Most people will probably write about the thesis or proof, but the heart of a literary analysis is really about the opinion of the writer, so this will be on the commentary."Commentary builds on and extends the story's ideas. It explains how or why your proof answers the prompt..." Commentary explains the proof! Without commentary a literary analysis would just be a quote, topic sentence, and clincher with no real understanding of how the proof has anything to do with the prompt. If this blog did not have the commentary, which the reader is reading now, then they would not understand why commentary is important. It is the most important part of an literary analysis.
by Liam Searcy
But don't you think Commentary just beats around the bush of the subject? Like instead of writing the actual meat of the assignment you add so much of your own personal flavour and applications that you miss the point? I like your standpoint.
ReplyDeleteMissing the point is up to the writer of the literary analysis. Just because commentary very important doesn't mean it isn't hard to do. To make a perfect analysis the writer must combine their opinion and proof to, instead of driving away from the point, make it easier to understand.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you that commentary is key. But I think all it really does is enhance the analysis. Look at it this way. If you watch a football game with commentary it enhances the experience. But if you watch it with the tv muted you still get the meat of the football game, just without the personal flare of the commentator. Its still fun to watch, just maybe not as fun.
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