1. A methodology for analyzing NON-FICTION
SOAPSTone
A methodology for analyzing
NON-FICTION

2. SOAPSTone is an acronym (sort of) for …
Speaker
Occasion
Audience
Purpose
Subject
Tone

3. SOAPSTone Historical documents Letters Online articles Blogs/essays
Is a methodology for evaluating and under- standing non-fiction pieces such as
Historical documents
Letters
Online articles
Blogs/essays
Speeches
Biographies
Documentaries
Someday your Facebook posts could be analyzed as historical documents!

4. Speaker (Author)
The voice that is ‘speaking’, the identity of the historical person (or group of people) who created the primary source.
What do we know about this historic or contemporary person?
What role does s/he play in an historic event?
In NON-fiction, the speaker is almost always the author.

5. Occasion
What is the setting—the context in which the primary source was created?
Presidential inauguration speech
Personal letter
Sermon
Charity fund raiser
Pep talk
Sports blog
Etc.
What is the geographic and historic intersection at which this source was produced?

6. Audience To whom is this document directed? For whom was it written?
The audience may be one person, a small group, or a large group.
It may be a certain person or a certain people.

7. Purpose (What is the author’s goal?)
Purpose of the author 
Effect on the audience!
To inspire to action
To elicit emotion
To inform, educate
To honor, memorialize
To entertain
What is the reason behind the text?
Why was it written?
What goal did the author have in mind?

8. Subject
What is the general topic, content, or idea contained in the text?
Summarize in a few words or phrases.
I mean, what else is there to say? Duh.

9. Tone What is the attitude expressed by the speaker?
Examine the choice of words, emotions expressed, imagery used to determine the speaker's attitude.

10. Let’s review … What is another word for Speaker?
Why does the Occasion matter?
Must the Audience be a large group of people?
How does the Purpose of the work relate to its Subject?
What does Tone tell us about the Speaker?

11. Pair Work—Analysis Get into pairs
Analyze “My Daily Dives in the Dumpster” using SOAPSTone
Speaker
Occasion  Of these six, which
Audience  three will you
Purpose  most discuss?
Subject
Tone
Hand in your notes