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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.