Integrating Quotes Smoothly blendingciting evidence The Basics Always

Integrating Quotes Smoothly blending/citing evidence

The Basics Always integrate your quote. Never just “drop” a quote. Use your own words to introduce the quote.

How to improve blending quotes Use only the most effective part of the quote. Maintain a smooth sentence style. Remember to use ellipses… when needed. Use brackets [ ] when you add or change a word. Use a single phrases which precede a quote.

Why is this a bad example? “dropped” Mr. Radley was an unattractive man. “He was a thin leathery man with colorless eyes, so colorless they didn’t reflect light”(Lee 32).

Smoother Integration Mr. Radley is an unattractive “thin leathery man with colorless eyes”(Lee 32). Notice I omitted the part about his eyes.

Even better transition Harper Lee describes Mr. Radley as “a thin leathery man with colorless eyes…[that] did not reflect light(32).

Avoid quote signals Avoid common “quote signals” that tell a reader a quote is coming (said, stated, quoted, tells, thinks, etc. ) ·

Example #1: When Mrs. Dubose dies and Jem is left wondering why he had to read to her, Atticus explains that he wanted Jem to learn a lesson. “I wanted you to see what real courage is, instead of getting the idea that courage is a man with a gun in his hand. It’s when you know you’re licked before you begin but you begin anyway and you see it though no matter what. You rarely win, but sometimes you do” (149).

Blended Example #1: When Mrs. Dubose passes away, Atticus explains to Jem that it is important to realize that “real courage … [isn’t] a man with a gun in his hand. It’s when you know you’re licked before you being but you begin anyway and … see it through no matter what” (149).

You may use a colon : to introduce longer quotes (6 words or more) Examples: The minister shouted: "Do not worry. The next time I stand up here, I will have answers to these questions. " The largest of the aliens repeatedly insisted: "We come in peace. Take me to your leader. "

Example #2: Scout watches Reverend Sykes collect all of the money donated by the church. “He straightened up and said, ‘This is not enough, we must have ten dollars” (162).

Blended Example #2: As Scout sits in the pew of Calpurnia’s church, she is surprised to see that Reverend Sykes counts up the money offered by the congregation and then tells them that there “is not enough, [they] must have ten dollars” in order to help Tom Robinson’s family while he is in jail (162).

Your turn 1. ) After several days of Aunt Alexandra living in the Finchs’ house, she tries to get Atticus to teach his children to be better behaved. “In his lawyer’s voice, without a shade of inflection, he said: ‘Your aunt has asked me to try and impress upon you and Jean Louise that you are not from run-of-the-mill people, that you are the product of several generations’ of gentle breeding –’” (177).

Revision After days of hounding Atticus about the children’s poor behavior, Atticus explains to his children, “Your aunt [Alexandra] has asked me to try and impress upon you. . . that you are not from run-of-the-mill people, that you are the product of several generations’ of gentle breeding – ’” (177).

Your turn: 1. ) Scout explains how Aunt Alexandra puts so much value on being tied to a specific family and behaving a specific way. “I never understood her preoccupation with heredity. Somewhere, I had received the impression that Fine Folks were people who did the best they could with the sense they had, but Aunt Alexandra was of the opinion, obliquely expressed, that the longer a family had been squatting on one patch of land the finer it was” (173).

Revision 1. ) Scout definition that “ Fine Folks were people who did the best they could with the sense they had” contrasts that of Aunt Alexandra who believes “. . . the longer a family had been squatting on one patch of land the finer it was” (173).

Adding commentary/analysis Now, select one of the quotes above and write at least two sentences of analysis. Remember that analysis should add something to the quote, not simply restate/summarize it. Explain its significance, its deeper meaning, and its effect on the novel as a whole.