Objectives:

1
Agenda November 3

• Objectives
• To demonstrate an understanding of the events in
  Recitatif
• To understand Toni Morrisons writing style
• To analyze imagery, time, symbols and theme in a
  short story
• To understand an authors effect on a reader
• To understand and become aware of ones own
  biases
• To understand the purpose of literary critical
  analysis
• To understand the basic elements of literary
  critical analysis
• Agenda
• Reading quiz
• Recitatif Discussion
• Intro to Literary Critical Analysis

2
Reading Quiz

1. What are the two girls names in the story?
2. Where did they meet?
3. Who is Maggie?
4. The girls meet again several times through out
   their lives, name one of the places they meet as
   adults.
5. What cant the two women remember about Maggie?

3
Small Group Discussion

• You have 10 minutes in your lit groups to do the
  following
• Come to a consensus about who is black and who is
  white in the story
• Provide specific (textual) examples to prove your
  points
• Choose one person to present your decision to the
  class

4
Toni Morrison

• Born Chloe Anthony Wofford, in 1931 in Lorain
  (Ohio), the second of four children in a black
  working-class family. Displayed an early interest
  in literature. Studied humanities at Howard and
  Cornell Universities, followed by an academic
  career at Texas Southern University, Howard
  University, Yale, and since 1989, a chair at
  Princeton University. She has also worked as an
  editor for Random House, a critic, and given
  numerous public lectures, specializing in
  African-American literature. She made her debut
  as a novelist in 1970, soon gaining the attention
  of both critics and a wider audience for her epic
  power, unerring ear for dialogue, and her
  poetically-charged and richly-expressive
  depictions of Black America. A member since 1981
  of the American Academy of Arts and Letters, she
  has been awarded a number of literary
  distinctions, among them the Pulitzer Prize in
  1988.
• From Nobel Lectures, Literature 1991-1995, Editor
  Sture Allén, World Scientific Publishing Co.,
  Singapore, 1997

• "Toni Morrison - Biography". Nobelprize.org. 25
  Oct 2011 http//www.nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/li
  terature/laureates/1993/morrison-bio.html

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• Why does Morrison use racially offensive language
  throughout the story?
• I am left-handed and the scissors never worked
  for me What does this tell us? What does this
  tell us about Morrisons writing?
• At the end of the orphanage section who do you
  think is black and who do you think is white?
  Point to specific evidence in the section.
• At the end of the restaurant section who is black
  and who is white? Use specific evidence from the
  text to back up your answer.
• On page 11 what is the purpose of Twyla and
  Robertas interchange?
• Okay I said, but I knew I wouldnt. Roberta
  had messed up my past somehow with that business
  about Maggie. I wouldnt forget a thing like
  that. Would I?(12) Why is this important? What
  concept or theme is Morrison continuing here?
• After this section who is black and who is white?
  Evidence?
• At the end of the section that ends I used to
  curl your hair I hated your hands in my hair
  Who is black and who is white? Evidence?
• What was she saying? Black? Maggie wasnt
  black. (15) why cant Twyla remember this? Why
  is this significant? What is Morrison trying to
  do here?
• What is Morrison using Maggie as?
• At the end of the picketing battle section, who
  is black and who is white? Evidence?
• Why does the story end with those lines? What
  does Maggie stand for?
• What other issues besides race does Morrison take
  on in this story? How do these other social
  issues intertwine with the theme of race and
  racism?
• What are the themes of the story?
• What are the symbols of the story?

6
Intro to Lit Crit/Anal

• Its not enough simply to tie literary elements
  and devices back the text itself or to the idea
  that they make things easier to read.
• Why do literary analysis? How will this help with
  life?
• The following info is taken from the Sierra
  College Writing Center page
• "Guidelines for Writing a Literary Critical
  Analysis ." Sierra College Writing Center. Ed.
  Sierra College. Sierra College, 2002. Web. 25
  Oct. 2011. lthttp//lrc.sierra.cc.ca.us/writingcent
  er/litcrit.htm gt.

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What is a literary critical analysis?

• A literary critical analysis explains a work of
  fiction, poetry or drama by means of
  interpretations. The goal of a literary analysis
  (as with any other analysis) is to broaden and
  deepen your understanding of a work of
  literature.
• Saying I liked the Scarlet Letter because it
  sounded good isnt analysis
• Saying The Scarlet Letters message of female
  empowerment still holds true in todays society
  is analysis

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What is an interpretation?

• An interpretation is an individual response that
  addresses meaning.
• Saying The symbols in the Scarlet Letter help
  the reader understand the plot is not a strong
  interpretation
• Saying The mother in Jamaica Kinkaid's story
  "Girl" cannot speak directly of her love for her
  daughter, so Kinkaid uses details about a woman's
  everyday life to convey her pride and anxiety
  about her daughter. Is a strong interpretation

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How do you develop an interpretation?

• Interpretations are developed by an in-depth
  examination of a text. An interpretation often
  will be the thesis of your paper.

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How do you conduct an "in-depth" examination of a
text?

• Before reading the work, make sure to examine the
  title carefully. Often the title is a clue toan
  important idea in the work.
• Make sure you look up in the dictionary any words
  with which you are not familiar.
• After reading the work the first time, ask
  yourself the following questions
• What is the geographical, historical and social
  setting? How does this affect the story or poem?
• Who is (are) the main character(s)?
• Who are the secondary characters, and how are
  they linked to the main characters?
• Does the main character change? If so, how and
  why? If not, why not?
• What is the conflict? Can you trace the
  development and resolution of the conflict?
• Who is telling the story? How does this influence
  the story or poem?
• In poetry, can you find a pattern of rime and
  meter?

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How do you conduct an "in-depth" examination of a
text? Continued

• As you re-read the work, make sure you can answer
  these questions. Then ask yourself the following
  questions, which may help you to discover deeper
  meanings that will lead you to an interpretation.
• Can you summarize the author's meaning in one
  paragraph?
• Can you state a theme of the work in one
  sentence?
• Can you identify any symbols or metaphors? What
  do they mean?

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How do you prove your interpretation?

• You prove your interpretation by finding a
  pattern of examples in the literature that
  support your idea. You find this pattern in the
  literary elements, such as plot, point of view,
  character, setting, symbols, tone, and
  styleThe uses of language (rime, meter and
  metaphors) are also patterns that can support
  your interpretation.

13
If interpretations are an individual response,
are all interpretations valid?

• Because an interpretation must be supported, the
  strength or weakness of your interpretation rests
  on the strength or weakness of your argument. In
  other words, you must organize a discussion that
  convinces the reader that your point of view is
  astute.
• In this way a literary analysis is a persuasive
  essay

14
Where do you find evidence to support your
interpretation?

• In a literary analysis evidence is found mainly
  from the work you are discussing. Secondary
  sources (published critical analyses) may support
  your point of view as well.
• Many times research of outside sources helps
  support the argument you are making with the
  text.
• For example using a source about Hawthornes
  distastes for puritan society would have helped
  someone writing about that argument

15
How much of the story should you retell in a
critical analysis?

• You do need to locate your reader to the scene or
  section of the poem that you are discussing
  therefore, some plot summary is necessary, but
  re-telling the story or a poem is not considered
  an analysis. You can assume your reader has read
  the work.

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What should be documented in a critical analysis?

• Any secondary sources must, of course, be
  documented. Also, direct quotes should be
  documented. Unlike secondary sources, a summary
  of a literary scene or event does not need
  documentation. Typically, MLA style documentation
  is used.

17
Up Coming Literary Critical Analysis

• Defend your interpretation of the symbolism in
  the book, Beloved. You must include an
  interpretation of the symbolic meaning of the
  character Beloved, and may include any other
  symbols, as desired.