Include your answers to these questions or objectives in your notes about the text.
Although it’s best to read the text at least twice, this may be harder with longer texts. If this is the case, you can re-read difficult passages within the book.
For example, use a yellow highlighter to indicate main ideas, and use an orange highlighter to mark the supporting details. For fiction, use a different colored highlighter for passages related to each main character.
For a fiction text, write down the names and basic information about characters. Additionally, make note of any symbolism and use of literary devices. For a nonfiction text, write down important facts, figures, methods, and dates. [4] X Research source
For example, summarize each chapter of a novel. On the other hand, summarize each paragraph of a small article.
What am I taking away from the piece? How do I feel about the topic? Did this text entertain me or inform me? What will I do with this information now? How does this text apply to real life?
For a work of fiction, outline the plot of the story, as well as any important details and literary devices. For a nonfiction text, focus on the main points, evidence, and supporting details.
These analyses are easy to find through a quick internet search. Just type in the name of your text followed by the word, “analysis. "
When was the text written? What is the historical background of the work? What is the author’s background? What genre does the author work in? Who are the author’s contemporaries? How does this text fit in with the author’s larger body of work? Did the writer provide their inspiration for the text? What type of society does the author come from? How does the text’s time period shape its meaning?
A short story might have 1 or 2 themes, while a novel might have several. If the text has several themes, they might be related. For example, the themes of a sci-fi novel might be “technology is dangerous” and “cooperation can overcome tyranny. ”
Notice the character’s words, actions, and thoughts. Consider what they convey about the character, as well as possible themes. Watch for symbolism, metaphor, and the use of other literary devices.
You can use these quotes to support your own claims about the text if you write an analysis essay.
For example, Edgar Allan Poe’s style of writing enhanced the effect of his poems and stories in an intentional way. If you were analyzing one of his texts, you’d want to consider his individual style. As another example, Mark Twain uses dialect in his novel Pudd’nhead Wilson to show the differences between slave owners and slaves in the deep south. Twain uses word choice and syntax to show how language can be used to create a divide in society, as well as control a subsection of the population.
Common tones include sad, solemn, suspenseful, humorous, or sarcastic. Tone can be indicative of not only what’s happening in the piece, but of larger themes. The Wonderful Wizard of Oz changes tone, for example, when Dorothy leaves Kansas for Oz. This is seen in the film through the change in color, but in the novel, this is established through the shift in tone.
What is the topic and discipline? What does the text accomplish? What does the author make you think, believe, or feel? Are the ideas in the text new or borrowed from someone else?
Using jargon and technical language shows the author is writing for people in their field. They might be trying to instruct or may be presenting research ideas. If you’re unsure of a writer’s intended audience, technical terms and jargon can be a good indicator. The tone is the mood of a text. For example, a researcher might use a formal, professional tone to present their research findings, while a writer might use an informal, casual tone when writing a magazine article.
If you’re struggling to find the author’s argument, review the evidence they provide in the text. What ideas does the evidence support? This can help you find the argument. For example, the thesis could read as follows: “Based on data and case studies, voters are more likely to choose a candidate they know, supporting the ideas of rational choice theory. " The argument here is in favor of rational choice theory.
For example, evidence that includes research and statistical data may provide a lot of support for an argument, but anecdotal evidence might result in a weak argument. You may want to write out the evidence in your own words, but this may not be necessary.
For example, you might highlight facts and opinions using different colors. Alternatively, you might create a chart with facts on one side and opinions on the other. For instance, the writer might state, “According to the survey, 79% of people skim a ballot to find the names they know. Clearly, ballots aren’t designed to engage voter interest. " The first sentence is a fact, while the second sentence is an opinion.
For example, you might find that the paper on rational choice theory contains few statistics but many pieces of anecdotal evidence. This might lead you to doubt the writer’s argument, which means the writer likely didn’t achieve their purpose.
Here’s an example: “In the short story ‘Quicksand,’ the author uses quicksand as a metaphor for living with chronic illness. ” This is another example: “In the novel Frankenstein, Shelley displays the conventions of the Romantic Period by suggesting that nature has restorative powers. "
You could write, “At the beginning of the story, the main character wakes up, dreading the coming day. She knows she needs to get out of bed, but her illness prevents her from rising. ”
For example, “To show the struggle, the author writes, ‘I sank back into the bed, feeling as though the mattress was sucking me further and further down. ’” As another example, “In Frankenstein, Victor escapes from his problems by frequently going out into nature. After spending two days in nature, Victor says, “By degrees, the calm and heavenly scene restored me. . . " (Shelley 47).
You might write, “In this passage, the author builds on the metaphor of an illness acting like quicksand by showing the main character struggling to get out of bed. Despite fighting to get up, the main character feels as though they’re sinking further into the bed. Furthermore, the author uses first-person point-of-view to help the reader understand the main character’s thoughts and feelings on their illness. ”
