TPCASTT

1. TPCASTT Mrs. Burhenn

2. What is TPCASTT? • This is an anagram to analyze poetry, much like DIDLS is an anagram to analyze tone. • You will use this (and DIDLS) in your AP classes, so the more practice the better! • Title • Paraphrase • Connotation • Attitude • Shift • Title revisited • Theme

3. Title • First thing’s first. Read the title, and think what the poem might be about.

4. Paraphrase • Before you try to read deeply into the poem, you must first look at the literal meaning. • Break the poem up into manageable chunks and paraphrase each chunk. • This is not a summary; this is writing the poem in your own words.

5. Connotation • This is where you begin to look beyond the surface. • Look for poetic devices such as imagery, metaphors, personification, symbolism, diction, point of view, sound devices • It is not necessary to identify all poetic devices, but make sure the ones you do identify support any conclusions made about the poem.

6. Attitude • The author’s or speaker’s tone in the poem is important. • Remember: To misunderstand tone is to misunderstand meaning. • Remember DIDLS

7. Shift • Most poetry will have a shift, much like the poet’s realization of understanding of an experience • Watch for the following cues: • Words such as: but, yet, however, etc. • Punctuation • Stanza divisions • Changes in stanza or line length, diction, sound devices

8. Title Revisited • Now that you have looked at the poem on a deeper level, look at the title again. Does it hold a different meaning than it once did?

9. Theme • What is the poem saying about the overall human experience, motivation, or condition? • What idea does the poet want you to take with you? • A theme cannot be stated in one word; it is a not just a subject, but a theory or idea about that subject.