THE QUOTE SANDWICH
In a literary analysis essay, you need to use quotes from the novel as evidence supporting your arguments. The quotes you use should be “sandwiched” between your commentaries.
1. The first “slice” of the sandwich is your introduction to the quote. Provide a context for the quote. Don’t rely on your quote to tell the story for you. Set the scene for your reader by explaining what is taking place in the story. Then, you can introduce a quote in several ways:
According to ______, “….”
______says, “….”
states,
claims,
points out,
argues,
The important thing to remember is that the quote CANNOT stand alone. It must be introduced! Imagine a sandwich with no bread, if your quote is the “jelly” it would just be slopping all around with nothing to stick to!
2. Then comes your quote, the meat or jelly, or peanut butter of your sandwich!
3. And the final slice of bread is your commentary on the quote. Once you’ve introduced the quote and written it for the reader, you must explain to the reader what it means and how it relates to your argument about your poem.
Check out this example! Can you identify the different parts to the quote sandwich? Underline the first “slice of bread”, double underline the quote, then underline the “second slice of bread.”
How do I cite quotations?
1) Use quotation marks!
2) Keep original punctuation (exclamation point, commas, question marks) inside the quotation marks.
3) Follow each quote with a citation. Your first citation should present in parenthesis the author’s last name and the page number. All following citations need the page number only.
4) Put the final period outside the quotation marks and after the citation.
Follow these examples:
The voice of the television questions the reader, “Are you looking at me? Is everybody looking at me?” (Alcott).
OR
The television informs us, “I am here for you” (Alcott).