Activity Two: Writing Elements Description of the element in my...

Activity Two: Writing

1. As the musical selection begins again, listen to the piece and imagine that it is the backgroundmusic for a scene in a movie that has a setting, characters, and plot.

2. While the music continues to play, brainstorm what this scene may look like by completing thefollowing chart:

Elements Description of the element in my scene Physical Setting

Time of Day/Year

Character Descriptions

Action – What are my characters doing?

3. Write a paragraph describing your scene. Your description should capture the feelings youidentified while listening to the music.

_________________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________

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Activity Three: Determining Mood

1. Exchange what you have written with a partner. Read your partner’s work silently, and using

your Mood Words handout, write at the top of the page one word that describes the mood of the

story. Underline any words or phrases that help you determine the mood of the work.

2. Look closely at your partner’s word choice. In the left column, choose verbs and adjectives from

your partner’s paragraph and write them in the blanks. In the middle column, write a replacement

for the original word that has a positive connotation. In the left column, write a replacement for

the original word that has a negative connotation.

For example:

Original verb: shone Positive: gleamed Negative: glared

Verbs Positive Connotation Negative Connotation

A. ________________ __________________ ___________________

B. ________________ __________________ ___________________

C. ________________ __________________ ___________________

Verbs Positive Connotation Negative Connotation

A. ________________ __________________ ___________________

B. ________________ __________________ ___________________

C. ________________ __________________ ___________________

3. After completing your chart, explain how your replacement words might strengthen, change, orweaken the mood of the author’s paragraph.

4. Pass back the story to its author. Discuss with the author whether the mood you perceived is thesame as the mood your partner intended.

Activity Four: Revising

1. Using your Mood Words handout, consider other words that best fit your story’s mood. Identifyone of those words at the top of your paper and note whether that word is positive, neutral, ornegative.

2. Add two sentences to your draft that definitely establish the mood you hope to convey withoutusing the word itself.

3. Choose one of your sentences and add a detail about sound, taste, touch, smell, or sight (imagery)that also captures the mood you are trying to convey.

4. Add a detail or image using two types of figurative language, such as similes, metaphors, orpersonification. Again, consider your mood when adding your figures of speech.

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5. Revise one sentence so it includes a sound device (assonance, alliteration, onomatopoeia) thathelps support your mood.

6. Replace two linking verbs with vivid action verbs that help convey your mood.

Activity Five: Consciously changing your tone

1. Look closely at your choice. In the left column, choose verbs, adjectives, and figures of speech

from your paragraph and write them in the blanks. In the right column, write a replacement for

the original word/phrase that conveys the opposite mood.

For example:

Original verb: snuggled Opposite mood: smothered

Original figure of speech: floats like a butterfly Opposite mood: stings like a bee

Verbs___________________________________Opposite Mood____________________________

Adjectives________________________________Opposite Mood___________________________

Figures of Speech__________________________Opposite Mood___________________________

2. Rewrite your original paragraph, using alterative choices to change the mood of your paragraph.

A. Which paragraph do you like best? Why?

B. Share your favorite paragraph with the class and ask your classmates to identify your mood.

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MOOD

POSITIVE MOOD WORDS

Contemplative

Content

Determined

Fanciful

Grateful

Happy

Harmonious

Hopeful

Idyllic

Joyous

Light-hearted

Loving

Mellow

Nostalgic

Optimistic

Passionate

Peaceful

Playful

Sentimental

Silly

Sympathetic

Thankful

Thoughtful

Touched

Trustful

Warm

Welcoming

NEGATIVE MOOD WORDS

Annoyed Serious

Anxious Somber

Apathetic Suspenseful

Apprehensive Tense

Brooding Terrifying

Cold Threatening

Confused Uncomfortable

Cynical Violent

Desolate Restless

Dreary

Embarrassed

Foreboding

Frightening

Gloomy

Haunting

Hopeless

Horrified

Hostile

Indifferent

Lethargic

Lonely

Melancholy

Moody

Mysterious

Nightmarish

Pensive

Pessimistic

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Copyright © 2014 National Math + Science Initiative, Dallas, Texas. All rights reserved. Visit us online at www.nms.org.

EnglishNATIONALMATH + SCIENCEINITIATIVE

OBJECTIVESStudents will

● analyze an excerpt from a novel to determinehow the author establishes mood throughliterary devices.

● identify patterns in literature that affectmeaning.

● develop assertions about an author’s choice ofliterary devices.

● write and expand commentary that supportsassertions.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTSThe First Betrayal by Patricia Bray, copyright © by Patricia Bray. Used by permission of Bantam Books, a division of Random House, Inc.

Digital Image. Daniel P.B. Smith, via Wikimedia Commons. 30 September 2013. Public Domain. http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Boston_Light.jpg.

Reading for Analysis and Writing Commentary in The First Betrayal by Patricia BrayGrade 8

ABOUT THIS LESSONStudents are frequently asked to analyze a literary text and write an analysis essay. Middle grades students must become adept not only at identifying literary elements and devices, such as figurative language, details, and imagery, but also at analyzing how those elements create meaning and contribute to style.

In this lesson, students will analyze patterns of diction, detail, figures of speech, and imagery to discover how an author creates mood. By using such strategies as graphic organizers, frame statements, and guided questions, students will gain the skills necessary to discover patterns in texts and to link those patterns to more abstract ideas concerning tone, purpose, or theme. Students will also develop commentary to support the assertions they make about the author’s use of literary devices.

TEXT COMPLEXITYPassages for LTF English lessons are selected to challenge students, while lessons and activities make texts accessible. Guided practice with challenging texts allows students to gain the proficiency necessary to read independently at or above grade level. The readability measure of this passage from Patricia Bray’s The First Betrayal places it at the top of the 6-8 grade level Common Core text complexity reading band.

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English—Reading for Analysis and Writing Commentary in The First Betrayal by Patricia Bray

COGNITIVE RIGOREnglish lessons for LTF are designed to guide students through a continuum of increasingly complex thinking skills, including those outlined in taxonomies such as the Revised Bloom’s Taxonomy and Webb’s Depth of Knowledge Levels. This lesson requires students to begin at the Understand level of Revised Bloom’s Taxonomy (Webb’s DOK Level 1) as students identify literary elements and progress to the Create level (Webb’s DOK Level 3) as students synthesize the information within one passage to develop an analysis that is defended with textual evidence.

This lesson is included in Module 5: Developing a Focused Response.

CONNECTION TO COMMON CORE STANDARDS FOR ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS The activities in this lesson allow teachers to address the following Common Core Standards:

Explicitly addressed in this lessonRL.8.1: Cite the evidence that most strongly

supports an analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.

RL.8.3: Analyze how particular lines of dialogue or incidents in a story or drama propel the action, reveal aspects of a character, or provoke a decision.

RL.8.4: Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including figurative and connotative meanings; analyze the impact of specific word choices on meaning and tone, including analogies or allusions to other texts.

W.8.2: Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas, concepts, and information through the selection, organization, and analysis of relevant content.

a. Introduce a topic clearly, previewingwhat is to follow; organize ideas,concepts, and information, into broadercategories; include formatting (e.g.,headings), graphics (e.g., charts,tables), and multimedia when useful toaiding comprehension.

b. Develop the topic with relevant,well-chosen facts, definitions,concrete details, quotations, or otherinformation and examples.

c. Use appropriate and varied transitionsto create cohesion and clarify therelationships among ideas andconcepts.

d. Use precise language and domain-specific vocabulary to inform about orexplain the topic.

e. Establish and maintain a formal style.f. Provide a concluding statement or

section that follows from and supportsthe information or explanationpresented.

W.8.4: Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience. (Grade-specific expectations for writing types are defined in standards 1-3 above.)

W.8.9: Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research.a. Apply grade 8 Reading standards

to literature (e.g., “Analyze how amodern work of fiction draws onthemes, patterns of events, or charactertypes from myths, traditional stories,or religious works such as the Bible,including describing how the materialis rendered new”).

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Implicitly addressed in this lessonRL.8.10: By the end of the year, read and

comprehend literature, including stories, dramas, and poems, at the high end of the grades 6-8 text complexity band independently and proficiently.

W.8.10: Write routinely over extended timeframes (time for research, reflection, and revision) and shorter time frames (a single sitting or a day or two) for a range of discipline-specific tasks, purposes, and audiences.

SL.8.1: Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led) with diverse partners on grade 8 topics, texts, and issues, building on others’ ideas and expressing their own clearly.

SL.8.6: Adapt speech to a variety of contexts and tasks, demonstrating command of formal English when indicated or appropriate. (See grade 8 Language standards 1 and 3 for specific expectations).

L.8.2: Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English capitalization, punctuation, and spelling when writing.

L.8.3: Use knowledge of language and its conventions when writing, speaking, reading, or listening.

CONNECTIONS TO AP*To be college and career ready, students are expected to be familiar with a variety of literary devices and to be able to discuss how authors use the devices to create meaning in a text. The AP Literature and AP Language courses require students to analyze texts for authors’ manipulation of language, and students must be proficient in such analysis to be successful on the exams associated with these courses.

*Advanced Placement and AP are registered trademarksof the College Entrance Examination Board. The CollegeBoard was not involved in the production of this material.

MATERIALS AND RESOURCES● copies of Student Activity● copies of the excerpt from The First Betrayal

by Patricia Bray

ASSESSMENTSThe following kinds of formative assessments are embedded in this lesson:

● guided questions● graphic organizers● frame statements● writing assignment

The following additional assessment is located on the NMSI website:

● 2011 8th Grade Free Response (StyleAnalysis) with Scoring Guidelines andRangefinders

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TEACHING SUGGESTIONS

The activities in this lesson should be used as a whole group guided practice or small group guided practice and not assigned as

independent practice until students are familiar with the process of literary analysis.

Activity One: Before writing a literary analysis essay, students must clearly understand the specific directives of the prompt. One helpful mnemonic device for analyzing an AP style prompt is the acronym BAC (background, abstract, concrete). Most AP-style prompts contain some type of background information: a reference to the genre, the author, or historical period of the work. In addition, an AP style analysis prompt will direct students to “analyze how the author uses literary devices” or concrete elements to create abstract meaning such as tone, mood, characterization, or purpose.

Activity Two: Students should read and annotate the passage for words and phrases that create suspense before beginning the lesson. You might ask a few volunteers to share their annotations under a document camera to facilitate a whole class discussion. Stress to students that annotation means “adding notes” and not merely underlining or highlighting text.

Activity Three: This activity encourages students to identify patterns of diction by grouping similar words together. Teachers may wish to create a set of diction cards and let students work in small groups to arrange the cards into patterns of at least three words. If you have an interactive white board, you may wish to create a document containing the words so that students can use this technology to group the words into patterns. Once the words have been grouped, direct students to the list of descriptive words for diction in the gray box or help them brainstorm other appropriate words to describe the author’s diction. Allow students to complete the frame statements in Part B in groups or individually with guided practice and then share their responses under the document camera.

Activity Four: After students complete the graphic organizer for light and dark imagery, facilitate a class discussion over Questions A, B, and C. If this lesson is being used as an introduction to writing commentary, model the process of completing the first frame statement. An example is provided for you in the suggested answers. Explain that using the words, “This shows that . . .” will help students develop commentary. When writing the analytical response in Activity Six, students will use the Marker Verb student resource to vary the wording in their paragraphs.

Activity Five: Because line numbers are provided, most students will be able to complete this activity independently. You might use this short activity as a formative assessment.

Understanding Commentary: Provide students with a copy of the Understanding Commentary section of the lesson. Below are two examples from student essays that you might show to students after they have completed the written response in Activity Six. In both examples the student offers commentary that explains how the use of diction creates suspense.

Example of Adequate Student Commentary (from a 4 essay) “When I hear the word groped I think of somebody that lost their glasses and is on their hands and knees trying to find their glasses. The author probably used this word to tell how dark it is. It shows he can’t even see right in front of his face.”

Example of Insightful Student Commentary (from a 6 essay) “‘Unease’ and ‘terror’ are so different but are used in the same passage. Unease relates to more of a controlled, somber fear, whereas terror is uncontrollable, unbridled, pure fear where almost nothing is rational anymore. Josan begins with a small amount of unease,

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but as soon as he starts listening to the waves crashing against the lighthouse and the wind barreling against the shutters, he lets his imagination take over and shove pure fear through his heart.”

Activity Six: Students are directed in Activity Six to write a literary analysis essay according to their teacher’s instructions. If this is the first time students are introduced to literary analysis, you will want to model at least the first body paragraph. For students new to literary analysis, it may be helpful to have them organize their essays by writing a paragraph about diction, a paragraph about imagery, and a paragraph about figurative language. You also need to establish specific requirements for the amount of textual evidence students must use to support their assertions. Let your students use the activities from the lesson and/or the box with suggested wording in Activity Six when writing the essay.

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English NATIONALMATH + SCIENCEINITIATIVE

Literary Analysis Scoring Guide (Mood)

Not all student essays will fit the scoring guide exactly. Your score should ref lect your judgment of the essay’s quality as a whole. Remember that students had only forty five minutes to write their essay, and assess the papers as drafts. Reward the students for what they do well.

6: These papers demonstrate clear and consistent competence although they may have occasional errors. Such papers• Offer an insightful analysis of the mood of the passage• Provide persuasive analysis of how the literary techniques reveal mood• Supply specific, detailed supporting textual evidence and are well-organized• Are distinguished by varied sentence structure, effective word choice, and a sense of voice• Demonstrate consistent and effective control of standard written English grammar and mechanics although they may not be

completely without errors

5: These papers demonstrate reasonably consistent competence although they will have occasional errors or lapses in quality. Such papers • Offer a reasonable analysis of the mood of the passage• Provide an effective analysis of how literary techniques reveal mood• Use appropriate supporting textual evidence and are generally well-organized• Contain some examples of varied sentence structure and effective word choice• Demonstrate effective control of standard written English grammar and mechanics although they will not be completely

without errors

4: These papers demonstrate adequate competence with occasional errors or lapses in quality. Such papers • Offer an adequate analysis of the mood of the passage• Provide a satisfactory analysis of how literary techniques reveal mood• Present some supporting textual evidence and show organization• Contain limited variety in sentence structure and adequate word choice• Demonstrate adequate control of standard written English grammar and mechanics although they may have several errors

3: These papers demonstrate developing competence. Such papers may contain one or more of the following weaknesses:• Inadequate understanding of mood• Superficial or thin analysis of how literary techniques reveal mood• Minimal or inadequate supporting textual evidence and/or weak organization• Almost no examples of varied sentence structure and/or effective word choice• Recurrent errors in grammar, mechanics, and/or usage

2: These papers demonstrate some competence. Such papers are flawed by one or more of the following weaknesses:• Little reference to or serious misunderstanding of mood• Little or no analysis of how literary techniques reveal mood, a misreading of the text, or inadequate development• Disjointed or inappropriate supporting textual evidence, vague generalizations and/or poor organization• No variety in sentence structure and/or simplistic or inappropriate word choice• Recurrent errors in grammar, mechanics, and/or usage

1: These papers demonstrate incompetence. Such papers are seriously flawed by one or more of the following weaknesses:• Only a passing reference to the writing task• Unacceptable brevity, a complete misreading of the text, or padded but vacuous statements• No attempt to supply supporting detail or no organization• Poor sentence structure or incorrect word choice• Serious errors in grammar, mechanics, and/or usage that interfere with the reader’s understanding

0: These papers may contain a few words without commentary, or may just copy the assignment or text.

—: These papers are completely off-topic or are blank.

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English NATIONALMATH + SCIENCEINITIATIVE

Reading for Analysis and Writing Commentary in The First Betrayal by Patricia Bray

Grade 8

Through close reading a reader can analyze how an author uses literary devices to create meaning. To become an effective writer of literary analysis, you must practice analysis skills frequently as you read closely.

Analysis means breaking down a whole into its parts to determine how they create an overall meaning. In a style analysis essay, you are breaking down the concrete devices in the passage to see how they work together to create an abstract idea. By paying close attention to an author’s use of concrete devices, you will be able to discuss how these elements contribute to an overall abstract idea in a passage.

Activity One: Analyzing the Prompt

Concrete devices: Precise words, words that are loaded with emotion, details, figurative language, unusual syntax, and patterns created by imagery—all of these can be identified in the text and extracted for analysis.

Abstract ideas: Tone, mood, purpose, characterization, or theme—all of these must be inferred through analysis of the concrete textual features.

When you read a literary analysis prompt for the first time, begin by identifying the background information given and the abstract ideas and concrete devices you need to address in your essay. Literary analysis prompts ask you to use concrete literary devices to analyze an abstract idea or concept. Read the prompt in the box below.

The First Betrayal, the first book of a series trilogy, is the beginning of the journey of Josan, an exile, an orphan, and keeper of the lighthouse. In this excerpt from Patricia Bray’s 2006 novel, the narrator describes the main character, who is frightened during a violent storm.

Using relevant quotations and insightful commentary, write an essay in which you explain how the author uses patterns of diction, detail, and imagery to create a mood of suspense.

Place [brackets] around the background information. Underline the concrete elements in the prompt and draw a box around the abstract idea or concept. Then write the components below:

Background information:

Abstract elements:

Concrete elements:

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Activity Two: Close Reading Read the excerpt from The First Betrayal by Patricia Bray.

● Circle any connotative words or phrases that you think create suspense.● Underline any details or images you feel Bray uses to convey an ominous mood.● Bracket any figurative language that may add to the suspense of the passage.

Excerpt from The First Betrayalby Patricia Bray

Thelanternflickeredasagustofwindblew through the lighthouse tower. Then theflamedied,plungingJosanintodarkness. His right hand searched the floorbesidehimtillhefoundthesparker,then he groped for the base of the lantern with his left. Using the edge of his cloak to protect his hand from the heated glass, he removed the chimney. His hand trembled so much that it took three tries before he was able to relight the wick. Finally, it caught, and with a sigh of relief he carefully replaced the glass. The soft light illuminated the small platform for a few brief moments before succumbing1 to another draft. This time, Josan did not bother to relight it. He told himself that he did not need to see, but could not repress the shiver of unease as the darkness engulfed2 him. Before tonight this had always been a place of light, the large windows letting in the daylight, and at dusk the three great lamps would be lit, powerful beacons thatfilledtheplatformwiththeirradianceas they guided ships far out at sea. But tonight the signal lamps were dark, for not eventhemostshelteredflamewasproofagainst the howling wind. Now darkness had consumed the light, just as the sea outside threatened to devour the tower. Inthedark,everysoundwasmagnifiedas the rain lashed against the wooden shutters, and the merciless wind sought the cracks in his defenses. Strange drafts swirled inside the tower and he drew his knees to his

chest, pulling his coarse woolen cloak more tightly around him. The wind outsideintensified,howlinguntilhecouldscarcely hear himself think. From far beneath him he heard a crash. Startled, he began to stand, then common sense reasserted itself and he resumed his seat. There was nothing he could do until the storm passed. Instead he listened intently, and underneath the sound of the wind and rain he heard the relentless crashing of the waves. It sounded as if they were breaking all around him, and he knew the lighthouse was being swallowed by the angry ocean. He wondered if the ocean would eventually release its prize, or if the stone tower would crumble beneath the fury of the storm. He tried to view his situation dispassionately, the question of his survival as a mere intellectual exercise, but none of the tricks he had learned in his years of study could dispel3 his fear. He could almost taste the terror as it rose up and threatened to overwhelm him, just as the sea threatened to overtake the tower.

1succumbing: surrendering, giving in2engulf: surround, swallow up3dispel: chase away, dismiss

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Activity Three: Analyzing Diction

Diction is an author’s choice of words for an intended effect. When analyzing diction, students should isolate one connotative word and explain how that particular word helps the author create meaning in the text.

The following list of words can be used to help describe an author’s word choice: concise, precise, clinical, sarcastic, poetic, plain, simple, emotional, forceful, natural, formal, literal, figurative, conversational, humorous, extravagant, sentimental, inoffensive, harsh, menacing, vague, coarse, obscure, distorted.

As you analyze the author’s word choice, look for patterns or similarities between words. By making associations between words that a writer uses, you will be able to determine the tone or mood the writer wants to convey to the reader.

A. The words listed below are used by Patricia Bray to create a mood of suspense. Put a check mark beside each word that you circled as connotative diction as you read the passage, select at least three words that are similar in meaning or have something in common and group them together in one of the circles below. Using the remaining words, create another group of similar words for the second circle.

startledlashedengulfflickereddarknessmercilessterrorswirled

crashinggustgropedconsumedilluminatedsuccumbingswallowedoverwhelm

angryrelentlesshowlinguneasedevourtrembledplungingthreatened

The words in this circle create The words in this circle create

a mood. a mood.

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B. Look at the associations you have made between the words in your circles. What type of pattern do yousee in the author’s choice of words? (Hint: You might refer to the words that describe diction in the boxabove for help.) Discussing these words in the same paragraph will make your essay more coherent andmore clearly organized.

Patricia Bray creates suspense by using diction that conveys a/an

mood for the reader. For example, the words

, , and create suspense

. The words ,

, and also add to the feeling of apprehension because

.

Activity Four: Discovering Patterns

Imagery consists of the words or phrases appealing to the senses—the descriptive diction—that a writer uses to represent persons, objects, actions, feelings, and ideas. Imagery helps establish the mood and tone of a passage.

Details consist of words or phrases that are less appealing to the senses—facts or information—than imagery. Details can also help reveal the tone or attitude of the author.

The line between imagery and detail is not always distinct. It is more important to understand how these elements contribute to the overall tone or theme than to correctly label a phrase as detail or imagery.

When analyzing details, imagery, and figurative language, you should look for both patterns and contrasts. Complete the chart below with phrases from the lines in parentheses that indicate light and dark. The first one is done for you as an example.

Light Darkness(lines 1-2) “The lanternflickered as a gust of wind blew through the lighthouse tower.”

(lines 2-3) “Then the flamedied, plunging Josan into darkness.”

(lines 13-14) (line 19)

(line _____) (line ____)

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(line _____) (line ____)

A. What emotions do you associate with darkness?

B. What emotions do you associate with light?

C. Based on your associations, what is the effect of having the images of light and darkness appear in thesame passage? (How do the light and the darkness affect Josan’s actions in the passage?)

The author creates a pattern of light imagery with the details and

. This pattern shows that

The author contrasts the darkness with the use of light imagery, such as

and . This pattern shows that

D. By describing both images of light and images of darkness, Bray creates a pattern of contrast. How dothe two contrasting images contribute to the mood of the passage?

Activity Five: Analyzing Figurative Language

Figurative language is not meant to be taken literally. It usually involves an imaginative comparison between seemingly unlike things and produces fresh, vivid images for the reader. A writer’s use of figurative language helps establish a particular tone or mood by contributing to the overall effect of the passage.

A. Fill in the blanks below to indicate the figurative action each subject is performing.

The sea (lines 29-30).

The wind was (lines 37-38).

The angry ocean (lines 48-49).

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How does the figurative language used to describe the wind and the water create a feeling of suspense?

.

Understanding Commentary

Commentary consists of remarks that explain or offer an interpretation of how the textual evidence helps to prove the essay writer’s assertion about the literary work. Commentary should provide the reader with proof that the writer of the essay understands the abstract concept the author of the literary work is creating through the use of concrete devices.

Often an essay prompt will require you to “explain how the author uses diction and imagery” or “explain how the literary devices contribute to the overall meaning.” To write an effective essay you must therefore explain how a particular word (diction) the author uses or how a particular image the author creates connects to the abstract idea or concept.

To help you understand what effective commentary is, look at some examples of what is not commentary. All of the examples in the boxes below are from actual student essays, and the errors are authentic to the student writing.

Offering suggestions is not commentary.

Your job as a writer is not to offer suggestions for improving the text or to supply a list of words the author might have used in place of another word. This type of writing is called a literary critique rather than a literary analysis of a work.

“The author uses the word succumbing other [rather] than synonyms like surrendering or giving in to create a suspenseful interest.”

Defining literary or rhetorical devices is not commentary.

While it is important to be familiar with the names and definitions of literary terms, it is not necessary to define the terms in your essay. The reader of your literary analysis essay will be familiar with literary terms and will be more concerned with how you connect those devices to the meaning of the work as a whole.

“Diction, or the way the author uses word choice, is prevalent in this passage and seen throughout in many forms and fashions. Without diction, this story, as well as any other story worth telling, would be bland and dull. Diction adds details that describe a number of things.”

Stating the obvious is not commentary.

Your job as a writer is not to restate what the author has already said. Your job is to analyze the author’s word choice and writing style, and then to explain the effect of these choices within the text.

“The wind outside intensified, howling until he could scarcely hear himself think.” The text above is refferring to the wind as “howling” which is personification which creates suspense because it reffers to the wind as howling. Suspense is created through mainly the words intensified howling.”

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Activity Six: Writing Literary Analysis Complete the following sentence template for a literary analysis thesis statement for the prompt.

In , uses(title of work) (author’s name)

to (the concrete—diction, imagery, detail, figurative language, etc.) (marker verb—reveal, portray, convey)

. (the abstract—tone, theme, purpose—your opinion about the subject that you will prove in your essay)

Use the close reading and analysis questions from Activities Three (Diction), Four (Details and Imagery), and Five (Figurative Language) to help you write a literary analysis essay according to your teacher’s direc-tions. Make sure that each body paragraph has a topic sentence that supports the thesis sentence you have written above.

You may wish to use some of the language in the box below to help you craft your commentary.

further establishes a mood of suspense the contrasting images ofemphasizes the feeling of apprehension creates a more intense mood ofthe mood is heightened by the additional use of the figurative language suggestsimages of light portray images of darkness suggest the element of danger increases when contributes to the suspenseful mood

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