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Literature vocabulary · Criticism and Analysis

Literary analysis

Meaning in literature, with examples

nounCore term

In literature, literary analysis means: A close examination of how a literary text works, looking at elements such as theme, character, structure and language to explain its meaning and effects.

In Turkish: edebi çözümleme, metin çözümlemesi, edebi inceleme

How it is used

The standard task in literature courses and exams: a literary analysis essay. It needs a clear thesis, evidence (short quotations) and explanation of effects. Unlike a summary, it explains how and why a text works, not just what happens.

Example sentences

  1. Your literary analysis should focus on one theme and support it with at least four quotations.

  2. Too much of this literary analysis is plot summary; explain the techniques instead.

Common collocations

  • literary analysis essay
  • write a literary analysis
  • in-depth literary analysis
  • literary analysis of a poem
  • close readingA careful, detailed reading of a short passage that pays attention to individual words, sounds, images and structure to show how they create meaning.
  • interpretationAn explanation of what a text or a part of it means, supported by evidence from the text; also the act of explaining it.
  • literary criticismThe study, interpretation and evaluation of literary works, including discussion of their meaning, form, context and value.
  • themeA central idea or message about life that a literary work explores, such as love, loss, freedom or identity, and what the work suggests about it.

More terms: Criticism and Analysis

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