PowerPoint%20Presentation%20%20-%20%20Response%20to%20Literature

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Sharing responses to a story . . . From Reading
to Writing Stories touch people in different
ways. Some readers might like Seventh Grade by
Gary Soto because they recognize themselves in
Victor. Others might like Zebra by Chaim Potok
because they admire Zebras strength.
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Sharing responses to a story . . .
In a response to literature essay, the writer
shares his/her interpretation of a piece of
literature. The analysis may include opinions
about a character, impressions of the lessons
learned, prediction of the authors purpose,
and/or similarities and differences to ones own
life.
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• In a response to literature essay, the writer
• shows thoughtful comprehension beyond plot
• and explains underlying meaning beyond text.
• The writer develops an analysis of the literary
• work and includes support and commentary.

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Beginning Your Response to Literature

• Prompt is the question asked about the
  particular literary work.
• Highlight key parts of the question.
• Focus on what the prompt is asking the writer to
  do in the response.

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Planning Your Response to Literature
1. Carefully reread the short story. As you read,
write down insights you might have. 2. Freewrite
about your responses. Spend five minutes writing
down your overall response to the story. Identify
your reactions, such as sadness, anger,
excitement, or curiosity.
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Planning Your Response to Literature
3. Concisely Summarize the Work.

• The essay should be 25 summary and 75
• response and analysis.
• To summarize effectively, use the SOMEBODY
• WANTED BUT SO strategy.
• Imagine this strategy to be similar to a movie
• preview! It must be well-written and concise!

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Planning Your Response to Literature
3. Concisely Summarize the Work.
SOMEBODY Identify the author and title. Give
the main character and setting. WANTED
Identify what the main character
wants. BUT Identify
conflict that the character faces. SO
Identify what the challenges
will be.
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Planning Your Response to Literature
3. Concisely Summarize the Work.
SOMEBODY Identify the author and title. Give
the main character and setting. WANTED
Identify what the main character wants.
BUT Identify conflict that the character
faces. SO Identify what the challenges
will be.
Example In A Christmas Carol by Charles
Dickens, Ebenezer Scrooge during the Victorian
England Era wants to be left alone with his
money. However, Scrooges night is interrupted by
three ghosts that make him face his past, present
and future in order to change his personality.
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Planning Your Response to Literature
3. Concisely Summarize the Work.
SOMEBODY Identify the author and title. Give
the main character and setting. Example
In A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens,
Ebenezer Scrooge during the Victorian England
Era wants to be left alone with his money.
However, Scrooges night is interrupted by three
ghosts that make him face his past, present and
future in order to change his personality.
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Writing Your Response to Literature
The writer gets to express his or her response to
the prompt. This requires understanding of the
story and INSIGHT. Identifying IMPORTANT WORDS
and providing a strong SUMMARY STATEMENT guide
the writer in developing INSIGHT!
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Writing Prompt

• Would you say that Rip Van Winkle was lazy or
  just a very easy going fellow? Use specific
  examples to support your response.

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Writing Prompt

• Make a claim about the solider from The Twelve
  Dancing Princesses. Use specific examples to
  support your response.

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Writing Your Response to Literature

• Use your introductory paragraph to tell your
  readers what they need to know about the story
  and to introduce your response.

• Develop a clear thesis which answers the prompt.
  

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Writing Your Response to Literature

• Title in quotes (story) or underlined (book)
• Authors first and last name
• Summary statement 3-4 sentences in the SWBS
  format
• Thesis Clear, confident answer to prompt

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I. Paragraph 1 Introduction

• Title of the fable/story you read and author if
  you know it.
• 2. A brief/short summary (a few lines) of story.
• 3. Thesis Statement (Write what the essay will be
  about main idea and 3 insights.)

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Writing Your Response to Literature

• Pick your best three ideas as answers to the
  prompt.
• Find supportive quotes and provide commentary
  linking quote to thesis.
• Do not summarize, but provide a few sentences of
  background as needed.

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Writing Your Response to Literature

• Begin each paragraph with a strong topic
  sentence.
• Answer the prompt in each topic sentence.
• Provide proof and commentary for your analysis.
• Clearly explain and connect your support back to
• topic sentence aka a conclusion sentence.

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II IV. Paragraph 2-4 Body

• 1. A transition (Example To begin with, first,
  next, another example...)
• 2. Answer prompt with one of your ideas.
• 3. Write an example/ passage/detail/event/ action
  or quote (exact words taken from the text in
  quotation marks)
• 4. EXPLAIN how they are related to the topic.

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Writing Your Response to Literature

• Restate thesis confidently and clearly
• Show insight in relation to authors purpose and
  message to readers. What is the author wanting
  his or her readers to understand as a result of
  watching the character handle the conflict?
• Identify significance to todays readers. How
  can the lessons learned be applied to their
  lives?

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Writing Your Response to Literature

1. Are there 5 APPROPRIATE paragraphs?
2. Is there a THESIS statement?
3. Does the body include 3 IDEAS that answer the
   writing prompt?
4. Does the body include TEXTUAL EVIDENCE for
   each idea?
5. Does each body paragraph have CLEAR
   EXPLANATIONS that SUPPORT their topic sentence?
6. Does the conclusion have a RESTATED thesis,
   INSIGHT of authors message and purpose, and
   SIGNIFICANCE to readers?