Which answer best reflects the impact of textual evidence in a literary analysis essay?

A. It forces the writer to do a close read of the text.


B. It helps the writer make a broad statement about the world.


C. It reminds the reader of important plot points in the text.


D. It supports the thesis with details and quotations from the work.


_________________________________________________________

A student is planning a literary analysis essay about a poem. The student thinks that the poem has multiple themes, not just one theme. What must the student do in order to prove that all the themes are really present in the poem?


A. Find textual evidence for each theme in the poem.


B. Discuss why the student feels that all the themes are present.


C. Show that all the themes were important to the poet.


D. Explain how each theme relates to other themes.


________________________________________________________

Match the term to its definition.


_____ the most important point, or main idea, of an essay


______ a specific detail, such as a fact or expert opinion, that supports a reason

1. thesis

2. evidence