Response to Literature
Essay
Analyzing a poem
Objective: We will annotate and
analyze the prompt and poem
• Task 1: read the poem (first time)
• Task 2: read the poem (second time) and
annotate (write in the margin) what is
happening in each stanza.
– Pair share
Objective: We will annotate and
analyze the prompt and poem
• Task 3: read the prompt and determine
key words. What is it asking you to do?
– Find the parts of the poem where the bird and
the speaker “interact” and number them
– Pair share
Objective: We will annotate and
analyze the prompt and poem
• Task 4: Determine the theme of the poem
– What is the speaker’s description of the bird when it
doesn’t see the speaker?
– What happens when the bird sees the speaker?
– What does the bird do after the speaker’s interaction?
– What action/imagery is going on in the second
stanza?
– What are TOPICS the poem is about?
– What seems to be the poem’s message about those
topics? (Theme=THE MEssage)
– Write the theme on the prompt below the writing task
box
Objective: We will write an Introductory ¶
for the response to literature essay
• Formula for the Introduction
–Hook
–Overview of text with TAG (Title, Author,
Genre)
–Thesis Statement (What are you going to
prove or argue in your essay?)
• HINT! Your thesis should be an answer to the prompt, so
you can use some of the same words
Objective: We will write an Introductory ¶
for the response to literature essay
• Example
• Prompt: Pat Mora’s “Same Song” shows
what a daughter and son do to make
themselves appear attractive in an attempt
to fit in. Write an essay in which you
analyze how the imagery affects the theme
of the poem. Provide evidence with
textual references to support your analysis.
Objective: We will write an Introductory ¶
for the response to literature essay
• Example Introduction
• Regardless of who you are, adolescence is a difficult time
period because teenagers constantly feel pressured to fit
in and be accepted. Case in point, in Pat Mora’s poem
“Same Song,” a sixteen year old boy and twelve year old
girl feel pressured to fit a certain image but are
continually unhappy by their inability to meet that
standard. The daughter meticulously applies makeup
and curls her hair while her brother unceasingly works
out all in an attempt to improve their looks. In the
poem, Mora uses an array of vivid imagery to develop the
theme that young people are often pressured by society
to fit a certain image.
Objective: We will write an Introductory ¶
for the response to literature essay
• Your turn!
• Hook (only needs to be 1 sentence)
• Example: Regardless of who you are,
adolescence is a difficult time period because
teenagers constantly feel pressured to fit in and
be accepted.
• Share!
• Whole class: How long is a Hook?
Objective: We will write an Introductory ¶
for the response to literature essay
• Your turn!
– Overview of text with TAG (Title, Author,
Genre)
• Case in point, in Pat Mora’s poem “Same Song,” a
sixteen year old boy and twelve year old girl feel
pressured to fit a certain image but are continually
unhappy by their inability to meet that standard.
The daughter meticulously applies makeup and curls
her hair while her brother unceasingly works out all
in an attempt to improve their looks.
• Share!
• Whole class: How long is the Overview?
Objective: We will write an Introductory ¶
for the response to literature essay
• Your turn!
– Thesis Statement (What are you going to prove or
argue in your essay?)
• HINT! Your thesis should be an answer to the
prompt, so you can use some of the same words
• In the poem, Mora uses an array of
vivid imagery to develop the theme
that young people are often pressured
by society to fit a certain image.
• Share!
• Whole class: Do you know what a thesis does?
Objective: We will write a body ¶ for the
response to literature essay
• Formula for the Body Paragraphs
–Topic sentence (what is ¶ going to be about?)
–Supporting Evidence (quote from text)
–Explain evidence (what does it mean?)
–Transition (what are you talking about next?)
Objective: We will write a body ¶ for the
response to literature essay
• Example Body ¶
• In the first stanza, Mora uses imagery to show how her
daughter unsuccessfully tries to fit society’s definition of
beauty. Her daughter “peers into that mirror, mirror on the
wall,” looking for approval and recognition that she is
attractive. Instead, the only response she receives is, “not
fair.” Mora’s daughter allows an outside force, the mirror
(society), to tell her whether she is worthy rather than to make
her own judgment. The rejection she feels can contribute to
feelings of worthlessness, low self-esteem, and a negative body
image that can follow her throughout the rest of her life.
Mora’s impressionable and naïve daughter does not realize
that she is trying to conform to an unobtainable measure of
beauty that will only lead to disappointment and sadness.
Furthermore, imagery in the second stanza supports the idea
that her son also struggles with body image.
Objective: We will write a body ¶ for the
response to literature essay
• Your turn!
• Topic sentence (what is this paragraph going to
be about?)
• In the first stanza, Mora uses imagery to show
how her daughter unsuccessfully tries to fit
society’s definition of beauty.
• Share!
• Whole class: Do you know what a topic sentence
does?
Objective: We will write a body ¶ for the
response to literature essay
• Your turn!
• Supporting Evidence (quote from the text)
• Her daughter “peers into that mirror, mirror on
the wall,” looking for approval and recognition
that she is attractive.
• Share!
• Whole class: How long is the Supporting
Evidence?
Objective: We will write a body ¶ for the
response to literature essay
• Your turn!
• Explain Evidence
• Instead, the only response she receives is, “not fair.” Mora’s
daughter allows an outside force, the mirror (society), to tell
her whether she is worthy rather than to make her own
judgment. The rejection she feels can contribute to feelings of
worthlessness, low self-esteem, and a negative body image
that can follow her throughout the rest of her life. Mora’s
impressionable and naïve daughter does not realize that she is
trying to conform to an unobtainable measure of beauty that
will only lead to disappointment and sadness.
• Share!
• Whole class: How long is the Explaining Evidence?
Objective: We will write a body ¶ for the
response to literature essay
• Your turn!
• Transition (what are you going to talk about next?)
• Furthermore, imagery in the second stanza supports the
idea that her son also struggles with body image.
• Yet the speaker soon disrupts the bird.
• Dickenson continues this message in the X stanza.
• However, the bird does not remain in an uninterrupted state for
long.
• Even after witnessing this purity of nature, the speaker cannot
resist trying to interfere.
• Share!
• Whole class: What does the Transition sentence do?
Objective: We will write a body ¶ for the
response to literature essay
• Example Body ¶
• In the second stanza, Mora utilizes imagery to convey how her
son’s routine of working out is not only time consuming but
ultimately futile. She observes how her “son jogs a mile in the
cold dark/then lifts weights in the garage/curls and bench
presses/expanding biceps, triceps, pectorals.” Society
commonly portrays males as having ripped physiques and
being in shape. Accordingly, the son believes big muscles are
the key to improving one’s self image. Unfortunately, the son
falls prey to this erroneous perception which in turn leads to
his disappointment. When the son “peers into that mirror,
mirror and frowns too” readers realize both the son and the
daughter have been duped into buying into an unobtainable
paradigm of beauty.
Objective: We will write a body ¶ for the
response to literature essay
• Your turn!
• Topic sentence (what is this paragraph going to
be about?)
• In the second stanza, Mora utilizes imagery to
convey how her son’s routine of working out is
not only time consuming but ultimately futile.
Share!
• Whole class: Do you know what a topic sentence
does?
Objective: We will write a body ¶ for the
response to literature essay
• Your turn!
• Supporting Evidence (quote from the text)
• She observes how her “son jogs a mile in the cold
dark/then lifts weights in the garage/curls and
bench presses/expanding biceps, triceps,
pectorals.”
• Share!
• Whole class: How long is the Supporting
Evidence?
Objective: We will write a body ¶ for the
response to literature essay
• Your turn!
• Explain Evidence (quote from the text)
• Society commonly portrays males as having ripped
physiques and being in shape. Accordingly, the son
believes big muscles are the key to improving one’s self
image. Unfortunately, the son falls prey to this erroneous
perception which in turn leads to his disappointment.
When the son “peers into that mirror, mirror and frowns
too” readers realize both the son and the daughter have
been duped into buying into an unobtainable paradigm
of beauty.
• Share!
• Whole class: How long is the Explaining Evidence?
Objective: We will write a conclusion ¶ for
the response to literature essay
• Formula for the Conclusion
–Rephrase Thesis
–Address supporting reasons/Argument
Summary (what were your body paragraphs
about?)
–Provide significance or lesson learned
Objective: We will write a conclusion ¶ for
the response to literature essay
• Example conclusion ¶
• Throughout the poem, Mora uses imagery to repeatedly
conveys the theme that young adults strive to fit the ideal
image created by society. By using precise descriptions, she
clearly describes the process the daughter goes through
every morning to make each element of her appearance
“beautiful”—her clothes, her hair and her makeup.
Similarly, Mora paints an equally detailed picture of the
son as he works out for what seems to be hours trying to
achieve the perfect build. In the end, Mora conveys the
notion that neither child is pleased with how they look and
they are frustrated that so much time and energy has been
spent trying to achieve the unachievable which is “not fair.”
Objective: We will write a conclusion ¶ for
the response to literature essay
• Your turn!
• Rephrase Thesis (go back to original thesis and restate
•
•
•
•
what you said using new words)
Original Thesis: In the poem, Mora uses an array of
vivid imagery to develop the theme that young people are
often pressured by society to fit a certain image.
Restated Thesis: Throughout the poem, Mora uses
imagery to repeatedly conveys the theme that young
adults strive to fit the ideal image created by society.
Share!
Whole class: Does the Restated Thesis use the exact
same words as the original thesis?
Objective: We will write a conclusion ¶ for
the response to literature essay
• Your turn!
• Address reasons supporting thesis/ Argument
Summary (summarize what you talked about in your
body paragraphs)
• By using precise descriptions, she clearly describes the
process the daughter goes through every morning to
make each element of her appearance “beautiful”—her
clothes, her hair and her makeup. Similarly, Mora paints
an equally detailed picture of the son as he works out for
what seems to be hours trying to achieve the perfect
build.
• Share!
• Whole class: What does the Argument Summary do?
Objective: We will write a conclusion ¶ for
the response to literature essay
• Your turn!
• Propose lesson learned or significance (why is this
topic important? Is there a lesson to be learned?)
• In the end, Mora conveys the notion that neither child is pleased
with how they look and they are frustrated that so much time and
energy has been spent trying to achieve the unachievable which
is “not fair.”
• Share!
• Whole class: How long is the purpose/lesson learned