Choose 1-2 elements, and a topic that you will analyze:

•plot
•characterization
•setting
•theme
•dialogue
•figurative language
•structure

After you select the elements that you will focus on for your essay, choose a topic that is based on your interpretation of the work.Write an essay based on the following questions:

•What theme or central idea is expressed by the work?
•What ideas or images recur throughout the work?
•How does the plot build suspense? Are the techniques of flashback or foreshadowing important to the story?
•What types of conflict occur while the plot is unfolding?
•How is the characterization important to the story? Are the characters symbolic or representative of something? Can the characters be compared?
•How does the setting (time, scenery, and location) influence or contribute to the work? How does it impact the characters? Is there a relationship between the setting and the mood?
•How does figurative language affect the work? How are figures of speech important to the meaning of the work?