The Literary Analysis Essay

Using The Most Dangerous Game

by Richard Connell as an example
text

The Essay Prompt

Proficiency Essay #1:
Write an essay in which you describe three
different literary elements and their purpose in a
particular short story.

Todays Assignment:
Write an essay in which you describe different
three literary elements and their purpose in The
Most Dangerous Game.

Writing A Thesis Statement for a

Literary Analysis Essay
Read the story, taking notes as you read.
Once you've read the story or novel closely, look
back over your notes for patterns of questions or
ideas that interest you.
Have most of your questions been about the
characters, how they develop or change, or about
setting, mood, or tone, which effect plot and
theme?

Look at your notes:

For example:
If you are reading Connells The Most Dangerous
Game, are you most interested in how the author
develops a sense of suspense throughout the story?
Question: What does Connell seem to be suggesting
about the world, people in it, or life in general (you
are asking yourself to identify a theme)?
Answer: Connell suggests that fear and danger can be
felt even by the bravest of men.
Pitfalls:
Choosing too many ideas.
Choosing an idea without any support.

Formulate Ideas for Thesis Statement

Once you have some general points to focus on,
write your possible ideas in question form and
answer them.
For example:
Question: How does Connell develop the idea
that fear and danger are in our world?

Answer: He uses imagery, foreshadowing, and

irony to lead the reader deeper into the suspense
of the story.

Write the Thesis Statement:

To write your thesis statement, all you have to do is turn
the question and answer around. You've already given
the answer, now just put it in a sentence (or a couple of
sentences) so that the thesis of your paper is clear.
For example:
In his short story, The Most Dangerous Game, Connell
uses foreshadowing, irony and imagery to heighten the
suspense of the story. The use of these literary devices
suggests that Connell wanted to convey a sense of danger
and fear.

Example Thesis and Its Parts

In his short story, The Most Dangerous Game,
Connell uses foreshadowing, irony and imagery to
heighten the suspense of the story. The use of
these literary devices suggests that Connell
wanted to convey a sense of danger and fear.

PreWriting, Thesis, Support and

Organization (worksheet)
Thesis Statement: In his short story, The Most Dangerous Game,
Connell uses foreshadowing, irony and imagery to heighten the
suspense of the story. The use of these literary devices suggests that
Connell wanted to convey a sense of danger and fear.
Key Point #1

Evidence: . . .( ).

Elaboration

Foreshadowing

Evidence:

Elaboration

Key Point #2

Evidence:

Elaboration

Imagery

Evidence:

Elaboration

Key Point #3

Evidence:

Elaboration

Irony

Evidence:

Elaboration

Organization

Thesis Statement: In his short story, The Most Dangerous Game, Connell
uses foreshadowing, irony and imagery to heighten the suspense of the story.
The use of these literary devices suggests that Connell wanted to convey a
sense of danger and fear.
Key Point #1

Evidence: . . .( ).

Elaboration

As Connell opens his

thriller, he uses dialogue
that foreshadows the main
conflict in the story.

Evidence:

Elaboration

Key Point #2
Evidence:
Throughout the suspenseful
plot, imagery becomes a
Evidence:
means of drawing the reader
in to the action.

Elaboration

Key Point #3
Connell also incorporates
irony into The Most
Dangerous Game to provide
the mind with unexpected
twists that enrich the story.

Evidence:

Elaboration

Evidence:

Elaboration

Organization

Elaboration

Each Body Paragraph Has:

1) Topic Sentence that connects and transitions
to the previous paragraph.
2) Evidence (quote or detail), cited with page
number and quotation marks (if needed).
3) Two elaboration sentences that explain the
evidence, its purpose, and how it relates to the
theme.
4) Another evidence sentence.
5) Two more elaboration sentences.
6) A concluding sentence.

Example Body Paragraph

(TS) As Connell opens his thriller, he uses dialogue that
foreshadows the main conflict in the story. (EVIDENCE) As
Rainsford and his friend Whitney stand on the deck of the yacht,
Rainsford argues, The world is made up of two classes the
hunters and the huntees. Luckily, you and I are the hunters (7).
(ELABORATION) This foreshadowing hints that soon the tables will
be turned on the hunter. (ELABORATION) The readers mind is
subtly prepared for the plot twist to come. (EVIDENCE) Later,
Whitney says of the island, An evil place can, so to speak, broadcast
vibrations of evil (8). (ELABORATION) This dialogue continues to
set the mood and tone for later evil events. (ELABORATION)
Connell uses it to created for the reader the sense of danger and fear
that will follow Rainsford onto the island. (CS) The use of
foreshadowing helps to create the mood and conflict in the story.

Writing the Introduction

Insert language of the prompt.

Briefly touch on the plot of the story.
Create a thesis statement that identifies genre,
author, title and theme of the story, as well as
provide a roadmap of your essay.

Example of Introduction
Authors use many different literary elements
to create a story. They choose from these
elements to craft mood, plot and excitement in
their tales. In his short story The Most
Dangerous Game, Richard Connell tell of his
protagonist Rainsford, who finds himself
trapped in a deadly game of hunting on a
Caribbean island. Connell uses the elements of
foreshadowing, imagery and irony to create a
sense of fear and danger in his writing.

Writing the Conclusion

Restate the thesis in different words,
Summarize the main points you have made,
Do not introduce a new topic in your conclusion.

Sample Conclusion
The themes of fear and danger are conveyed
through the use of literary elements in Richard
Connells The Most Dangerous Game.
Foreshadowing, imagery and irony are all used
to create the mood and develop the suspenseful
plot in a way that is entertaining to the reader.
Using these literary devices, Connell draws the
reader in and keeps the pages turning through to
the ending. He shows that the use of these
devices is essential for telling an interesting
story.