summary vs. analysis analysis is not summary. this may seem obvious, but it is easy to write several...

Summary vs. Analysis

Analysis is not summary.This may seem obvious, but it is easy to write

several pages of summary and think you have analyzed the topic in depth because it is all factual and fills the page requirement. Summary does not go beneath the surface; analysis does. Summary can be used to support a point within your analy-

sis.


Don’t just repeat what someone else has said better.

Your voice should be present in your paper. Instead of just saying what your sources have already said, you should be making your own points. You should attempt to use the facts everyone knows are true to prove something people may not know is true. The facts everyone knows are summary. The point you are

proving is analysis.


Prove something that needs proving.When you write an analytical paper, you should

not be describing an obvious concept. Analysis goes beyond description into examination and explanation. Making sure your thesis goes beyond the obvious will help you cut down on summary. Ask yourself if someone reasonably could argue the opposite of your thesis. If so, then you probably have an analytical thesis statement.


Relate summary directly to the point you are making.

What is the significance of the event or plot point you are describing? How does the event help prove your thesis? What part does the description play in your argument? If it’s not clear how what you’ve written relates to your thesis, then you should either take the summary out or reevaluate how it fits into your

paper.

Summary vs. AnalysisMore than a few sentences of plot summary is

usually too much.Try not to fall into the trap of relating the relevant

summary, then feeling you need to explain every detail of the story surrounding it. If you are trying to prove that Jimmy’s fear of clowns comes from his traumatic birthday party experience, you only need to mention the relevant birthday party. Why his mom threw the party, or how many people were there, or why Sandra didn’t come are all irrelevant background

information.


Summary: A brief paragraph describing and informing three or more of the following elements:

1. Who: those involved

2. What: the event or topic being covered

3. When: time, period, era, night or day

4. Where: the location, distance, place

5. Why: the cause or causes

6. How: the process(es)

Report: An extended summary that delves deeper into more descriptions and details of the above elements


“The play Hamlet is one of betrayal and death. In the beginning of the play Hamlet’s uncle, Claudius kills Hamlet’s father with poison. He does this because he wants to be king, and he wants Gertrude, Hamlet’s mother. Hamlet is very upset. He becomes even more upset when Claudius, his uncle and his mother, Gertrude, announce they are to be married. Hamlet cannot believe that they would do this after such a short period of time. Hamlet then decides to kill his uncle to get revenge. However, Hamlet waits to do this. In the meantime Hamlet’s girlfriend Ofelia goes crazy and drowns herself. Hamlet is also haunted by his father’s ghost. At the end of the play, Hamlet dies.”

Summary vs. AnalysisAnalysis: examines the summary elements described above

in order to look for their meaning in the following contexts:

1. Relationships, trends, patterns

2. Roles of people, places, objects, situations

3. Consequences or results of events, decisions and processes

4. Causes and their effects

5. Advantages and disadvantages/ gains and losses

6. Strengths and weaknesses

Summary vs. Analysis“Hamlet explores betrayal and death caused by several levels of poison:

physical, psychological and social. All of these poisons are intertwined on a psychological level. Hamlet was first affected by Claudius’s physical poison—the poison that he had poured into the King’s ear, killing him. After Claudius killed the King social poison spread throughout the kingdom like a disease. The rebels began to call Laertes Lord, disrupting Hamlet’s claim to the throne, ‘How cheerfully on the false trail they cry’ (IV, V, 87). Hamlet’s suppressed desire, the Oedipus complex, for his mother led to his own psychological poisoning, ‘Go not to mine uncle’s bed’ (III, III, 153). He was upset that he desired to kill his father, as his uncle did, in order to possess his mother. Hamlet desired to seek revenge on those who had hurt him, which was caused by his id, ‘Here thou incestuous, murderous, damned Dane, Drink of this potion’ (V, II, 330-333). However, Hamlet hesitated to kill his uncle because of his moral super ego, ‘How I stand then, That have a father killed, a mother stained, Excitements of my reason and my blood, And let all asleep’ (IV, IV, 56-59)? These inner psychological conflicts prevented Hamlet from acting until it was too late, and death was already knocking on his door, ‘The potent poison quiet o’er-crows my spirit’ (V, II, 359).”


Quotation:As Gatsby is driving Nick to lunch, he notices a

change in his manner; “We hadn’treached West Egg Village before Gatsby began

leaving his elegant sentencesunfinished and slapping himself indecisively on the

knee of his caramel-colored suit.‘Look here, old sport,’ he broke out surprisingly.

What’s your opinion of meanyhow?’”(69).


Summary: Nick is riding with Gatsby to lunch. He notices that Gatsby is speaking

differently, leaving his sentences unfinished. Gatsby asks Nick what he thinks of him.

(Notice that there is no opinion or interpretation in this statement. It adds nothing to our understanding

of the passage.)

Summary vs. AnalysisAnalysis: In this scene, we see a break in Gatsby’s affected calm. Nick had noticed previously that he “pick[ed] his words with care”(53); now he leaves sentences unfinished. His agitation is seen also in his physical movements, as he “slap[s] himself indecisively on the knee”(69). Gatsby is making plans to meet Daisy again, and his change in manner is brought on by his nervousness about seeing her. Gatby’s

insecurity about what Daisy might think of him after all these years leads him to ask Nick for his opinion of him, a fact which surprises Nick because it is such a change from Gatsby’s usual aloof confidence. In fact, Gatsby is so rattled as he draws near

the critical moment in achieving his dream that he is unable even to be direct with Nick. Instead of just asking him if Nick would plan a meeting, he arranges for “Miss Baker [to] speak to [him] about this matter”(72). This is a crucial moment in

Gatsby’s life, and its weight is illustrated in his unusual behavior.

(Notice that the writer has used the passage to illustrate important changes in the character. The writer uses specific examples and ties the passage to other moments in the book.)

Examples

http://www.umw.edu/greatlives/files/2012/01/Literary-Analysis-vs-Plot-Summary.pdf

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