HOW TO ANALYZE A TEXT
THINGS YOU MUST KNOW
SOAPSTONE
Speaker
Occassion
Audience
Purpose
Subject
Tone
Speaker
Who is the speaker?
• Name
• Writer’s Credentials
Speaker
Occasion
Audience
Purpose
Subject
Tone
Occasion
What is the occasion?
• When was the piece
written?
• Where was the piece
published?
• What is the context or
situation that surrounds or
affects this argument?
• What is the genre of the text?
Speaker
Occasion
Audience
Purpose
Subject
Tone
Audience
Who is the intended
audience?
Speaker
Occasion
Audience
Purpose
Subject
Tone
Purpose
What is the
speaker trying to do
with this argument?
Speaker
Occasion
Audience
Purpose
Subject
Tone
Subject
What is the
speaker writing
about? What is the
overall topic of the
argument?
Speaker
Occasion
Audience
Purpose
Subject
Tone
Tone
What is the
author’s overall
attitude? How do we
know this?
Subject
Occasion
Audience
Purpose
Speaker
Tone
TIME TO ANALYZE
• Using “The Language Police” analyze to
determine the SOAPS of the argument.
USING SOAPS IN YOUR INTRO:
THE FORMAT 1. Speaker, Occasion Subject
(Writer's Credentials), (Writer's first and last
name), in his/her (Type of Text), (Title of Text),
(strong verb) (writer's subject).
STRONG VS. WEAK VERBS
STRONG VERBS
(Analysis)
WEAK VERBS
(Summary)
• Implies
• says
• Suggests
• this quote shows
• Compares
• relates
• Emphasizes
• explains
• Defines
• goes on to say
• Trivializes
• states
• Denigrates
• tells
• Vilifies
• shows
• Demonizes
USING SOAPS IN YOUR INTRO:
THE FORMAT 1. Speaker, Occasion Subject
(Writer's Credentials), (Writer's first and last
name), in his/her (Type of Text), (Title of Text),
(strong verb) (writer's subject).
2. Purpose
(Writer's Last Name)'s purpose is to (What the
writer does in the text).
USING SOAPS IN YOUR INTRO:
THE FORMAT 1. Speaker, Occasion Subject
(Writer's Credentials), (Writer's first and last name), in
his/her (Type of Text), (Title of Text), (strong verb)
(writer's subject).
2. Purpose
(Writer's Last Name)'s purpose is to (What the writer
does in the text).
3. Audience
He/she adopts (or equivalent verb) a(n) (adjective
describing the attitude/feeling conveyed by the writer)
tone in order to (verb phrase describing what the
writer wants readers to do/think)in his/her (intended
audience).
NOTE: This would be followed by your thesis.
SOAPS IN THE INTRO EXAMPLE:
Novelist, Amy Tan, in her narrative essay, “Fish
Cheeks,” recounts an embarrassing Christmas Eve
dinner when she was 14 years old. Tan’s purpose is
to convey the idea that, at fourteen, she wasn’t able
to recognize the love her mother had for her or the
sacrifices she made. She adopts a sentimental tone
in order to appeal to similar feelings and
experiences in her adult readers.
Use your SOAPS information to try to write the intro
for “The Language Police.”
ANALYZE FOR USE OF APPEALS
Logos
 Hard Evidence
• Facts
• Polls/Surveys
• Testimonies
• Statistics
 Common Sense
• Enthymemes
• Syllogisms
• Cultural Vaules/Assumptions
Pathos
 Who is the audience? Is the use of
emotion appropriate to the
audience?
 What emotion is evoked? Are
specific kinds of emotion evoked
such as sentimental or nostalgic
appeals?
•
How does it work to connect the
argument with the reader?
•
How does it work to show the reader
that the author understands them?
Ethos
 Authority
 Credibility
 Motives
“THE LANGUAGE POLICE”
Intro
I.
Logos –
A.
“Censors on the political right . . . behavior.” (276 -277) AND “Censors from the political left . . . being.” (277)
i. This reflects differing cultural values or assumptions.
B.
Definition of censorship (276)
i. Fact, even though the source is not given (negative ethos)
C.
Censorship vs. selection (276)
i. Logical - Syllogism
II.
Ethos
A.
“Censors on the political right . . .” (276) and “Censors from the political left . . .” (277)
i. This shows that she is knowledgable and that she is addressing all sides of the issue which makes her argument
more credible.
III.
Pathos
A.
“The word censorship refers to the deliberate removal of language, ideas, and books from the classroom or
library because they are deemed offensive and contraversial.” (276)
i.
B.
“. . . Delete words, ideas, and topics from textbooks and tests for no other reason that their fear of
controversy.”
(276)
i.
C.
“Arcadia . . .intruded. (276-277)
i. Great example of nostalgic appeal – may work with older educators but could go against the
argument with younger educators or readers
ANALYZE FOR THE
AUTHOR’S USE OF STYLE
COMPONENTS
OF STYLE
1. Diction
2. Syntax
3. Details
4. Imagery
5. Tone
6. Etc.
1. Look for SPECIFIC WORDS
or WORD PHRASES that
seem stronger than others.
Diction is NEVER the entire
sentence.
2. Look for a PATTERN (or
similarity) in the words the
writer chooses.
3. The pattern could include
REPETITION of the same
words or phrases.
DICTION
The words a
writer chooses to
convey a
particular
meaning
DICTION
His adventures allowed him to
slingshot around the world.
VS
His adventures allowed him to
travel around the world.
1. Look for
SPECIFIC
WORDS or
WORD
PHRASES that
seem
stronger than
others.
Diction is NEVER
the entire
sentence.
Do the words used imply a
certain feeling?
Sadness?
Happiness?
Etc?
This pattern helps to create a
particular kind of diction.
DICTION
2. Look for a
PATTERN (or
similarity) in
the words the
writer
chooses.
Repetition helps the speaker
emphasize a point, feeling,
etc.
DICTION
2. The pattern
could include
REPETITION
of the same
words or
phrases.
Be watchful of
REPETITION
in the
argument.
OK WORDS VS. GREAT WORDS
• A coat isn't torn; it is tattered.
• The US Army does not want
revenge; it is thirsting for
revenge.
• A door does not shut; it thuds.
1.
SCHEMES
A variance in the normal
subject- verb- object pattern
2.
SENTENCE LENGTH
Look at how the writer varies
the length of sentences – What
is the effect?
2.
SENTENCE TYPE
Look at the types of sentences
the author uses – What is the
effect?
2.
PUNCTUATION
Look at or for a variety in the
punctuation – What does this
change do to the meaning of the
text?
SYNTAX
The way words
are arranged
within sentences
THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A
TROPE AND A SCHEME
• Rhetorical devices were first recognized by
•
•
•
•
Classical (Greek and Roman) philosophers of
rhetoric such as Aristotle, Quintilian, and Cicero. In
Greek the word trope means “a turn.”
A trope uses words in non-literal ways.
A scheme, on the other hand, deals with word
order, syntax, letters and sounds.
Though rarely consciously used by themselves in
ordinary language, tropes are paired with schemes
to create the more popular term “figure of speech.”
Figures of speech help enhance a person’s style of
writing.
SENTENCE TYPE
look at the types of sentences the author
uses – What is the effect?
• Simple: Subject - Verb (I went to the store.)
• Compound: two independent clauses joined
by a conjunction (I went to the store, and I
bought candy.)
• Complex: Independent clause and
dependent clause (While traveling to the
store, I saw my friend.)
• Compound-Complex: Two indepedent
clauses and one or more dependent clauses
(While traveling to the store, I saw my friend,
and she gave me money for candy.)
• Declarative: a statement ( I went to the
store.)
• Exclamatory: strong feeling (What a
wonderful candy store!)
• Interrogative: question (Is this a store?)
• Imperative: command (Go to the store.)
SYNTAX
The way words
are arranged
within sentences
2.
PUNCTUATION
Look at or for a variety in the
punctuation – What does this
change do to the meaning of the
text?
• SEMICOLON: (;) gives equal
weight to two or more
independent clauses in a
sentence. Writers use this to
reinforce parallel ideas and show
how both ideas are equally
important
• COLON: (:) directs the reader's
attention to the words that follow.
Writers use this to show the
reader that the information after
the colon is important
• DASH: (-) marks a sudden change
in thought or tone or sets off a
brief summary
SYNTAX
The way words
are arranged
within sentences
It is a special kind of rhetorical
strategy because tone is
created by the writer's use of
all of the other rhetorical
strategies:
• Diction and Tropes
• Syntax and Schemes
• Details and Lack of Details
t
TONE
the teller's
attitude or feeling
about the subject
of his text