Style Analysis: DETAILS
Part III: DETAILS
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Details are concrete description (can
include figurative language); think
“imagery”
Who, what, when, where
Remember 
– Diction  connotative vocabulary
– Details  concrete description
Details are concrete
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Who? What? When? Where? Why?
Example:
“turned a little to watch what I would do”
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This supplies CONCRETE detail to the
reader; it helps us visualize the snake
turning around as it sits on the desert sand
Group Practice:
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Read “The Rattler” (again )
With a different color pen or
highlighter from what you used for the
diction analysis, highlight any
examples of details or imagery that
strike you as significant
Detail Paragraph:
Topic Sentence
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The sentence should include the word
detail and give a focus for the
paragraph.
EXAMPLE:
 The author’s detail illuminates the
standoff and subsequent duel between
the man and snake.
Detail Paragraph:
Concrete Detail Sentence
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Just as you did with diction, you will write
an example sentence. There is one
difference in the CD: you will include only
TWO quotations because detail and imagery
require more words than diction to convey
an idea:
EXAMPLE:
 The snake “[turns] a little to watch” the
man as it waits to see if he will go “back to
the ranch house, [get] a hoe, and [return].”
Detail Paragraph:
Commentary Sentences
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These should comment on the images
conveyed by the detail. Commentary
does not mean paraphrasing the
quotation sentence; it means thinking
about the EFFECT of the images
suggested by the detail.
Sample Analysis for
“The Rattler”
Quotation
 “turned a little to
watch”
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go “back to the
ranch house, [get]
a hoe, and [return]”
Commentary
 not afraid or
hesitant
 casual reaction to
trivial interruption
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calm watching of a
possible threat
Sample Detail Paragraph
The author’s detail illuminates the standoff and
subsequent duel between the man and snake. The snake
“[turns] a little” to watch the man as it waits to see if he
will go “back in the ranch house, [get] a hoe, and
[return].” The snake is not afraid, hesitant, or easily
unnerved because it knows its own formidable power. It
moves its head casually, glancing over to see what
interesting but trivial intrusion has arrived. After the man
kills the reptile, he “does not cut the rattles off” but
instead lets the snake “drop into the bush.” He does not
want to take its life and feels no satisfaction in its death.
The man’s respectful actions in response to the dignified
presence of the snake are worthy. As he performs his
distasteful yet necessary task, he mourns the loss of
grandeur and nobility.
Paired Practice:
Henry James Passage
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Read the Henry James passage
Underline, circle, or highlight the
details in the passage
Discuss/chart quotations and
commentary
Rough draft of paragraph