Writing Your Literary Analysis Introduction

The first paragraph of your paper is called the introduction and consists of three parts:

1.  Hook

2.  Bridge 

3.  Thesis

Let's take each one and determine its purpose.

The Hook

The hook is about drawing the reader in and getting them thinking about the kinds of ideas or issues that are at play in your analysis.  This is a great place to just raise questions or identify issues..  No one is expecting you to have answers to these questions or solutions to these problems; they are designed to get your reader to think.

Here are a few ways to begin your introduction:

With a question:  Is it easier to learn a language in childhood or adulthood?  

With a definition or fact:  According to a Gallup poll in 2001, "Twenty-six percent of adult Americans speak a language other than English well enough to hold a conversation.  

With a striking statement:  Having a shared language is one of the most significant features that binds a culture together, and when people speak multiple languages, there are benefits that allow them to cross between and among multiple cultures.

With a story or anecdote:  When I first traveled to Japan in eighth grade, I had only spoken Japanese in a classroom with mostly other English-speaking students.  I knew that I would have difficulty communicating with the Japanese family that was hosting me, but I was not fully prepared for the problems I faced in trying to make myself understood.  It was frustrating and frightening. 

The Bridge (Connection to piece you're writing about - in your case, Lord of the Flies)

Once we have a hook, it's time to show our readers how the ideas we've brought up apply to the literature we are about to analyze.  This transition doesn't have to be fancy.  It's usually a simple connecting statement that includes a bit of summary of the narrative and includes the author and title.  

The Thesis

The thesis is the GPS map for the rest of your paper.  In terms of importance, there is no more important sentence in your entire paper.  

It should meet the following criteria:

1. It is arguable 

2. It is one sentence long

3. It is the last sentence of introduction

4. It suggests organization 

5. It uses the word "because" 

Example Introductory Paragraph:

       According to a Gallup poll in 2001, "Twenty-six percent of adult Americans speak a language other than English well enough to hold a conversation." Julie Alvarez certainly would have been one of those who could do this, but it is not without difficulty for her as she examines in the novel La Gringuita.  Alvarez shows throughout the story that being bilingual is highly valuable because it gives a closer connection to community, an increased ability to adapt to a changing world, and a higher probability of employment.   

Color Key:  Hook        Bridge       Thesis

Post Source:  Foundations of Language and Literature, Shea, et al, Bedford/St. Martens, 2018