1. Agenda November 3 Objectives:
To demonstrate an understanding of the events in Recitatif
To understand Toni Morrison’s writing style
To analyze imagery, time, symbols and theme in a short story
To understand an author’s effect on a reader
To understand and become aware of one’s own biases
To understand the purpose of literary critical analysis
To understand the basic elements of literary critical analysis
Agenda
Recitatif Discussion
Intro to Literary Critical Analysis
High School and Beyond HW
Thursday – None
Friday – Chapter 12
Agenda November 3

2. Small Group Discussion
In groups of four, you have 10 minutes to do the following:
Come to a consensus about who is black and who is white in the story
Provide specific (textual) examples to prove your points
Choose one person to present your decision to the class
Small Group Discussion

3. Toni Morrison
Born Chloe Anthony Wofford, in 1931 in Lorain (Ohio), the second of four children in a black working-class family. Displayed an early interest in literature. Studied humanities at Howard and Cornell Universities, followed by an academic career at Texas Southern University, Howard University, Yale, and since 1989, a chair at Princeton University. She has also worked as an editor for Random House, a critic, and given numerous public lectures, specializing in African-American literature. She made her debut as a novelist in 1970, soon gaining the attention of both critics and a wider audience for her epic power, unerring ear for dialogue, and her poetically-charged and richly-expressive depictions of Black America. A member since 1981 of the American Academy of Arts and Letters, she has been awarded a number of literary distinctions, among them the Pulitzer Prize in 1988.
From Nobel Lectures, Literature , Editor Sture Allén, World Scientific Publishing Co., Singapore, 1997
"Toni Morrison - Biography". Nobelprize.org. 25 Oct

4. Why does Morrison use racially offensive language throughout the story?
“I am left-handed and the scissors never worked for me” What does this tell us? What does this tell us about Morrison’s writing?
At the end of the orphanage section who do you think is black and who do you think is white? Point to specific evidence in the section.
At the end of the restaurant section who is black and who is white? Use specific evidence from the text to back up your answer.
On page 11 what is the purpose of Twyla and Roberta’s interchange?
“’Okay’ I said, but I knew I wouldn’t. Roberta had messed up my past somehow with that business about Maggie. I wouldn’t forget a thing like that. Would I?”(12) Why is this important? What concept or theme is Morrison continuing here?
After this section who is black and who is white? Evidence?
At the end of the section that ends “’ I used to curl your hair’ ‘I hated your hands in my hair’” Who is black and who is white? Evidence?
“’What was she saying? Black? Maggie wasn’t black.” (15) why can’t Twyla remember this? Why is this significant? What is Morrison trying to do here?
What is Morrison using Maggie as?
At the end of the picketing battle section, who is black and who is white? Evidence?
Why does the story end with those lines? What does Maggie stand for?
What other issues besides race does Morrison take on in this story? How do these other social issues intertwine with the theme of race and racism?
What are the themes of the story?
What are the symbols of the story?

5. Intro to Lit Crit/Anal
It’s not enough simply to tie literary elements and devices back the text itself or to the idea that they make things easier to read.
Why do literary analysis? How will this help with life?
The following info is taken from the Sierra College Writing Center page
"Guidelines for Writing a Literary Critical Analysis ." Sierra College Writing Center. Ed. Sierra College. Sierra College, Web. 25 Oct < >.

6. What is a literary critical analysis?
A literary critical analysis explains a work of fiction, poetry or drama by means of interpretations. The goal of a literary analysis (as with any other analysis) is to broaden and deepen your understanding of a work of literature.
Saying “ I liked the Scarlet Letter because it sounded good” isn’t analysis
Saying “ The Scarlet Letter’s message of female empowerment still holds true in today’s society” is analysis
What is a literary critical analysis?

7. What is an interpretation?
An interpretation is an individual response that addresses meaning.
Saying “ The symbols in the Scarlet Letter help the reader understand the plot” is not a strong interpretation
Saying “The mother in Jamaica Kinkaid's story "Girl" cannot speak directly of her love for her daughter, so Kinkaid uses details about a woman's everyday life to convey her pride and anxiety about her daughter.” Is a strong interpretation
What is an interpretation?

8. How do you develop an interpretation?
Interpretations are developed by an in-depth examination of a text. An interpretation often will be the thesis of your paper.

9. How do you conduct an "in-depth" examination of a text?
Before reading the work, make sure to examine the title carefully. Often the title is a clue to an important idea in the work.
Make sure you look up in the dictionary any words with which you are not familiar.
After reading the work the first time, ask yourself the following questions:
What is the geographical, historical and social setting? How does this affect the story or poem?
Who is (are) the main character(s)?
Who are the secondary characters, and how are they linked to the main characters?
Does the main character change? If so, how and why? If not, why not?
What is the conflict? Can you trace the development and resolution of the conflict?
Who is telling the story? How does this influence the story or poem?
In poetry, can you find a pattern of rime and meter?

10. How do you conduct an "in-depth" examination of a text? Continued
As you re-read the work, make sure you can answer these questions. Then ask yourself the following questions, which may help you to discover deeper meanings that will lead you to an interpretation.
Can you summarize the author's meaning in one paragraph?
Can you state a theme of the work in one sentence?
Can you identify any symbols or metaphors? What do they mean?
How do you conduct an "in-depth" examination of a text? Continued

11. How do you prove your interpretation?
You prove your interpretation by finding a pattern of examples in the literature that support your idea. You find this pattern in the literary elements, such as plot, point of view, character, setting, symbols, tone, and style…[T]he uses of language (rime, meter and metaphors) are also patterns that can support your interpretation.
How do you prove your interpretation?

12. Because an interpretation must be supported, the strength or weakness of your interpretation rests on the strength or weakness of your argument. In other words, you must organize a discussion that convinces the reader that your point of view is astute.
In this way a literary analysis is a persuasive essay
If interpretations are an individual response, are all interpretations valid?

13. Where do you find evidence to support your interpretation?
In a literary analysis evidence is found mainly from the work you are discussing. Secondary sources (published critical analyses) may support your point of view as well.
Many times research of outside sources helps support the argument you are making with the text.
For example using a source about Hawthorne’s distastes for puritan society would have helped someone writing about that argument
Where do you find evidence to support your interpretation?

14. How much of the story should you retell in a critical analysis?
You do need to locate your reader to the scene or section of the poem that you are discussing; therefore, some plot summary is necessary, but re-telling the story or a poem is not considered an analysis. You can assume your reader has read the work.
How much of the story should you retell in a critical analysis?

15. What should be documented in a critical analysis?
Any secondary sources must, of course, be documented. Also, direct quotes should be documented. Unlike secondary sources, a summary of a literary scene or event does not need documentation. Typically, MLA style documentation is used.

16. Up Coming Literary Critical Analysis
Beloved – TBD on the prompt
Up Coming Literary Critical Analysis