microsoft word how to write a literary response

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HowtoWriteALiteraryResponse

Whatisaliteraryresponse?

• Itisareflectivepieceofwritingthatanalyzesafictionaltext• Thereare5partstoaresponse:

• Summary(Introduction)• Meaning(Theme/Message)• Connections• CodesandConventions• Judgment

WhattoDoWhileReading

• First,checkthetitleforclues• Useahighlightertohighlightimportantinformationinthetext(ex.namesofcharacters)

• Askyourselfquestionstocheckforyourunderstanding• Ifsomethinginthetextmakesyouthinkofsomething,writethatthoughtdown-itcouldbeaconnection!

• Lookupinadictionaryanywordsthatyoudon’tknow• Ifpossible,readthestoryTWICE

BeforeYouWrite

• Makesurethatyouunderstandthestory’splot(whathappensinthestory)

• Ifyoudonotunderstand,readitagain• Usethegraphicorganizerwiththeboxestohelpyouorganizeyourideasforeachpart

• ThisshouldbedoneinpointformPART1:Summary

• AsummaryisaSHORTre-tellingofthestory.• Imagineyourfriendasksyouwhatthestorywasaboutandyouhavetoexplainittothem.

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• Itisimportanttoincludethemaincharacters,whathappensatthebeginning,inthemiddleandattheend.

• Yoursummaryshouldstartwithsomethinglike“Inthestory“________”by_________therewas…

• DONOTcopysentencesfromthestory.Example

Inthestory“TheGreedyFather”thereisagreedymannamedNadjowhowantshisbeautifuldaughter,Gbessi,tomarrysothathewillbepaidahighbride-price.GbessiendsupmarryingamonkeydisguisedasamanbecauseNadjoonlycaresabouttherichesMonkeygiveshim.Monkeyeventuallygetstiredofbeingamanandturnsbackintoamonkey,whichterrifiesGbessi.GbessirunsawayfromMonkeybacktohervillage,butjustassheseesherfather,Monkeyturnsherintoamonkey!NadjofeelssoguiltyandsadthathewasblindedbyMonkey’swealththathedies.PART2:Meaning

• Askyourselfwhattheauthormayhavewantedtoteachhisorheraudience

• Thinkaboutwhatmessagethestory’scharacterslearnedattheend• Fromyourbrainstormingonthesequestions,chooseamainthemeandwriteathematicstatement

• Explainhowthethemeisshowninthestory• Giveexamplesfromthestorythatdemonstratethetheme(quotes)• Expandonyourideasaboutthetheme.

Whatisathematicstatement?

• Athematicstatementisanopinionaboutathemeinastory.• Thethematicstatementshouldapplytoeveryoneeverywhere.• Forexample,in“TheGreedyFather”athemeisgreed.• Beinggreedyleadstonegativeconsequencesisathematicstatement.

Example

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Thestory’smainmessageisthatbeinggreedyleadstonegativeconsequences.ThismessageisdemonstratedinthestorywhenNadjosufferstheconsequencesofbeinggreedywhenhefeelsguiltyforhavinggivenMonkeypermissiontomarryhisdaughteranddies.MonkeyonlylearnsaboutGbessibecauseherfatherisgreedy:“Oneday,amonkeylivinginthejungleheardaboutGbessi’sgreatbeautyandherfather’senormousgreed”(27).ThisquoteshowsthatifNadjohadnotbeensogreedyandfocusedonbecomingrich,Monkeyneverwouldhavetrickedhiminthefirstplace.Ifhehadcaredmoreaboutthewellbeingofhisdaughter,shewouldprobablyhavemarriedsomeonewhohadotherqualitiesotherthanbeingrich.Attheendofthestory,theconsequencesofNadjo’sgreedarethatGbessiturnsintoamonkeyandhe“wentinsanewithsadnessandtheguiltofhisowngreed.Hediedsoonthereafter”(29).ThispassagedemonstratesthatNadjorealizesthathewasgreedyandthatitishisfaultthathisbeautifuldaughterisnowamonkey.“TheGreedyFather”showshowbeinggreedyleadstonegativeconsequences.PART3:Connections

• Inthissection,youneedtomakeatleast2connectionsbetweenthetextandothertextsyouhaveread,currentevents,orpersonalconnections.

• Startbypointingoutthesection/themeinthetextthatconnectstoyouridea.Makesurethatitisnotvague.Repetitionisokay!

ExampleNadjo’sgreedforwealthin“TheGreedyFather”canbeconnectedtoScar’s

greedforpowerin“TheLionKing”.Inbothcases,theygetwhattheywant.NadjogetsrichandScarbecomesKingofthePrideLands.Intheend,however,bothNadjoandScarsuffertheconsequencesoftheirgreed:Nadjoloseshisdaughteranddies,andSimbadefeatsScarandhyenasattackhim.

AnotherconnectionIcanmakeisbetweenNadjo’sgreedforwealthandmyfriendMax’sgreedforwealth.Inbothcases,theythinktheygetwhattheywant:Nadjogetsrichwiththebride-priceheispaidandMaxgetsrichbyworkingallthetime,sometimesmorethan80hoursaweek.Intheend,however,bothNadjoandMaxsuffertheconsequencesoftheirgreed.Nadjoloses

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hisdaughteranddies.Maxlosesfriendsbecauseheisneveravailabletohangout,whichmakeshimunhappy.PART4:CodesandConventions

• Chooseacodeorconvention(Characterization,Conflict,Symbolism,Pointofview,Imagery,Simile/Metaphor)

• Identifythecodeorconventionthatyouwillbewritingabout(Ex.In“TheGreedyFatherthereisimagery...”)

• Giveanexampleofhowitisusedinthetext.Ifyoucan,provideaquote.

• Answer,“Howdoesitenhancethemeaning/centralmessageofthestory?”

CHARACTERIZATION

• Characterizationishowtheauthordescribesacharacter’spersonalityandappearance.

Example

In“TheGreedyFather”theauthorusescharacterizationtodemonstratethatthemonkeyisatrickster.Monkeyis“averyuglymonkey,buthewasverysmart”(27).ThisquoteletsthereaderknowthatMonkeywillbeabletotrickNadjo,regardlessofwhatheactuallylookslike.ThischaracterizationcontributestothemessageofthestorybecauseitmakesMonkey’sdeceptionevenworse.CONFLICT

• Conflictisastrugglebetweenopposedforces.• Infictionthisstrugglecanbebetweentwocharacters,betweenacharacterandsociety,betweenacharacterandnatureoracharacter’sinternalconflict.

Example

In“TheGreedyFather”theauthorshowsNadjo’sinternalconflict.Guilt,aninternalemotion,iswhatcausesNadjotogoinsaneanddie“Withindays,

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Nadjowentinsanewithsadnessandtheguiltofhisowngreed”(29).ThisquotedemonstratesthatNadjoishisownenemy,andcreatedhisownsadness.

SYMBOLISM

• Symbolismistheuseofanimageorsymboltoexpressanidea.Example

In“TheGreedyFather”theauthorusesthemonkeyasasymbolofinferiority.Themonkeyisasymbolofinferioritybecausemonkeysareconsideredlessevolvedthanhumans.ItisthereforeparticularlydevastatingthatGbessiturnsintoamonkey.Iftheauthorhadusedadifferentanimal,forexampleanelephant,thestorywouldnothavethesameeffect.ThissymbolcontributestotheseriousnessoftheconsequencesofNadjo’sgreed.POINTOFVIEW

• Thepointofviewistheperspectivefromwhichthestoryistold.• Firstperson–Thestoryistoldfromtheperspectiveofacharacterinthestory.Theyaretellingthestoryhowtheyexperiencedit.Ex.OnceuponatimeIlivedinasmallvillage.

• Secondperson–Thestoryistoldfromtheperspectiveofanauthortellingthereaderwhatthereaderdid.Thisperspectiveisalmostneverused.–Ex.Onceuponatimeyoulivedinasmallvillage

• Thirdperson–Thestoryistoldfromtheperspectiveofanarrator–someonewhoisnotacharacterinthestory.Onceuponatimeinasmallvillage,therelivedaman.

IMAGERY

• Imageryhelpsthereadertovisualizemorerealisticallywhattheauthorhaswritten.

ExampleIn“TheGreedyFather”theauthorusesimagerytohelpthereaderimagine

whatNadjosawwhenGbessiturnedintoamonkey:“Herhairturnedcoarseand

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stiffandspreadalloverherbody.Hergracefularmsandlegswithered.Hermonkeyfacegrimaced”(29).ThisexampleenhancesthethemeofgreedleadingtonegativeconsequencesbecausethereadercanvisualizewhatNadjo’smainconsequencewas.TheauthorhelpsthereaderunderstandNadjo’ssadnessthroughthisimagery.SIMILE/METAPHOR

• Asimileisacomparisonbetweentwothingsusingthewordslikeoras.• Ametaphorisacomparisonbetweentwothingswithoutusingthewordlikeoras

Examples

• Simile(NOTINTHETEXT)Gbessi’seyeswerebigandbrightliketwodiamonds.

• Metaphor(NOTINTHETEXT)Gbessihaddiamondsforeyes.Part5:Judgment

• Writeyouropinionofthetext.Didyoulikeit?Didyounotlikeit?Why?• Didyouthinkthatthiswasgoodwriting?Whyorwhynot?• Didtheauthorcommunicatehisorhermessageclearly?Whyorwhynot?

Example

Thestory“TheGreedyFather”presentsaclearmessageaboutgreed.Thefather’sconsequencesareveryexaggerated,andalsounlikely.IthinkthatitwouldhavebeenbetterifNadjohadhadtolivewiththeguiltofhisowngreedfortherestofhislifeinsteadofdying.Also,therearemanypartsofthestorythatdonotmakesense.Forexample,itisveryunlikelythatGbessi’sfather,greedyasheis,wouldnotquestionwhynoneofMonkey’sfamilyorfriendscometohiswedding.Furthermore,itseemsstrangethatMonkeywouldwaituntilGbessiranawayfromhimtoturnherintoamonkey.Ifhecouldhaveturnedherintoamonkeyatanytime,whywouldn’thehavejustturnedherintoamonkeyassoonastheylefthervillage?Forthesereasons,Idonotlikethestoryverymuch.