Use the work of literature and your own insight to plan a thesis that briefly defines the purpose of your essay. Be sure to state the work of literature, each individual element you plan to analyze and the conclusion you expect to draw.
Write your thesis at the top of your paper or word processing document.
Plan an introductory remark that will grab your reader's attention. This remark may not necessarily have to do with your paper -- choosing interesting or little known facts about the author or a recent pop culture reference to a work can draw your reader in.
Skip a line on your paper or word processing document and write your introductory remark.
Outline two to five sentences that connect the introductory remark to the thesis. These sentences may include a quote from the book that links the remark to the thesis, but you also should include at least one sentence of your own words if you choose to use a quote to link the introduction. If you have not stated the author of the work in the thesis or the introductory remark, then do so in these sentences.
Skip a line and write your linking sentences on your paper or word processor.
Write a brand new paragraph with your sentences in the following order: introductory remark, linking sentences, thesis. Your thesis should always come last in an introductory paragraph so that your essay flows straight from your thesis into the primary body of your essay. This new paragraph will introduce your literary analysis.