Literary Analysis: Understanding the Meaning and Elements of a Story

1. Writing the Literary Analysis3/8/16

2. An analysis explains what a work of literature means, and how it means it.

3. How is a literary analysis like an argument? • When writing a literary analysis, you will focus on specific attribute(s)(a piece of information) of the text. • When discussing these attributes, you will want to make sure that you are making a specific, arguable point (thesis) about these attributes. • You will defend this point with reasons and evidence drawn from the text. (Much like a lawyer!)

4. What do I look for? Meaning of the Story Essential Elements Rhetorical Devices Symbolism

5. How to Analyze a Story • Meaning of the Story (Interpretation) • Identify the theme(s) and how the author announces it. • Explain how the story elements contribute to the theme. • Identify contextual elements (allusions, symbols, other devices) that point beyond the story to the author’s life/experience, history or to other writings.

6. How to Analyze a Story • Essential Elements of the Story • Theme: main idea—what the work adds up to • Plot: Relationship and patterns of events • Characters: people the author creates • Including the narrator of a story or the speaker of a poem • Setting: when and where the action happens • Point of View: perspective or attitude of the narrator or speaker

7. Themes? What is the theme in Disney’s Monsters, Inc.? What is the theme in the classic movie, “The Wizard of Oz”?

8. Themes? What is the theme in Shirley Jackson’s “The Lottery”? What is the theme in Shakespeare’s “Macbeth”?

9. Theme & Topic Match Up Courage Revenge Jealousy Dreams Love • Be careful how you treat other people; they may treat you the same. • Face your fears and you can defeat them. • Do not wish for what others possess. Be happy with what you have. • Work for what you want in life and you can achieve any goal. • _______ • _______ • _______ • _______ Revenge Courage Jealousy Dreams

10. How to write a thematic statement

11. Creating general thematic statements • Example: Courage • Courage allows people to attempt difficult tasks in their lives even when the possibility of failure is very high. (Thematic idea) (assertion about the thematic idea) (qualifying clause: when, because, unless, even, so that, whether, if, etc.)

12. You write one! • ______________ ________________________ ________________________________________ (Thematic idea) (assertion about the thematic idea) (qualifying clause: when, because, unless, even, so that, whether, if, etc.)

13. How to Analyze a Story Rhetorical Devices: Identify the author’s use and explain their importance

14. The repetition of the same sounds at the beginning of two or more adjacent words or stressed syllables. ALLITERATION

15. Alliteration From William Shakespeare’s “Romeo and Juliet” (prologue to Act 1) “From forth the fatal loins of these two foes;A pair of star-cross’d lovers take their life.” How is this an example of alliteration?

16. Rhyme: The formalized consonance of syllables. Think of it like this: Internal Rhyme External Rhyme

17. Rhyme External or Internal? #2 #1

18. Rhyme External or Internal? #2 External! #1

19. Rhyme External or Internal? #2 #1

20. Rhyme External or Internal? #2 #1 Internal!

21. Repetition and Parallelism Repetition the action of repeating something that has already been said or written. Parallelism The repetition of a word that creates strong rhythm. What is this? Macbeth Act 2 Scene 2:“Still it cried, “Sleep no more!” to all the house.“Glamis hath murdered sleep, and therefore CawdorShall sleep no more. Macbeth shall sleep no more.”

22. Repetition and Parallelism Repetition the action of repeating something that has already been said or written. Parallelism The repetition of a word that creates strong rhythm. What is this? Macbeth Act 2 Scene 2:“Still it cried, “Sleep no more!” to all the house.“Glamis hath murdered sleep, and therefore CawdorShall sleep no more. Macbeth shall sleep no more.”

23. Rhetorical Questions Macbeth: Act 1 Scene 7 (page 228, line 36) Count the number of question marks in her speeches… Does Macbeth answer? Are these questions meant to persuade or to summon an image or feeling?

24. Try it out!For each example, decide which rhetorical device is being used by identifying characteristics of the device, and then explain the effect it creates for each piece of text. Example 1 According to the ancient historian Plutarch, the Roman emperor Julius Caesar spoke these words, one of history’s most recognized utterances. I came, I saw, I conquered.

25. Parallelism I came, I saw, I conquered. The parallel grammatical forms (pronoun I + past-tense action verb) have a potent rhythm, giving weight and authority to the saying

26. Example 2 President John F. Kennedy’s inaugural address on January 20, 1969 moved many Americans with its call to action. Can we forge against these enemies a grand and global alliance, North and South, East and West, that can assure a more fruitful life for all mankind? Will you join in that historic effort?

27. Rhetorical Questions Can we forge against these enemies a grand and global alliance, North and South, East and West, that can assure a more fruitful life for all mankind? Will you join in that historic effort? Kennedy’s rhetorical questions are addressed directly to the audience. The implied “yes” answer to each question, prompts listeners to accept the challenges named in the speech.

29. What technique is being used? She is dead and no longer able toDrink the wine of human love

30. What technique is being used? She is dead and no longer able toDrink the wine of human love Metaphor

31. “A tree that may in summer wear a nest of robins in her hair” (from “Trees” by Joyce Kilmer) “Oh my love is like a red, red rose.” (from “A Red, Red Rose” by Robert Burns) What technique is being used? Personification Simile

32. Romeo and JulietJuliet says “Go ask his name.—If he be married.My grave is like to be my wedding bed”. What technique is being used? Foreshadowing

33. ToneAuthor’s attitude—stated or implied—toward the subjectRevealed through word choice and details

34. Name That Tone! • I’d rather stay here and wait, than go into that dark room. • scared. • The sun is shining brightly in the meadow, let’s go out and play! • happy or excited. • I called my friend at their house, her brother said she’s not home, but I heard her voice come over the line. • suspicious.

35. Irony: contrast between what is expected or what appears to be and what actually is • Verbal Irony—contrast between what is said and what is actually meant • Irony of Situation—an event that is the opposite of what is expected or intended • Dramatic Irony—Audience or reader knows more than the characters know

37. Figurative Language: language that goes beyond the literal meaning of words • Simile • Metaphor • Alliteration • Personification • Onomatopoeia • Hyperbole

38. Literary Analysis Practice3/9/16

39. Quiz – List 15 • Please take out a pen/pencil • Put ALL cell phones away • Put ALL vocab lists away • When done – please pick up the class set of the poem and await further instruction.

40. Person, place, object which stand for larger and more abstract ideas Symbolism

41. See if you can explain what the following symbols mean:

42. Concept Development: Symbols A symbol is often an event, object, person or animal to which an extraordinary meaning or significance has been attached. Pair/share: What ideas do these pictures symbolize?

43. Concept Development: Where do Symbols come from? • Symbols can be inherited or invented. • Ex. The Statue of Liberty came to symbolize freedom for people immigrating to the United States by way of Ellis Island.

44. Importance: Why Create Symbols in literature? • Symbols allow writers to suggest layers of meanings and possibilities that a simple literal statement could not convey as well. • Symbols allow writers to convey an idea with layers of meaning without having to explain those layers in the text. • A symbol is like a pebble cast into a pond: It sends out ever widening ripples. • Pair/Share: Tell your partner a symbol from one of our readings this year or last year.

45. Symbols in past stories we have read… • The Lottery: • Character Names: Symbol for ____________ Black mark on paper…..? • Texas vs Johnson: • American flag: Symbol for _______________ • Macbeth: • Blood : Symbol for _______________

46. What effect did rhetorical devices have on Macbeth? • Theme • Tone • Foreshadowing

47. Autobiography in Five Short Chaptersby Portia Nelson • Identify the rhetorical devices being used. • Identify the theme of the poem. • Identify a symbol in the poem. • Identify the figurative (symbolic) meaning of the symbol. • Explain why the symbol was used. • Why did the poet use this particular structure for the poem?