Analysis Essays
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When you look at a building, do you just look at the doors, the windows, the bricks, or
maybe just the people going in and out? When you look at a building, you look at all of these
things and more. You look at it all as a whole. But what if something was missing? All of the
things that make up a building “work together” to do so. You can see how all of the “parts”
work together to make the building. You do the same when writing an analysis paper. In
such a paper, you will need to pick a topic that you examine the parts to see how and why
they come together to make the whole.
Analysis essays are breaking apart a concept to show how all of it comes together.
An analysis paper is commonly used for literature. Still, this type of paper can be
written for any discipline, in many forms. Regardless of which subject your paper is written for,
you will need to evaluate the “parts that make up the whole”.
Process of Writing an Analysis Essay
1. Begin with the topic. Our example is a literary, character analysis of “The Wife of My
Youth”.
2. Come to understand how certain parts work to make your concept. The ex. is identity.
3. Outline your paper. Plan it out.
4. Write your paper.
a. In your introduction, write out your thesis, and map out your points/parts (The
parts that make the concept of identity; how is the identity formed?). *
b. In your body paragraphs, expand upon your points by giving reason, evidence,
and support (quotes and the character’s actions).
c. In your conclusion, be sure to “sum-up” your paper. **
5. Check to make sure, content-wise, everything flows and comes together to form your
desired concept. ***
6. Check your grammar and spelling. ***
(* For more information on introductions, make use of the Introductions document.)
(** For more information on conclusions, make use of the Conclusions document.)
(*** For more information on editing, make use of the Tips to Self-Editing document or visit any FSCJ Writing Lab.)
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Example Literary Analysis
Identity: An Analysis of Mr. Ryder
Identity is a fickle concept; it can be somewhat difficult to grasp. Even still, Charles W.
Chesnutt manages to make identity a recurring concept throughout his story, “The Wife of My
Youth”. In Chesnutt’s short story, the identity of Mr. Ryder is not a guise, but rather it is a new
self of Sam Taylor. Over time, Mr. Ryder has become Sam Taylor’s new identity through his
experiences in his new surroundings, the different interactions with a new kind of people, his
actions to better improve himself, as well as recollecting the past in order to move forward.
Surroundings can change how a person reacts behaves, genuinely and otherwise. One’s
surroundings can even help to determine one’s habits, rituals, and routines. Mr. Ryder’s
transition from the South to the North creates new surroundings for him. In his new environment,
he finds himself adapting. His actions no longer entail fieldwork or adhering to a master. Instead,
he finds himself working in a paying job where there is room for advancement. He now owns a
respectable home with nice furnishings. Mr. Ryder’s environment is completely different than
before; therefore, he complies and reacts differently within it (Chesnutt 625).
Generally, with new surroundings, new people come as well. People speak differently in
the North than in the South. No matter where one goes, one must make some adjustments or one
will not be accepted into that area. “While he was not as white as some of the Blue Veins, his
appearance was such as to confer distinction upon them” (Chesnutt 625). This shows how Mr.
Ryder changed as much as he could, according to the people around him. It also demonstrates
that even though he was, “more black than white”, he was able to demonstrate his “blue veins”
through his behavior and character rather than his skin tone (Chesnutt 624). He tried to make
himself no different from those around him. “Though he had not been among the founders of the
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society, but had come in some years later, his genius for social leadership was such that he had
speedily become its recognized advisor and head, the custodian of its standards, and the
preserver of its traditions” (Chesnutt 625). This also exemplifies his conformity to standards of
the Blue Vein society.
Mr. Ryder also does this through his use of the English language. He no longer uses the
Southern (slaves) dialect, but instead, conforms his use of the language to be more sophisticated
and well-spoken, like that of the rest of the Northerners. Mr. Ryder’s wife came to him for help
even though she didn’t know him to be her husband. She did this because he was a well-known
name within his town, society, and organization (Chesnutt 628). Therefore, by changing his
appearance, as well as dialect, to fit into his new Northern environment, he conformed well.
Mr. Ryder is known for saying,
I have no race prejudice, but we people of mixed blood are ground between the
upper and the nether millstone. Our fate lies between absorption by the white race
and extinction in the black. The one doesn’t want us yet, but may take us in time.
The other would welcome us, but it would be for us a backward step. ‘With
malice towards none, with charity for all,’ we must do the best we can for
ourselves and those who are to follow us. Self-preservation is the first law of
nature (Chesnutt 626)
Here, Mr. Ryder refers to his society, using “we” and “us”, to show that he is speaking for all of
his organization whose members have chosen to be more “white” versus “black”. They have also
chosen to follow white propaganda and “jump on the bandwagon”. Where acting “black” is
considered to be more barbaric, these Blue Veins act more “white” in that they are more
civilized. Mr. Ryder’s saying also shows how he feels, as a mulatto; he feels he is being
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assimilated into the white culture rather than into the black culture (slavery). This demonstrates a
difference in cultures between the North and the South; a black is more equal to whites in the
North than in the South.
When one betters himself through a higher education or learns from an experience, he, in
essence, grows or changes and becomes a newer version of his former self. Chesnutt
demonstrates this through the comparisons of Sam Taylor and Mr. Ryder. Sam shed his identity
as a slave when he began to better himself any way he could. Mr. Ryder is a self-educated man
who is well-read and loves poetry. “Although the lack of early training had hindered the orderly
development of a naturally fine mind, it had not prevented him from doing a great deal of
reading or from forming decidedly literary tastes” (Chesnutt 625). The excerpts from Tennyson’s
poetry indicate reading and comprehension skills as well as an interest in them. Through his
decision-makings of which one to use to prescribe his affections for Mrs. Dixon, interpretations
of the poems are made evident.
Also, Mr. Ryder’s use of language, in contrast to that of his wife’s, confirms a change in
literacy as well as personality (Chesnutt 628-629). The way one speaks is a part of one’s identity.
Had he not spoken differently, this would have been nonconformity to his new surroundings,
new people, and no feat towards betterment.
One cannot escape from his past, as Mr. Ryder learned in this story. Regardless of all
these changes Mr. Ryder made to himself to run away from his past, life still managed to catch
up with him in the form of the “wife of his youth”. However, one’s past is a part of oneself in the
future; the past is like a foundation to be built upon. It gives one experiences to learn from as
well as overcome. Mr. Ryder, tries to flee from his past, but in fact, betters himself in society by
minding to his promises and shows the “morals above suspicion” that everyone else of his new
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surroundings had come to believe of him (Chesnutt 625). His wife had made him even more
popular, even though she had taken away the opportunity for him to marry Mrs. Dixon, which all
of his guests believed he should do to uphold his promise to his wife.
The easy use of slave dialect by Mr. Ryder signifies he was a slave and remembers being
so (Chesnutt 631). Also, his comprehension of his wife’s dialect demonstrates that Mr. Ryder
was a former slave (Chesnutt 628-629). The very appearance of Mr. Ryder’s wife shows that the
past is unavoidable (Chesnutt 628). Mr. Ryder understands this and adjusts for her appearance.
Everyone is different from the person they were yesterday, last week, the year before, or
when they were born. People are meant to grow and change. Chesnutt captures this natural
adaptation of one’s identity when he crafts the evolution of Mr. Ryder, a paragon in his society,
from the freed, yet trapped, slave, Sam Taylor.
[Page Break should be inserted.]
Work Cited
Chestnutt, Charles W. "The Wife of My Youth." The Norton Anthology of African American
Literature. Ed. Henry Louis Gates, Jr. and Nellie Y. McKay. 2nd ed. Worldwide: W. W.
Norton, 2003. 624-631. Print.
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