Strategies for Literary Analysis Handout

3 Effects: Tone, Theme, and Style (Define and describe as precisely as possible) Tone = the emotion conveyed by the work or expressed by the speaker. Theme = an idea or message a writer or artist hopes to convey, directly or indirectly. Style = how the exhibit is written or presented. 10 Strategies for Analyzing Literature (Templates show some, not all, possible claims) 1) Interpret Subtlety Ex.) Although the author doesn’t tell us this directly, this A shows us B. (See other side for “A” / “B”) 2) Evaluate Quality Ex.) The A is effective because _____. The author effectively demonstrates B. 3) Consider Cause and Effect Ex.) The A is appropriate for the B because _____. The A interestingly juxtaposes B in that ____. 4) Find a Counterargument Ex.) _____ argues that this A is ineffective because _____, but I disagree because _____. 5) Invent a Counterargument or Misinterpretation Ex.) A reader might interpret the B of the text to be _____, but it is actually _____. 6) Find a Significant Pattern Ex.) This repeated A illustrates the author’s preoccupation with _____. 7) Translate Stylization Ex.) The author describes the __events__ like this: ___. She exaggerates the ___ in order to___. 8) Explain Ambiguity Ex.) This ___ is effectively ambiguous because it could be interpreted in two meaningful ways: ____ and _____. 9) Posit a Fictional Alternative Ex.) If the author had _____ instead, the work would not be so _____. 10) Use a Touchstone Ex.) The B in the text is similar to that of _____. Both are_____, but our text is more _____ because _____. A Choice (of the author) B Effect (on the reader) theme that ________ ______ tone ______style theme that ________ characterization of _____ as ______ _____ depiction of _____ use of the conventions of the ____ genre _____ setting , symbolization of _____ image(s) of ______ , _____imagery , _____dialogue _____diction , _____ syntax _____ plot conflict between _____ and _____ irony that _____ subplot in which _____ resolution where _____ ambiguity between _____ and _____ exaggerated / surreal / distorted _____ subtle detail of _____ ______style _____ point of view: -1st, 2nd, or 3rd person -objective, omniscient, limited omniscient -reliable or unreliable writer’s use of _____ Imagery -recurring images of ___ -images relating to the sense of ___ Irony -sarcasm -oxymoron -pun -hyperbole -euphemism -understatement -paradox -comedy -satire Metaphor -simile -allusion -symbolism -analogy -synesthesia -metonymy -synechoche -personification Sound -assonance -alliteration -consonance -rhyme -off rhyme -perfect rhyme ______ tone subtlety ambiguity high quality effective use of_____ success at _ authentic portrayal of _____ meaningful ambiguity beauty complexity originality memorableness poignancy suggestiveness mystery power poor quality unsuccessful _____ clumsily executed_____ overly exaggerated_____ failure to _____ inauthentic portrayal of _____ clichéd use of ____ or depiction of _____ unoriginality sentimentality over abstraction confusing ambiguity amateurishness inconsistency inconsequence Diction -a concentration of ________ -part of speech -language associated with ____ -words with (Latin / Greek / Germanic) origins *These are not the only possibilities*