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Writing about Literature
What was the author attempting to do?

  • What is the author’s purpose, scope, view, attitude, and/or theme?
  • Was a picture of a type of life presented?
  • What material is covered? What material is stressed?
  • What ideas on life, liberty, morals, society, religion, etc. are shown? Does the author’s ideology about any of these things show in the work? How?
  • Does the author’s background influence the work? How? Check a reference about the author to answer this question?

How well did the author succeed in his/her attempt?

  • What stylistic faults and excellences does the work have? Look at the length of sentences, the vocabulary, the use of dialogue or dialect. What devices are used to achieve style?
  • Did the work’s structure (short story, essay, novel) support the content? How?
  • Is the work convincing or dull? Why? Would some readers find the work excellent? Would others think that the work was inferior? Why?

What value does the work have?

  • Analyze and/or interpret the author’s theme and purpose. Does the work accomplish that purpose?
  • Is the work light or does it contain serious social significance? Is this good or bad?
 

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Tidbits

Making Book

The greatest part of a writer’s time is spent in reading, in order to write; a man will turn over half a library to make one book.  

–Samuel Johnson

 
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