Literary Analysis paper on the movie Harold and Maude

Three to Six pages in MLA Format

https://lookmovie.ag/movies/view/harold-and-maude-1971 – the link to the movie Harold and Maude

Don’t write what you think you ought to say; instead, write what you see and what you feel. Read a story and find the central message. The message should not be a cliché nor anything that you have heard before. The message should be fresh and non-obvious. To find an interesting message, you must read between the lines and find a subtext. In the subtext is the wisdom.

Make the message your thesis statement.

For example, Dr. Seuss’s Green Eggs and Ham shows that a narrow-minded attitude turns one into a life-hating curmudgeon, but when one tries something new with someone new, for the sake of trying something, one turns into a cosmopolitan with a newfound zeal for life and a variety of experiences. You can call the essay, “From Fool to Foody: Finding the Spice of Life in Green Eggs and Ham.”

Organization

Your first paragraph should be devoted to explaining your thesis statement. Can you explain what you mean by your claim in different ways? Do what you can to clarify the thesis statement as if you were talking to a neighbor or a friend. Do not write sweeping generalizations like “People have always had an aversion to unusual food.” Sweeping generalizations always fall under one of two categories: the obviously right and the obviously wrong. Don’t state the obvious like “All people eat food.”

Your body paragraphs should be a series of subclaims (topic sentences) which are supported with evidence and analysis. Each paragraph should look as follows:

Topic Sentence

Clarification

Contextualization of Evidence (Brief Summary)

Quotation of Evidence

Analysis of Evidence

Repeat the processes. Ideally, you should follow your curiosity, ask lots of why-questions, and write with your natural voice. After you’ve written naturally flowing analysis, then conform your writing to the organizational outline.

Your last paragraph should not—not—restate the thesis statement and the major points. I said don’t restate your thesis statement and the three major points. If you restate your thesis statement et cetera, you will bore the reader to tears and lose points. A conclusion should be, ideally, an emphatic statement in which the reader has been prepared. Don’t write “in conclusion.”

What I’ll Be Looking For

Write for clarity and flow, not for fancy words that sound intellectual or poetic.

Genuine curiosity and passion. You can’t fake that!

Don’t come off as a pseudo-intellectual, half-baked poet trying to sound like you are truly fascinated.

Sentences with short subjects and lively verbs. The sentences should end as soon as possible, and they should end on a good word.

Write narrowly-focused paragraphs.

Write a narrow, original, and arguable thesis statement. That is, a non-obvious claim that goes against the grain of clichéd thinking.

Close reading of the text with sound logic and penetrating analysis.

Write in the third person.

The absence of the following words: very, truly, only, just, ever, never, all, way, how, actually, still, also, plethora, copious, numerous, positive, negative, impact, and being.

Write “being” after the word “human.” “Being” should be used when referring to someone’s or some creature’s beingness.

Don’t write the word “individual” unless you are distinguishing someone from a group.

Accurate pronouns.

Not repeating words in a sentence.

Don’t write “that is” and “that are.”

Proper MLA formatting.