Preparing your Literary
Essay
on Purple Hibiscus
Point – Evidence (Quotation) – Explanation
Point
Give an answer, explaining the part of the aspect of the character or the theme you are describing and your idea (make sure it is relevant to the question, be concise and careful with expression)
Sentence starters:
In my opinion/ I think that …/ Firstly/ At the beginning of the novel/ However, the character changes when… / Not only … /Despite the fact that …/ Despite the lack of … / While …
Expressions:
due to/ especially as/ which (eventually) leads to/ which means that/ not only …. but it is also/ a central issue or character is/ Certainly, this is a main theme in the novel/Certainly, this character is central to the plot because …
Evidence (Quotation)
Try to integrate the quotation – remember it can also be only one word! Use a comma before the quotation and remember to use quotation marks!
e.g. This is shown in the quote, “…”
This is suggested with the quote, “…”
This is implied with the quote, “…”
When Ishiguro writes, “…”
Key words: After / Before / When … (event)... QUOTATION
Explain
This is the difficult part – analysing the quotation and making it relevant to the original question.
Begin with a basic analysis:
ü In this quotation…
ü From this quotation…
ü The description of … gives an impression/idea about …
ü This quotation suggests/shows/reveals the/how/why …
ü We can infer from this quotation just how ….
ü This line reveals the …
ü Considering the context, this could link to ...
ü However, perhaps this indicates ...
ü Additionally this could be interpreted as ...
ü This writer uses the word which is important because …
ü This implies .../ This suggests .../ This shows .../This reveals
ü However, on the other hand it might suggest that …
ü Alternatively, this could be interpreted as a sign of …
Try to DIG DOWN...
THIS SUGGESTS
THIS MAKES US THINK
THERFORE THE READER UNDERSTANDS
THIS LINKS TO THE SPEAKERS MESSAGE THAT
