Literature - Essay Writing Paragraphs Guide

Point - Your point should be:

• A particular feature or technique
• A content point
• In a Play: a character revelation, a truth revealed, a technique, a plot point, symbolic item/phrase
  
• In a Novel: characters, plot points, symbols, repeated images
  
• In Poetry: techniques, descriptions of subject, structure
  

Quote - Your quote:

• Must be taken directly from the text
• Should be embedded (Jim argues "we should ...")
  
• Should link to your point
• Can have an ellipsis (...) to take out middle bits of longer ones

Comment/Explanation Options

1. Must link back to the point and question (how does what you found link to the idea you had?)
   
2. Should explain how the quote demonstrates the technique you found.
3. Should explain the significance of the quote
4. Should have the key words selected to show language (e.g. the use of the word ...)
5. Could mention audience response.

For example in Empire of the Sun:

Point - In the extract, Ballard uses Mr Maxted to show how independent Jim has become.
Quote - In the extract, Jim "calmed himself, then wormed his shoulders from Mr Maxted's embrace"
Comment Options
1. The fact that Jim wants to move away from Mr Maxted just as the Japanese soldiers patrol shows that he has broken away from his older life, as he really admired Mr Maxted earlier in the novel.
2. Before, Jim admired Mr Maxted and talks about becoming him and now he is trying to get away from Mr Maxted.
3. This quote is significant because it is the first time Jim has deliberately rejected Mr Maxted's kindness to stand alone.
4. This used of the word "embrace" indicates Mr Maxted's kindess for Jim and the fact that Jim "wormed" away shows how he is rejecting his old life.
5. This is significant as the audience realises that Jim is rejecting kindness from others in order to remain independent.