Understanding the piece: The piece of literature you have been assigned is important. At some point in its lifetime, it could have changed history, sparked an epiphany or simply made someone laugh or cry. To understand a piece, you should read it several times to absorb all the subtleties the author has woven in. Also research the author and the era in which the piece was written. Understanding literature means comprehending both what is happening inside and outside the piece.
Gather evidence. When you write your essay, remember it is an argument for a specific interpretation of the piece you are analyzing. The ultimate goal of the essay is to convince your reader that your interpretation of the literature is the right one. To do this, you need to read through the piece and find evidence to support your argument. As you read, highlight or flag passages that prove your thesis, as this will make them easier to find later. You will likely find that others have a different interpretation than you do and some people will not agree with you at all. Interpretation is subjective; support what you find in the piece with your research.
Focusing your essay. Now that you've done your research, you're almost ready to write. But one question still remains: Where should you start? Don't just jump into the writing or you may find yourself overwhelmed. Instead, think about what you've learned and separate it into chunks. If you can do this, you can make an outline, which will make writing your essay much, much easier.
Write your essay. Before you start writing, however, familiarize yourself with the writing and formatting standards your instructor wants you to follow. The most commonly used style, called MLA formatting, shapes how your paper will look as well as how your sources are cited. Start your essay with a clear, concise introduction that will hook your reader's interest; briefly introduce your thesis and how you are going to support it. At this point, most writers will delineate their thesis or present the main ideas of their paper to give the reader an idea of where the essay is headed. When discussing your main ideas, devote at least one paragraph to each idea and cite passages and/or sources to support them. Be creative. Fresh observations will yield better discussions than stale, obvious ones. Transition smoothly from paragraph to paragraph and idea to idea; this will help your work cohesively arrive at a conclusion. Your conclusion should summarize your main points and mention why the work is important. Before you let anyone else read your essay, proofread it. Edit it until it is free of grammar and spelling errors.
Your final paper should be typed and conform to the style guide your instructor tells you to use. By the end of the essay, you want your reader to think that you really understand the piece. You want them to be able to trust your research and insight, which is what makes a great essay.