the language of composition

THE LANGUAGE OF COMPOSITIONReading, Writing, Rhetoric

Chapter TwoClose Reading: The Art and Craft of Analysis

Close Reading Goal is to develop an understanding of

text Close reading is strategy Create meaning based first on the

words, then on the larger ideas suggested

When writing about a text, you start with larger ideas, then use examples from the language to support

Close Reading We do it subconsciously every day We are aware of interaction of subject,

speaker, audience in conversation We analyze conversations We even consider style (body language,

tone, expression, etc.)

Analyzing Style Consists of tone, sentence structure and

vocabulary Style contributes to meaning, purpose and

effect Examples of style questions based on

Ground Zero text, p 37 Style falls into two categories: diction and

syntax

Diction Diction: choice of words Trope: artful diction Examples: metaphor, simile,

personification, hyperbole

Diction – Considerations Which important words are

general/abstract vs. specific/concrete? Are the important words formal,

informal, colloquial or slang? Are some words non literal, creating

figures of speech?

Syntax Syntax: arrangement of words Scheme: artful syntax Examples: parallelisms, juxtapositions,

antithesis

Syntax – Considerations What is the order of the parts of a

sentence: normal or inverted? Which part of speech is most

prominent? Are the sentences periodic or

cumulative? How does the sentence connect its

words, phrases and clauses?

Which of the questions on p. 37 are about diction and which are about syntax??

Talking with the Text The point: generate your own questions Remember, not just identifying

techniques, but analyzing their effect. Also, remember style is a subset of

rhetoric so we’re analyzing it as a means of persuasion

Therefore, determine the PURPOSE, what style choices are made, and what is their effect (towards the purpose)

Annotation Using a pen or pencil, on text or post-its1. Words you don’t know?2. Words that seem related?3. Thesis statements and topic sentences?4. Imagery?5. Allusions?6. Things that stand out – quotation marks,

punctuation, certain sentences, factsExample on page 40 – Joan Didion

Dialectical Journal Double-entry notebook Visually represent the conversation

between text nd reader See example, p. 42 Note Taking (text) vs. Note Making

(commentary)

Graphic Organizer See example, p. 441. Copy something the writer has said2. Restate it in your own words3. Analyze how the writer makes the point

(strategy or style element)4. Function or effect on the reader

Close Reading Assignment Assignment, p. 48 Complete a Dialectical Journal Entry for

the passage by Ascham

Analyzing a Visual Text