In a literature paper, it is tempting to rely heavily on plot summary and avoid interpretation. You can resist this temptation by paying special attention to your topic sentences. The following rough-draft topic sentence, for instance, led to a plot summary rather than an interpretation.
As they drift down the river on a raft, Huck and the runaway slave Jim have many philosophical discussions.
The student’s revised topic sentence, which announces an interpretation, is much better.
The theme of dawning moral awareness is reinforced by the many philosophical discussions between Huck and Jim, the runaway slave, as they drift down the river on a raft.
Usually a little thought and preparation can make the difference between a plot summary that goes nowhere and a focused, forceful interpretation. As with all forms of writing, revision is key. To avoid simple plot summary, keep the following strategies in mind as you write.
When you write for an academic audience, assume that readers have read the work. They don’t need a summary but are interested instead in your ideas about the work.
Pose questions that lead to an interpretation or judgment of the work rather than to a summary. The questions in the chart on page L-8 can help steer you away from summary and toward interpretation.
Read your essay out loud. If you hear yourself listing events from the work, stop and revise.
If organizing your paper in chronological order is getting in the way of your own ideas, look again at your outline and consider other ways of arranging your material.
Related topics:
Outlining an interpretive paper
Supporting your interpretation with evidence from the work