Definition of Analytical Essay
Analytical
implies the breaking down of something into parts, or the discussion of
something in a way that it becomes a dissection of the whole. An
analytical type of
essay
differs from other types of essays in that its primary goal is to
explain something bit by bit to enhance understanding. Most of the
times, an analytical essay is written about the analysis of a text, or a
process, or an idea. In literature, however, it is a critical analysis
of some literary text which is done to enhance its understanding.
Difference Between an Analytical Essay and a Critical Essay
An analytical essay is just an analysis of a literary text. By
contrast, a
critical essay
involves, not only an analysis of the text in question, but also
dissection of the literary terms and devices used by the author to make
his meanings clear. The critical essay also explains the functions of
the literary terms used, and evaluates their usage, and whether they
have achieved the intended purposes or not.
Types of Analytical Essay
- Cause and Effect: One way of analyzing something is to discuss the cause of something, and its effect on other things.
- Comparison and Contrast: Another way of analyzing something is to compare and contrast things among themselves.
- Classification: Classification is yet another method of analyzing things, to learn of their nature.
- Process: Process is also a type of analysis writing.
- Definition: Defining things is also a way of analyzing the nature of things.
Examples of Analytical Essay in Literature
Example #1: Liposuction: The Key to Energy Independence (by Barbara Ehrenreich)
“I
say to my fellow humans: It’s time to stop feeding off the dead and
grow up! I don’t know about food, but I have a plan for achieving fuel
self-sufficiency in less time than it takes to say ‘Arctic National
Wildlife Refuge.’ The idea came to me from reports of the growing crime
of French fry oil theft: Certain desperate individuals are stealing
restaurants’ discarded cooking oil, which can then be used to fuel cars.
So the idea is: why not skip the French fry phase and harvest
high-energy hydrocarbons right from ourselves?”
This is an excerpt from the essay of Barbara Ehrenreich, in which she has made comparison and contrast between human beings and
animals, regarding food choices. This is a good analysis of the food we use.
Example #2: Freedom (by Joyce M. Jarett)
“On
the first day of school, I was escorted by hordes of national
guardsmen. Like a funeral procession, the steady stream of
official-looking cars followed me to the campus. Some patrolmen were
parked near campus gates, while others, with guns strapped to their
sides, stood near building entrances. Though many of my escorts had
given me smiles of support, still I was not prepared for what I
encountered upon entering my new school.”
This is a
paragraph from a process analysis. The author, Joyce M. Jaret, has
beautifully described her experience of the security in this paragraph,
and how it is deployed when an important figure faces security issues in
his life. This is an analysis of the process of security deployment.
Example #3: The Ways of Meeting Oppression (by Martin Luther King, Jr.)
“The
third way open to oppressed people in their quest for freedom is the
way of nonviolent resistance. Like the synthesis in Hegelian philosophy,
the principle of nonviolent resistance seeks to reconcile the truths of
two opposites—the acquiescence and violence—while avoiding the extremes
and immoralities of both. The nonviolent resister agrees with the
person who acquiesces that one should not be physically aggressive
toward his opponent; but he balances the equation by agreeing with the
person of violence that evil must be resisted. He avoids the
nonresistance of the former and the violent resistance of the latter.
With nonviolent resistance, no individual or group need submit to any
wrong, nor need anyone resort to violence in order to right a wrong.”
This is the analysis by classification that Marth Luther King, a
famous human rights activist, has done regarding oppression against African Americans.
Function of Analytical Essay
An analytical essay dissects something such as a concept, an idea, a thing, or even a
character.
Its major aim is to enhance the understanding of readers. An analysis
could be done through a process, definition, classification and
division, or comparison and contrast. The thing or idea is broken into
several parts, through classification and division, and then analyzed. A
process is broken into several steps for analysis. Not only do
analytical essays enhance understanding, but they also make readers
aware of minute details of things.
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