Mnemonic Reminders Annotation Acronyms Narrative SATTT (Especially useful when first considering a narrative work) Ask yourself these questions about what you've read. Setting: when and where is the event occurring? Could there be any symbolic significance to the author's choice of setting? Action: What is occurring in the passage? Why did the author choose those particular actions? Time: How much time elapses? How is the passage of time (if any) depicted? How is it significant to the text? Tone: What is the author's attitude toward the subject? What does that suggest about the author? the topic? Theme: What message is the author trying to convey? What lesson is being taught? DUCATS The 6 gold pieces of writer s voice Analysis Diction refers to a writer's word choice with the following considerations: denotation / connotation of a word degree of difficulty or complexity of a word level of formality of a word tone of a word (the emotional charge a word carries) the above will often create a subtext for the text Unity refers to the idea that all of the ideas in a written piece are relevant and appropriate to the focus. Some considerations: each claim (assertion, topic sentence) supports the thesis each piece of evidence is important and relevant to the focus of the paragraph or the piece of writing as a whole occasionally, a writer may choose to purposely violate the element of unity for a specific effect (some humorists / satirists will sometimes consciously do this) it is important to consider what has been omitted from a piece and examine the writer's intent in doing so Coherence refers to the organization and logic of a piece of writing; some considerations include: precision and clarity in a thesis and supportive arguments the arguments ordered in the most effective way for the writer's intent the sentences and paragraphs "flow smoothly" for the reader; there should not be any abrupt leaps or gaps in the presentation of the ideas or story (unless the writer makes a conscious choice for a specific and appropriate effect) Audience refers to the writer's awareness of who will be reading his or her piece of writing; some considerations are: Who are the targeted readers? How well informed are they on the subject? What does the writer want the reader to learn as a result of this piece? What first impression is created for the reader and how does the author's voice shape 1
this first impression? How interested and attentive are they likely to be? Will they resist any of the ideas? What is the relationship between the writer and the reader? Employee to supervisor? Citizen to citizen? Expert to novice? Scholar to scholar? Student to teacher? Student to student? How much time will the reader be willing to spend reading? How sophisticated are the readers in regard to vocabulary and syntax? Tone refers to a writer's ability to create an attitude toward the subject matter of a piece of writing; the tools a writer uses to create tone: Diction, Figurative language, Characterization, Plot, Theme Syntax refers to the arrangement--the ordering, grouping, and placement--of words within a phrase, clause, or sentence. Some considerations: Type of sentence Length of sentence Subtle shifts or abrupt changes in sentence length or patterns Punctuation use Use of repetition Language patterns / rhythm / cadence How all of the above factors contribute to narrative pace The use of active and/or passive voice PPSSSSTTT Each letter stands for a step in the process of examining a text. Follow each of the steps when reading poetry or prose. Paraphrase: This means putting the poem or story into your own words. Purpose: The poetry and prose used on AP exams deal with universal themes. Good literature is specific and detailed in order to underscore more general concepts. The author s purpose may not necessarily be immediately clear, but an insightful reader will note related ideas. Structure: If the piece is a poem, is it divided into stanzas? Is there any reason for these stanza breaks? Does a sentence begin in one stanza and then move to the next one (enjambment)? How does this affect meaning? If it is prose, how does the author develop the characters and the plot? How do the traditional story elements manifest themselves? Shift: Are there changes in tone, point of view, language? Just as a car shifts to accelerate and accommodate hills, does the text move to reflect differences in attitude? Speaker: Who is the speaker? Is there more than one? Is the speaker using first or third person? How does viewpoint affect meaning? Be careful not to confuse the speaker with the author; they are not necessarily the same. Spelling/Grammar/ Diction: Are there any unusual spellings, words, or capitalization? Is there inversion? Is the language unusual? Tone: Is the tone positive or negative? What are the words that describe it most accurately? Theme: Is a universal meaning offered, either explicitly or implicitly? Title: Does the title give any hint as to the meaning? SIFTT Use with the literary elements and stylistic techniques found in the work. Symbol: Examine the title and text for symbolism. Imagery: Identify images and sensory details. Figurative Language: Analyze figurative language and other devices. Tone: Discuss how all devices reveal tone. Theme: Discuss how all devices reveal theme 2
SLLIDD TOP Analyzing a Passage Syntax: defining/effective sentence structure Language: type used (refer to language words) and connection to audience (do a SOAPS) Literary Devices: metaphor, personification, hyperbole, etc. Imagery: visual, auditory, tactile, olfactory, gustatory Diction: connotative word choice Detail: concrete aspects of the passage Tone: identify specifically/provide a pair of different yet complementary tones (refer to tone words) Organization: movement in the passage between tones, ideas, defining literary/rhetorical strategies Point of View: perspective of the passage and significance (do a SOAPS) SOLLIDDD Analyzing rhetorical elements and author s style Syntax: Sentence structure Organization: The structure of sections within a passage and as a whole Literary Devices: Metaphor, simile, personification, irony (situational, verbal and dramatic), hyperbole, allusion, alliteration, etc. Levels of Discourse: Cultural levels of language act, with attendant traits (does the narrator s voice represent a particular social, political, or cultural viewpoint or perspective?) Imagery: Deliberate appeal to the audience s five senses Diction: Word choice and its denotative and connotative significance Detail: Descriptive items selected for inclusion Dialogue: Spoken exchange selected for inclusion SOAPSTone An Acronym for Analyzing Texts for Point of View Speaker: (The voice telling the story). Is someone identified as the speaker? What assumptions can you make about the speaker? (e.g., age, gender, class, emotional state, etc.) So who is telling the story? How do you know this? How does the writer present his/her narration? Assess the character of the speaker. What does the speaker believe? Stylistic and Linguistic Elements: syntax, language, literary devices, imagery, diction, detail. Occasion: Where and when did the story take place? In what context? What is the rhetorical occasion of the text? Is it a memory, a description, an observation, a valedictory, an argument, a diatribe, an elegy, a declaration, a critique, etc.? Note the larger occasion, that is, the broad issue which is the center of ideas and emotions. What may have prompted the author to write this piece? What event led to its publication or development? Audience: Toward whom is the text directed? Does the speaker identify an audience? What assumptions can you make about the audience? Is it a mixed in terms of: race, politics, gender, social class, religion, etc.? Who was the document created for? Does the speaker use language that is specific for a unique audience? Does the speaker evoke: Nation? Liberty? God? History? Hell? Does the speaker allude to any particular time in history such as: Ancient Times? Industrial Revolution? World Wars? Vietnam? Purpose: What is the speaker's reason for writing the text? Considering the purpose is important so that the reader can examine the writer s argument and the logic of it. In what ways does the author convey the message of the purpose? What is the message? How does the speaker try to spark a reaction in the audience? How is the text supposed to make the audience feel? What 3
is its intended effect? What seems to be the emotional state of the speaker? What words or phrases show the speaker s tone? How is this document supposed to make you feel? Subject: What is the subject of the piece? How do you know this? How has the subject been selected and presented by the author? This can be stated in a few words or a phrase. Tone: What is the author's attitude toward the subject? What emotional sense do you take from the piece? How is the writer s attitude revealed? The spoken word can convey the speaker s attitude and help impart meaning through tone of voice. However, with the written word, tone extends meaning. DIDLS Elements of Tone Diction: the denotative and connotative meanings of words (What words does the author choose? Consider his/her word choice compared to another. Why did the author choose that particular word? What are the connotations of that word choice?) different words for the same thing often suggest different attitudes (happy vs. content vs. ecstatic) denotative vs. connotative (dead vs. passed away) concrete vs. abstract (able to perceive with 5 senses, tangible, vs. an idea or concept that exists in one s mind, intangible) monosyllabic vs. polysyllabic positive vs. negative (slender vs. skinny, determined vs. stubborn) colloquial / informal / formal cacophonous vs. euphonious (e.g., harsh sounding, raucous, croak or pleasant sounding, languid, murmur) Images: Vivid appeals to understanding through the five senses sight, sound, touch, taste, smell. (What images does the author use? What does he/she focus on in a sensory way? How do the kinds of images the author puts in or leaves out reflect his/her style? Are they vibrant? Prominent? Plain? NOTE: Images differ from detail in the degree to which they appeal to the senses. A farmer and a real estate developer would use different imagery to describe the same piece of land. Imagery would differ in a romantic vs. realistic description of the countryside.) Details: Facts that are included or those that are omitted (What details does the author choose to include? What do they imply? What does the author choose to exclude? What are the connotations of the choice of details? NOTE: Details are facts or fact-lets. They differ from images in that they don't have a strong sensory appeal. Hard Copy vs. CNN vs. NPR) Language: The overall use of language such as formal, clinical, informal, slang (What is the overall impression of the language the author uses? Does it reflect education? A particular profession? Intelligence? Is it plain? Ornate? Simple? Clear? Figurative? Poetic? Make sure you don't skip this step. Ambassador will speak differently than a cop or a kid.) Sentence Structure: How the author s use of sentence structure affects the reader (What are the sentences like? Are they simple with one or two clauses? Do they have multiple phrases? Are they choppy? Flowing? Sinuous like a snake? Is there antithesis, chiasmus, parallel construction? What emotional impression do they leave? If we are talking about poetry, what is the meter? Is there a rhyme scheme? Long flowing sentences give us a different feeling than short choppy ones. If the narrator has awkward sentence structure, we night think he is uneducated or fearful. Sophisticated mature sentences might suggest artistic creativity.) DITS The elements of tone Diction: refers to a writer's (or speaker's) word choice; besides the dictionary definition of a word (its denotation) a word can have an emotional charge or association that creates a 4
secondary meaning (its connotation) "The difference between the right word and almost the right word is the difference between lightning and a lightning bug." Mark Twain Imagery: refers to mental pictures or sensations that a writer evokes in a reader. Look carefully at the pictures that a writer creates; note his/her descriptive details in the setting such as: colors, objects, weather, seasons, use of light or darkness, look at any symbols and what feelings they may suggest. Theme: refers to the author s message or to the overarching idea that the text leads the reader to consider. Think about the author's message; what attitude comes through in his/her main point? Style: refers to the writer s use of language; is it formal, informal, technical? What details did the writer choose to include or omit? Examine the various elements of characterization; assess what messages the writer is sending through his characters actions, reactions, thoughts, speech, physical description or other character s comments. What feelings are created by the writer s plot? What feelings are created by the conflict and how it is solved or resolved? TP-CASTT Analysis Title: Ponder the title before reading the poem Paraphrase: Translate the poem into your own words Connotation: Contemplate the poem for meaning beyond the literal Attitude: Observe both the speaker's and the poet's attitude (tone) Shifts: Note shifts/progressions in speakers and in attitudes Key words (but, yet, however, although) Punctuation (dashes, periods, colons, ellipsis) Stanza or paragraph divisions Changes in line or stanza length, or both Irony (sometimes irony hides shifts) Structure (how the work is written can affect its meaning) Changes in sound (may indicate changes in meaning) Changes in diction (ex: slang to formal language) Title: Examine the title again, this time on an interpretive level Theme: Determine what the poet is saying TP-FASTT Analysis Poetry Analysis Title: Anticipate Meaning. Questions? Speaker: Speaking to? Situation? Paraphrase: What's it about? One-three sentences Figurative Devices: Look beyond the literal at figurative and sound devices. Give examples. How do they affect meaning, feeling? Attitude: Analyze narrator's and/or poet's attitude (TONE) Shifts: Note shifts in tone, subject, speaker, situation, or diction. Title: Re-consider the meaning of the title. Thene(s): What is the poem saying? What is message? 5
Writing SQUIDS (A reminder of the steps in the process of analysis and commentary) Select Quotation: a specific line (or passage)from the text Understand Identify (explain, hold forth, etch) Define/Describe/Deconstruct its Significance CRISP style revision Cut words: Cut out every word that can be spared. Examples: "due to the fact that" and "in order to" and all other wordy constuctions that don't say anything. Reduce clauses: Almost all clauses can be reduced in some way; to appositives or phrases, etc. Intensify verbs: Circle verbs and intensify the weak ones. Sharpen diction: Circle verbs and intensify the weak ones. Pack phrases: Move them behind the nouns. Instead of "A proposal presented by Derek Bok, the president of Harvard, was defeated," pack it to "Harvard president Derek Bok's proposal fail (Dixie Dellinger) 6