Here's how this works:
* The thesis statement: This is the main argument of your essay, the overarching point you're trying to make about the literary work.
* Body paragraphs: Each body paragraph should focus on a single, distinct idea that supports your thesis. They act as building blocks, each contributing to the overall argument.
* Developing the point: This involves providing evidence from the text (quotes, summaries of events, descriptions of characters) to illustrate and support your point.
* Analysis: You don't just present evidence, you analyze it. You explain how the evidence connects to your argument and what it reveals about the work as a whole.
Example:
Let's say your thesis is: "Shakespeare's Hamlet uses the motif of poison to highlight the corrupting nature of power."
One body paragraph could focus on the poisoning of King Hamlet, analyzing the scene to show how it represents a violation of power and order.
This paragraph would:
* Present the point: Poisoning as a metaphor for the corruption of power.
* Provide evidence: Quotes from the play describing the act of poisoning, details about King Hamlet's death.
* Analyze the evidence: Explain how the poisoning represents a betrayal of trust, a corruption of the natural order, and a reflection of the play's themes of power and revenge.
By fulfilling this purpose, body paragraphs contribute to a strong and convincing argument in your literary analysis essay.