It is never moral
It does not instruct or improve you
It does not generalize
It is often impossible to believe
It is often contradictory
It is told for...
Identify repeated ideas, words, images, or events
Notice what the main character wants and what stands in the way
Look at how the character changes from...
Identify the main conflict
Notice repeated ideas, images, or symbols
Track what the characters learn or change
Look for the message about life or human nature
Ask what...
Read the text carefully
Identify the main theme
Note key characters, events, and symbols
Choose a specific literary element to analyze
Develop a clear thesis statement
Gather textual evidence
Explain...
Read the poem once for overall meaning
Read it again more slowly
Notice the title
Identify the speaker
Identify the audience, if any
Pay attention to word choice
Look for...
Be willing to admit when you do not know something
Seek evidence before forming a strong opinion
Question your own assumptions
Listen carefully to opposing views
Avoid speaking...
Read the introduction first
Read one chapter at a time
Pay attention to recurring patterns
Notice symbols, motifs, and allusions
Look for biblical, mythological, and literary references
Ask what...
Use quotation marks around the exact words from Shakespeare
Include the play title, act, scene, and line numbers if available
Cite the speaker’s name when relevant
Use...
Identify the central idea
Look for repeated ideas or symbols
Notice the main conflict
Pay attention to character changes
Examine the title
Consider the setting
Ask what lesson is being...
Identify the central idea of the work
Determine the message or insight the work communicates
Focus on a universal concept rather than a specific plot event
Use...
The poem “How to Tell Wild Animals” is written by Carolyn Wells.
It is a humorous poem about identifying wild animals.
The poet describes different animals...
The poem humorously describes how different wild animals can be identified by their appearance, behavior, and the danger they pose.
It shows that each animal...
The poem humorously describes dangerous wild animals and how to identify them.
The Asian lion can be recognized by its loud roar and large size.
The...
Read the poem carefully more than once
Notice the imagery, rhythm, and word choice
Mention specific lines or phrases you liked
Comment on the emotions the poem...
Identify the main conflict
Look for repeated ideas, images, or symbols
Notice what changes in the main character
Pay attention to important dialogue and actions
Ask what lesson...
Read the poem more than once
Identify the speaker
Identify the subject
Determine the tone
Note the mood
Find the theme
Examine the title
Look for imagery
Identify symbols
Analyze word choice
Analyze figurative...
Resist linguistic shame
Speak your native language without apology
Reject pressure to abandon your accent
Value bilingualism and code-switching
Defend your cultural identity through language
Challenge language discrimination
Keep ancestral...
Read actively, not passively
Ask what the author is doing, not just what is happening
Look for patterns, symbols, and repeated images
Pay attention to titles, openings,...
