Writing An Effective Lit Essay

Lit Analysis of Mac’s Class
Via Mads and Jane

First things first. Don’t read the book. Skip over GradeSaver and Cliffsnotes too. Just read SparkNotes. That’s the best way to ensure you get an A. Because let's be honest. That’s all that really matters.

LESSON 1:

Don’t use quotes… or should you? It’s really up to you, but the way the author writes really doesn't matter. Does Sparknotes use quotes? No. So they don’t matter. All that matters is that the words sound pretty.

LESSON 2:

Absolutely no complex sentences. Always use short, single clause sentences because that is the real way to show the complexity. For example, Shoop is a good source:

Example:

“Jordan's a girl, and she quickly becomes a romantic interest for our narrator. Probably because she's the only girl around who isn't his cousin” (Shmoop, The Great Gatsby).

LESSON 3:

Always mention what the reader thinks and feels while reading.The reader is the most important part of the essay. Discuss your points of views. Don’t worry about the characterization. They don’t matter that much. Are you friends with them? Do you stay up late with them and braid their hair? No. They don’t matter.

Example:

It’s obvious that the reader should feel scared while reading this. The wind and lightning really conveys that the reader should be terrified.

LESSON 4:

The most important thing to remember is to summarize what happened in the book, not to analyze. Assume that the reader of your essay has never read the book, and just wants a rundown of what’s happening.

Example:

First, Jane walked walked down the street. She then promptly turned around and ordered grande chai tea double pump mocha latte with extra whipped cream and skim milk with no sugar with a lemon on the side from Starbucks. It was obviously delicious. The End.

PRO TIP: Grammar doesn’t matter. As long as it’s the right word count and page length, you’re golden.