Outside Reading Project Hints
Author’s Purpose: why the author wrote the story
· Is the author trying to teach me something?
· Is the story just for entertainment?
· Is the author trying to persuade me?
Author’s Style: the specific ways the writer’s express their ideas (just like you have your own clothing style
Author's style is based on:
-sentence structure: does author use mostly short sentences or long, complex sentences?
-word choice: does the author use simple words or long, formal ones?
-tone: what sort of feeling do you have about the writing? Is it loose and casual, formal and proper, or something different?
-dialogue: do the characters speak in slang or dialect? does their language seem realistic and believable?
-sensory details: does the author use words that appeal to your five senses?
-figurative language: does the author use words to paint pictures? are similes and metaphors an important part of the author's style?
Do they contain many subordinate clauses, or are they often fragments?
Are there any digressions or interruptions?
Is the word-order straightforward or unconventionally crafted?
2. Pace / Is the writing heavily descriptive, with emphasis on setting and atmosphere, or does it focus on action and plot movement?
3. Vocabulary / Are the words simple or fancy? Are they technical, flowery, colloquial, cerebral, punning, obscure (and so on...)?
4. Figures of speech / Are there any metaphors, similes, or symbols?
Are there any other uses of figurative language (personification, metonymy, and so on)?
5. Use of Dialogue / How often does dialogue tell the story?
Do we see whole conversations or just fragments?
Does the conversation use slang or is it formal? Does it appear natural or contrived?
Does the dialogue give a sense of pacing, of pauses, of the unsaid?
How much does it substitute for narration?
6. Point of View / Possibilities: first, second, third, omniscient, limited omniscient, multiple, inanimate, free indirect discourse.
7. Character development / How does the author introduce characters, and how do we see their evolution in the story? What is their function and motivation?
What kinds of characters are they? Full/round? Stock characters? Stereotypes? Caricatures?
8. Tone / What is the author’s attitude? What is the mood of the story?
Does the author seem sarcastic? Aggressive? Wistful? Pessimistic? In love? Philosophically detached? Hopeful? Ironic? Bitter? (And so on...)
Whatever the tone, where is it visible in the narrative?
9. Paragraph / Chapter Structure / Are paragraphs very short, or are they enormous blocks running across many pages?
Are the chapters short or long? How many are there, how are they organized, and why is this important?
10. Time Sequencing / Chronology / How has the author organized the chronology of events? To what effect? What is the work’s structural “rhythm”?
Author’s Tone
· Analyze the phrasing used to describe events. Is the author sarcastic? Do they use many metaphors, or lay out facts without opinion?
Ask yourself how the information is presented. What order do you receive information in? How is the author trying to persuade you, if they are?
Author’s Purpose PRACTICE
1. Lisa always looked forward to the fall because of the Harvest Festival. Of course, she loved the rides, but she really enjoyed the shows. This year would be the best. Lisa had a special opportunity to perform in the talent show.
The author's purpose is to
a. entertain.
b. persuade.
c. inform.
d. create a mysterious mood.
2. What do you do with aluminum cans? Do you throw them in the trash, or do you recycle when you are finished with them? At the rate we are filling our landfills, we will not have anywhere else to put our trash. If you recycle, you will help the environment. The next time you throw away your Coke can, think about putting it in a recycling bin. Your effort will help save your community.
The author's purpose is to
a. entertain.
b. persuade.
c. inform.
d. create a mysterious mood.
3. The impressive eagle is a national symbol in the United States for patriotism and freedom. Because the bald eagle was once hunted for sport, it is on the verge of extinction. If you kill a bald eagle, you can go to jail. Unfortunately, the bald eagle still maybe become extinct.
The author's purpose is to
a. entertain.
b. persuade.
c. inform.
d. create a mysterious mood.
4. This was Kathy's first baby-sitting job. She was so excited, but she was really nervous. Kathy's parents made her attend a baby-sitting workshop before she could baby-sit her neighbor's five-year-old son, Matthew. Kathy knew this was a lot of responsibility, but she thought she was ready. Kathy marched confidently to Matthew's house and waved goodbye to Matthew's parents. It seemed as soon as his parents left, Matthew fell and hit his chin on the coffee table. Without panicking, she remembered what she learned in her baby-sitting class and applied first-aid.
The author wants to show that
a. Matthew should not run in the house.
b. Kathy is ready to baby-sit.
c. Kathy needs to attend more baby-sitting workshops.
d. Coffee tables can be dangerous.
Author’s TONE PRACTICE
1. Mr. Jones, since you obviously appear to know everything, would you like to come up here and teach this class for me?
a. sarcastic
b. critical
c. disrespectful
2. Did you see what he just did? My goodness!
a. insecure
b. humorous
c. surprised
3. This is one of the best essays I've ever seen. It's clear, concise, and convincing.
a. complimentary
b. wistful
c. hopeful
4. Bill had stayed up all night preparing for this presentation. He had everything ready: charts, graphs, lists, statistics. This was the biggest meeting of his career. He was ready. He smiled as the cab pulled up to 505 Park Avenue, and he gave the taxi driver an extra large tip. He entered the building confidently and pushed #11 on the elevator. Suddenly, as the doors of the elevator closed, he realized that he had left his briefcase in the cab.
a. cheerful
b. ironic
c. critical
Author’s POINT of VIEW PRACTICE
Directions: Read each statement or example below. Choose one (or more) of the following Point of View
Terms and copy on the line. Terms: 1st Person, 2nd Person, 3rd Person, 3rd Person - Limited, 3rd Person-Omniscient, Subjective, Objective
1. The author can shift focus from character to character. The author’s narrator shares knowledge of each main character’s thoughts and of events which no single character could be aware. Point of View:
2. The author, when speaking of the main character, uses pronouns like you and yours. Point of View:
3. The author, when speaking of the main character, uses pronouns like I, me, mine. Point of View:
4. You say, “I’m only going to say this once. I am not going with you to the mall.” You hate doing it but have no intention of admitting to him that the reason is that you want to work on your history project. Point of View:
5. Harry said, “I’m only going to say this once. I am not going with you to the mall.” Point of View:
6. I said, “I’m only going to say this once. I am not going with you to the mall.” Point of View:
7. The author’s narrator tells only what can be seen and heard. The narrator does not give the reader the internal thoughts or feelings of any of the characters. This type of narration is like a store’s surveillance camera recording the audio and video of the events that occur within its line of sight. Point of View:
8. Harry told Nathan, “I’m only going to say this once. I am not going with you to the mall.” Harry felt he would lose Nathan’s friendship all together if Nathan knew why he didn’t want to go. Harry was judging Nathan too harshly. Nathan would have helped him study, not ditched him. Point of View:
FIGURATIVE LANGUAGE/LITERARY DEVICES HELP
Allegory-a story in which the characters symbolize ideas or larger concepts
Allusion-a reference to something the author assumes the reader will have knowledge of
Analogy-giving an example to show a similarity
Anecdote-a short story given as an example
Appeal to emotion (Pathos)-an example designed to affect us emotionally. When an author makes us feel angry, sad, shocked…
Archetype-a model or standard for a character (i.e. father figure, rebel, underdog…)
Elegy-a sad poem
Epitaph-writing about someone dead
Evidence-Examples or proof
Excerpt-a piece of text, but not the whole text
Farce-something silly or foolish
Hyperbole-extreme exaggeration
Inclusion-to include, a make a part of
Irony/ironic-a comment or development that is opposite of what is meant or expected
Literally-an exact meaning, not metaphorical
Literary trend-an element of writing that is found in multiple literary works from a particular era or region
Logic/logical (Logos)-an appeal to reason or the mind When something make sense to us
Main purpose-the main reason or intension
Metaphor-a comparison that says one thing is something else
Motif-a subject or theme that occurs again and again
Parable-a story told to teach a lesson
Parallel structure-balance in a sentence or phrase such as verbs in the same tense (eating, working, playing…)
Parody-a work that mimics another work to be funny
Pastoral-writing that is set in the country and makes a rural setting positive
Personification-giving human characteristics or emotions to something not human
Philosophy/philosophical-refers to the ideas or beliefs of the author of a selection
Point of view-the position or opinion of the narrator
Rhetorical technique/effect-a way of using words or language for effect
Satire-making fun of something, the use of irony
Simile-a comparison that says one thing is like something else. Usually uses the words like, as or than
Subgenre-a grouping under a category of literature (for example, subgenres of fiction would include: fantasy, mystery, romance…)
Theme-the central subject that relates to the reader and life in general
Tone-the style of an author’s writing, the attitude with which he/she writes