Response to Literature
Essay
Analyzing a poem
Objective: We will annotate and
analyze the prompt and poem
• Task 1: read the prompt and determine
key words. What is it asking you to do?
• Task 2: read the poem and annotate
(write in the margin) what is happening
in each stanza? What literary devices
are used?
• Task 3: share the various literary
devices we found.
Objective: We will write an Introductory ¶
for the response to literature essay
• Formula for the Introduction
–Hook
–Overview of text with TAG (Title, Author,
Genre)
–Thesis Statement (What are you going to
prove or argue in your essay?)
• HINT! Your thesis should be an answer to the prompt, so
you can use some of the same words
Objective: We will write an Introductory ¶
for the response to literature essay
• Example
• Sample Prompt: Pat Mora’s “Same Song”
shows what a daughter and son do to make
themselves appear attractive in an attempt
to fit in. Write an essay analyzing the use
of three literary devices such as
alliteration, allusion, metaphor, imagery,
personification, and simile. Explain how
these devices contribute to the
characterization of the daughter and son.
Objective: We will write an Introductory ¶
for the response to literature essay
• Hook (only needs to be 1 sentence)
• Example: For
virtually everyone,
adolescence is a difficult time period
because teenagers constantly feel the
need to fit in and be accepted.
• Your turn!
• Share!
• Whole class: How long is a Hook?
Objective: We will write an Introductory ¶
for the response to literature essay
– Overview of text with TAG (Title, Author, Genre)
• In Pat Mora’s poem “Same Song,” a sixteen
year old boy and twelve year old girl feel
pressured to fit a certain image but are
continually disappointed by their inability to
meet that standard. The daughter
meticulously applies makeup and curls her
hair while her brother works out incessantly
all in an attempt to improve their looks.
• Your turn!
• Share!
• Whole class: How long is the Overview?
Objective: We will write an Introductory ¶
for the response to literature essay
– Thesis Statement (What are you going to prove or
argue in your essay?)
• HINT! Your thesis should be an answer to the
prompt, so you can use some of the same words
• Mora uses an array of vivid imagery, an
allusion to Snow White and alliteration
in the title to characterize the teens as
self-conscious and desperately trying to
conform to society’s standards.
• Your turn!
• Share!
• Whole class: Do you know what a thesis does?
Objective: We will write an Introductory ¶
for the response to literature essay
• Example Introduction
• For virtually everyone, adolescence is a difficult
time period because teenagers constantly feel the
need to fit in and be accepted. In Pat Mora’s
poem “Same Song,” a sixteen year old boy and
twelve year old girl feel pressured to fit a certain
image but are continually disappointed by their
inability to meet that standard. The daughter
meticulously applies makeup and curls her hair
while her brother unceasingly works out all in an
attempt to improve their looks. Mora uses an
array of vivid imagery, an allusion to Snow White
and alliteration in the title to characterize the
teens as self-conscious and desperately trying to
conform to society’s standards.
Objective: We will write a body ¶ for the
response to literature essay
• Formula for the Body Paragraphs
–Topic sentence (what is ¶ going to be
about?)
–Supporting Evidence (quote from text)
–Explain evidence (what does it mean?)
–Tie it up (what is the effect on the reader?)
Objective: We will write a body ¶ for the
response to literature essay
• Topic sentence (what is this paragraph going
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•
•
•
to be about?)
The use of imagery contributes to the
characterization of the two adolescents.
Your turn!
Share!
Whole class: Do you know what a topic
sentence does?
Objective: We will write a body ¶ for the
response to literature essay
• Supporting Evidence (quote from the text)
• In the first stanza, the daughter “squeezes
into faded jeans” while in the second stanza,
her brother “lifts weights in the garage.”
• Your turn!
• Share! Look for “hit and run” sentence.
• Whole class: How long is the Supporting
Evidence?
Objective: We will write a body ¶ for the
response to literature essay
• Explain Evidence
• These images show how obsessed the two are with
their appearance. The tight-fitting jeans indicate
the young girl’s desire to look attractive even
though she is only 12 years old. Similarly, her
brother unceasingly works out in order to improve
his physical appearance.
• Your turn!
• Share!
• Whole class: How long is the Explaining
Evidence?
Explain Evidence Tips and Sentence Starters
• Topic Sentence: The personification of the villas
creates a peaceful setting.
• Explain Evidence = HOW does the
personification of the villas create a
peaceful setting?
• This personification suggests a sense of
tranquility because…
• By personifying the villas, Plath paints the image
of…
• The depiction of sleepy beach-front homes
implies…
• In the pre-dawn moments, even the costal homes
seem to exude tranquility as they…
• This description of the sleepy homes conjures up
images of…
Objective: We will write a body ¶ for the
response to literature essay
• Tie it up (what is the effect on the reader?)
• The imagery in both stanzas allows the reader
to envision the monotony of their routine.
Your turn!
• Share!
• Whole class: What does the Tie it up sentence
do?
Objective: We will write a body ¶ for the
response to literature essay
• Example Body ¶
• The use of imagery contributes to the characterization
of the two adolescents. In the first stanza, the
daughter “squeezes into faded jeans” while in the
second stanza, her brother “lifts weights in the
garage.” These images show how obsessed the two are
with their appearance. The tight-fitting jeans indicate
the young girl’s desire to look attractive even though
she is only 12 years old. Similarly, her brother
unceasingly works out in order to improve his physical
appearance. The imagery in both stanzas allows the
reader to envision the monotony of their routine.
Objective: We will write a conclusion ¶ for
the response to literature essay
• Formula for the Conclusion
–Rephrase Thesis
–Address supporting reasons/Argument
Summary (what were your body paragraphs
about?)
–Provide significance or lesson learned
Objective: We will write a conclusion ¶ for
the response to literature essay
• Rephrase Thesis (go back to original thesis and
•
•
•
•
•
restate what you said using new words)
Original Thesis: Mora uses an array of vivid
imagery, an allusion to Snow White and alliteration in
the title to characterize the teens as self-conscious and
desperately trying to conform to society’s standards.
Restated Thesis: Throughout the poem, Mora uses
various literary devices to depict the speaker’s
children as preoccupied with their appearance.
Your turn!
Share!
Whole class: Does the Restated Thesis use the exact
same words as the original thesis?
Objective: We will write a conclusion ¶ for
the response to literature essay
• Address reasons supporting thesis/ Argument
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•
•
•
Summary (summarize what you talked about in your
body paragraphs)
The imagery used conveys the painstaking routine of
the tasks required to fit in. Similarly, the allusion to
Snow White emphasizes the all-consuming nature of
vanity while the alliteration in the title highlights how
both young people struggle to conform.
Your turn!
Share!
Whole class: What does the Argument Summary do?
Objective: We will write a conclusion ¶ for
the response to literature essay
• Your turn!
• Propose lesson learned or significance (why is
this topic important? Is there a lesson to be
learned?)
• Through the use of literary devices Mora underscores the
notion that neither child is pleased with how they look and
are frustrated that so much time and energy has been spent
trying to achieve the unachievable which is “not fair.”
• Share!
• Whole class: How long is the purpose/lesson
learned
Objective: We will write a conclusion ¶ for
the response to literature essay
• Example conclusion ¶
• Throughout the poem, Mora uses various literary devices
to depict the speaker’s children as preoccupied with their
appearance. The imagery used conveys the painstaking
routine of the tasks required to fit in. Similarly, the
allusion to Snow White emphasizes the all-consuming
nature of vanity while the alliteration in the title
highlights how both young people struggle to conform.
Through the use of literary devices, Mora underscores the
notion that neither child is pleased with how they look and
are frustrated that so much time and energy has been
spent trying to achieve the unachievable, which is “not
fair.”