Literary Analysis Essay Outline: Templates & Format Guide

1. Introduction [10-15% of essay, ~150-200 words]

• Hook: [Write 1-2 sentences grabbing attention].
• Context: [Title, author, publication date, brief relevant background].
• Thesis Statement: [Your main argument about the text; what you'll prove]

2. Body Paragraph 1 [25-30% of essay, ~300-400 words]

• Topic Sentence: [First main point supporting thesis].
• Evidence: "[Direct quotation from text]" (Page#).
• Analysis: [Explain HOW this evidence proves your point, 3-4 sentences minimum].
• Additional Evidence (optional): "[Second quotation]" (Page#)..
• Additional Analysis: [Further explanation connecting to thesis].
• Link: [Transition connecting this point to the next paragraph].

3. Body Paragraph 2 [25-30% of essay, ~300-400 words]

• Topic Sentence: [Second main point supporting thesis].
• Evidence: "[Direct quotation]" (Page#).
• Analysis: [Explain significance, 3-4 sentences].
• Additional Evidence (optional): "[Second quotation]" (Page#).
• Additional Analysis: [Deeper explanation].
• Link: [Transition to next paragraph]

4. Body Paragraph 3 [25-30% of essay, ~300-400 words]

• Topic Sentence: [Third main point supporting thesis].
• Evidence: "[Direct quotation]" (Page#)..
• Analysis: [Explain HOW evidence supports argument, 3-4 sentences].
• Additional Evidence (optional): "[Second quotation]" (Page#).
• Additional Analysis: [Connect to thesis].
• Link: [Final transition to conclusion]

5. Conclusion [10-15% of essay, ~150-200 words]

• Thesis Restatement: [Rephrase main argument, don't copy introduction].
• Synthesis: [Explain what your analysis reveals about the text].
• Broader Significance: [Why this interpretation matters; connect to universal themes or contemporary relevance].
• Final Thought: [Memorable closing statement].

I. INTRODUCTION (5-8 sentences)

1. Hook: [Sophisticated opening - counterintuitive claim, critical question, or unexpected connection]
2. Context: [Title, author, publication date, genre, relevant historical/cultural background]
3. Critical Conversation: [Acknowledge what scholars/readers typically say about this text]
   • Example: While most readers focus on Gatsby's romantic obsession, the novel's structure reveals deeper critique...
4. Thesis: [Complex, specific argument that advances interpretation beyond obvious]
   • Include: How + What + Why
     • Example: Fitzgerald employs fragmented chronology and unreliable narration not merely to create suspense but to demonstrate how nostalgia distorts memory, making the American Dream fundamentally unreachable because it exists only in reconstructed past

II. BODY PARAGRAPH 1: Establishing Foundation

1. Topic Sentence: [Establish foundational concept your argument builds on]
2. Primary Evidence: [2-3 quotations showing pattern or establishing baseline]
   • Quote 1 + citation
   • Quote 2 + citation
3. Extended Analysis (4-6 sentences):
   • Close reading of specific word choices
   • Explain technique author uses
   • Connect to larger pattern in text
   • Address potential counterinterpretation
4. Transition: [Bridge to next paragraph's complication or development]
   
   

III. BODY PARAGRAPH 2: Complicating/Developing

1. Topic Sentence: [Build on or complicate paragraph 1]
2. Evidence: [Quotations showing development, change, or complication]
3. Analysis (4-6 sentences):
   • Show how this evidence adds complexity
   • Examine author's craft choices
   • Connect to thesis's larger argument
4. Transition: [Lead to next layer of argument]
   
   

IV. BODY PARAGRAPH 3: Alternative Interpretation (Optional but Recommended)

1. Topic Sentence: [Acknowledge competing interpretation]
   • Example: Some readers interpret this symbol as hopeful rather than futile...
2. Evidence: [Quotations that could support alternative reading]
3. Analysis: [Explain why this interpretation exists, then show why your reading is more comprehensive or better supported]
   • Fair representation of alternative view
   • Explanation of its limitations
   • How your interpretation accounts for more textual evidence
4. Transition: [Return to strengthening your argument]
   
   

V. BODY PARAGRAPH 4-6: Deepening Analysis

1. [Repeat structure from paragraphs 1-2, developing additional supporting points]
2. Each paragraph should:
   1. Make one clear point advancing thesis
   2. Provide 1-2 pieces of evidence
   3. Analyze thoroughly (4-6 sentences)
   4. Build logically on previous paragraphs
      
      

VI. CONCLUSION (5-7 sentences)

1. Synthesis: [Bring together your analysis without simply restating]
2. Implications: [What does your reading reveal that we didn't see before?]
3. Broader Significance: [Connect to larger questions about literature, human experience, or cultural values]
   • Example: Ultimately, Fitzgerald's fractured narrative suggests that American identity itself is constructed from selective memory and willful forgetting...
4. Final Insight: [Leave readers with new way of understanding the text]

1. Introduction [~200 words]

• Hook: [Introduce comparison angle].
• Context: [Both texts - titles, authors, brief background].
• Thesis Statement: [Your argument about how/why texts compare/contrast].

2. Body Paragraph 1: Similarity/Difference #1 [~350 words]

• Topic Sentence: [First point of comparison].
• Text A Evidence: "[Quotation]" (Page#).
• Text A Analysis: [Explain significance].
• Text B Evidence: "[Quotation]" (Page#).
• Text B Analysis: [Explain significance].
• Comparison Analysis: [Explain HOW this similarity/difference proves your thesis]

3. Body Paragraph 2: Similarity/Difference #2 [~350 words]

• Topic Sentence: [Second point of comparison].
• Text A Evidence: "[Quotation]" (Page#).
• Text A Analysis: [Explain].
• Text B Evidence: "[Quotation]" (Page#).
• Text B Analysis: [Explain].
• Comparison Analysis: [Connect to thesis]

4. Body Paragraph 3: Similarity/Difference #3 [~350 words]

• Topic Sentence: [Third point of comparison].
• Text A Evidence: "[Quotation]" (Page#).
• Text A Analysis: [Explain].
• Text B Evidence: "[Quotation]" (Page#).
• Text B Analysis: [Explain].
• Comparison Analysis: [Final connection to thesis]

5. Conclusion [~200 words]

• Synthesis: [What comparison reveals about both texts].
• Broader Significance: [Why this comparison matters].

I. INTRODUCTION (2-3 sentences only - DO NOT OVERWRITE)

1. Answer the prompt directly in sentence 1
   • Example: In Shakespeare's Sonnet 73, the speaker uses three distinct aging metaphors to create urgency before the final turn toward love.
2. Thesis: [One clear sentence stating your interpretation]

II. BODY PARAGRAPH 1 (strongest evidence first)

1. Topic Sentence: [Make your strongest point first]
2. Evidence: [Quote + citation - keep it brief, 1-2 lines maximum]
3. Analysis (2-3 sentences only):
   1. What does this show?
   2. How does it prove your point?
4. Quick Connection: [One sentence linking to thesis]
   
   

III. BODY PARAGRAPH 2

1. [Same structure - second strongest evidence]
   
   

IV. BODY PARAGRAPH 3

1. [Same structure - third strongest evidence]
   
   

V. CONCLUSION (1-2 sentences maximum)

1. Restate thesis in different words OR
2. State one implication of your analysis
   • DO NOT: Summarize all three paragraphs, introduce new evidence, or apologize
   • TIME BREAKDOWN:
     • Reading prompt + text: 5-7 minutes
     • Planning/outlining: 5-7 minutes
     • Writing: 25-28 minutes
     • Proofreading: 2-3 minutes

I. INTRODUCTION (6-10 sentences)

1. Hook: [Engage with critical conversation or pose interpretive question]
2. Context: [Text information + scholarly context]
   • Primary text: [Title, author, date, genre]
   • Current scholarly conversation: [What have critics said?]
3. Gap/Problem: [What's missing from current scholarship or what question remains?]
   • Example: While scholars have examined symbolism extensively, they've overlooked how narrative structure itself creates meaning...
4. Thesis: [Your original argument that fills the gap]
   • Must: Advance beyond existing scholarship while acknowledging it

II. LITERATURE REVIEW / CRITICAL CONTEXT (Optional separate section or integrated)

1. Topic Sentence: [Summarize current scholarly positions]
2. Scholarly Source 1: [Author's name + paraphrased argument]
   • Example: Johnson argues that Fitzgerald critiques capitalism through Gatsby's parties (45).
3. Scholarly Source 2: [Author's name + paraphrased argument]
4. Your Position: [Explain how your argument differs, complicates, or extends theirs]
   
   

III. BODY PARAGRAPH 1: Your First Main Point

1. Topic Sentence: [Clear claim supporting your thesis]
2. Primary Evidence: [Quotation from literary text + citation]
3. Your Analysis (3-4 sentences):
   • Close reading of textual evidence
   • Explanation of how it supports your point
4. Secondary Source Support: [Scholar who supports your reading or whose idea you're building on]
   • Example: As Smith notes, Morrison's fragmented structure "mirrors traumatic memory" (78).
5. Synthesis: [Combine your analysis with scholarly insight - show how they work together]
6. Transition: [Lead to next point]
   
   

IV. BODY PARAGRAPHS 2-5: Developing Your Argument

1. [Same structure as Paragraph 1]
2. Each paragraph should:
   • Start with primary textual evidence (the literature)
   • Add your analysis (your interpretation)
   • Incorporate secondary sources (scholarly support)
   • Synthesize all three elements RATIO: 60% your analysis, 30% primary text, 10% secondary sources
     
     

V. ADDRESSING COUNTERARGUMENTS (One paragraph)

1. Topic Sentence: [State the strongest objection to your argument]
2. Evidence: [Textual evidence that seems to contradict your reading OR scholarly source with competing interpretation]
3. Response: [Explain why this objection isn't fatal to your argument]
4. Options:
   • Your interpretation accounts for this evidence too
   • This reading overlooks other important evidence
   • Both interpretations can coexist
5. Transition: [Return to strengthening your argument]
   
   

VI. CONCLUSION (6-8 sentences)

1. Synthesis: [Bring together your argument's main points]
2. Contribution: [How does your reading advance scholarly understanding?]
3. Implications: [What further questions does your analysis raise?]
4. Broader Significance: [Connect to larger questions about literature, culture, or critical approaches]