Passage Analysis Essay

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Passage Analysis Essay

• The how and why and all that

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What is it?

• Prose passage
• Exposition -- Description
• Narration -- Argumentation
• Variety of genres or time periods
• Analysis of rhetorical strategies
• Example --Cause and effect
• Contrast/comparison --Classification
• Process --Definition
• Narration --Description

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What is it?

• Analysis of language
• Analysis of stylistic elements
• --subject matter --language/diction
• --Selection of detail --point of view
• --figurative language --tone
• --syntax --organization

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Whats the purpose?

• Determine how well you read, understand and
  analyze challenging texts
• Assess how well you manipulate language to
  communicate your ideas

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Key Point

• The level of your writing is/should be a direct
  reflection of your critical thinking

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What kinds of questions?

• Analyze the authors view
• Analyze rhetorical devices the author uses to
  achieve her purpose
• Analyze stylistic elements and their effects
• Compare/contrast two passages with regard to
  style, purpose, or tone

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More

• Analyze authors purpose and how he achieves it
• Analyze how an author re-creates an experience
• Analyze how the author presents herself in the
  passage
• Discuss the intended or probable effect of the
  passage

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How is it graded?

• On a 9 point rubric
• Readers reward you for what you do well
• As a draft (40 minutes)

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How to tackle this?

• Planning is crucial, so spend
• 1-3 minutes reading and working the prompt
• 5 minutes reading and making margin notes on the
  passage
• 10 minutes preparing to write
• 20 minutes writing your essay
• 3 minutes proofreading

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Reading the prompt

• The following paragraphs are from the opening of
  Truman Capotes In Cold Blood. After carefully
  reading the excerpt, write a well-organized essay
  in which you characterize Capotes view of
  Holcomb, Kansas, and analyze how Capote conveys
  this view. Your analysis may consider such
  stylistic elements as diction, imagery, syntax,
  structure, tone, and selection of detail.

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The promptannotated

• The following paragraphs are from the opening of
  Truman Capotes In Cold Blood. After carefully
  reading the excerpt, write a well-organized essay
  in which you characterize Capotes view of
  Holcomb, Kansas, and analyze how Capote conveys
  this view. Your analysis may consider such
  stylistic elements as diction, imagery, syntax,
  structure, tone, and selection of detail.

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Helpful hint

• Sometimes it is difficult and stressful to get
  everything from your brain onto your paper
• You can write In this essay I have to.
• In this essay I have to tell what Capotes view
  of the town is and explain how he reveals this
• I have to identify the authors view and analyze
  the diction, imagery and structure he uses to
  reveal his view
• I have to tell that Capote thinks the town is
  boring but also has some positive attributes. I
  have to explain the diction, imagery, and detail.

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Reading the passage

• Option 1
• Read quickly to get the gist of the passage
• Reread, highlighting and taking margin notes
• Option 2
• Read slowly, highlighting and taking margin notes
• Reread to confirm that you have caught the full
  impact of the passage

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Warning!!!!

• Dont skip this step
• Careful reading AND annotating the passage are
  crucial to success

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Developing the opening Paragraph

• Forget everything youve learned about beginning
  an essay (not really, but almost)
• It should catch the readers attention
• It should set the tone of your essay
• It should only be a couple of sentences long

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Opening paragraph

• Make a direct reference to the passage
  (suggested)
• Identify the text and its author
• Address the question (Capotes view of Holcomb)
• Specifically mention the elements you will refer
  to (diction, tone, etc.)

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Samples Intro A

• In the opening of In Cold Blood, Truman Capote
  presents a picture of the town of Holcomb,
  Kansas. Through structure, selection of detail,
  and a detached tone, he makes it clear that he
  views Holcomb as dull and ordinary.

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Sample Intro B

• Holcomb, Kansas. Holcomb, Kansas. Even the sound
  of the place is boring and uninteresting.
  Moreover, Truman Capote seems to agree with this
  in his opening to In Cold Blood. I, too, would
  be inclined to pass by this sleepy, bland, and
  undistinguished hamlet. This view is developed
  through the authors tone, structure, and
  selection of detail.

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Sample Intro C

• Like the waters of the river, like the motorists
  on the highway, and like the yellow trains
  streaking down the Santa Fe tracks, drama in the
  shape of exceptional happenings had never stopped
  here. This is the town of Holcomb, Kansas.
  Using a reportorial tone, specific structure, and
  selection of detail, Capote introduces the reader
  to this unremarkable town in the opening of In
  Cold Blood.

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Sample Intro D

• In Cold Blood is a very appropriate title,
  because Capote presents a cold and unemotional
  view of Holcomb, Kansas. His tone, structure,
  and selection of detail create a distant and
  detached picture of this desolate farm community.

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Sample Intro E

• Truman Capote opens with a passage describing a
  small town called Holcomb, Kansas. Capote uses a
  variety of elements to express his view.

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Developing Body Paragraphs

• Present your analysis
• Use specific references and details from the
  passage
• Dont just paraphrase
• Place quotation mark around exact words
• Citations are not necessary integrate author in
  sentence
• Integrate quotes condense quotes

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Body paragraphs continued

• Use connective tissue to establish adherence to
  the questions
• --use repetition of key ideas in prompt and in
  your opening paragraph
• --Use echo words/synonyms (town, village,
  hamlet)
• Stay on topic

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A.P.

• We know it stands of Advanced Placement
• BUT
• Keep in mind the people who read your essay joke
  that it means Address the Prompt.
• In other wordsbe sure you do what the questions
  is asking stay on topic

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A.P.

• Refer back to your prewriting often
• Look at the In this essay I have to statement
  that you wrote
• If you get stuck in the middle of the essay, you
  can actually write the above phrase in your
  essay. Keep writing until you get back on track.
  Then, cross out the phrase.

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Concluding paragraph

• Forget everything youve learned about
  conclusions
• Yes, really!!!!
• Do NOT summarize in your concluding paragraph

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Bad Conclusion

• Capotes imagery, tone, and diction convey his
  view about Holcomb. Through these devices we get
  the idea that Capote views the town as dull and
  ordinary.
• zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
  zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
  zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz!!!!!!

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Instead, write a conclusion like this

• Holcomb may be dull and boring, but Capote hints
  that the quiet and ordinary town may be
  disrupted. Something other than wheat is on the
  horizon.
• The last two paragraphs contain a shift. Capote
  contrasts the town with the school and
  foreshadows a change. This contrast may indicate
  more to come for the town of Holcomb.