School Notes

Organize a Poetry Analysis:

TONE: Emotional impact of the writing style.
Most college papers = Tone is academic.

EVIDENCE: Examples from the text… Biographic examples. Examples of the poem’s theme in real life.

Introduction:
Hook the reader. (Get reader’s attention.)
Topic overview. (What will we be exploring?)
DO NOT BECOME A TOUR GUIDE!
Thesis Statement:
Bio connections, themes, symbolism.

The poems of Sylvia Plath are poignant simply because they are backed up by the emotional power of her suicide.

Robert Frost’s poems insightfully explore the poet’s love of nature and life’s inevitable tragedies.

Body paragraphs:
Poem by poem? (Explication)
 Denotation / Connotation
 Metaphors / Similes
 Biographic connections
 Symbolism / Theme
 Rhyme Scheme / Meter

Organize by Ideas…
Robert Frost –
City experiences (negative and Positive)
Higher power vs. Non-religion (Design)
Negative experiences in nature
Postive experiences in nature
“Poem Title”
Lyrical Ballads – Book Title

Literary Analysis:

August: Osage County

Choose one of the following:

A) Focusing on one or more characters from August: Osage County, analyze the ways in which the character(s) changes (or remains static). What motivates the character to change? What can readers learn from the character’s transformation – or from a character’s refusal/failure to change?

B) Compare / contrast two characters from the play – or compare/contrast one character from the play and one character from another source (novel, short story, play, film). In your analysis, consider some of the following: character development (flat vs. well-rounded), motivation, choices, reactions, emotional growth (or lack thereof). It is up to the student to create a focused thesis statement. (Tip: Develop a specific opinion based upon your compare/contrast analysis.)

C) Identify and evaluate the messages / themes of August: Osage County. Argue whether or not readers can any valuable “life lessons” from Tracy Letts’ play.

D) How realistic is the portrayal of the Weston family? Do their values and their behavior reflect “real life” families of today? What should the readers / audience members learn from this play?

Length: +1200 Words

Include quotes from your primary source and at least two secondary sources.

Note: The secondary sources might be critical reviews, literature, internet articles, research information, scholarly journals, or interviews from “experts” in a relevant field. (For example, if you are analyzing the “dysfunctional” qualities of the Westons, you might interview a family therapist.)

Include an MLA Works Cited page.

Peer Review / First Draft: May 4th
Due: May 13th