As soon as I would say the word “analysis” in my classroom, my students would groan, slumping down in their chairs, flailing their hands for dramatic effect. I get it. Writing responses to literature can be difficult, even for high school students. This was especially true when the analysis didn’t have a specific prompt for students to follow. They became overwhelmed, unsure of where to start. It was when I started teaching how each element fits together in a narrative that they started to really produce incredible pieces of writing focused on a true analysis of the text. They started explaining how the dynamic characters and their conflicts throughout a story shape the theme. Papers had quotations, with correct citations, as evidence to support their claims. My students were excited about what they were learning and writing!