just listing points
Counterargument in Literary Analysis: Acknowledging an alternative interpretation and explaining why your reading is more convincing