Following are some specific reminders about the writing of responses.  Remember that the points below also apply to essays and most academic writing in general.

1.       Try not to retell the whole story—only tell what you need to tell to prove the points you are attempting to prove. Of course summary is a very important element of literary analysis. We just have to balance it with the analysis itself.

2.       Make an assertion about the text in your thesis. This can be about any literary element that gives you enough to work with, like theme or character.

3.       Each time you use a quotation or example, you must explain to the reader what it proves. In fact, we say a quote or example always has 3 parts:

a.       Introduce the evidence—where did it come from?

b.       Evidence

c.       Explain or Interpret or analyze the evidence. Say why you are using it and/or how it proves the point you are attempting to prove.

Remember, quotations never speak for themselves! You could use the same quotation to prove a multitude of points.  Tell the reader how you are using it.

4.       Try to give your responses some organization.