How to Write an Interpretive Essay
Unlike a research paper, which is based strictly on fact and does not allow for the writer's opinions of the subject, an interpretive essay is built upon writer opinion. To interpret means, in part, to make sense of something, usually a text. Interpretive essay writing leaves a writer plenty of room to analyze, think critically, and inject both objective and subjective writing to restate the subject in such a way that it makes sense to the intended audience. Here's how you can write effective interpretive essays on any subject you choose.
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Instructions
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Choose the text you wish to interpret. This can be a journal article, a novel, a short story, or a poem. Determine ahead of time the outcome you want to achieve and the meaning you want to give to the text. Unlike a research essay, your personal opinions are not only welcome in interpretive essays, they are essential to making your case.
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Summarize the text you wish to interpret. Tell your audience what the text states without going into any subjective interpretation. You want your audience to be familiar with the subject matter before you begin your interpretation.
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Analyze the text in the body of your essay. Use objective and subjective writing to illustrate any points you make. Use social, historical, and other methods to put the text you're interpreting into context and to show the significance of the original text as well as your interpretations.
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Make arguments throughout the body of your essay that will support your interpretation. Be sure to use specific references that support your arguments.
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Close your paper by summing up the importance of the text as well as your interpretation of it. Your goal in an interpretive essay is not to devalue the text you've chosen to interpret, but to give it greater meaning.
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Comments
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so helpful thanks.
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omg this was SOOOOOOOOOOO helpful. I couldn't write my paper at all because I didn't even know how to write it but now that I have an outline I can finally start it phew! thanks a lot.
