Writing About Poetry AP English Lit Comp The
Writing About Poetry AP English Lit. & Comp.
The Goal of Writing About Poetry • Your goal is not to be purely descriptive or summative, but to be analytical and interpretive. • You’re exploring and discussing what is beyond the self-evident surface of the work. • Pretend that you are trying to help someone understand not simply what a text means, but also how it means it.
Writing What You Read: • To be able to write about a poem, you must fully understand the piece. • When you are writing about poetry, you are actually explaining your reading of the poem. • On the AP exam, you will want to take the time to actively read analyze the poem.
Pointers: • 1. Work Small ▫ To avoid falling into merely paraphrasing the poem, focus on small details. ▫ The primary evidence you’ll need to support your interpretation lies in the details of language and sound you notice at work in the poem.
Pointers • 2. Quote, Quote! ▫ Work with the text! If you can write an entire paragraph without quoting from the poem, you’re probably simply narrating/summarizing the poem. ▫ Don’t summarize or paraphrase – ANALYZE WHAT AND HOW THE POEM IS COMUNICATING, using quotes as evidence.
Pointers • 3. Make a Quotation Sandwich ▫ Don’t just quote a line and expect it to speak for itself. You are the interpreter. ▫ Make some signal that you’re going to quote – “In line 7, it is evident that…” ▫ Follow the quotation with commentary and interpretation – EXPLAIN. Don’t leave it to the reader to figure it out on their own.
Pointers • 4. Unpack (patiently) ▫ The main job of reading, interpreting, and writing about poetry is first noticing where meaning must be addressed, and then asking the right questions and decompressing all the language used to create that meaning. ▫ It takes time. Be patient. It gets easier the more you do it. Work slowly and question every word or detail, especially in shorter poems.
Pointers • 5. Consider ▫ Paying close attention to details means looking carefully at: �Title �Diction �Descriptive Details �Tone �Speaker �Figurative Language
Pointers • 6. Organize ▫ Once you have ideas, think about how you will be communicating them. ▫ Develop a strong thesis statement and follow it – but don’t be afraid to modify it!
- Slides: 10