After watching the lecture on literary analysis and reviewing the various resources provided, my understanding of the difference between summary and analysis is fairly clear, I think. Summary is a simple task, requiring little from the reader. It is the easiest concept of the two to grasp and to do. Summary is a simple recap of a particular story, book or passage. There are no questions at all involved in summarizing, only a short retelling of what the story is about. Therefore, all that is required of someone who is writing a summary is to have read the book or passage and to have a basic comprehension of it.
On the other hand, analysis is all about questions. Analysis requires the reader to not only have a basic comprehension of a book but to look deeper. To write a good literary analysis the reader must read a book with a critical eye and a questioning mind. Analysis is about finding something about a book that grabs your attention, then taking that something and questioning it, forming an opinion about it and finally making a supportable argument about it. This page provides yet another explanation of literary analysis with some guidelines and several samples of what analysis ultimately looks and reads like.
I think that the one thing that stuck with me most about summary and analysis is that summary is based on fact, it is either true or not true, and it is not arguable. Analysis is exactly the opposite; it is based on opinion and inference and must be arguable. This seems to be the most useful information to me because it provides a simple and easy test to tell whether you are on the right track when writing a literary analysis.
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Thank you so much for you view on summary and analysis. I struggle with summary and analysis and the way that you put that analysis is opinion about the book and can be arguable is very helpful. I never thought of it that way. This information is really going to help me when I start writing my essays.
ReplyDeleteI agree that writing a summary requires less of the reader/writer. However, I believe that they need more then a basic comprehension of the story they are summarizing, if they want it to be an accurate summary.
ReplyDeleteI absolutely agree with you about analysis though. I think it is a great idea to think of analysis as the opposite of summary, it never occurred to me to think of it that way. I also agree that it makes remembering what to include in an analysis easier.
I love that we both chose a magnifying glass for our picture =) We also both have the same understanding of the differences between a summary and an analysis. It's quite simple when you continuously remind yourself that an analysis can be argued and questioned by another analyst. We all know how differently two different people can interpret a piece of literature, so you know you're making good points if you think someone else could feel differently. As long as you can debate your point of view with examples from your text, then you will have a successful paper!
ReplyDeleteHi April,
ReplyDeleteGreat job with this post! Somehow I forgot to correlate a summary being based on a non-arguable fact, and a analysis being based on a opinion that IS subject to argument. ENG 101 is all coming back now, you summed that up just like Ms. Verbout! Thanks for the refresher!
Also, cool choice of website. I also think this Indiana college did a good job of explaining and providing examples to better our understandings.
Your understanding of summary and analysis is very similar to mine. And I to learned the difference from the lecture. I like how you mentioned that a summary is based on facts and does not require much thoughts from the reader and analysis is more like an opinion because not everybody will agree but you give others a chance to debate therefore accomplishing the goal of a successful analysis.
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