1. Theme is open to interpretation.

Many students struggle identifying the theme of a work. The theme is always open to interpretation. While you may have a different answer than someone else, you may both be right. This doesn’t mean that everything is correct. The theme you choose needs to have a solid argument that acts as a basis for your essay.

2. Use key words.

Make sure you integrate course work. The point of a literary analysis is to see if you are able to apply course knowledge. If your teacher taught you about points of view, then mention it. If you are analyzing a poem, discuss the structure.

3. Structure matters.

In poetry, the syntax and word choice is just as important as the symbols. In narratives, syntax and word choice can still be important, but they often take a backseat to characters and symbols.

4. Everything has meaning.

Many people like to say that English teachers overanalyze literary works to the point of taking mundane things out of context. The truth remains that classic literature becomes classic because it is profound to a large amount of people. The general rule for literature is that if something has the possibility of meaning something, it does.

5. Mention the theme in your thesis.

You should mention your theme multiple times during your essay, but it needs to appear at the end of your introduction and in the beginning of your conclusion. If your thesis does not clearly state the theme of your analysis, then your professor will take points off.

Remember, writing a literary analysis is about proving your understanding of the course rather than getting a set answer correct. Your writing should provide insight for you and the reader. If you follow these five steps, you can write a literary analysis essay that both you and your professor are proud of!

What Essay Type Should You Produce?

Read the assignment details to understand if you should create a cause and effect or an argumentative piece about smoking.

1. Writing an argumentative paper.

In an argumentative work, you’ll need to argue against smoking and persuade your reader that this habit is harmful both for smokers and the people nearby. You should strongly express your opinion of the problem and make others see things from your perspective.

2. Writing a cause and effect piece.

Cause and effect papers are expository by their nature, which means that you should objectively inform your reader about the causes and effects of smoking and no opinion of yours is required.

What Should You Do to Craft a Strong Essay on the Topic?

• Do research.

Collect the evidence related to the topic. Search for the facts, quotations, and statistics about smoking.

• Formulate your thesis statement.

Your thesis should clearly and precisely express the main point of your paper. The way you articulate it will depend on the type of paper you need. Namely, it’ll state that “it’s harmful to smoke because…” in the argumentative piece. It can also sound like “there are different causes as to why people start smoking” if this is the cause and effect project.

• Develop an outline.

A preliminary outline is a must for any academic paper. It will help you effectively distribute evidence among the body paragraphs and create a well-organized essay. Your argumentative paper may consist of three body paragraphs, each containing three strong arguments against smoking. A cause and effect paper may contain the paragraphs devoted only to causes (e.g. imitation, stress, curiosity), only to effects (e.g. negative and positive effects on health), and both causes and effects.

• Write the paper.

Introduce your topic on a strong note by providing a striking fact about smoking. State your thesis in the introduction as well. Follow your outline when writing the body. Use appropriate transitions between the paragraphs. Summarize your points and restate your thesis in the conclusion.