Eng101FA15

Writing about Literature

Freewriting
Given a topic
Write for given time
Do not stop writingif you get stuck, pick a word and just keep
writing it until your next thought comes through

Read the poem on the next slide. What do you think that it is about?

The Red Wheelbarrow

by William Carlos Williams
so much depends
upon
a red wheel
barrow
glazed with rain
water
beside the white
chickens.

What are the key elements for analyzing

literature?

Plot
Character

Setting
Symbols
Irony

Theme

Plot
a series of events that moves literature along
Do not merely repeat what happened
What are the key events of the story? Do they unfold in conventional
fashions or deviate?

Does the writer use foreshadowing or flashback? Why?

Is the plot believable and effective, or does it display weakness of
some sort? Does it include any unique features?

Is it similar to the plot of another story or some type of story?

Character
What are the characters most important features? Where in the
literary work are these features revealed?

Do the characters undergo any changes? How and why do the changes
occur?

Are the characters believable, true to life? If not, why?

Setting
What are the settings key features?
How does setting create a mood, reveal a character, serve as a symbol,
or reinforce the literary works point?

In what ways does the setting support or interfere with the literary
work?

Does the setting seem realistic? Why or why not?

Symbol

What symbols are used, and where do they appear?

Are the symbols private or conventional?

What do the symbols mean?

Do any of the symbols undergo a change in meaning? If so, how and
why?

Irony
Where does irony occur?
What does the irony accomplish?

Theme
What are the themes of this work? Are they stated or unstated?
Are any thematic weaknesses present? Explain.

How to find
A peer-reviewed article in a scholarly journal

To access peer-reviewed articles from

scholarly journals

go to www.ccac.edu/library
click Databases A to Z
Choose a database
type search term in box
Under Limit Results,
click box for Full Text
click box for Scholarly (Peer Reviewed) Journals
Click search

For Thursday
Find and read one peer-reviewed article from a scholarly journal about
The Red Wheelbarrow

Apply your assigned literature element to The Red Wheelbarrow. Be

prepared to extensively discuss your findings with the class.

Apply your assigned literature elements to The Red Wheelbarrow. Be

prepared to extensively discuss your findings with the class.

Plot Dani, Kayla, Chris D., Adrian, Chris G.

Character Corrine, Kaprielle, LaBrayla, Stephen, Kelsey

Setting Victoria, Michael, Tanya, Bryce, Olabisi

Symbols Chris R. Joanna, Jason, Danielle S., CJ
Irony & Theme Haley, Tonee, Julie, Catherine, Sabrina