A work on literature is a problem for modern students. They try to solve it in different ways: they buy books with finished works, look for suitable texts on the Internet or ask their parents for help. Indeed, writing a good essay is not so easy, and you need to learn this.
It all starts with a book
Reading the works of the school curriculum is one of the main conditions for successful work on one's own opus - that is exactly how the answer to the question "how to start writing on literature" should be. Plunging into the world created by the writer, the reader becomes an eyewitness to the events, so his attitude to the characters is formed not by someone’s prompting in the form of a short retelling or director’s decision on stage or in a movie, but on the basis of personal impressions.
And then descriptions of nature, monologues and dialogues, interiors and portraits will help in characterizing images or analyzing the whole work, that is, they will become weighty literary arguments.
Learning to write an essay in the given parameters
The content of the work should be fully consistent with the proposed or selected topic. And this means that you need to understand: what and how to write about. For example, if the wording poses “eternal” questions (ethical, aesthetic, scientific), then this is the problem. About why the author puts them, that proves this, and we need to argue. How to write an essay on the literature "Family Values in the Comedy" Woe from Wit ""?
The problem of the relationship between parents, children and relatives in general is ethical. You need to start by defining family values, then consider how close people (father, daughter, adopted son, aunts, uncles) relate to each other in the play, confirm this with text, draw a conclusion about Griboedov’s position and express your opinion.
In addition to problematic topics, comparative compositions (comparison of heroes, episodes, works), review, free, mixed and literary criticisms are often offered for compositions. The latter are the most time-consuming, since writing an essay on literature from the point of view of the ideological and aesthetic value of a work follows, applying terminology, analyzing texts, characterizing heroes, proving the uniqueness of the author.
Three whales on which reasoning rests
On whatever topic an essay is written, it requires adherence to logic, reasoning, and inference.
The classical structure of this work: the introductory part, the main and final. Planning what will be said in each element of the structure is already a competent approach to solving the problem of “how to write an essay on literature”.
In the introduction, problematic questions on the topic should be posed. In the main part, you need to answer them reasonably, relying on the text and quoting the authoritative opinions of famous critics, writers, scientists. In conclusion, a conclusion is drawn on the questions posed at the beginning.
Step One - The Title
The topic on which the essay is written is not the title of the work. For some reason, recently this important and vivid detail of the creative opus has become optional. But the title is the key to understanding the text. He will help in writing the work, so it is advisable to take care of it before you start writing a work on literature on paper.
For the name, a capacious, bright word (phrase) is suitable. To do this, wisely, meaningfully answer the questions "what is the main character", "what or who does he look like." Or pick up a recognizable phrase. For example: “Famusov is the father of a respectable family” or “Woe from the mind - happiness from the heart.”
Step Two - Update
The most difficult thing is the first line. But you do not need to come up with an introduction to the works just to ensure that at least something is there. The beginning must be made relevant, and above all for the author of the work. And this means that he must well understand why he addressed this topic, what is interesting for him specifically for him: for example, the drama of a literary hero is close to him , or he considers the problems of the work contemporary.
There are two methods of actualization: projection and “shadow”. The first of them has several methods, which are worth telling in more detail.
But the technique of “shadow” can be used by those who do not know how beautifully you can start an essay on literature. This method is ideal when you want to characterize or compare the characters of the work. “Shadow” is obtained by replacing the proper name with the pronoun. For example, you need to write about Evgeny Bazarov. This method of actualization will look like this: “He recognized only the mind and science. For him, man is the king of nature. He was young. Smart. Bully. But love destroyed his world. And she killed. "
The beginning is “projection”
You need to become a director of work to apply this introductory technique. It is best suited to compositions on free topics. So, a projection is a landscape sketch (interior), a historical episode, a plot from ancient history or the Bible. You need to consider this with examples.
Here's how to start composing with a sketch. “Morning life in the forest begins early. A little dawn dawns - from all sides the timid sounds of life are heard. The leaves will rustle, the grass will rustle, the branch will crackle, the owl will die the last time before going to bed. Seeing it, hearing and feeling is exciting for the soul. This was probably the last dawn for five girls in Boris Vasiliev’s short story “Dawns Here Are Quiet,” and it was because of this nagging sense of homeland that they died then. And also for the fact that there were always such dawns on Russian soil. ”
How to start an essay on literature from a historical episode is best considered on military topics. When reviewing works of art about the Great Patriotic War, one can turn to the past. “The battle for Moscow began at Borodino. It was in this battle that Napoleon's brazen bravado was broken. Yes, he was a little "allowed to stay" in Belokamennaya, but on the way back in every forest and in every village of the French there was a "special" reception of the partisans. They don’t like unexpected guests in Russia. ”
For example, how to start an essay on literature, speaking of early Gorky and his Danko? You can recall the myth from antiquity about Prometheus, which gave fire to people, knowing that he would face a brutal punishment. Homer Odysseus will help with the characterization of Ivan Flyagin from the "Enchanted Wanderer" N. Leskov.
Biblical subjects will be appropriate at the beginning of works on the works of F.M. Dostoevsky, M.A. Bulgakova, Ch. Aitmatova.
Intro for the lazy
The simplest beginning for the works may be a historical reference about the time of events of a literary work or a few facts from the biography of the author of the book. The introduction is also rhetorical questions on the topic, which will then be revealed. If you select a quote that reflects the essence of the described problem, then it will be a good start to the work.
When we learn to write an essay, we should not forget about personal life experience. Based on your thoughts, feelings, impressions and preferences, you can also start a composition well. For example: “For a long time I’ve been looking for an answer to a question ...” or “It always seemed to me that being smart is the main value in a person ...”
Caution: Errors!
When thinking about beautiful and clever phrases of an essay, one should not forget about mistakes that may arise in the text due to carelessness.
Examples of essays on literature can warn about the most common of them:
- the names of the heroes in no case can be changed (Katerina from the "Storm" by A.N. Ostrovsky can neither be Catherine, nor Katya);
- it’s also wrong, speaking about the authors, to write “Alexander Sergeevich wanted to show” (you need either Alexander Pushkin, or A. S. Pushkin, or just Pushkin);
- you need to carefully manage the dates, names of places and events (even a random reservation will lead to an error);
- quoting must be absolutely accurate.
For a successful result, you must also learn how to write an essay on literature strictly according to plan. It organizes thoughts, helps to maintain the logic of presentation, and above all, does not leave unsaid any thoughts. Of course, a plan is best made problematic. And you need to do it not in your head, but on paper.
And a little more advice. Although the epigraph, as well as the title, is no longer included in the compulsory element of the composition, you should not forget about it. Well-chosen lines, quotes, aphorisms can become a tuning fork, tuning in to the correct understanding of the position of the author of the work.
And finally. All work is maintained in a single style, journalistic is best suited for this. He will make the composition vivid, imaginative, emotional, but at the same time strict!