Close Reading: The Details What It Is A close reading is a focused, in-depth analysis of a passage from a literary text.

This type of analysis is a fundamental part of writing about literature. By delving into the details of a relatively short passage, we can gain access to the language and ideas of the text as a whole. When we do a close reading, we examine not only what the author tells us, but also how he or she conveys the meaning of the passage. The steps outlined in this handout describe how to do a close reading. What to Do 1. Read the passage with a pencil in hand. Underline any words or phrases that leap out of you. Note your thoughts. Paraphrase the passage in your head: what point is the author making, or what theme is he or she developing? 2. Consider how the author develops the theme or point. This is the close part of the close reading. Go over the passage several more times, and reflect on the questions in the Questions to Ask section that follows. What specific words and phrases in the text suggest answers to the questions? Do you notice any patterns? How do these words or phrases affect your perception of the passage? Write down your observations. As you work, you may change your opinion about the point or theme that you noted in step 1. 3. Organize your analysis. Think about how the observations you just made might be grouped together to develop a logical argument about the passage. For example, you might organize your analysis by describing how different aspects of the text all contribute to the same effect. 4. Construct a thesis that relates your passage to the text as a whole. Consider what the passage has to say about the themes, messages, and issues of the text to which it belongs. Look back at the questions you answered in step 2 and think about how you might answer them for the rest of the text. How are the main ideas in your passage different from or similar to ideas in the text as a whole, and why? How does the passage provide insight into the text? How can your interpretation of the passage change your understanding of the text as a whole? Write a thesis that makes a claim about the passage in the context of the text, and be prepared to back up the thesis with the arguments you organized in step 3. (Adapted from Close Reading and Passage Analysis, handout by

Kathryn Tucker, UCLA.)

Questions to Ask: Language: How is the author using language in this passage to create specific effects? Is there a lot of detail? Is the language rich and flowery, or dry and scientific? Word meaning: What words are used? Use a dictionary to look up even words you already know; sometimes secondary definitions or the etymology of a word can shed new light on a passage. Do you notice any repetition of words, sounds, or images? What effect does the repetition create? Are words connected in themes or associations? Structure: What is the structure of the passage? How does it develop its themes and ideas? How is the passage organized? Are there passages and turning points? Tone: What tone does the passage convey? Is it comic? straightforward? satirical? tragic? mysterious? What words or expressions contribute to the tone? Figurative language: Identify figurative language, such as metaphors, similes, imagery, allusions, etc. What are the conventional uses or understandings of these images or ideas? Does the passage support their traditional interpretation, or does the way they are used suggest an alternative understanding? Do the words suggest similar relationships or contradictory ones? Syntax: How are the words arranged in sentences? Are there interesting suspensions, inversions, parallels, oppositions, repetitions? Does the syntax allow for ambiguity or double meanings? Purpose: What is the point of the passage? Is the author creating a mood? describing a character? making a pointed political critique? How do the elements of the passage accomplish this goal? Foreshadowing: Do elements in the passage foreshadow or mirror other situations in the work? How does the foreshadowing or mirroring help explain other events? Context: Place the passage in its context within the work as a whole. Consider language use, images, themes, tone, etc. Are issues in the passage echoed throughout the text, or is this our

only glimpse of a particular concern? Does the language in this passage exemplify that used throughout the work, or is there an abrupt change in style? How does this passage fit into the work? (Compiled and adapted from Close Reading and Passage Analysis, handout by Kathryn Tucker, UCLA, and How to Do a Close Reading by Sophia A. McClennan, http://lilt.ilstu.edu/smexpos/close%20reading.htm)

Literary Terms Authors and poets use many different techniques when they write. These techniques help to convey ideas and feelings and create memorable works of literature. As you become more familiar with these, you will begin to incorporate them in your own writing. Allegory The representation of ideas or moral principles by means of symbolic characters, events, or objects Arthur Millers The Crucible uses the Salem Witch Trials as an allegory for the hunt for Communists in America during the 1950s. Alliteration The repetition of a consonant sound to create rhythm and aid memory The falling flakes fluttered to the ground. The swift, silent serpent slithered along. Allusion A brief reference to a historical or literary person, place, object, or event Biblical allusions are frequently used in English Literature; a writer may refer to Adam, Eve, Serpent or The Garden to tap into associations that already exist for the reader. Context The environment of a word, the words that surround a particular word and help to determine or deepen its meaning. Often you can figure out the meaning of a word by re-reading the sentence or paragraph and looking for context clues that give you additional information about the word. Diction The writer's choice of words based on their clarity and effectiveness Mark Twain once said, "The difference between the right word and almost the right word is the difference between lightning and a lightning bug." Foreshadowing The suggestion or hint of events to come later in a literary work Gray clouds at the beginning of a story may foreshadow turmoil or conflict that occurs later. Genre A French word used as a synonym for type or form of literature

The most common literary genres are: essay, drama, poetry, novel, screen play, short story, etc. Hyperbole A type of figurative language that makes an overstatement for the purpose of emphasis I was so embarrassed, I could have died. Im so tired I could sleep for years. Imagery The use of descriptive words or phrases to create vivid mental pictures in the minds of the reader, often appealing to sight, sound, taste, or smell The tree roots clutched the ground like gnarled fingers. The frightened screech of an unseen animal tore through the night. Irony: Dramatic When the audience knows more than the characters on stage, which creates tension Horror films use dramatic irony to create suspense: the audience knows that the ax murderer is in the closet, but the unsuspecting victim is totally unaware ...until it is too late! Irony: Situational A situation or event that is the opposite of what is or might be expected It would be ironic if a lifeguard had to be saved from drowning. Irony: Verbal The expression of an attitude or intention that is the opposite of what is actually meant When a late-comer is told sarcastically, Thanks for joining us. Metaphor Direct Metaphor Indirect Metaphor A type of figurative language that makes a comparison but does not use like or as When the writer directly states both of the things being compared When the writer states one of the things and the reader must infer the other The girls were tigers on the playing field, devouring the competition. All the world is a stage. Life is a long road with many twists and turns. You have come to a fork in the road and cannot go back. Paradox A statement that at first seems contradictory, but in fact, reveals a truth "I must be cruel, only to be kind." (Shakespeare) "Death, thou shalt die." (Donne) Personification A type of figurative language that gives animate (living) characteristics to inanimate (nonliving) things The sun smiled down on the village. The leaves danced in the wind. The thunder growled in the distance. Simile A comparison using "like" or "as" Her eyes gleamed like stars. The house was as large as a castle. Structure This is the organization or planned framework that a writer creates for his/her piece of literature Carefully examining a writer's structure may help readers deepen their understanding of the work.

Style This refers to how the author writes (form) rather than what he/she writes (content) Style is a combination of a writer's diction, tone, and syntax. Symbolism A symbol is something that stands for something larger than itself A rose symbolizes beauty. The flag symbolizes the country. Darkness symbolizes evil or the unknown. Syntax The arrangement of words within a phrase, clause or sentence. Factors such as: the type of sentence, the length of the sentence, the use of punctuation and the use of language patterns can all contribute to an effective use of syntax. When the writer wanted the narrative pace to build, she lengthened her sentences and used very few pauses; then, just before the story's climax, she began to use short choppy sentences to build suspense which was an effective use of syntax. Theme A statement of the central idea of a piece of writing. Tone The attitude of the author toward his/her subject and audience Comic, serious, formal, informal, solemn, playful, sarcastic, intimate, distant, etc

MLA Style for Papers

General Guidelines Type your paper or write it on a computer and print it out on standard-sized paper (8.5 X 11 inches). Double-space your paper and use 12-point Times New Roman Set the margins of your document to 1 inch on all sides. Create a header that numbers all pages consecutively in the upper right-hand corner, one-half inch from the top and flush with the right margin. Omit the number on the first page. Use underlining or italics throughout your essay for highlighting the titles of longer works. Indent when beginning a paragraph Formatting the first page of your paper Do not make a title page. Provide a double-spaced entry in the top left corner of the first page that lists your

name, your instructor's name, the course, and the date. Create a header that numbers all pages consecutively in the upper right-hand corner, one-half inch from the top and flush with the right margin. While the first page will not be numbered, all other pages will have your last name and page number on the top right. Center your title on the line below the header with your name, and begin your paper immediately below the title.

In-text Citations MLA in-text citations are made with a combination of signal phrases and parenthetical references. A signal phrase indicates that something taken from a source (such as a quotation, summary, paraphrase, or fact) is about to be used; usually the signal phrase includes the author's name. The parenthetical reference, which comes after the cited material, includes a page number. Ex: Voltaire reveals Candides dependence on women as he takes the advice of the Old Woman, who instructs him on the proper management of his money after he purchases her freedom: "There was a little farm in the neighborhood; the old woman suggested that Candide occupy it until some better fate should befall the group" (71). Ex: The indifference that the group experiences dissipates in the face of Candides directive that we must cultivate our garden (75). Citations of poetry and prose of more than three lines will be indented (2 tabs) and will not be set in quotes.

Ex. The narrator indicates the equal participation of all members of the group: The whole little group entered into this laudable scheme; each one began to exercise his talents. The little plot yielded fine crops. True, Cungonde was, to tell the truth, remarkably ugly; but she became an excellent pastry cook; Paquette took up embroidery; the old woman did the laundry. (75) If your cited material runs to more than one page, give the range of pages (such as 235-36 or 399-400).

Here is a sample first page of an essay in MLA style:

Pete Purdue Dr. B. Boilermaker English 101 November 12, 2000 Building a Dream: Reasons to Expand Ross-Aide Stadium During the 2000 football season, the Purdue Boilermakers won the Big Ten Conference Title, earned their first trip to the Rose Bowl in thirty-four years, and played consistently to soldout crowds. Looking ahead ...

Additional Resources: http://owl.english.purdue.edu/ http://www.mla.org/style_faq http://www.liunet.edu/cwis/cwp/library/workshop/citm

Adapted from: Purdue University Online Writing Lab