CLOSE READING

A close reading focuses on the specific details of a works construction !ou take the ti"e to appreciate
details of alliteration# repetition# how particular words contri$ute to the"e# or in the case of %isual te&ts#
color# lighting# angles# perspecti%e# etc 'his is the pri"ar( techni)ue used in co"posing te&tual anal(sis
papers# and is essential for de%eloping e%idence for an( persuasi%e writing
'he ter" *close reading+ refers $oth to the act of reading a te&t closel(# and the written product of (our
anal(sis of a te&t ,ell start with the anal(sis aspect
There are three major elements in a close reading:
,hat-Data. te&tual e%idence/ a word# a phrase# an i"age# a literar( techni)ue# etc
0eaning-Clai". assertion a$out what the *what+ "eans for our understanding of the te&t
1ow-Anal(sis. e&planation of e&actl( how the *data+ leads to the *clai"+
Here are two approaches for getting at these elements. Note that the first step is ALWAYS to read the
passageyo mst ha!e a sense of the whole "efore yo "egin assigning meaning or focsing on parts.
#$ata % Analysis % &onclsion '&laim() Approach 'sally prefera"le(
2 Read the passage
3 Read the passage again# possi$l( aloud# and take note of an( words# phrases# sounds# etc# that strike
(ou
4 Anal(5e the details (ou%e found/ organi5e the" $( the"e# $( t(pe# $( whate%er see"s to "ake
sense# then deter"ine what "eanings the( suggest $( thinking a$out denotations# connotations#
"ultiple "eanings# conte&ts# etc
6 Articulate (our conclusions a$out the "eaning of the details

#Hypothesis '&laim( % $ata % Analysis) Approach
2 Read the passage or stud( the i"age carefull(
3 7araphrase the general the"e or "essage of the te&t 8e sure to distinguish this fro" the "essage of
the person speaking/ so"eti"es the te&t does not support the clai"s of the character
4 Co"$ the te&t for details to e&plain (our interpretation of its "essage Note an( te&tual or %isual
e%idence that relates to the the"e or "essage (ou got fro" (our reading
6 Connect step 4 to step 3. articulate e&actl( what it is a$out the e%idence that leads to (our assertion
a$out the "eaning
Careful with this one. for it to work logicall(# (ou ha%e to $e a$le to hold a h(pothesis loosel( and change it
to fit the e%idence (ou find# rather than collecting onl( e%idence that fits (our h(pothesis
As for the written product# the $ulk of an( close reading essa( is the ela$oration of the *how+ ele"ent 'he
*how+ is the glue $etween the te&tual e%idence and the "eaning (ou clai" that e%idence "akes/ its the
proof that (our assertion a$out "eaning is supported $( the te&t 'he rest is "ainl( organi5ation
Here are the elements e*pected in a written close+reading+type essay for an academic adience:
2 An introduction including the ele"ents (our reader should $e aware of to understand (our thesis
3 A thesis 9generall( as part of the introductor( paragraph: that includes (our clai" a$out *"eaning+
and a *road "ap+ of (our e%idence ; so"e suggestion as to the t(pes of data (oull cite to support
(our clai"# and how (ou%e decided to organi5e the presentation of (our anal(sis
4 8od( paragraphs with topic sentences that assert a part of the thesis<$( pro%ing the topic sentences#
(oull pro%e the thesis ; and "ention what part of the clai" the particular paragraph will deal with
'he content of the $od( paragraphs should $e the articulated steps of the anal(sis (ou%e done
6 A conclusion that# at "ini"u"# should recapitulate (our argu"ent# $ut prefera$l( includes so"e
assertions a$out the significance of (our argu"ent
=athr(n 'ucker# 7hD
$e!eloping &lose ,eading Tools
'his guide "a( $e helpful in anal(5ing passages# )uotations# and i"ages# $oth for (our papers and for class
discussions 'his is not a worksheet/ do not feel o$ligated to respond to each point here 'he following are
suggestions a$out how to pinpoint co""on t(pes of data and connect the" to "eanings/ so"e of the tips are
useful "ore "ost te&ts# others are specific to fiction or poetr(# others to persuasi%e argu"ent# others to %isual
rhetoric.
1ow is the author using language to create specific effects> Is there a lot of detail> Is the language
rich and flower(# or dr( and scientific> Acade"ic and for"al# or collo)uial and casual>
,hat words are used> ?se a dictionar( to look up e%en words (ou alread( know/ so"eti"es
secondar( definitions or the et("olog( of a word can shed new light on a passage Do (ou notice
an( repetition of words# sounds# or i"ages> ,hat effect does the repetition create> Are words
connected in the"es or associations> 7a( attention to the denotation % connotation of the words
,hat tone does the passage con%e(> Is it co"ic> straightforward> satirical> tragic> "(sterious>
1ow do (ou know. what words or e&pressions contri$ute to the tone>
Identif( figurati%e language# such as "etaphors# si"iles# i"ager(# allusions# etc ,hat are the
con%entional uses or understandings of these i"ages or ideas> Does the te&t support their traditional
interpretation# or does the wa( the( are used suggest an alternati%e understanding> Do the words
suggest si"ilar relationships or contradictor( ones>
,hat is the point of the te&t or part of te&t (oure anal(5ing> Is the author creating a "ood>
descri$ing a character> "aking a pointed political criti)ue> 1ow do the ele"ents of the te&t
acco"plish this goal>
Do ele"ents in the passage foreshadow# conte&tuali5e# or "irror other situations in the work> 1ow
does the foreshadowing# conte&tuali5ing# or "irroring help e&plain other e%ents>
7lace the part of the te&t (oure anal(5ing in its conte&t within the work as a whole Consider
language use# i"ages# the"es# tone# etc Are issues in this passage echoed throughout the te&t# or is
this our onl( gli"pse of a particular concern> Does the language in this passage e&e"plif( that used
throughout the work# or is there an a$rupt change in st(le> 1ow does this passage fit into the work>
1ow does the te&t use space> Consider panel $reaks# di%isions# transitions# rests# as well as
organi5ation of space within the panel or each panel 1ow are o$@ects set in relation to each other.
what happens in the space $etween o$@ects# what angles-lines e&plicitl( or i"plicitl( connect o$@ects#
what perspecti%e does the te&t present>
1ow does the te&t use %isual details like color and artistic st(le> Aor color# consider $oth hue and
%alue. what connotations do the colors ha%e# if an(> Is there a pattern to how the colors are arranged
or assigned> Aor st(le# consider whether the i"age is realistic# caricature# hea%( line# sketch# stick
figure/ how "ight the st(le contri$ute to the "eaning>
7a( close attention to character details# such as facial e&pressions# clothing# props 1ow are
characters dressed# and what does that suggest> ,hat props are associated with each character> 1ow
do facial e&pressions contri$ute to the effect of the i"age>
,hen te&ts are "ostl( %isual# the inclusion or e&clusion of words is i"portant Consider ele"ents
such as place"ent# setBups and punchlines# spoken words %s thought $u$$les# in the i"age %s
outside# rh(th" 9often connected to spatial position:# and the a$sence of words