Why do we bother writing Literary Essays?

We write essays to:

• prove our point of view;
• make and support an argument;
• investigate a specific theme or idea in a novel or text.

To write an essay you need to:

• read your assigned text(s);
• take notes;
• take more notes;
• organize your notes into categories (such as themes, symbols, writing style, etc.)
• decide what arguments you want to make;
• organize your notes into the order you are going to argue your points;
• write your thesis;
• select the passages or citations that you are going to use to prove your thesis;
• write a draft;
• revise;
• revise again;
• publish.