Style Analysis

1. Style Analysis Organization Paragraph

2. Topic sentence • The organization of the piece moves from ______ to ______ and finally to ______.

3. from “The Rattler” • The organization of the piece moves from calm to violence and finally to reflection.

4. Summary or paraphrase • After you identify an author’s organization, you will summarize or paraphrase each section in your example sentences. • No quotations at all in the organization paragraph

5. from “The Rattler” • In the beginning, the man encounters a snake unexpectedly. He seems to freeze in his tracks, and everything just seems to suddenly stop as he assesses the situation.

6. Example sentence • In the beginning, the man encounters a snake unexpectedly in a tableau-like scene.

7. commentary • His accidental confrontation juxtaposes present serenity with future slaughter. The author uses this random meeting to emphasize the conflict between nature and encroaching civilization.

8. 3 chunks • 3 example sentences with commentary instead of 2.

9. In the middle . . . • This is where the man decides he must take action against the snake even though he doesn’t like to kill. • He sees the absolute necessity here, though, because he understands the snake’s uncivilized instinct. • He feels a responsibility to protect the people at the ranch.

10. Example sentence • In the middle, the man takes action against the snake.

11. commentary • Moving from being a passive onlooker to an active participant in a conflict between respect for life and uncivilized instinct, he must disregard his own personal code in order to fulfill his responsibility to protect the people at the ranch. The author emphasizes both the consciousness of the man’s decision and the bloody ramifications of the snake’s death to underscore the man’s bittersweet victory.

12. At the end . . . • Man’s goal is achieved • Snake dies • Refuses to cut off rattles because this is no actual triumph to him • Thinks about the loss (remorseful) but realizes there is an equilibrium between nature and humanity that must be maintained.

13. Example sentence • In the end, the man achieves his goal, and the snake dies.

14. Commentary • The man refuses, however, to regard his kill as a triumph of sport and instead contemplates the loss of life as he realizes the necessity of maintaining an equilibrium between nature and humanity. The author successfully reaffirms respect for the hierarchy of life in the man’s moment of silent remorse.