THE ART AND CRAFT OF ANALYSIS CLOSE READING

WHAT IS CLOSE READING? When you read closely, you develop an understanding of a text that is based first on the words themselves and then on the larger ideas those words suggest.

WHAT IS CLOSE READING? You start with the small details, and as you think about them, you discover how they affect the text’s larger meaning.

WHAT IS CLOSE READING? When you write a close analysis, you start with the larger meaning you have discovered and use the small details – the language itself – to support your interpretation.

READING VS. WRITING When you read: You move from (general/specific) details to (general/specific) conclusions. When you write: You move from (general/specific) statements to the (general/specific) details that support it.

READING VS. WRITING When you read: You move from (general/ specific ) details to ( general /specific) conclusions. When you write: You move from ( general /specific) statements to the (general/ specific ) details that support it.

CLOSE READING AND THE RHETORICAL SITUATION As you read speeches, essays, letters, editorials, and even blog posts in the textbook and in our class, you will find that many different factors dictate the the stylistic choices a writer makes.

CLOSE READING AND THE RHETORICAL SITUATION Some of the factors that contribute to the stylistic choices a writer makes include: Genre A blog post will be less formal than an acceptance speech; an editorial in a newspaper will be less personal than an exchange of letters between two friends Context or rhetorical situation Considering subject matter, occasion, audience, purpose and the persona of the speaker Rhetorical strategies of the text What words in what arrangement are most likely to create the desired effect in the audience?

ANALYZING STYLE We can understand a text better by examining its sentence structure, vocabulary, imagery, and figurative language. These elements make up the style of the written piece and help us to discover layers of meaning. Style contributes to the meaning, purpose, and effect of a text, whether it is written, oral, or visual.

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TALKING WITH THE TEXT & ASKING QUESTIONS Effective close reading requires active reading, an exchange between the reader and the text that eventually reveals layers of meaning. The first step is to read and reread. At some point you will have to talk back, ask questions, make comments. In other words, have a conversation with the text.

ASKING QUESTIONS One of the simplest ways to talk with the text is to interrogate it – ask questions. As you read, ask yourself why they chose the words or sentence patterns they did.

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ASKING QUESTION Questions often fall into two categories: the choice of words ( diction ) and the way the words are arranged ( syntax ).

ASKING QUESTIONS When we talk about diction, we might look for interesting or powerful vocabulary, but we also consider figures of speech like metaphors, similes, personification, and hyperbole.

ASKING QUESTIONS When we consider syntax we want to notice interesting constructions like parallelism, juxtaposition, and antithesis, along with sentence types such as compound, complex, periodic, cumulative, and imperative.

ANALYZING DICTION 1) What type of words draw your attention? Do they tend to be a particular part of speech, such as verbs, nouns, adjectives, or adverbs? Is the language general and abstract or specific and concrete ?

ANALYZING DICTION 2) Is the language formal, informal, colloquial, or slang?

ANALYZING DICTION 3) Are some words nonliteral or figurative, creating figures of speech such as metaphors?

ANALYZING DICTION 4) Are there words with strong connotations ? Words with a particular emotional punch?

ANALYZING SYNTAX 1) What is the order of the parts of the sentence? Is it the usual order (subject-verb-object), or is inverted (object-subject-verb, or any other pattern that is out of the ordinary)?

ANALYZING SYNTAX 2) What are the sentences like? Are they period ( moving toward something important at the end ) or cumulative ( beginning with an important idea and then adding details )?

ANALYZING SYNTAX 3) Are many of the sentences simple? Complex? Compound? Are the sentences on the long side, or are they short?

ANALYZING SYNTAX 4) Does the writer ask questions?

ANALYZING SYNTAX 5) How does the writer connect words, phrases, and clauses?

ANNOTATING Annotating a text requires reading with a pen or pencil in hand. As you read: Identify main ideas like thesis statements and topic sentences as well as words, phrases and clauses that appeal to you or the audience. Look for figures of speech such as metaphors, similes, and personification —as well as personification and striking detail. If you don’t know the technical term for something, just describe it.

FROM CLOSE READING TO ANALYSIS You’re not only identifying techniques and strategies, but also analyzing their effect — you’re moving from close reading to analysis.

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