Close Reading Practice

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Close Reading Practice
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Overview of the process

• Main points
• Conclusion

What are the ideas that lead us to the
conclusion?
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• 1. Determine what are the main themes and issues
  of the entire text

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Themes in "Our America by José Martí

• Create Do not imitate
• Be careful of learned authorities
• Establish a government that is unique and
  appropriate to the Americas
• Work toward a common good
• Diversity is a positive aspect of American
  culture
• We should look after our past, our family, our
  roots.
• See the colonial inheritance as corrupt and
  defunct
• Favor the local
• Take notice of your neighbors (don't be
  provincial)

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Overview of Jose Marti's "Our America"

• Marti calls for people to step forward with
  their ideas
• Expresses desire for people in America to be
  united, to make America strong
• Uses "Our America" to refer to Latin America.
  Situates his essay within a historical context
  with mention of the Aztecs, the Inca, Simon
  Bolivar--Latin American liberator--and figures
  from Mexico's War of Independence
• Recognizes role of Catholic Church (rosary as our
  guide) in identity
• Reflects on the Peasant--associates him with
  Nature, an individual who will resist tyranny and
  outside ideas
• Criticizes the dandy--one who is Europeanized
  (English breeches, Parisian vest, etc.). 
  Likewise, he critiques the general, scholar and
  judge--figures of authority who are influenced by
  ideas from the U.S. and from Europe (French
  revolution)
• Makes note of the Giant of the North

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• 2. Determine how the chosen passage illuminates
  the concerns, themes and issues of the entire
  text it is part of.

Note that a Close reading moves from the
smallest bits of information (words, phrases,
punctuation, paragraphs) to larger concepts or
themes.
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Looking for the main argument

• Excerpt 1
• The wine is made from plantain, but even if it
  turns sour, it is our own wine! (884)

• Why does the author use the word plantain?
• Why does the author use the word sour?
• Why does the author use the word our?
• Why does the author use the phrase our own?
• Why does the author use the word wine?
• Why is it important to have a wine made of
  plantain?

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Why do we call this process a Close Reading?

• Because the final argument is based on these
  smaller levels of the passage.

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• 3. A Close Reading HELPS to answer particular
  questions or helps to support a specific thesis.
• Particular question Is there a critique of North
  America?
• Response/Future Thesis There is a critique
  of North America.

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Example

• I propose that
• there is a critique of a North American
  nation
• or
• there is a critique of the menace that the
  North American Nation represents to the Latin
  American countries

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How to start my text?

• In the text (title), William Bradford
  presents the idea of as one of his main
  themes/ as his main argument/ OR
• In the text .. William Bradford proposes that
  .. By saying that, he is implying What I
  propose in this essay is (thesis).

• In the text (title).. William Bradford
  proposes that .. However, this idea also
  .. What I propose in this essay is
  (thesis).
• When W. Bradford says
• Quote (page )
• he is (start to explain your arguments one by
  one).
• In the text (title).. William Bradford
  proposes that .. However, this idea also
  .. What I propose in this essay is
  (thesis).
• W. Bradford says
• Quote (page )
• This means that .. because(start to explain
  your arguments one by one).

• When W. Bradford says quote (page ) , he is
  (write your thesis) . because... . In fact,
  (title). proposes .. as its main argument
  That is why it is important to.

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What subtle information is in the text?

• A powerful idea, waved before the world at the
  proper time, can stop a squadron of iron-clad
  ships, like the mystical flag of the Last
  judgment. Nations that do not know one another
  should quickly become acquainted, as men who are
  to fight a common enemy. (880)
• The conceited villager believes the entire world
  to be his village. Provided that be can be mayor,
  humiliate the rival who stole his sweetheart, or
  add to the savings in his strongbox, he considers
  the universal order good, unaware of those giants
  with seven-league boots who can crush him
  underfoot, or of the strife in the heavens
  between comets that go through the air asleep,
  gulping down worlds. (879)

Who is the conceited villager? Who is the common
enemy?
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• Excerpt 2
• We were a phenomenon wit ha chest of an
  athlete, the hands of a dandy, and the brain of a
  child. We were a masquerader in English breeches,
  Parisian vest, North America jacket, and Spanish
  cap (884).