Understanding Inferences Saddleback College Reading Lab
Infer vs. Imply Inferences are made based on implications an author provides. Thus, you would infer meaning from something that an author has implied. For example, an author may imply that it is raining outside by saying that the woman grabbed her umbrella before heading to work. You would infer that the umbrella would be needed to protect her from rain. There are several types of inferences including: Terms of Qualification Connotations Metaphors Similes
Terms of Qualification Terms of qualification include words or phrases that modify the certainty of a writer s statement. These terms can be used to infer the author s attitude toward the particular topic. There are four categories of terms of qualification: words or phrases that express no doubt all, always, definitely, clearly words or phrases that express little doubt most, seldom, consistently, rarely words or phrases that express some doubt it seems, apparently, many, it is possible words or phrases that express much doubt supposedly, it is rumored
Connotations The connotation of a word is its suggested meaning. A critical reader can infer much about an author s unspoken attitude toward a topic by examining the connotations of his/her word choice. Many words fall into one of three categories, each of which expresses an implied value: a positive attitude a neutral attitude a negative attitude
Types of Connotations Positive Neutral Negative home house shack hot rod car jalopy thrifty on a budget cheap slender slim skinny inquisitive interested nosy youngster child brat Words with positive connotations are used to express a positive attitude towards something Words with neutral connotations are used to show that an author is not biased about the subject Words with negative connotations are used to express a negative attitude towards something
Metaphors/Similes Metaphor- a direct comparison of two objects or ideas that do not seem related Simile- same as metaphor yet uses the words as or like in the comparison To understand a metaphor or simile, you need to identify the two words that are being compared- subject and image. Then you can begin to list the associations the two words together suggest.
Examples of Metaphors His hair was bone white. Here, the whiteness of the person's hair is being compared to that of a bone's. She is an early bird. In this one, the girl is being compared to a bird, because she too gets up early in the morning. A heart of stone. This metaphor is inferring that the person s heart is hard, cold, and impermeable like a stone.
Examples of Similes Ernest Gaines, the author of the novel A Lesson Before Dying, uses several similes in his writing. His godmother became as immobile as a great stone or as one of our oak or cypress stumps. (p.3) This quote is comparing the godmother to a large heavy object. It is implying that getting her to move would take a great amount of effort. the two half-burned logs gave about as much fire as a candle would. (p. 77) This compares the burning logs to candle light and implies that the amount of light they gave off was minimal. The leaves were as still as if they were painted there. (p. 84) Through this quote the reader can infer that there is not even a breeze. The leaves were completely still which implies the feeling that the leaves were frozen in time like a painting.
Inferences in Literature Novel Quote with inference What can be inferred The Legend of Sleepy Hollow by Washington Irving A description of Ichabod Crane states, He helped out with the lighter labors. This implies that he s not a hard worker. He tries to make himself look good so he can take advantage of the situation, but does the bare minimum. To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee Atticus Finch says, Mr. Cunningham s basically a good man; he just has his blind spots. With this statement, Atticus implies that although Mr. Cunningham is a nice person, he isn t as perfect as he might seem. He has a biased interpretation of some situations just like other people. The Catcher in the Rye by J. D. Salinger The main character, Holden, states, It's funny. All you have to do is say something nobody understands and they'll do practically anything you want them to. Holden is implying that if you act smart and use big words, that people will listen and agree with you because they are too proud to admit that they don t understand. He thinks that people like this are ridiculous.
Inference example explained The young woman walked a bit hesitantly towards the famous cozy Italian restaurant. She did not believe the excuse her parents gave her for having to meet her at the restaurant instead of at their house. To make matters worse, she was a bit grumpy because she was still catching up on the sleep that she lost during exam time. She noticed some cars that looked familiar in the parking lot. As soon as she walked through the door, she heard, "Surprise!" The text says: She did not believe the excuse her parents gave her. I know: Sometimes if people play practical jokes, others don't believe everything they say. Maybe her parents played practical jokes. The text says: She was a bit grumpy because she was still catching up on the sleep that she lost during exam time. I know: I know exams are usually given in school, so she is probably in high school or college. The text says: She noticed some cars that looked familiar in the parking lot. As soon as she walked through the door, she heard, "Surprise!" I know: If the cars are familiar, that means people she knows are in the restaurant. This makes me change my inference. If her parents wanted to meet her at the restaurant, and other people she knows are there, maybe it's a surprise party.
Inferences in Textbooks The Confederate States of America adopted a constitution and elected Jefferson Davis, a Mississippi senator and cotton planter, its provisional president. The divided house had fallen, as Lincoln had predicted. Adapted from Gary B. Nash, The American People: Creating a Nation and a Society, 6 th., Vol. 1: To 1877 What is implied by the expression divided house? This is a metaphor for the United States at the time of the Civil War.
Textbook Inferences cont Henry VIII lived large. He was a bear of a man, famed for his ability to hunt all day while wearing out a pack of trained horses, for his prowess in wrestling bouts, including one with King Francis I of France, and of course, for having six wives. Mark Kishlansky, Civilization in the West, 6 th ed. What is implied by the expression lived large? The author is implying that Henry VIII liked to do things in a grand manner or took things to the extreme. What is implied by the expression a bear of a man? This expression implies that Henry VIII was large in stature and rough.
Your turn read this paragraph Everyday after work Paul took his muddy boots off on the steps of the front porch. Alice would have a fit if the boots made it so far as the welcome mat. He then took off his dusty overalls and threw them into a plastic garbage bag; Alice left a new garbage bag tied to the porch railing for him every morning. On his way in the house, he dropped the garbage bag off at the washing machine and went straight upstairs to the shower as he was instructed. He would eat dinner with her after he was presentable, as Alice had often said.
What was implied? What type of work does Paul do? From the text, it can be inferred that Paul probably works construction or on a farm where he needs to wears work boots and overalls since he gets muddy and dusty. How would you describe Alice? It is implied that Alice is a bit controlling since she would have a fit if he got mud on the porch. Also, she leaves a garbage bag out each morning for Paul to place his dirty work clothes in before he enters the house. What relationship do Paul and Alice have? Paul is most likely her adult son or a husband she treats like a child. What connotation do the quotation marks suggest for the word presentable? The quotation marks around presentable implies that presentable means more to Alice than Paul. You can infer that the author thinks Alice feels she is superior to Paul since she dictates what is acceptable.
Reminders Always pay attention to the author s choice of words. Think about the feeling a word gives so that you understand the author s perspective. Monitor your understanding as you read. If something does not make sense, read it again and think about what the author may be implying. Use your background knowledge to help you make the inferences necessary to understand.