11 SENTENCE PARAGRAPH LITERARY ANALYSIS

1. 11 SENTENCE PARAGRAPHLITERARY ANALYSIS

2. Writing an 11-Sentence Analysis of TONE and AUTHOR'S PERSPECTIVE. Prompt: What is the author's TONE, and how is it affected by his/her perspective? What you have to know to answer this prompt fully: 1) WHAT IS TONE? It is the author or speaker's attitude toward the subject being discussed. 2) WHAT IS PERSPECTIVE? Perspective refers to the point of view of the author, speaker, or narrator (if the piece if fiction.) If non-fiction, it can be influenced by past experiences, prejudices, values, and beliefs.

3. This is a FORMAL ANALYSIS PARAGRAPH. That means: 1. No slang 2. No contractions 3. Complete sentences/correct punctuation and quote presentation/correct grammar. 3. Objective 3rd person ONLY 4. Present tense when discussing the literature.

4. Look at the pink sheet in your folder and follow along as we review the following: Sentence 1 – Claim or Thesis (Topic) Sentence Sentence 2 – CD #1 (Concrete Detail) example/quote to prove Claim Sentence 3 – CM a (Commentary) explains or analyzes CD #1 Sentence 4 – CM b (Commentary) explains why/how the CD #1 proves or clarifies the Claim Sentence 5 – CD #2 gives a second example/quote to prove/support Claim Sentence 6 – CM a explains or analyzes CD #2 Sentence 7 – CM b explains why/how the CD #2 proves or clarifies the Claim Sentence 8 – CD #3 gives a third example to prove/support Claim Sentence 9 – CM a explains or analyzes CD #3 Sentence 10 – CM b explains why/how the CD #3 proves or clarifies the Claim Sentence 11 – CC (Closing Commentary) summarizes paragraph, restates topic or thesis sentence, and does not introduce new information.)

5. OK, SO HERE'S YOUR PROMPT... What is the author's tone in "And of Clay We Are Created," and how is it affected by Allende's perspective?

6. Sentence #1 (your CLAIM) is your ANSWER TO THIS QUESTION: The narrator's empathetic tone towards Rolf Carle in "And of Clay We Are Created" is greatly influenced by the tragic personal losses in Isabelle Allende's own life.

7. NOW, Let's GATHER NOTES... STEP 1: Re-read Allende's bio on page 585. Make notes of her life experiences that support your Claim of tragic loss. STEP 2: Find quotes in the text voiced by the narrator reflecting empathy towards Rolf Carle's situation; make a list. STEP 3: Look at the quotes you chose; which of them most aptly shows empathy connected to one of Allende's tragic life experiences? Choose the three quotes that most easily connect to Allende's past. THESE ARE YOUR 3 CONCRETE DETAILS (CD's)

8. NOW, YOUR READY TO WRITE... STEP 4: (Sentence 1 - Claim) (must address all parts of prompt:) (Already given to you:) The narrator's empathetic tone towards Rolf Carle in "And of Clay We Are Created" is greatly influenced by the tragic personal losses in Isabelle Allende's own life. STEP 5: (Sentence #2 - CD #1) Present CD #1 as your evidence of EMPATHY to prove your Claim by EMBEDDING it seamlessly into your own sentence. STEP 6: (Sentence #3 - CM a) Write one sentence explaining HOW CD#1 shows EMPATHTHY. STEP 7: (Sentence #4 - CM b) Write one sentence explaining HOW Alllende's personal experience influenced this empathy.

9. Sentence 11 - Conclusion Consider the last sentence to be the "final word" on the matter, something interesting or thought provoking. Beware though: do not make a new claim and do not offer new evidence in your conclusion!

10. FOR THE REMAINDER OF YOUR HIGH SCHOOL CAREER, YOUR ENGLISH TEACHERS WILL BE USING THE FOLLOWING RUBRIC TO GRADE YOUR ESSAYS: 9 (Outstanding/Brilliant) 95-100 The outstanding essay suggests deep understanding of the text, as seen in an original, interesting, or mature thesis, explained with insightful commentary; apt and vivid diction and/or syntax; and direct or subtle use of the text. This essay will have few, but perhaps some, mechanical errors. 7-8 (Very Good) 90-94 Essay responds to the assignment clearly and directly with good development, characterized by appropriate details from the text and some depth of analysis, writer uses appropriate diction and a variety of sentence structures. Essay is notable for its consistent use of conventional English grammar, punctuation and spelling, but is not necessarily free from errors. A “7” is better written than a “6.” 5-6 (Good/Adequate) 6=85-89; 5=80-84 Essay addresses the assigned question, but does not answer it fully and/or specifically. A general grasp of the text is obvious from sparse or overuse of textual references without enough clear support (commentary) for their points; commentary may be essentially paraphrase. The writer’s style is characterized by adequate clarity and organization, but may be mechanical, banal, or excessively wordy. 3-4 (Inadequate) 4 = 70 point; 3 = 65 points; Essay fails in some important way to fulfill the assignment. It may omit some part of the prompt, fail to provide minimal textual support for its points, or base its analysis on a misreading of some part of the text. Essay may be incomplete, awkward, insufficient, or illogical. Nevertheless, these essays normally present one or more incisive points among others of less value. The writing may be similarly uneven in development, with lapses in clarity, organization, diction, and/or mechanics. 1 – 2 (Poor); 2 = 60 points; 1= 55 points Essay commonly combines two or more serious failures: it may not address the actual prompt; it may indicate serious misreading of the text; it may not use textual support (or may use it in a way that suggests failure to understand the text); it may be unclear, badly written or unacceptably brief. The writing style of these papers is usually marked by egregious errors or by abruptness that suggests the student did not finish, but some may be smoothly written, though devoid of content.

11. FOR THE REMAINDER OF YOUR HIGH SCHOOL CAREER, YOUR ENGLISH TEACHERS WILL BE USING THE FOLLOWING GRADING SYMBOLS ON YOUR ESSAYS: ICTW Grading Symbols ¶ = New Paragraph TH = Weak Thesis/Claim Statement-Stance NF = No Focus I = Weak introduction LO = Lacks Organization NTS = No Topic Sentence CDW = Concrete Detail Weak CMW = Commentary Weak V=Vague R= Redundant W = Wordy AWK=Awkward Wording C = Connect (beyond the text, universally) SS= Sentence Structure (weak/incorrect placement) WC = Word Choice * = Good Points (star) * + = Insightful Comments (star plus) In-depth Grading CS = Comma Splice PV = Passive Voice RO = Run-on SP = Spelling Error F = Fragment Cite = Cite Source SV A = Subject/Verb Agreement SL = Slang PA =Pronoun Antecedent Agreement T = Transition Weak P = Punctuation (place appropriate punctuation sign) I= Italicize titles of book/Play FP = Faulty Parallelism Q = Quotes around titles of short stories/poems TP =Third Person Usage Only NC = No Contractions NUM = Number Rule

12. PROMPT Consider one of the following pieces: “The Plot Against People” OR “And of Clay We Are Created” “How does the author’s PERSPECTIVE affect the TONE of the selection? . Russell Baker’s tragic pastinfluences histone of mocking sarcasm in “The Plot Against People. PERSPECTIVE:author’s experiences * values * beliefs TONE:author’s attitude toward his subject Your TOPIC SENTENCE is the answer to the prompt and what your paragraph must PROVE:

13. Your TOPIC SENTENCEanswers ALLparts of the prompt and it’s what your entire paragraph must PROVE. So my answer to the question in the prompt might be… Russell Baker’s tragic pastinfluences his toneof mocking sarcasm in “The Plot People. perspective tone

14. …And now my CONCRETE DETAILS must be examples from the text where Baker is mocking man’s tendency to stress out over the little things……BECAUSE his tragic life experiences made him realize the true unimportance of life’s little annoyances. (perspective) his subject CONCRETE DETAILS to PROVE my TOPIC SENTENCE: #1 all objects that break down “are in league with the automobile to take their turn at breaking down whenever life threatens to flow smoothly for their human enemies.” #2 “A furnace, for example, will invariably break down at the depth of the first winter cold wave, but it will never get lost.” #3 That things that don’t work have “given man the only peace he receives from inanimate objects” and have therefore “attained the highest state possible for an inanimate object.”

15. …Then add 2 sentences of COMMENTARY for each detail that explains how that detail proves a part of your topic sentence: CONCRETE DETAILS to PROVE my TOPIC SENTENCE: #1 For example, Baker states that objects that break down are all “in league” with each other, taking turns breaking down “whenever life threatens to flow smoothly for their human enemies.” TWO SENTENCES OF COMMENTARY: 1. ( explain mocking tone) He is speaking sarcastically as if inanimate objects can think and reason and actually have joined together to cause mans’ destruction, which is absurd. 2. (connect to perspective) His family’s life during the Great Depression was full of hardships, so saying life “threatens” to run smooth is biting sarcasm influenced by his difficult past.

16. CONCRETE DETAILS to PROVE my TOPIC SENTENCE: #2 In addition, Baker recognizes that “a furnace will invariably break down at the depth of the first winter cold wave.” TWO SENTENCES OF COMMENTARY: 1. (explain mocking tone) He mocks man’s dumb luck in these situations, incinuating the furnace lays waiting until it is needed most to break down. 2. (connect to his past) In his reality, growing up poor in New Jersey, there were probably many cold nights without furnaces and other working objects we take for granted for our comfort that Baker’s family went without.

17. CONCRETE DETAILS to PROVE my TOPIC SENTENCE: #3 Finally, Baker feels those things that don’t work have “given man the only peace he receives from inanimate objects” and have therefore “attained the highest state possible for an inanimate object.”(perspective) TWO SENTENCES OF COMMENTARY: 1. (explain mocking tone) Baker experiencing the tragedy of losing his father, and having to leave behind his sister cause him to see the unimportance of the need to control these objects. 2. (connect to past) He understands that peace can only come from placing no expectations on the areas of ones life that one cannot control.

18. EXAMPLE 11 SENTENCE PARAGRAPH TS CD CM Russell Baker’s tragic past, and his desire to entertain create a tone of mocking sarcasm in “The Plot Against People. For example, Baker states that objects that break down are all “in league” with each other, taking turns breaking down “whenever life threatens to flow smoothly for their human enemies.” He is speaking sarcastically as if inanimate objects can think and reason and actually have joined together to cause mans’ destruction, which is absurd.His family’s life during the Great Depression was full of hardships, so saying life “threatens” to run smooth is biting sarcasm influenced by his difficult past.In addition, Baker recognizes that “a furnace will invariably break down at the depth of the first winter cold wave.” He mocks man’s dumb luck in these situations, incinuating the furnace lays waiting until it is needed most to break down. In his reality, growing up poor in New Jersey, there were probably many cold nights without furnaces and other working objects we take for granted for our comfort that Baker’s family went without. Finally, Baker feels those things that don’t work have “given man the only peace he receives from inanimate objects” and have therefore “attained the highest state possible for an inanimate object.” Baker experiencing the tragedy of losing his father, and having to leave behind his sister cause him to see the unimportance of the need to control these objects. He understands that peace can only come from placing no expectations on the areas of ones life that one cannot control. In conclusion, Baker’s past and his sense of humor go hand in hand to put a sarcastic spin on the importance of lifes little nuisences. CM CD CM CM CD CM CM CS