Why write about literature
Written assignments in a literature class have two purposes
a) To give you additional practice in writing clearly and persuasively
b) To deepen your understanding of literary works by leading you to read and think about a few works more searchingly than you might otherwise do.
But these two purposes are private. To be successful, your paper must have a public purpose as well: it should be written to enlighten others besides yourself. Even if no one else ever reads your paper, you should never treat it as a private note to your instructor. You write every paper as if it were intended for publication.
For whom do your write
The audience for whom you write will govern both the content and expression of your paper. You need to know something about your reader's backgrounds –national, racial, social, religious- and be able to make intelligent guesses about their knowledge, interests, and previous reading. Essays written for different audiences and with different purposes differ considerably in content, organization and style.
Unless your instructor stipulates a different audience, the best plan is to assume that you are writing for the other members of your class. Pretend that your class publishes a journal of which it also constitutes the readership. Your instructor is the editor and determines editorial policy.
