READ ONE of the following novels: The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald, The Grapes of Wrath by
John Steinbeck, The Jungle by Upton Sinclair, Portrait of a Lady by Henry James, or Obasan by Joy
Kogawa and complete the Style Chart for the novel you have selected to read.
As you read the novel and make annotations, you are also required to collect and analyze evidence of
the author’s style. Use the elements of style chart and the questions included to help gather
evidence, and draw conclusions. You do not need to answer every question for each element; the
questions are meant as a guide to arrive at conclusions about the author’s style and the impact it has
on the meaning of the text.
So what is writer’s style?
• Style in literature is the literary element that describes the ways that the author uses words—
the author's diction, sentence structure, figurative language, and sentence arrangement all work
together to establish mood, images, and meaning in the text.
• Style describes how the author describes events, objects, and ideas.
If you are unsure of how to analyze one of these elements, please refer to one of the online sites for
help:
http://www.roanestate.edu/owl/ElementsLit.html or
https://www.carrollwooddayschool.org/uploaded/documents/ElementsofFiction6-4-10.pdf
Students will be required to create a Style Chart (see below) to record and analyze examples of
an author’s style during reading. Please follow the instructions and examine the sample to
complete a chart which you will create and that will be collected during the first week of
school.
Be sure to:
• Discuss at least 4-6 different style elements listed in the chart which include diction, tone,
figurative language, point of view, use of dialogue, and character development
 Select excerpts/evidence from the beginning, middle, and end of the novel, and cite the page.
 Record and discuss up to 20 entries
Elements to Consider
1. Diction
2. Tone
3. Figurative
Language
4. Point of
View
5. Use of
Dialogue
6. Character
Development
TASK 3
Are there any words that stand out to you? Why does/do the word(s) stand out? What are the
denotations of these words? What are the connotations of these words? Why do you think
the writer uses a particular word (this will be unique to what is occurring in the text at that
moment)? How does the writer’s style choice have an impact on your understanding/the
meaning of the text?
What is the author’s attitude (adjective/feeling/word) towards the subject or topic discussed
in the excerpt/evidence? How does the writer’s style choice impact your understanding/the
meaning of the text?
Are there any metaphors, similes, symbols, personification, hyperbole, etc.? What is the
author trying to say by using that particular figurative language? What is the effect he/she is
creating with his/her choice of figurative language? How does the writer’s style choice impact
your understanding/the meaning of the text?
First, second, third, omniscient, limited, multiple, inanimate? Why does the writer use this
point of view to tell the story? How does the writer’s style choice impact your understanding/
the meaning of the text?
How often does dialogue tell the story? Does the reader see whole conversations or just
fragments? Does the conversation appear natural or contrived? What does the use of
dialogue reveal about the character who is speaking? Is there a specific type of dialogue that is
unique to a character? How does the writer’s style choice have an impact on your
understanding/the meaning of the text?
How does the author introduce characters? How does the reader see their evolution in the
story? What is their function in the story? Their motivations? Their flaws? Do you have anyone
in your life like this person? Based on who he/she is, what can you predict about this
character? What do you think will happen to him/her based on who he/she is? How does the
writer’s style choice impact your understanding/the meaning of the text?
Now create your own chart with the same headings in the student sample and with at least 20 different
entries. Make sure to add your name and the title of the text you selected from the list provided.
TASK 3