LITERARY ANALYSIS How to analyze a text WHY

LITERARY ANALYSIS How to analyze a text

WHY ANALYZE AT ALL? • Helps you to fully understand what you have read • Helps you appreciate how author’s craft literature • Helps you to read other literature & understand enjoy it • Helps you to form your own opinions and reactions to literature • Helps your critical literacy skills

WHAT CAN WE ANALYZE v The plot v The setting v The characters v The writing v The author’s purpose for writing the piece v Your reactions

THE PLOT

THE PLOT 1. Introduction or Exposition: reveals characters, generates circumstances, explains setting 2. Rising Action: the series of conflicts & crisis 3. Climax: the turning point, the most intense moment 4. Falling Action or Denouement: follows the climax 5. Conclusion or resolution: how things are left

SETTING In works of narrative (especially fictional), the literary element setting includes the historical moment in time and geographic location in which a story takes place. Truby, John (2007). Anatomy of a Story: 22 Steps to Becoming a Master Storyteller. New York, NY: Faber and Faber, Inc. Why does both TIME and PLACE matter?

CHARACTERS v Major Characters: Protagonist (the main character) & Antagonist (the person or thing that works against the main character), minor characters v We will look at the character’s: motivation, conflict, thoughts vs. actions/behaviour, growth or change, realizations, interactions, etc.

THE WRITING v The author’s tone, voice, use of cliché, etc. v The author’s word choice, sentence structure, organization v The author’s use of literary devices: irony, hyperbole, personification, onomatopoeias, similes, metaphors, oxymorons, etc. (http: //literary-devices. com/)

AUTHOR’S TONE v. What is the author’s attitude toward the characters? The action?

AUTHOR’S PURPOSE v. Why did the author write this? To persuade, entertain, inform, or describe? v. What message is the author trying to send? v. What is the author saying about the topic? The characters? Human nature? Life in general?

YOUR REACTION v What do you think of the literature? v What connections can you make? v What does it remind you of? Make you think of? v How do you feel about the characters? The action? The conflict> the resolution? v What do you think about the author’s style? Tone? Purpose?