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Go to thinkcentral.com.KEYWORD: HML10N-148

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writing taskWrite a literary analysis of a short story you have read. Your analysis should use quotations and details from the story to develop your topic and help your audience find new meaning or significance in the work.Idea Starters• how conflict in “Harrison Bergeron” helps communicate the

author’s message • how setting and mood in “Searching for Summer” affect the

story’s meaning• how the author explores the role of heritage in “Everyday Use”

the essentialsHere are some common purposes, audiences, and formats for a literary analysis.

purposes audiences formats• to examine

complex ideas and concepts in literary texts

• to convey the information clearly to others

• classmates and teacher

• members of a reading club

• readers of a literary magazine or Web site

• essay • literary journal

article• oral presentation• blog• podcast

1. development of ideas• presents an engaging

introduction• develops a controlling idea that

offers an analysis of the short story’s meaning

• supports key points of analysis with relevant details and quotations from the text

• concludes with a summary of key points and insights

2. organization of ideas• organizes ideas in a logical way• uses varied transitions to create

cohesion and connect ideas3. language facility and

conventions• establishes and maintains a

formal style and objective tone• includes precise language • uses reciprocal pronouns

correctly• employs correct grammar,

mechanics, and spelling

Literary AnalysisTo analyze a work of literature—or determine meanings that are not obvious at first glance—you examine how the author uses language and literary elements to create meaning. In this workshop, you will learn how to write a literary analysis that looks closely at a short story and finds the meaning in it.

Complete the workshop activities in your Reader/Writer Notebook.

informative text

148 unit 1: plot, setting, and mood

write with a purpose common core traits

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Writing Workshop

Planning/PrewritingGetting Started

choose a story for analysisChoose a short story to analyze for your essay. Reread short stories you have enjoyed, and think about what each story means.

ask yourself:• Which story do I keep thinking about long after

having read it? • What is the meaning or theme of this story?

think about audience and purposeAs you begin to analyze the story you have selected, keep in mind that your purpose is to examine the author’s use of language and story elements that shape the story’s meaning. Your audience is likely to include people who have read the story and have their own ideas about its meaning.

ask yourself:• Who is my audience? • Are they familiar with this short story?• What ideas might my audience have about this story? • What ideas and details do I have to share with my

audience?• What domain-specific, or specialized, vocabulary

will my audience need to know in order to understand my analysis?

select content detailsRead the story a second or third time. In a reading log, list stylistic elements such as word choice, imagery, and tone. Write your thoughts about each item in the list.

what does it look like?

Story Details My Thoughts“so clean and wavy” It’s a bare dirt yard, but she

makes it sound wonderful.“She never takes a shot without making sure the house is included.”

This is Dee’s own family, but she’s acting like a tourist. That’s insensitive.

write a controlling ideaReview your reading log and identify the central idea behind the details you have listed and your own thoughts about it. Write a working controlling idea, or thesis statement, that explains this central idea. Then select key points from the story that prove your stance.

what does it look like?

The author is saying that understanding and remembering your heritage is important.

Key points covered in the body include the family home, Dee’s name, and quilts.

Controlling Idea

Key Points

writing workshop 149

W 2a–f Write informative texts to examine complex ideas clearly through the effective selection and analysis of content. W 5 Develop writing as needed by planning. W 9a (RL 1) Draw evidence from literary texts to support analysis.

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In your Reader/Writer Notebook, develop your writing plan. Record a working version of your controlling idea. Then use a chart like the one on this page to organize your key points and evidence and make connections. Consider the following tips as you gather evidence:• Collect a variety of relevant evidence, including concrete details,

quotations, and summaries of story information, to develop your controlling idea.

• Double-check any quotations you plan to use to support your controlling idea. Record the exact words from the text and enclose them in quotation marks.

• Only cite stylistic elements that support your key points and help convey the meaning and message of your essay.

• If you have trouble finding supporting evidence for a key point, consider revising your controlling idea.

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Getting Startedcollect evidenceDevelop the controlling idea with well chosen, relevant (related) details as evidence that directly supports your points. Include a variety of each of the following: what does it look like?

Examples: specific instances from the story Quotations: words, phrases, and sentences copied word-for-word from the storySummaries: important information from the story summed up in your own words Elaborate on, or explain, how each piece of evidence supports your controlling idea and affects the reader.

Read your controlling idea to a peer who has read the short story. Then discuss the key points you intend to make and the evidence you’ve collected. Ask: Do you agree with my key points? Why or why not? Do I provide enough evidence to support them?

Planning/Prewriting continued

Key Point Evidence ElaborationDee’s name summary: Dee

takes African name; quotation: “You know as well as me you was named after your aunt Dicie.” stylistic device: Dee (Wangero)

In rejecting her given name, which she shares with other family members, Dee shows she doesn’t really understand the meaning of heritage.


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Writing WorkshopWriting Workshop

DraftingThe following chart shows how to organize your draft to create a coherent literary analysis.

grammar in context: QuotationsQuotations from the short story can be used as evidence in your essay. Use quotation marks to enclose a direct quotation.

Type of Structure ExampleA directly quoted sentence begins with a capital letter. If the quotation is only a fragment of a sentence, it may begin with a lowercase letter.

The irony is obvious in Dee’s statement that “She’d probably be backward enough to put them to everyday use!”

Use a colon after an independent clause (complete sentence) that introduces a quotation.

The author reveals characters’ emotions through key descriptions : “Dee (Wangero) looked at me with hatred.”

A direct quotation that includes character dialogue requires both single quotes and quotation marks. The character’s words go inside the single quotes.

“ ‘The quilts are priceless! ’ she exclaimed.”

A direct quotation can be set off from the rest of the sentence by a comma, a question mark, or an exclamation point, but not by a period.

“You know as well as me you was named after your aunt Dicie,” Dee’s mother replies.

Organizing a Literary Analysis

introduction• Engage your audience by relating to their experiences. Identify the story’s title and author.• Include a clear controlling idea that presents your main idea, and note your key points.

body• Discuss one key point or stylistic element per paragraph, and cite evidence to back up your analysis.• Maintain a formal style by using precise language, avoiding contractions and slang, and adopting

an objective—neutral—tone. • Use varied transitions, such as at first, also, and another example, to connect related ideas.

concluding section• Summarize your key points and their significance to your topic.• End with a question or statement for your audience to think about.

Develop a first draft. As you write, make sure to use correct punctuation and capitalization for any quotations you include in your analysis.

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W 4 Produce clear and coherent writing appropriate to task, purpose, and audience. L 2 Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English punctuation. L 2b Use a colon to introduce a quotation.


Exchange your literary analysis with a classmate, or read your essay aloud to your partner. As you read and discuss the essays, focus on the controlling idea, evidence, and organization. Make sure to discuss the effect of the author’s use of stylistic elements. If necessary, provide concrete suggestions for improvement.

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literary analysisAsk Yourself Tips Revision Strategies

1. Does the introduction grab the audience’s interest? Does it include the name of the author and the title of the story?

Put a star by sentences that get the audience interested. Put a check mark by the name of the author and the title of the story.

Add an interesting opening sentence. Add the name of the author and the title of the story.

2. Does the introduction present a clear and engaging controlling idea? Does the introduction summarize key points?

Bracket the controlling idea. Label each key point to be discussed in the body of the essay with P1, P2, and so on.

If your controlling idea seems boring or obvious, rewrite it to make it more engaging. Summarize key points in the introduction.

3. Does the body include a paragraph for each key point? Is the order of key points effective?

Label each paragraph with the key point it discusses. Then number your key points in order of importance.

Add a paragraph for each key point. Rearrange the key points by putting the most important point last.

4. Is each key point supported by evidence, such as concrete examples and relevant quotations?

Circle each piece of evidence for a key point. Draw an arrow from each item to the point it supports.

Add evidence to support your key points. Rearrange evidence so that it is in the paragraph containing the point it supports.

5. Do I maintain a formal style and objective tone throughout?

Bracket contractions, casual language, or vague word choices.

Reword text to avoid contractions. Replace instances of informal language with precise, formal words.

6. Does the concluding section summarize key points and reflect on their overall meaning? Does it include a question or statement for the audience to think about?

Underline the summary of key points and their meaning. Highlight the question or statement for your audience to think about.

Add a summary of your key points and their meaning. Add a question or statement for your audience to ponder.

RevisingWhen you revise, consider the content, organization, and style of your essay. The questions, tips, and strategies in the chart can help you improve your draft.




Lydia summarizes the story and offers quotations as evidence of this conflict. To strengthen her analysis, she could discuss a stylistic element.

Lydia covers a key point in each body paragraph. She provides concrete examples as supporting evidence for this key point.

In her introduction Lydia focuses on the controlling idea of her essay and the key points that will support her analysis.

analyze a student draftRead this draft; note the comments on its strengths as well as the suggestions for improvement.

Heritage and “Everyday Use”by Lydia Rodriguez, Eisenhower College Prep

At first, Alice Walker’s story “Everyday Use” seems to be about minor conflicts. However, Walker uses mother-daughter conflicts to describe her beliefs about how people should honor their heritage. The conflicts Alice Walker discusses—over a family’s home, a daughter’s name, and some heirloom quilts—make the reader think about the larger question of heritage.

The conflict over the family’s home is clear from the beginning of the story. The mother loves the family home. When the family’s previous home burned down years before, her daughter Dee showed no emotion. Now when Dee comes to visit, she poses her mother and sister in front of their house and snaps pictures like a tourist. The mother sees the family home as part of her heritage. But Dee sees it only as the backdrop for a photo.

Dee and her mother also disagree about names. Dee tells her family that she has given herself an African name, Wangero Leewanika Kemanjo. She tells her mother that “Dee” is “dead,” saying, “I couldn’t bear it any longer, being named after the people who oppress me.” Dee’s mother replies, “You know as well as me you was named after your aunt Dicie.” But her daughter rejects the name, preferring to forget all the Dees who came before her. The author highlights this conflict by referring to Dee by both names: Dee (Wangero).

Explain the Effect of Stylistic Elements Lydia presents her key point about the conflict over Dee’s name but could make her analysis stronger by explaining how a stylistic element used by the author affects the reader.

lydia’s revision to paragraph 3

But her daughter rejects the name, preferring to forget all the Dees who came before her. The author highlights this conflict by referring to Dee by both names: Dee (Wangero).Through the stylistic element of putting the African name in parentheses, the author expresses the idea that the African name Dee gave herself is not as important as the name Dee’s mother gave her, the one that connects her to her family’s heritage.

1

2

3


W 5 Strengthen writing as needed by revising, editing, rewriting, or trying a new approach, focusing on addressing what is most significant for a specific purpose and audience.


Although Lydia makes a general statement about the meaning of the story, her concluding section is weak.

Lydia makes her most important key point in the final paragraph before the concluding section. She supports it with a summary of information from the story and quotations.

analyze a student draft continued

The last and most important confrontation between Dee and her mother comes when Dee asks for two quilts. Dee wants to hang the quilts in her home. Her mother had offered her a quilt when she went away to school, but Dee had rejected it as “old-fashioned, out of style.” Now, she tells her mother they are “priceless!” When the mother tells Dee that she promised the quilts to the younger daughter as a wedding gift, Dee reacts furiously: “Maggie can’t appreciate these quilts. She’d probably be backward enough to put them to everyday use!” Dee can’t see that “everyday use” is exactly why the quilts were made. She is more interested in owning a quilt that was intricately hand sewn than in remembering and appreciating the people who sewed it. This has the effect of making Dee seem more interested in material things, rather than in a true appreciation of her heritage.

As Dee storms out of the house, she tells her mother, “You just don’t understand . . . your heritage.” The fact is, the mother and Maggie understand their heritage in ways Dee never will.

Build an Effective Concluding Section To make her conclusion as strong and effective as it can be, Lydia needs to restate her overall impression of the short story and add an interesting question or statement for her audience to think about.

lydia’s revision to paragraph 5

The fact is, the mother and Maggie understand their heritage in ways Dee never will.To the mother, heritage lies in the work of her ancestors; in the humble house that shelters her; in the memories of Grandma Dee, Stash, and Dicie; and in the lovingly pieced quilts that will keep Maggie and her husband warm. The author uses a series of conflicts between the mother and Dee to show that a family’s heritage is not something “priceless” to be hung on a wall as a piece of art. Instead, it should be part of people’s daily lives _ for “everyday use.”

Use the feedback from your peers and teacher as well as the two “Learn How” lessons to revise your essay. Evaluate how well your work fits the purpose of a literary analysis, communicates the meaning you intended, and addresses your audience.

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5

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Editing and PublishingIn the editing stage, proofread your essay to make sure that it is free of grammar, usage, spelling, and punctuation errors. Such errors can distract your audience from your ideas about the meaning of the short story.

grammar in context: reciprocal pronounsReciprocal pronouns are a type of indefinite pronoun that refers to something or someone that may or may not be specifically named. Writers use reciprocal pronouns (each other, one another) to convey a shared action or feeling among the members of a plural subject.

Dee and her mother also disagree about names.[In the sentence, “with each other” could be added after “disagree.” The reciprocal pronoun

“each other” would show a shared feeling between the subjects of Dee and her mother.]

While editing her essay, Lydia noticed an opportunity to use a reciprocal pronoun.

Dee can’t see that “everyday use” is exactly why the quilts were made.

[The conflict is shared by Dee, her sister, and her mother.]

publish your writingFinally, you will share your literary analysis with an audience. Here are some options:• Submit your essay to the school literary magazine.• Publish your essay on a Web site for the fans of the author’s work.• Adapt your essay into an oral presentation and deliver it to an audience that

has read the story.Proofread your essay for errors. Make sure you have used reciprocal pronouns to note shared feelings or actions among the members of plural subjects. Then, publish your final essay where your intended audience is likely to see it.

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This conflict with one another highlights the differences among Dee, her sister, and her mother.


W 5 Develop and strengthen writing by revising, editing, rewriting, or trying a new approach. L 1 Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English grammar and usage. L 3 Make effective choices for meaning or style.


literary analysisscore common core traits

6 • Development Has an engaging introduction; includes a controlling idea with an insightful analysis of the short story; supports key points with relevant evidence; ends powerfully

• Organization Arranges ideas in an effective, logical order; uses varied transitions to create cohesion and link ideas

• Language Consistently maintains a formal style; uses precise language; shows a strong command of conventions

5 • Development Has an effective introduction; provides a controlling idea that offers an original analysis of the short story; supports key points with evidence; has a strong concluding section

• Organization Arranges ideas logically; uses transitions to link ideas• Language Maintains a formal style; uses precise language; has a few errors in conventions

4 • Development Has an introduction that could be more engaging; includes a controlling idea that states an analysis of the short story; could use some more evidence; has an adequate concluding section

• Organization Arranges ideas logically; could vary transitions more• Language Mostly maintains a formal style; needs more precise language at times;

has a few distracting errors in conventions

3 • Development Has an adequate, though not memorable, introduction; has a controlling idea that makes an obvious statement about the short story; lacks sufficient support; has a routine concluding section

• Organization Reflects some flaws in organization; needs more transitions to link related ideas

• Language Frequently lapses into an informal style; uses some vague word choices; has some significant errors in conventions

2 • Development Has a weak introduction and a controlling idea that does not relate to the writing task; lacks specific evidence; has a weak concluding section

• Organization Has organizational flaws; lacks transitions throughout• Language Uses an informal style and vague language; has many distracting errors

in conventions

1 • Development Has no introduction or controlling idea; offers unrelated points as evidence; ends abruptly

• Organization Includes a string of disconnected ideas with no overall organization • Language Uses an inappropriate style and vague, tired language; has major problems

with grammar, mechanics, and spelling

Scoring RubricUse the rubric below to evaluate your literary analysis from the Writing Workshop or your response to the on-demand task on the next page.



Writing Workshop

Preparing for Timed Writing

4. improve your response 5–10 min

3. respond to the task 20 min

2. plan your response 10 min

Read the task carefully. Then, read it again, noting the words that tell the type of writing, the topic, the purpose, and the audience.

writing taskChoose a short story that has personal meaning for you. Write an analysis of the story

to share with a friend who has not read it. In your essay, briefly summarize the story, identify a stylistic element the author uses to create the meaning you have gathered from it, and explain how the author uses that element to convey the story’s meaning.

Consider these questions: What does the story mean to me? How does the author create that meaning? Respond to these questions with a controlling idea that provides the author and title of the story and briefly describes your ideas about the story’s meaning. Then, list examples and details from the story as evidence to support your analysis.

Revising Check your draft against the writing task. Does your draft clearly state your controlling idea about the meaning of the story? Have you included enough supporting evidence from the story? Do you end with a conclusion of the analysis?Proofreading Find and correct errors in grammar, mechanics, and spelling. Make sure your edits are neatly written and legible.Checking Your Final Copy Before you turn in your response, read it one more time to make sure that you have not missed any errors. Does your final essay represent your best work?

Begin drafting your essay. Follow these tips:• Open your introduction by making a connection with your audience, for example,

with a thought-provoking question. Add your controlling idea, then provide a brief summary (three to four sentences) of the story as it relates to your topic.

• Explain each key idea in its own body paragraph. Cite examples and details from the story as evidence to support each idea.

• Conclude with a summary of your key ideas and a statement or question about the broader meaning of the story as you understand it.

Purpose

Audience

Type of Writing

1. analyze the task 5 min

Topic

Controlling Idea

Examples Details


W 10 Write routinely over shorter time frames for a range of tasks, purposes, and audiences.


Speaking &Listening

Workshop

Adapting Your EssayBecause your audience will be listening to your literary analysis instead of reading it, you will need to adapt your essay to make it clear and easy to follow and use effective speaking techniques. Consider creating an outline of your main ideas and supporting details. In addition, follow these suggestions:• Audience To help your audience follow your analysis, include a brief summary

of the story to refresh their memories or to provide context for your ideas.• Introduction Adapt the introduction of your essay to make it dramatic, but be

sure to clearly and concisely state your controlling idea, or thesis. • Organization Build interest and momentum. Present your ideas in a logical

order, with strong supporting evidence from the story, so that listeners can follow your reasoning.

• Conclusion Sum up your key ideas and restate your analysis. End with a question or comment that gives your audience something to consider.

• Scripting Create a script. Neatly write a cue for your attention-getting introduction and controlling idea. Number key points and supporting evidence. Copy quotations just as they appear in the story. Underline words as a cue to emphasize them, and use long dashes to indicate dramatic pauses.

Dee tells her mother, “You just don’t understand . . . your heritage,” but it is Dee who does not understand it. The mother knows that her heritage is all around her _ in her house, in her family memories, and in her beautiful quilts.

Presenting a Response to a Short StoryYou have probably shared a response to a work before, such as telling your friend how much you liked a new song or movie, and why. When you talk about the meaning of a work, you are presenting an analysis.

Complete the workshop activities in your Reader/Writer Notebook.

taskAdapt your literary analysis into an oral presentation that is appropriate for your audience. Practice delivering your presentation concisely so it is easy to follow.

a strong oral presentation . . .• presents the topic clearly and concisely• organizes information logically and coherently• offers compelling ideas and includes evidence to

support them• uses effective verbal and nonverbal speaking techniques

and shows a command of standard grammar and usage

Go to thinkcentral.com.KEYWORD: HML10-158

Speaking & Listening Online


speak with a purpose common core traits

SL 4 Present information and supporting evidence clearly, concisely, and logically such that organization, development, and style are appropriate. L 1 Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English grammar and usage when speaking.

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pace volume enunciation styleVary your rate of speaking. Speak faster when you introduce your topic. Speak more slowly as you discuss your findings so that listeners can follow your line of reasoning.

Use an appropriate volume for the room in which you are speaking. Project your voice so that everyone in your audience can hear you.

Pronounce words clearly and read quotations carefully so that the audience understands the substance of your analysis.

Choose the style that is right for your audience and also for your topic. Use a conversational tone when speaking to classmates or friends. Avoid slang and colloquialisms in more formal settings or when discussing a serious topic.

Delivering Your PresentationThe delivery of your literary analysis is as important as its content. Use both verbal and nonverbal techniques to clearly convey your information in a way that is appropriate for your audience and keeps everyone engaged.

As a Speaker Practice presenting your response to a friend, using appropriate verbal and nonverbal techniques described on this page. Afterward, ask for feedback on your delivery. Evaluate your audience’s reaction and apply what you have learned to your actual presentation.As a Listener Evaluate your friend’s delivery of his or her presentation. Listen to make sure that the analysis is clear and effective and that evidence is organized in a way that makes ideas easy to follow. Provide feedback on the speaker’s use of verbal and nonverbal techniques, such as pace, volume, and body language. Let the speaker know if his or her speech conventions and delivery style are appropriate for the audience and purpose. Determine whether information and ideas are presented logically and concisely, or if they instead detract from, or even undermine, the speaker’s points.

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posture facial expressions gestures eye contactStand up straight, but with a relaxed, comfortable stance. You will appear more authoritative, more engaging for audiences, and more confident. Turn to face different parts of the room. Walk toward or step back from the audience as your discussion requires.

Convey meaning with a variety of facial expressions, such as smiles, frowns, and raised eyebrows.

Use hand gestures to stress key points, to invite the audience to agree with your ideas, and to get or regain their attention.

Look directly at your audience. Make frequent eye contact with different individuals.

Verbal Techniques

Nonverbal Techniques

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