
Topic Sentence:
o Your topic sentence should introduce the author, the title(s) of the piece(s), and the two
literary devices to be analyzed. For example:

The theme of Audre Lorde’s poem “Hanging Fire” is made evident through her use
of refrain and personification.

In her poems “Young” and “The Fury of Rain Storms,” Anne Sexton’s artful use of
connotation and metaphors bring forward her powerful messages about life.

Introduce Device #1 (one sentence)
o Introduce the first device and incorporate a specific example from the text.

Explain Device #1 (one or two sentences)
o Describe how the author’s use of this device supports his/her purpose/delivery of the
message/theme.

Introduce Device #2 (one sentence)
o Introduce the second device and incorporate a specific example from the text.

Explain Device #2 (one or two sentences)
o Describe how the author’s use of this device supports his/her purpose/delivery of the
message/theme.

Concluding Statement (something similar the following sentence stem):
(Author’s Name)
__
(“Title(s) of Text”)______
_________(adverb -ly)___________creates his/her own style in
using (device #1)
__ and (device #2)
__ .
Example SCR:
The theme of Audre Lorde’s poem “Hanging Fire” is made evident through her
use of refrain and personification. Lorde uses the refrain, “and momma’s in the
bedroom with the door closed” at the end of each of the three stanzas in the
poem. The use of this particular literary device makes Lorde’s style unique
because she uses it to reinforce the theme of isolation in her poem. Lorde also
uses personification to make the speaker’s diffidence clear when she writes “my
skin has betrayed me.” The strong negative connotations in this figurative
language support the theme of teenage angst and the struggles associated with
coming of age while reinforcing Lorde’s distinctive style. Overall, Lorde’s style is
shown through her use of refrain and personification in the poem “Hanging Fire.”
Rubric
Category
Structure
Grammar,
Punctuation,
Spelling
Incorporating
Textual
Evidence
Analyzing
Textual
Evidence
4
Exceeds
3
Meets
The writer has
followed the
prescribed format
flawlessly.
The writer has
made no
distracting errors
in grammar or
spelling.
The writer has
carefully and
seamlessly
introduced and
incorporated two
relevant pieces of
textual evidence.
The writer has
followed the
prescribed format.
The writer has
clearly and
carefully explained
exactly how the
author used the
selected literary
devices to support
the theme and
create a unique
style.
2
Developing
The writer has left
out an element of
the prescribed
format.
There may be 1 – 2 The writer has
distracting errors
made 3 – 4
in grammar or
distracting errors
spelling.
in grammar or
spelling.
The writer has
The writer has
introduced and
presented two
incorporated two
relevant pieces of
relevant pieces of textual evidence,
textual evidence.
but one or both of
the quotes is
poorly introduced
and/or
incorporated.
The writer has
The writer has
explained how the attempted to
author used the
explain how the
selected literary
author used the
devices to support selected literary
the theme and
devices to support
create a unique
the theme and
style.
create a unique
style, but the
explanation is
confusing or
vague.
1
Unsatisfactory
The writer has not
followed the
prescribed format.
The writer has made
an excessive
amount of
distracting errors in
grammar or spelling.
The writer has not
introduced specific
textual evidence
and/or the textual
evidence is
irrelevant/poorly
selected.
The writer has not
attempted to
explain how the
author used the
selected literary
devices to support
the theme and
create a unique
style, and/or the
writer demonstrates
a lack of
understanding when
it comes to the
selected literary
devices.