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Literary analysis is a critical method of evaluating or interpreting a written work. Authors write works that can mean different things to different people. Also, some written works have thematic elements purposefully intended by the author that can only be understood upon closer examination and a thorough analysis of the work. Various types of analysis are generally recognized, such as Freudian interpretation, reader response, feminist, symbolic, among other methods of analysis. In the end, writers and readers work together to analyze a written work: the author through the words and the writer through comprehension. Evaluations and interpretations are certainly up for debate depending on a readers’ perspective and the author’s intent. A good criticism or analysis of a book can help us formulate our own opinions regarding any piece of literature. Classical elements of reviewing or analyzing literature include: point of view, characterization, symbolism, style, voice, theme, setting, etc. Works can also be interpreted contextually, meaning their plot or themes might be directly related to political, social or historical issues of the time the piece was written. Also, the background or biography of the author usually also has an influence over the themes of the work as well as some of the technical elements. The above guidelines are just starting points for evaluating a work and the interplay of many of the methods and aspects lead to a more complete understanding of the work.