CANON - YEAR 12 - ANALYTICAL ESSAY - NOTES AND STRUCTURE

Depending on the question...such as 'What is the value of literature?' or 'Why is the novel still relevant today?'

For this unit, you will have studied novels such as:

• 1984 
• Brave New World
• Pride and Prejudice
• The Picture of Dorian Gray
• Emma
• One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest
• The Great Gatsby...

INTRODUCTION:

CONTEXT:

• General statement explaining the Canon of English/Western Literature
• Why your novel (name of novel, author, year, title) is in the Canon
• Your novel's literary excellence - language, themes, word useage...
• How it answers humanity's deepest concerns...is relevant...is timeless (depending on question)
• Continuing impact on readers (e.g. written 63 years ago...still relevant)

THESIS:

Your answer to the question in the form of a statement which answers the key words.

3 ARGUMENTS:

Depending on question, is your novel still relevant because of its:

• political value? 
• historical value? 
• ethical value? 
• moral value? 
• artistic value? 
• philosophical value? etc...

Go to the Analytical Essay post for more information on the structure, but it follows...

Context

Thesis

Arguments 

(This can alternatively be - C, A, T)

Point 

Explanation

Example/s - evidence, quotes, paraphrase...

Link to THESIS and next POINT

(3 TIMES)

Thesis (revisit, restate partially/in full)

Argument summary revisiting INTRODUCTION

General statement to wrap up essay. No quotes.