How to Analyze Literature

How to Analyze Literature

By James Mulhern

DEDICATION

For all my students, who have taught me so much

Copyright © 2016 by James Mulhern

All rights reserved.

ISBN 13: 978-1530062546

ISBN 10: 1530062543

CONTENTS

Explanation of Analysis

Native American Literature Unit Plan

Of Plymouth Plantation Unit Plan

Analysis of Patrick Henry's Speech in the Virginia Convention

Transcendentalism Analysis Unit Plan

Snapshot Analysis of Hurston's How It Feels to be Colored Me

Snapshot Analysis of King's Letter From Birmingham Jail

Analysis of MLK's I Have a Dream Speech

Analysis of Obama's Keynote Address at the Democratic National Convention

Analysis of Obama's Speech on the Death of Bin Laden

Analysis of Blaeser's Rituals of Memory

Analysis of Griffin's The Real Reasons We Explore Space

The Analysis Essay on the AP English Language and Composition Exam

Factors that Contribute to a Lower Score on the AP Analysis Essay

How to Analyze Style

AP Prompt Response (Argumentative): Drabble, 2001

AP Prompt Response (Analysis): Sanders, 2007

Analytical Reading Strategies

How to Take Notes While Reading

Teaching Philosophy

Teaching Methodology

Student Think Tanks

EXPLANATION OF ANALYSIS

I use the following analogy to explain the meaning of Analysis.

Analysis is the WHY and the HOW. What? Why? How? Explain and elaborate on the effect. Specificity is key!

What would help explain specifically?

What words does the writer use? Why does she use those specific words? How is the use of those words effective? And most importantly, how does that particular use of language support/relate to the overarching argument/claim/thesis/theme in the text?

What is Analysis? Analysis is breaking apart a Whole into its Parts and explaining how those Parts support and contribute to the meaning/effect of the Whole. Sounds like a boring definition, and it certainly is—puts me to sleep. But that's just because you can't picture what the definition means; the definition is dull. But you are analyzing all the time, in every aspect of your life—whether you are trying to figure out a friend's mood when you read his/her texts, sizing someone up in the hallway, getting a first impression of someone you meet at a football game, even reading this handout. Let me give you a concrete, specific example that you can picture so that it is easier for you to understand what Analysis means:

Example: You are at Publix in the cereal aisle, trying to grab a box of your favorite Cheerios off the shelf, but a lady is blocking you. She is dressed for success—Jimmy Choo shoes, a Gucci handbag, fine gold jewelry, and a big diamond ring on her finger. She is talking on her BlackBerry cell phone, arguing with someone, saying, I can't believe you expect me to do your ridiculous shopping again! I haven't got time for this. Why don't you ask your secretary to do your little chores? I'm getting my nails done in fifteen minutes! And then I simply must get a facial.

You keep saying, Excuse me, as you try to reach for the Cheerios, but the lady ignores you and even turns her back to you. It's as if she doesn't even know you exist.

Okay. So you have definitely formed an opinion of her. You probably don't like her. You might think she's selfish and you also might think she is rich and rude. How did you form that Whole impression? You analyzed the parts: dressed for success, Jimmy Choo shoes, a Gucci handbag, fine gold jewelry, a big diamond ring, her tone of conversation—'ridiculous shopping' and 'little chores.' In addition, the lady ignores you and turns her back to you. Your overall impression that she is rude and rich and selfish was determined by your quickly assembling all those Parts to form that Whole impression. That's Analysis.

(Keep in mind: This is a silly fictitious example; not all rich people are selfish. Never stereotype. Consider Oprah Winfrey, one of the richest people in the world, and also one of the most generous!)

When you read a piece of writing you are doing the same thing. However, the individual words (diction), the groups of words (syntax), the sentences (long ones vs. short ones), the specific examples/details, the similes and metaphors (figurative language), the description (imagery), the repetition, the rhythm, the sound quality (cadence), and many other devices (see below) are all Parts that support and contribute to the author's main purpose, mood, theme, or style (the Whole). Your teacher will help you understand the guidelines listed below so that you can begin to analyze a piece of writing. Good luck!

How do I analyze a piece of writing (a selection, a text, an excerpt, a passage)? For all the items below, cite textual evidence as much as possible. Consider yourself a scientist of language; the words in front of you are pieces of evidence that you use as proof for the conclusions that you make.

1. Read the piece to comprehend what is being said. You can't begin to analyze until you know what the writer is saying. Use a dictionary for the difficult words if necessary.

2. The Big Picture/the Whole:  As you read the text to literally comprehend the meaning, you must also be thinking about all of the following:

What is the writer's thesis/assertion/main point?  What is the overall purpose of the essay?

What is the particular occasion and  who is the audience? Remember, sometimes a writer/speaker is addressing several audiences at once. For example, when the President gives a speech, he is aware of all the different groups of people within America, but he is also very aware of all the nations in the world that may be listening.

In addition to a primary purpose implicit in any piece of writing, the author often has other objectives/goals as well. As you read, consider some of the other objectives. Which parts of the text make you aware of these objectives?

What is the writer's tone? (attitude towards what he/she is writing)

What is the main theme/message of this text?  Are there multiple themes within the passage? Cite text that supports each theme.

What is the mood of this piece? (emotional quality) Does the mood change at points? Cite text.

Where are the shifts in the writing? Shifts are changes in tone, mood, theme, organizational pattern (One example of an organizational shift would be if the author changes his/her time perspective. Perhaps he/she goes from discussing the past to the future, then to the present.)

How would you describe the writing style? Does the author use difficult words, easier words, short sentences, long sentences, short paragraphs, long paragraphs, a lot of description, very little description, etc.? What effects does the author create by doing so?

In what ways is the structure/organization of this essay effective? Why does the author choose this organization? How does the structure contribute to the overall effect of the essay?

Which modes of discourse (narration, compare/contrast, exposition, persuasion, cause/effect, etc.) is the author using? Which mode of discourse predominates (is most used)? How is the use of different modes of discourse within the essay effective? Why?  

3. The Little Snapshots/the Pieces or Parts: Once you can answer some of the questions above, then you can analyze the selection by finding literary terms/ devices/rhetorical techniques that the writer uses to contribute to or support any of items a through j above. Consider point of view (1st, 2nd, 3rd person, omniscient), diction (the particular words that the author uses and why), repetition, sentence structure (long, short, compound, complex, compound-complex), parallelism (clauses, phrases, groups of words that are the same structure), analogies (author compares situations to explain and teach), anecdotes (brief stories within the larger text), similes, metaphors, hyperbole (exaggeration), cadence (sound quality), rhythm, rhetorical questions (to raise thoughts in the reader's head; help the reader draw conclusions), irony (opposite of what the reader expects), humor, similarities, contrasts, connotations (emotional associations of words), turning points (shifts or transitions in the text), lists of ideas to make/support a point (catalogs), exemplification (providing lots of good examples), amplification (extending on those examples with even more information), organizational patterns (how the author organizes information and why), type of writing (fiction, nonfiction, poetry, drama), argumentative techniques and strategies to convince his/her audience, emotional appeals (appeals to the reader's emotions—pathos), logical appeals (appeals to the reader's logic—logos), ethical appeals (appeals to the reader's sense of right and wrong and establishing the character and likability of the narrator—ethos), logical fallacies (reasoning that does not make sense), loaded language (emotional words that create a strong reaction; usually negative), allusions (references to famous books, historical events, or people), imagery (any descriptive writing that appeals to the five senses; not just visual), an author's style (the individual way a writer communicates, the types of words and language and phrasing he/she uses; analogous to the particular way you write, speak, or even dress), and other types of figurative language that you will learn this year. The most important aspect of analysis is explaining and elaborating on the particular effects of everything mentioned above. Specificity is key. You need to develop an analytical way of thinking AND writing. Your teacher will model this type of thinking and writing throughout the year, and you will have lots of practice and special activities to develop this skill. You must never write too generally or in a vague way! Be precise and exact in your explanations! And always support your responses with textual evidence (words and phrases are sufficient).

NATIVE AMERICAN LITERATURE UNIT PLAN

In the Broward County Public Schools we used The Language of Literature textbook series published by McDougal Littell prior to the new textbook adoption. The opening unit of the grade 11 textbook in that series contains the Native American stories The World on the Turtle's Back, Coyote and the Buffalo, and Fox and Coyote and Whale. If you do not have access to the textbook, you will be able to find the stories online through the links below. The links may not provide the exact same texts as those that appear in the Littell textbook (some are abridged), but they are a good introduction to Native American storytelling. Following the links is a unit plan on Native American Literature that my students have enjoyed.

http://www.firstpeople.us/FP-Html-Legends/TheCreationStory-Iroquois.html

http://www.firstpeople.us/FP-Html-Legends/CoyoteAndTheBuffalo-Salish.html

http://www.sgsd.k12.wi.us/homework/kanne/webpage stuff/American Literature/Am Lit A/PreColonial Lit/Fox Coyote and Whale_Okanogan.htm

Rationale for this Unit Plan

The Literature Task plays an important role in honing students' ability to read a complex text closely, a skill that research reveals as the most significant factor differentiating college-ready from non-college-ready readers. This task will ask students to carefully consider literature worthy of close study and compose an analytic essay (Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers, a developer of the Common Core Assessment for thirteen states and the District of Columbia).

Standards Addressed: RI.11-12.1, RI.11-12.2, RI.11-12.3, RI.11-12.4, RI.11-12.5, RI.11-12.6, RI.11-12.7, RI.11-12.8, RI.11-12.9, RI.11-12.10, W.11-12.1, W.11-12.2, W.11-12.4, W.11-12.5, W.11-12.9, SL.11-12.4, SL.11-12.6.

I have found that students enjoy these stories, especially when I help them make links to stories and myths from other cultures.

Below is a list of the activities I use to teach this unit.

I. I begin with a discussion of the definition and function of myth. Students often understand myth in a very basic sense—that it is a fictitious story or something made up. In order to make clear that we are discussing and analyzing these stories as literature, especially when connections are made to different religious traditions, I tell students that for the purpose of our class discussions we are not concerned whether the stories are literally true (I tell students that every individual has the right to decide that for herself), but rather we are interested in the definition of myth used by mythologists: A traditional, typically ancient story dealing with supernatural beings, ancestors, or heroes that serves as a fundamental type in the worldview of a people, as by explaining aspects of the natural world or delineating the psychology, customs, or ideals of society (www.thefreedictionary.com).  Of course, I break that definition down into chunks and explain it in ways suited to my student audience. I also explain to students that all myths originate in oral traditions. This is particularly important when explaining Native American myths, as most of these were first written down in the 1800s by Western Europeans. I help students to understand how this fact might contribute to our reading of these myths. Were mistakes made? Did European bias enter the translation?

II. I give them a handout that I created on the Qualities and Functions of a Myth.

Qualities of a Myth

A myth:

does not have to make sense.

is often unrealistic and illogical.

has inanimate objects (things) and characters that change, often mysteriously.

is ambiguous (can be interpreted in different ways).

has supernatural elements.

has many unanswered questions.

provides answers to questions asked by human beings.

conveys morals and values of a group of people.

explains the origins (beginnings) of things.

has symbolism.

Functions of a Myth

A myth:

entertains.

informs or explains.

gives a sense of control to humans.

reinforces acceptable behaviors of a group of people.

III. We read aloud and discuss The World on the Turtle's Back