SCASI (Prose other than non-fiction)
Setting
1. Is the setting predominantly:
geographical,
social (how people live in that place and at that time),
historical (when it happens),
political (how society at large is organized and controlled),
philosophical (what ideas about life people in the community, or the writer have),
moral (what the people at that time and place think of as ‘right’ and ‘wrong’),
economic (how the characters make a living, and what larger financial forces operate)?
2. How ‘large’ is the setting (e.g. is it very local and specific, or universal)? Does the writer ‘move
around’ within the setting (focusing on different parts of it in turn)?
3. How much physical detail is included in the descriptions?
4. Does the setting raise any questions?
Characterization
1. Is the only character the writer himself/herself? If so, what impression do we get of him/her as
person?
2. Is either the writer or one of his/her characters clearly trying to present himself/herself to us in
a particular light?
3. If there is a central character other than the writer is he/she also the narrator? What is the
effect of that?
4. If there is more than one character in the passage, is the main focus on them as individuals or
on their relationship?
5. What is the writer’s relationship-if it exists-with his/her character(s)? (e.g, admiration, disdain,
etc.)
6. What does the writer want us to feel about the character(s) in the passage?
Action/Plot
1. Is most of the action in the past, present or future?
2. Does the main interest of the passage lie in the past, present or future?
3. Is there anything particularly interesting or unusual about the verbs in the passage?
4. Is there a problem/conflict to be solved?
5. Is there a climax?
6. What in the passage makes us care about ‘what happens next’ in the action?
Style
1. What is notable about the diction (choice of words)?
2. What patterns of imagery (groups of images) can you detect? What is the use of the senses?
4. What examples of figurative (non-literal) language can you find? (personification, hyperbole,
simile, etc.)
5. Syntax: Is the sentence structure mainly simple or complex? Are there unusually large
numbers of questions, exclamations or commands, alongside plain statements?
6. How does the writer use dialogue?
7. How does the structure of the passage match the content, and in particular the development of
the content?
8. What about: tone, theme, allusions, symbolism?
Idea
1. Does the passage make a statement or simply ask a question?
2. How general, or how precise, are the ideas?
3. How ambiguous are the ideas? (i.e. can the passage be interpreted in more than one way?) If
so, which is the most likely interpretation?
4. If there is ambiguity, is it deliberate on the part of the writer?
5. Does the passage’s title (if it has one) help us understand the passage itself?
SOAPSTone (non-fiction prose)
Subject
What is the subject or topic of the piece?
What theme or big idea do you see?
What is this piece about?
Occasion
What event or occasion do you think caused the author to write this piece?
Audience
To whom is the author writing? How do you know?
Purpose
What does the author want you to believe or understand?
What is the purpose of the text (choose one):
To educate or inform (if the author’s position was neutral)
To persuade or convince (if the author’s position was negative or positive)
To reflect on an important event or idea (poetry, personal narrative)
Speaker
What do we know about the speaker? How does his background affect his point
of view on the subject?
Tone
What is the attitude of the speaker or writer as revealed by the choice of
vocabulary?
Tone words: academic, formal, informal, sarcastic, humorous, informative,
reflective, persuasive, casual, argumentative, passionate, cautionary,
condescending, respectful, etc.