About the conventions of literature

2. QUOTATION SANDWICHES
Introduce quote
Use quote (with page #)
Explain quote

3. QUOTATION SANDWICH EXAMPLE
There is a shift in the social status of Ebenezer
and the people in the train from individuals who
care about one another to animals that
disregard the social contract. “Free from social
constraint, young people gave way openly to
instinct, taking advantage of the darkness to
flirt in our midst, without caring about anyone
else, as though they were alone in the world”
(Wiesel, 1982, p. 21). Earlier on the same page,
the denizens of the train took turns sitting
down, but after days of thirst, hunger, and heat,
they were reduced to their basic instincts for
survival. ORANGE=Top piece of bread
BLACK=Middle part of sandwich
GREEN=Bottom piece of bread

5. THAT MEANS…
• Never end or begin a
paragraph with a quote.
• Make quote work for you!
• Your voice most important.

6. USING PROPER PUNCTUATION
“The paper, the play, the
music, the movie,
All line up wavy,
Now ain’t that groovy?”

7. FOR EXAMPLE
Novels, plays, titles of CD albums, movies (larger works) all
go in italics:
The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao by Junot Diaz
Night by Elie Wiesel
Short stories, song titles, poems (shorter works) go in
quotation marks:
“Puppy” by George Saunders
“A Small, Good Thing” by Raymond Carver

8. REFERRING TO THE AUTHOR
Introduction:
• Author’s full name + full title of work
Rest of essay:
• Author’s last name + can abbreviate title of long
work using quotation marks
• Example: Diaz’s “Oscar Wao” (but take care with
character vs. title distinction)