Title: Poetry Analysis
1Poetry Analysis
2Outcomes
- In this lesson you will learn
- How to read a poem
- Tips on how to effectively analyze a poem
- Poetic Techniques
3Poetry Yuck????
- Students are often apprehensive about the study
of poetry. - Poetry does not need to be a difficult task.
- Poetry can be your friend if you approach
analysis in the right manner!
4- Lets look at the following poem entitled
Dreams by Langston Hughes
5Using the TP-CASTT Method
6What is TP CASTT?
- An acronym of steps used to analyze poetry. The
results of TPCASTT can be used to write an essay. - The TPCASTT process is comprised of 7 steps which
should be completed in the order given.
7How does TPCASTT work?
- The TPCASTT method is used to analyze poetry for
some reason specified by the analyst. - The analyst will
- Observe
- Interpret
- Infer
- Analyze
- Evaluate
8Step 1 TitleGoal- Attempt to predict what the
poem will be about
- Ponder the title before reading the poem.
- Questions to ask yourself
- What predictions can I make about the poem
- What feelings can I connect to the poems title?
- Write your response in a complete sentence
9Step 2 ParaphraseGoal- Translate the poem, line
by line, into your own words.
- Paraphrase the literary meaning/plot of the poem.
A true understanding of the poem must evolve
from comprehension or whats going on in the
poem.
10Step 3 ConnotationGoal- Contemplate the poem
for meaning beyond the literal meaning.
- In poetry, connotation indicates that analyst
should examine any and all poetic devices,
focusing on how such devices contribute to the
meaning, the effect, or both of a poem. - Consider imagery, figurative language, symbolism,
diction, point of view, and sound devices - You will link these considerations to the overall
meaning.
11Step 4 AttitudeGoal- Observe both the speakers
and the poets attitude
- Having examined the poems devices and clues
closely, now explore the multiple attitudes that
may be present in the poem. - Here you will describe the tone of the author
and/or speaker. Recall how this is done
12Step 5 ShiftsGoal-Note shifts in the speakers
attitudes or emotions.
- Rarely does a poet begin and end the poetic
experience in the same place. Discovery of a
poets understanding of an experience is critical
to the understanding of the poem. Trace the
feelings of the speaker from the beginning to the
end, paying particular attention to the conclusion
13Look for the following to find shifts
- 1. Key words (but, yet, however, although)
- 2. Punctuation (dashes, periods, colons,
ellipsis) - 3. Stanza division
- 4. Changes in line or stanza length or both
- 5. Irony (sometimes irony hides shifts)
- 6. Effect of structure on meaning
- 7. Changes in sound (rhyme) may indicate changes
in meaning - 8. Changes in diction (slang to formal language)
14Step 6 TitleGoal-Examine the title again, this
time on an interpretive level
- Questions to ask yourself
- Why is the title _____?
- What does this mean?
15Step 7 ThemeGoal- Determine what the author is
saying and wants me to learn and feel after
reading the poem.
- Identify the theme by recognizing the human
experience, motivation, or condition suggested by
the poem - This step, within itself, has a system
- Summarize the plot
- List the subject (s) of the poem (moving from
literal subjects to abstract concepts such as
war, death, discovery) - Determine what the poet is saying about each
subject. Write a complete sentence, making a
statement and point about the subject (s).
16Example of theme explication using the poem
Janet Walking
- Plot In Janet Walking Janet awakens one
morning and runs to greet her pet chicken only to
discover that a bee had stung and killed the
bird. The discovery desolates Janet to such a
degree that her father cannot comfort her. - Subjects
- 1. A childs first experience of death
- 2. loss of a pet
- 3. innocence
- Themes
- 1. Children become aware of the inevitability
of death and are transformed by the knowledge.
- 2. The death of innocence is inevitable
17In Short
- First, you cant read a poem JUST once.
(Oftentimes an initial reading will be
intimidating and overwhelming for a student) . - 2nd Reading of the poem -- take the poem line by
line. This is the beginning of the analytical
stage of the interpretation. Jot notes down in
the margins to help you keep track of your own
insights. - Finally, answer the questions that have been
assigned.
18Answering ELA Qs
- topic sentence
- points of justification (3)
- a clinching sentence.
19The Topic Sentence
- The topic sentence is like a thesis in the fact
that it opens the response and provides a
framework for the rest of the response.
20Points of Justification
- In dealing with the three points of justification
it is important to note that simply providing
examples is not sufficient. Include examples
which are relevant and applicable to the question
at hand. The relevance of each example needs to
be explained fully by the student in order to
verify their thesis.
21Clinching (Concluding) Sentence
- The clinching sentence is the equivalence to a
conclusion and is the last opportunity for
students to tie together their ideas and beliefs.
22Studentsby Tom Wayman
- p.24 (Echoes 12)
- answer questions 1, 3, 4 and 5 on p.30.
- These questions will require you to explore the
following concepts - Connotations
- Point of View
- Irony
- Diction
23Great Poetry Resources
- http//www.shmoop.com/poetry/