Literary Devices
“Because the way you grow old is kind of like an onion or like the rings inside a tree trunk…”
What is a simile?
This character faces an internal conflict: does he stay safe with his mother or explore dangerous new territory on his own?
State name and story title
Who is: Jerry from "Through the Tunnel"
“The woman was sitting on the day-bed. After a while she said, ‘I were young once and I wanted things I could not get.’"
What is: people can learn from their past experiences
The first sentence of a QA paragraph should do this…
What is: Introduce the story title, author, and what’s happening in the quote
Mood of the opening of The Continuity of Parks?
What is: Calm/Detached
"Well, here he was; he had had the accident; he was alone; and he had saved himself. Those old-timers were rather womanish, some of them, he thought. All a man had to do was to keep his head, and he was all right. Any man who was a man could travel alone."
Explain one literary device here (and its role)
What is
1. Diction: words like "old-timer" and "womanish" add to the arrogance of the man, showing how little he thinks of those around him
2. Repetition: "man" to emphasize how important the man feels now that he has "saved himself"
Like M.C. Escher’s “Drawing Hands,” this story plays with the boundaries between fiction and reality.
What is: "The Continuity of Parks"
"ONCE UPON A TIME I was uncool. Useless. An empty pool in the summer. A pencil with no lead. Macaroni without cheese. You get the point…"
Question: Which theme might this passage reflect?
A) Struggle with identity and growing up
B) Violence can solve problems
C) Nature is unpredictable
D) Being rich makes life easier
What is: a struggle with identity and growing up
The analysis 1 portion of a QA paragraph should:
hint: mist list all portions
What is: Name a literary device, cite a part of the quote, and explain the role of that device
Tone in Thank You, Ma’am when the woman scolds Roger but then lets him go…
What is: Firm but caring and compassionate
Which literary device is used in “I was uncool. Useless. An empty pool in the summer. A pencil with no lead. Macaroni without cheese”?
What is: metaphor
This character uses “a little fiction” (and some questionable pickup lines) to make his memoir interesting for his English teacher.
Must state character name and story!
Who is: Monk from "Seventy Six Dollars and Forty Nine Cents"
"But when the sick feeling goes away and I open my eyes the red sweater’s still sitting there like a big red mountain. I move the red sweater to the corner of my desk with my ruler."
What is:
Responsibility and consequences: Even when you try to avoid or ignore a problem, it remains until it’s dealt with.
Learning from mistakes: The red sweater could represent a past mistake or embarrassment; confronting it calmly allows growth.
Acceptance and coping: Some challenges aren’t going to disappear, but managing them maturely helps you move forward.
The analysis 2 portion of QA paragraphs should:
What is: Explain the effect of the device and connect to a bigger message/theme
Tone in Eleven when Rachel describes her embarrassing situation at school…
What is: Frustrated / ashamed
Which literary device is present in “letting himself go toward where the images came together and took on color and movement”?
What is: imagery
This story uses diction one would expect from a narrator who feels like “the part of [her] that’s three wants to come out of [her] eyes.”
State title and author
What is: "Eleven" by Sandra Cisneros
"It struck him as curious that he could run at all on feet so frozen that he could not feel them when they struck the earth and took the weight of his body. He seemed to himself to skim along above the surface and to have no connection with the earth."
What is:
The power of nature over humans: No matter how strong or determined, humans are vulnerable to natural forces.
Respect and humility in the face of nature: Nature is indifferent to humans; survival requires awareness and respsect.
The conclusion sentence should...
What is: Bring the paragraph full circle, connecting the quote to the story or real world
Describe the mood of the "Through the Tunnel" after Jerry passes through the tunnel successfully after all of his training.
What is: Satisfaction, Growth, Maturity, Victory
“Then, Roger, you go to that sink and wash your face,” said the woman, whereupon she turned him loose - at last. Roger looked at the door - looked at the woman - looked at the door - and went to the sink."
What is one example of a literary device present in this quote?
What is:
Repetition – “looked at the door - looked at the woman - looked at the door” emphasizes Roger’s hesitation, nervousness, and the tension in the moment.
Diction – The author’s specific word choices like “turned him loose” convey a sense of finality and relief.
This character was “without imagination,” much to the disappointment of his traveling companion.
Must say name and story title
who is: the man from "To Build a Fire"
"Word by word, immersed in the sordid dilemma of the hero and heroine, letting himself go toward where the images came together and took on color and movement, he was witness to the final encounter in the mountain cabin."
What is: The blurring of reality and fiction; the consuming power of literature/storytelling
What is the purpose of a Quotation Analysis Paragraph?
What is: to pick apart (or zoom in to) specific parts of a quotation to see how it contributes to the larger/deeper message of a story.
“Then, Roger, you go to that sink and wash your face,” said the woman, whereupon she turned him loose - at last. Roger looked at the door - looked at the woman - looked at the door - and went to the sink."
What is the tone of this passage?
what is: careful, cautious, apprehensive