Expository Essay – Interpretative
Steps:
1. Read through the poem to interpret or decode it.
a. Underline unknown words and look up their definitions
b. Circle figurative language
c. Summarize each stanza
2. Fill out the outline form
3. Write the essay, proofread, revise, rewrite, type.
First Paragraph (tells the who, what, why, where, when and how of the poem)
Green: Background information on the poem
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Who wrote the poem?_______________________________________________________________
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What is the title of the poem?_________________________________________________________
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Where does this poem describe/take place?______________________________________________
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When (time period) does this poem describe/take place?___________________________________
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What types of figurative language did the author use?_____________________________________
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How did the figurative language help enhance the poem?___________________________________
Summary: Give an overview of the poem’s content. (Give a one or two sentence summary of the poem.)
_______________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________
Thesis: What point is this poem trying to make? (What’s the main idea the poet wants to get across?)
_______________________________________________________________________________________
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Second Paragraph (Here you will use exact quotations from the poem and interpret what the author meant.
Remember, each of your examples must relate to your thesis!)
Yellow: Give a Key Idea, Reason or Fact that the author is trying to show or tell. It must relate to the
main idea (thesis) of the poem. __________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
Reds: (you will pick three exact quotations, and then tell why the author used them, or what s/he means.)
Example 1) (be sure to use a transition word somewhere in the sentence, buried is better!)
First, in line ____, the author states, (now write the exact quotation): “_____________________
____________________________________________________________________________.”
Explain 1) (explain what the poet meant by the above quotation – it must relate to your thesis.)
______________________________________________________________________________
Example 2) (use another transition word somewhere in the sentence; again, buried is better!)
Next, in line ____, the author states, (use another exact quotation): “_______________________
____________________________________________________________________________.”
Explain 2) (explain what the poet meant by quotation #2 – be sure it follows your thesis.)
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
Example 3) (use a final transition word somewhere in the sentence, buried is better!)
Lastly, the author states in line ____, (one last quotation that relates to your thesis): “_________
____________________________________________________________________________.”
Explain 3) (explain what the poet meant by example quotation #3.)
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______________________________________________________________________________
Evaluate: (Give a short concluding sentence about how/what the author showed/stated/wrote):
____________________________________________________________________________________
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Third Paragraph (Here, in first person, you will introduce your ideas and thoughts about the poem, what it
made you think about, how it relates to your life today, etc.)
Yellow: Key Idea, Reason or Fact (What did this poem make you personally think about? Be sure it
relates somehow to your thesis!) _________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
Red: Explain how it relates to your life today. ______________________________________________
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Red: Give more evidence (go into more detail) or give a second example. ________________________
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Red: Give some final evidence or examples as to why the poem made you feel/think the way you
did.________________________________________________________________________________
Green: Final Conclusion - Here, reword your thesis using synonyms (do not just use your exact thesis
from above) and restate the main idea using synonyms and a conclusion word buried in the final
sentence. ____________________________________________________________________________
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