Literary Essay
• Read it properly to see exactly what is required of you.
• Highlight or underline the important words
• Break down the topic into parts. Consider exactly what you need to talk about.
Sometimes it is more than one thing.
• These are then your LINKS/SIGNPOSTS and must be discussed in each paragraph.
• Take a stance. Decide if you agree or disagree with any statements being made in the
topic.
• You MUST PLAN your essay. (Use a mind-map or make short notes.) You may use
only one A4 page to plan.
• Include a short reference to your introduction and conclusion; points with proof;
quotations and topic links/signposts. Number your points in the order in which you
will use them and cross out any points you decide not to include in your essay.
This must include the following FIVE elements: AUTHOR'S NAME; TITLE OF NOVEL
(underlined); a TOPIC STATEMENT (which can be a re-wording of the original topic) your
INTENTION (what you are going to be doing in the essay) and STANCE. (Use the mnemonic
TASTI if it helps you to remember.]
When communicating your stance, state whether you are going to prove or disprove the
topic statement. Don't, however, say: "In this essay, I am going to..." Your approach needs to
be more sophisticated: "During the course of this essay... will be discussed..."
If you are given a choice of characters or issues to discuss, you need to state your choice in
the introduction.
Do not use first person (I/ME/US/WE/OUR).
The introduction encapsulates the entire essay.
, • DO NOT MERELY RE-TELL THE ENTIRE STORY! You have to keep referring to the topic and
answer the question. You do, however, need to re-tell specific parts briefly as proof of the
point you are making.
• You cannot make wild generalisations. Everything you say must be substantiated with proof
from the text.
• Keep referring to the topic. This tells your reader that you are still on the right track. Do not
worry about repeating yourself - rather make sure that every single paragraph is linked
clearly to the topic.
• Use paragraphs.
• Here is the paragraph format: POINT (make a point); PROOF (substantiate from the text) and
LINK (refer back to the topic).
Go back to where you wrote down the THREE aspects to consider in this essay topic. Now write the
numbers which correspond to each aspect above the relevant parts of this paragraph.
It must be the final paragraph. Use at least TWO sentences. It is more comprehensive than a mini-
essay conclusion.
It must summarise your argument.
It should tie up to the opening paragraph. (Mention the topic and tell the reader that you have
accomplished what you set out to do.]
Do not contradict yourself and change your stance all of a sudden.
Don't include new evidence in the conclusion.
• This is a FORMAL piece of writing therefore the writing must be formal. NO SLANG and NO
CONTRACTIONS are allowed.
• Always write in the PRESENT TENSE.
• Underline the title of the novel
• Use short, absolutely correct quotations (if you know them off by heart during exams) to prove
your points. If you are unsure of the exact quote, then merely mention the incident in the novel
as proof. Quotations should be introduced smoothly into your paragraph. Look at the way in
which another quote has been added seamlessly to the paragraph at the bottom of page two of
this note.
• Length: approximately 600 words. There is no need to provide a word count at the end of your
essay. You should know, more-or-less, how many words you write on a page. Use previous
essays to ascertain how many words you generally write per page.
• Read it properly to see exactly what is required of you.
• Highlight or underline the important words
• Break down the topic into parts. Consider exactly what you need to talk about.
Sometimes it is more than one thing.
• These are then your LINKS/SIGNPOSTS and must be discussed in each paragraph.
• Take a stance. Decide if you agree or disagree with any statements being made in the
topic.
• You MUST PLAN your essay. (Use a mind-map or make short notes.) You may use
only one A4 page to plan.
• Include a short reference to your introduction and conclusion; points with proof;
quotations and topic links/signposts. Number your points in the order in which you
will use them and cross out any points you decide not to include in your essay.
This must include the following FIVE elements: AUTHOR'S NAME; TITLE OF NOVEL
(underlined); a TOPIC STATEMENT (which can be a re-wording of the original topic) your
INTENTION (what you are going to be doing in the essay) and STANCE. (Use the mnemonic
TASTI if it helps you to remember.]
When communicating your stance, state whether you are going to prove or disprove the
topic statement. Don't, however, say: "In this essay, I am going to..." Your approach needs to
be more sophisticated: "During the course of this essay... will be discussed..."
If you are given a choice of characters or issues to discuss, you need to state your choice in
the introduction.
Do not use first person (I/ME/US/WE/OUR).
The introduction encapsulates the entire essay.
, • DO NOT MERELY RE-TELL THE ENTIRE STORY! You have to keep referring to the topic and
answer the question. You do, however, need to re-tell specific parts briefly as proof of the
point you are making.
• You cannot make wild generalisations. Everything you say must be substantiated with proof
from the text.
• Keep referring to the topic. This tells your reader that you are still on the right track. Do not
worry about repeating yourself - rather make sure that every single paragraph is linked
clearly to the topic.
• Use paragraphs.
• Here is the paragraph format: POINT (make a point); PROOF (substantiate from the text) and
LINK (refer back to the topic).
Go back to where you wrote down the THREE aspects to consider in this essay topic. Now write the
numbers which correspond to each aspect above the relevant parts of this paragraph.
It must be the final paragraph. Use at least TWO sentences. It is more comprehensive than a mini-
essay conclusion.
It must summarise your argument.
It should tie up to the opening paragraph. (Mention the topic and tell the reader that you have
accomplished what you set out to do.]
Do not contradict yourself and change your stance all of a sudden.
Don't include new evidence in the conclusion.
• This is a FORMAL piece of writing therefore the writing must be formal. NO SLANG and NO
CONTRACTIONS are allowed.
• Always write in the PRESENT TENSE.
• Underline the title of the novel
• Use short, absolutely correct quotations (if you know them off by heart during exams) to prove
your points. If you are unsure of the exact quote, then merely mention the incident in the novel
as proof. Quotations should be introduced smoothly into your paragraph. Look at the way in
which another quote has been added seamlessly to the paragraph at the bottom of page two of
this note.
• Length: approximately 600 words. There is no need to provide a word count at the end of your
essay. You should know, more-or-less, how many words you write on a page. Use previous
essays to ascertain how many words you generally write per page.
