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Literary Abstract

Literary Abstract. So short…. Literary… Writing about how an author uses literary elements to emphasize the theme. …Abstract A portion of a larger piece of writing, in this case two paragraphs of what would have been a five paragraph essay. What is it?. What You Need First.

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Literary Abstract

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  1. Literary Abstract So short…

  2. Literary… Writing about how an author uses literary elements to emphasize the theme. …Abstract A portion of a larger piece of writing, in this case two paragraphs of what would have been a five paragraph essay What is it?

  3. What You Need First • You’ll need to have a working knowledge of literary elements (symbolism, characterization, exaggeration, irony, etc.) • You’ll need to have a grasp of the historical and social context of the story • You’ll need to figure out the themes of the story

  4. First Paragraph • Normal introduction paragraph • Attention-getter • Introduce theme • 3-5 sentence summary of the plot • Assume that the reader has read the story, but it’s been a while since. • Thesis statement: relate one literary element to one theme General Specific

  5. Thesis Statement • Relate one literary element to one theme. • Here’s a template: In the story [name of story], [author’s name] uses [literary element] to show [theme]. • Ex. Through her use of exaggeration, Angelou proves that small children often idolize their grandparents.

  6. Which is the Best? • I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings is about the problem of evil. • I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings is boring and pointless. • The use of humor in I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings illustrates the lasting impact racial prejudice has on young children. • I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings is about a girl with a toothache.

  7. Second Paragraph • Normal body paragraph • Prove your thesis! • Make sure you only talk about ONE literary element in this paragraph • Prove your thesis using examples from the text • Each example must have CONTEXT and EXPLANATION.

  8. Examples • Examples can come in 3 forms: each example MUST be cited. • Quotes • Summaries – taking big portions and summarizing in a sentence or two • Paraphrases – taking someone else’s words and putting them in your own to make them more clear. • Examples need context: who, when, why • Examples need explanation

  9. Citations MLA Style • Used to support EVERY claim, idea, or supporting detail that comes from the text • “Here’s your quote” (Hepworth 56). • In his short story, Hepworth often gives meaningful information such as “Here’s your quote” (56). Period on the Outside of the Parenthesis Author’s Last Name Page Number

  10. Do’s Identify the speaker Identify the context of the quote: when it happened, under what circumstances Don’t’s Never reference the quote directly This quote shows… The following example shows… This is shown when… Context for the Quote

  11. Good Context Example When Jim refuses to leave Tom without getting a doctor’s help, Huck realizes that Jim is “white inside” (Twain 261), an epiphany for Huck, and he views Jim as a real person who is the same on the inside as himself.

  12. Make Sure… • Your statements are meaningful and significant to the paper • You explain your examples to the reader – don’t assume the reader will “just get it” • You avoid meaningless statements like, “This is an important story,” “So-and-so is a great author.” Duh. I know. Get to the important stuff.

  13. Really BIG Quotes • Try to avoid these…but if you can’t… • Big quotes are anything more than 4 lines long • Indent the entire quote • Single space • No quotation marks • Still needs citation • When you resume your paragraph, there is no need to indent again, just keep going.

  14. Example…yes, I know it’s small…just squint. David becomes identified and defined by James Steerforth, a young man with whom David is acquainted from his days at Salem House. Before meeting Steerforth, David accepts Steerforth’s name as an authoritative power: There was an old door in this playground, on which the boys had a custom of carving their names. . . . In my dread of the end of the vacation and their coming back, I could not read a boy’s name, without inquiring in what tone and with what emphasis he would read, “Take care of him. He bites.” There was one boy—a certain J. Steerforth—who cut his name very deep and very often, who I conceived, would read it in a rather strong voice, and afterwards pull my hair. (Dickens 68) For Steerforth, naming becomes an act of possession, as well as exploitation. Steerforth names David for his fresh look and innocence, but also uses the name Daisy to exploit David's romantic tendencies (Dyson 122).

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