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How do you do literary analysis?


NotAProcrastinator

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I wonder if you have ever felt like me, but right now I feel like I am dabbling on the floor with life getting sucked out of me. Our teacher chose a collection of particularly symbolist, post-modern stories for detailed study and tasked us with studying it in the summer. It is so symbolic that it takes hours only to read thirty pages, and honestly, I have begun to question all this literary analysis enterprise and its purpose. I wonder if any of you found a way out of creating a totalising system of meaning within a literary text or employ the same methods as me. 

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My first recommendation: Read the book first without worrying about literary analysis, identifying literary devices, etc. Just read it. 

You can go back later and reread while doing these things if you need to, but just reading it first will help in making it much more enjoyable and stressful. I also find that it's helpful and reduces total time spent studying. 

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There is no totalising one-size-fits all "interpretation". No easy formula. Sorry.

All interpretation takes judgement, sensitivity, care and time. And yes, there are approaches and English is (though not always apparent in school) a *discipline". Read Robert Scholes on "Textual Power". 

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I'm done with the IB, so I can say whatever I like about English now :D

The above posters are right, there is no cut and dry formula for analysing a text.  Sometimes, however, you're given an absolute shocker.  In this case, it can be best to work through the text methodically, and then to condense and improve upon your observations.  Here are some tips I used during the IB:

Acronyms

You can use these for all text types.  There are two acronyms to follow: SPECS and SLIMS.  SPECS are the aspects you bring up in your introduction, and continue throughout the essay.  SLIMS are the methods authors use to convey their message.

SPECS stands for 

  • Subject: what's it actually about?
  • Purpose: what is the author trying to tell you? (often the last part that you work out)
  • Emotion: what are the moods? Does it change as the text changes?
  • Craftsmanship: this is where SLIMS comes in.  See below.
  • Summary: how has the poem had an effect on you as a whole? Does it achieve the purpose?

SLIMS are the literary techniques you can draw on to answer those questions.  It stands for

  • Structure: conventional or unconventional? Often structures can convey chaos (if it's irregular, random, doesn't rhyme, different line lengths), change from one thing to another (if the structure itself changes), or other emotions.  What lines/aspects are highlighted as a result of the structure? These lines tend to be the most important for the message and purpose of the text.
  • Language: self-explanatory.  What effect do certain words/lines have? Always a safe option in an essay, but can be simplistic, so try to extend beyond just language discussion.
  • Imagery: nearly every text has some.  This includes methaphors, personification, similes, anthropomorphism, etc.  
  • Movement: can be trickier.  This refers to the rhythm of the poem.  Is it quick or slow? Jarring or smooth? 
  • Sounds: rhyming, etc.  How does it sound when you read it aloud? Pleasant and musical, or harsh?

When analysing a text, start by reading it through once, just to get an idea.  Then go back, and set up two tables.  The first is SPECS, and the second SLIMS.  Write down everything you can think of for both options, even if you think it's not very good.  Highlight the lines in the text that resonate with you, or that you think are important to the central themes.

Now, read through your SPECS list.  Fine-tune it.  Using your SLIMS list, and quotes from the text, you can flesh out the author's message more clearly.  At this point, start grouping together quotes, themes, and ideas.  These become the main themes of the text.

Common themes

If you're hit with a text and you have no idea what it's about, here are some common options that could be relevant:

  1. A comment on society.  The author is almost always commenting on a certain aspect of society, usually critically.  If you think this might be the case, go through the text using SPECS and SLIMS and try to answer:
    1. What aspect/s of society are mentioned?
    2. Why does the author think they're bad?
    3. In what ways is this reflected in the text? (use SLIMS!)
    4. Does the author propose a solution? How does s/he see the future? What will have to change? Is it even possible for there to be change, or is it a fundamental flaw with society?
  2. The text will always have a perspective, and if you can work out what it is, this will make your analysis more sophisticated.  It could be unclear, or very original, so hard to decipher.  However, often a text fits into a certain style category.  Perhaps it's modernist, post-modernist, cubist, absurdist, etc.  Maybe you a have a play informed by classical tragedy, romanticism, or naturalism.  Research some different styles for your text type.  If you find a likely candidate, look up its aspects in more detail, and see if they fit to your text.  You can then discuss:
    1. Why the author chose to use that style, rather than another
    2. What the style generally evokes (e.g. romanticism has clear ideas about god/man/nature: if the author has written a romantic work, they probably share the same views)
    3. Where examples of that style can be found in the text.  Very important!
  3. The author's own perspective.  Do a bit of research on their background.  Why would the author be compelled to write this text? When was it published, and what was society like at the time? What was the intended audience? This can help you to clarify the themes and messages.  It's particularly helpful if it has no clear style.

Hope this helps you :)

Edited by azara
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Just ask people who score good marks in group 1 classes and ask to see their writing. Also show your writing to supportive people who can praise and still point out a few improvements. Getting encouragement boosted my confidence in writing.

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My teacher gave us another nice acronym which is quite similar to azara

ACTSS

A= Audience & Purpose

what is it trying to do and how might different audiences view it (e.g. Burkini)

C = Content & Theme

what is it made of (ideas/thoughts/actions) and what the running idea or moral is

T = Tone & Mood

Remember: Tone is the way something is said/written (This is my pen vs THIS is my pen vs This is MY pen); while mood is what is created/ the audience feels

S = Structure

Does it have short/long sentences; Is it in paragraphs; Is it in a regular couplet; Is there rhyme

S = Stylistic devices 

Look up literary devices on this page and just read through as many as possible. http://literary-devices.com/ 

 

DON'T FORGET TO TREAT ANY IMAGES IN THE SAME WAY

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