Writing Essays About Literature

Contents
Preface
Acknowledgments
Introduction
Part One: Interpreting Literature
	Chapter 1: Strategies for Interpreting Literature
		WHY DO PEOPLE READ LITERATURE?
		WHAT IS MEANING?
		WHAT IS INTERPRETATION?
		HOW DO WE INTERPRET?
		CHECKLIST FOR INTERPRETING LITERATURE
		Works Cited
	Chapter 2: What Is Literature?
		LITERATURE IS LANGUAGE
		LITERATURE IS FICTIONAL
		LITERATURE IS TRUE
		LITERATURE IS AESTHETIC
		LITERATURE IS INTERTEXTUAL
		CHECKLIST FOR THE ELEMENTS OF LITERATURE
		Works Cited
	Chapter 3: Interpreting Fiction
		THE ELEMENTS OF FICTION
		OTHER ELEMENTS
		CHECKLIST FOR INTERPRETING FICTION
		Works Cited
	Chapter 4: Interpreting Drama
		THE NATURE OF DRAMA
		THE ELEMENTS OF DRAMA
		CHECKLIST FOR INTERPRETING DRAMA
		Works Cited
	Chapter 5: Interpreting Poetry
		WHAT IS POETRY?
		I. SENSE IN POETRY: ELEMENTS THAT CONVEY MEANING
		II. THE SOUND OF POETRY: MUSICAL ELEMENTS
		III. STRUCTURE: DEVICES THAT ORGANIZE
		IV. SIGHT: THE VISUAL QUALITIES OF POETRY
		CHECKLIST FOR INTERPRETING POETRY
		Works Cited
	Chapter 6: Specialized Approaches to Interpreting Literature
		LITERARY CRITICISM
		SITES OF MEANING
		LITERARY THEORY
		THE WORK
		THE AUTHOR
		THE READER
		ALL OF REALITY
		Works Cited
Part Two: Writing about Literature
	Chapter 7: Writing about Literature
		WHY WRITE ABOUT LITERATURE?
		HOW CAN YOU WRITE ABOUT LITERATURE?
		THE WRITING PROCESS
	Chapter 8: Choosing Topics
		PRELIMINARY STEPS
		SEARCH STRATEGIES
		TALKING AND WRITING STRATEGIES
		SAMPLE ESSAY ABOUT LITERATURE
		CHECKLIST FOR CHOOSING TOPICS
		Works Cited
	Chapter 9: Drafting the Essay
		THE ARGUMENTATIVE NATURE OF INTERPRETIVE ESSAYS
		THE STRUCTURE OF ESSAYS ABOUT LITERATURE
		GUIDELINES FOR WRITING FIRST DRAFTS
		CHECKLIST FOR DRAFTING THE ESSAY
		Works Cited
	Chapter 10: Revising and Editing
		REVISE THROUGHOUT THE WRITING PROCESS
		REVISE FOR THE FINAL DRAFT
		WRITE A CLEAR AND READABLE PROSE STYLE
		HAVE OTHER PEOPLE READ AND RESPOND TO YOUR DRAFT
		EDIT THE FINAL DRAFT
		PHYSICAL FORMAT
		SAMPLE ESSAY IN TWO DRAFTS
		CHECKLIST FOR REVISING AND EDITING
		Works Cited
	Chapter 11: Documentation and Research
		PRIMARY SOURCES
		SECONDARY SOURCES
		RESEARCH PAPERS AND THE USE OF SECONDARY SOURCES
		HOW TO FIND INFORMATION AND OPINIONS ABOUT LITERATURE
		EVALUATING THE QUALITY OF INTERNET SITES
		GIVING CREDIT TO SOURCES
		CORRECT DOCUMENTARY FORM
		FREQUENTLY USED ABBREVIATIONS
		SAMPLE RESEARCH PAPER
		CHECKLIST FOR DOCUMENTATION AND RESEARCH
	Chapter 12: Taking Essay Tests
		GUIDELINES FOR TAKING ESSAY TESTS
		SAMPLE TEST ESSAYS
		CHECKLIST FOR TAKING ESSAY TESTS
	Chapter 13: Sample Essays
		ESSAY ON A POEM
		ESSAY ON A SHORT STORY
		ESSAY ON A PLAY
		ESSAY ON A NOVEL
Appendix
	POEMS
	PLAY
Glossary
Credits
Index of Concepts and Terms
Index of Critics, Authors, and Works