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The Literary Analysis Essay. Using The Most Dangerous Game by Richard Connell as an example text. The Essay Prompt. Proficiency Essay #1: Write an essay in which you describe three literary elements and their purpose in a particular short story. Today’s Assignment:
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The Literary Analysis Essay Using The Most Dangerous Game by Richard Connell as an example text
The Essay Prompt • Proficiency Essay #1: • Write an essay in which you describe three literary elements and their purpose in a particular short story. • Today’s Assignment: • Write an essay in which you describe three literary elements and their purpose in The Most Dangerous Game.
Writing A Thesis Statement for a Literary Analysis Essay • Read the story, taking notes as you read. • Once you've read the story or novel closely, look back over your notes for patterns of questions or ideas that interest you. • Have most of your questions been about the characters, how they develop or change, or about setting, mood, or tone, which effect plot and theme?
Look at your notes: For example:If you are reading Connell’s The Most Dangerous Game, are you most interested in how the author develops a sense of suspense throughout the story? Question: What does Connell seem to be suggesting about the world, people in it, or life in general (you are asking yourself to identify a theme)? Answer: Connell suggests that fear and danger can be felt even by the bravest of men. Pitfalls:Choosing too many ideas.Choosing an idea without any support.
Formulate Ideas for Thesis Statement Once you have some general points to focus on, write your possible ideas in question form and answer them. For example: Question:How does Connell develop the idea that fear and danger are in our world? Answer: He uses imagery, foreshadowing, and irony to lead the reader deeper into the suspense of the story. THEME Literary Elements Purpose
Write the Thesis Statement: To write your thesis statement, all you have to do is turn the question and answer around. You've already given the answer, now just put it in a sentence (or a couple of sentences) so that the thesis of your paper is clear. For example:In his short story, The Most Dangerous Game, Connell uses foreshadowing, irony and imagery to heighten the suspense of the story. The use of these literary devices suggests that Connell wanted to convey a sense of danger and fear.
Example Thesis and Its Parts Genre title In his short story, The Most Dangerous Game, Connell uses foreshadowing, irony and imagery to heighten the suspense of the story. The use of these literary devices suggests that Connell wanted to convey a sense of danger and fear. literary elements Author purpose theme
Each Body Paragraph Has: • Topic Sentence that connects and transitions to the previous paragraph. • Evidence (quote or detail), cited with page number and quotation marks (if needed). • Two elaboration sentences that explain the evidence, its purpose, and how it relates to the theme. • Another evidence sentence. • Two more elaboration sentences. • A concluding sentence.
Example Body Paragraph (TS) As Connell opens his thriller, he uses dialogue that foreshadows the main conflict in the story. (EVIDENCE) As Rainsford and his friend Whitney stand on the deck of the yacht, Rainsford argues, “The world is made up of two classes – the hunters and the huntees. Luckily, you and I are the hunters” (7). (ELABORATION) This foreshadowing hints that soon the tables will be turned on the hunter. (ELABORATION) The reader’s mind is subtly prepared for the plot twist to come. (EVIDENCE) Later, Whitney says of the island, “An evil place can, so to speak, broadcast vibrations of evil” (8). (ELABORATION) This dialogue continues to set the mood and tone for later evil events. (ELABORATION) Connell uses it to created for the reader the sense of danger and fear that will follow Rainsford onto the island. (CS) The use of foreshadowing helps to create the mood and conflict in the story.
Writing the Introduction • Insert language of the prompt. • Briefly touch on the plot of the story. • Create a thesis statement that identifies genre, author, title and theme of the story, as well as provide a roadmap of your essay.
Example of Introduction Authors use many different literary elements to create a story. They choose from these elements to craft mood, plot and excitement in their tales. In his short story The Most Dangerous Game, Richard Connell tell of his protagonist Rainsford, who finds himself trapped in a deadly game of hunting on a Caribbean island. Connell uses the elements of foreshadowing, imagery and irony to create a sense of fear and danger in his writing.
Writing the Conclusion • Restate the thesis in different words, • Summarize the main points you have made, • Do not introduce a new topic in your conclusion.
Sample Conclusion The themes of fear and danger are conveyed through the use of literary elements in Richard Connell’s The Most Dangerous Game. Foreshadowing, imagery and irony are all used to create the mood and develop the suspenseful plot in a way that is entertaining to the reader. Using these literary devices, Connell draws the reader in and keeps the pages turning through to the ending. He shows that the use of these devices is essential for telling an interesting story.
