Barnet Review for Unit One
LETTER TO STUDENTS (xxxvii-xxxviii)

Purpose of book: to help you develop skills that are important for what? (a) for your mental progress (b) for your development as an educated adult

Goal of book: to help you become what? (a) an alert reader (b) an effective writer (c) confident as a reader in understanding what literature has to offer

The study of literature requires what three qualities? What are they? (a) Concentration (b) Commitment
(c) Discipline

Who are the editors of the book? Sylvan Barnet, William Barto, William Cain

Can you communicate with them? Yes. They give their snailmail address and invite students to write
WRITER AS READER (1-12)
 “The writer is pitching and expects the reader to catch”: what does that mean? It means that the writer makes meaning and the reader catches it. Reading is recreation because the reader
. Re-creates the written work

What is the intentional fallacy? (5) N.B., a clarification of the text. An error in thinking that says the author’s intended meaning (the author’s “intention”) is the only true meaning; this is incorrect for several reasons. (1) We don’t even know often what the author intends (he or she never stated an intended meaning). (2) The author isn’t always conscious of all the meanings communicated in his or her writing. (3) The reader’s interpretation may not match the author’s intention; this does not mean that the reader’s interpretation is wrong.
 Should you look up every word you don’t know? NO, it will slow you down too much. Do look up repeated words or words that seem important or emphasized, or words you need to know to avoid confusion

How do you annotate a text? (a) Read with pen in hand (b) Underline, jot notes or questions (cf. 7-
“Ripe Figs”)

Recording first responses (7-8) – Identifying audience and purpose (8)

Note also (9-10: student essay) and (11-12: analysis) o What advice do Barnet et al give about the title of an essay?
 It’s informative, indicates the focus of analysis
 It’s interesting, makes the reader want to read on o What do they say about plot summary
 Be brief
 Focus on thoughtful analysis (thesis and evidence) o What do they say about quotations? About transitions? o What do they call a “deadly conclusion”? o
What do they say about essay length as a guide to the writer ?
CRITICAL THINKING (189-90)

The word comes from the Greek KRINEIN . What does it mean? To separate. Separate the whole into parts. Kritikos (critic)  one who is able to discern
 In analysis you separate the whole into parts and then . You synthesize (put the parts back into a whole) by generating a thesis and relating all the parts to that thesis
 What does “criticize?” mean? To find fault? NO, “criticize” means to examine and to judge. Note the
Exception in box p. 189 (self criticism—look for faults in your reading and writing and then correct them)
 Can you count on inspiration as a writer? NO, you can count only on your work. The writing itself is its own inspiration. “Success is 10% inspiration and 90% perspiration.”
English 201 with Professor Floren. Review of Unit One: Readings in Barnet et al. Page 1

Barnet Review for Unit One
APPENDIX A: MANUSCRIPT FORMAT (B 1320-24)
 Manuscript Format (note a few variations in our “Paper Guidelines” handout)
 Corrections in Final Copy (note a few variations in the “Editing Marks” handout)

Quotations and Quotation Marks: IMPORTANT! In text v. set-off quotations. Quoting poetry.

Punctuating titles by rules governing various literary genres
READER AS WRITER (B 13-30)

PREWRITING – Getting Ideas – Responding Freely (13-19). Annotating the text (cf. p. 7).
Brainstorming. Focused free writing. Listing. Asking Questions. Keeping a Journal
 CRITICAL THINKING: Systematic, Disciplined Reponses: “Critical thinking is rational, logical thinking. In thinking critically writers” do three things. What are these three activities? o They scrutinize their assumptions. o They test the evidence the have collected, even to the extent of looking for counterevidence. o They revise their thesis when necessary, in order to make the argument as complete and convincing as possible.
In sum, critical readers subject initial responses to critical thinking—they test their responses against all of the evidence, including counterevidence.

THESIS (20-1). A statement that asserts the significance of all the information in the essay. An arguable point, an idea that can be developed . A controlling idea of the essay that is supported by evidence in the essay and that should “withstand scrutiny”; readers should feel that “your argument is thoughtful” (20)

WRITING PROCESS: prewriting

rereading and thinking

working thesis
 key points and brief outline

draft

rereading and thinking

improved, developed draft (unify, organize, clarify, and polish, B 24)  rereading and thinking  developed outline (thesis and topic sentences, or at least the topics and methods)

revised draft (develop, unify, organize, clarify, polish, edit)

peer review
 rereading and thinking  revision (more of the same  )

OUTLINES: o Content outline: what each paragraph says, the sequence of major topics, degree of development of topics, the thesis o Function outline: what each paragraph does (e.g., gives an example, explains the meaning of a key term, provides details, tells a relevant story, makes an application, makes a comparison or contrast, shows causes and/or effects)
 What TENSE do you use when you are summarizing the plot or analyzing the character or providing details of the literary work? PRESENT TENSE , the eternal artistic present. (Hamlet is still doing what he’s doing in the eternal life of the literary work)
 PEER REVIEW: In what ways is it helpful? o It gives the writer a real audience who can make suggestions, who may disagree, and who may even misread o It gives the writer a fresh perspective that may stimulate thoughtful revision o It helps you, when you are the peer reviewer, you become a better reader of your own work and consequently a better reviser (learning to write=learning to read) o See “Questions for Peer Review” (B28)

See Checklist B30 (writing with a word processor)
 Kate Chopin’s “The Story of an Hour”
COGENT: What does it mean? Convincing, appealing strongly to the intellect or powers of reasoning (from
Latin cogere : to force or drive together)
English 201 with Professor Floren. Review of Unit One: Readings in Barnet et al. Page 2

Barnet Review for Unit One
READING AND WRITING ABOUT DRAMA (B 333-44) to help you understand and interpret your play—e.g., tragedy, irony. CHAPTER 13 (scan) – for familiarity and reference as you study your play.
READING LITERATURE CLOSELY: EXPLICATION (B3: 42-55)
Literature: What Is It?
Broad Definition: anything using words to communicate or entertain, especially in writing (can you give examples?). Definition of the academic discipline of literature:
 Language (words, etc.) artfully formed/shaped to provide the reader with experience and understanding
 The artful choice and arrangement of words (written and oral literature) that gives readers/listeners both insight and the pleasure of making connections and meanings through mindful attention to sounds, rhythms, structures, denotations and connotations, language devices, and literary techniques
 A performance in words during which the reader experiences feelings and gains knowledge
 Note the differences between practical writing and artful writing; see Barnet’s examples using the proverb and the couplet
Close Reading: Reading in Slow Motion
 What is a close reading? What is reading is slow motion? (a) Heightened responsiveness to words on a page or in an oral performance. (b) Examining the text (the text=the literary work) with care and intensity/ paying close attention to words, their uses, their meanings. (c) Looking and listening with special alertness, without rushing, without impatience with what may at first appear puzzling or confusing or even incomprehensible, lingering over verbal details and vivid images. (d) Reading with curiosity. (e) Examining the text with care and intensity

Why do it? (a) To help you understand a work that may seem odd, strange, obscure, or densely textured.
Slo-mo replay helps you perceive details you might otherwise miss and to see the work from a different perspective. To increase your understanding of the text – slo-mo replays help you better understand what happened. (b) To help you enjoy the work. To increase your enjoyment of the reading experience
– slo-mo replays increase your pleasure in certain artful “plays”

What do you need to do to be able to respond consistently and reliably well to literature and do this close, slo-mo reading? (a) Acquire the ability to read literature closely (b) Practice the skill to become better at it (c) Explain and demonstrate, in critical essays, what you have learned from your close reading
Explication

What is an explication?
o A line-by-line, episode-by-episode commentary on what is going on in a short work or in a segment of a longer work. It moves from beginning to end for a short o Not just a paraphrase or re-wording, but a commentary that provides some sense of the meaning and structure of a work or a segment of the work o A segment-by-segment commentary that explores the meanings of words (denotations and connotations), the implications of metaphors and images, the speaker’s tone of voice, the structure (organization or sequence) and relationship of parts o An explication is sustained, meticulous, thorough, systematic

What is the purpose of an explication? o To learn more about the literary text o To clarify and account for your emotional response to literature that interests, excites, troubles, frustrates, or inspires you o To communicate with others so your reader sees something as you see it o Writing transforms your responses (perceptions, enthusiasms, doubts) so they can be shared. o To inform and to persuade: an explication is informative and interpretive; it gives information about the text about which there can be no disagreement, and it also states an interpretation of
English 201 with Professor Floren. Review of Unit One: Readings in Barnet et al. Page 3

Barnet Review for Unit One the text, which others may not share or may disagree with, and gives reasons (textual evidence) to accept that interpretation o To present insights about details of language and show how the details add up to some meaning so that the reader understands the literary work more clearly and enjoys it more fully
Explication (continued)
 Why do it? o It helps you to interpret (unfold, open up, unpack) a work o It builds habits of attention that prepare for successful analysis o It improves your reading comprehension o It enhances your critical and creative thinking skills o It improves your critical and creative writing skills o It’s fun!

How do you do it o Copy out the text, by handwriting or typing. Double space. Why? To kinesthetically know the text. o Annotate the text you have copied out. o Make some journal entries (cf B49, a 4-day set of journals) o Jot key ideas and then write a draft if your explication will lead to a paper o “When you write, you are the teacher.”
EXAMPLE: See the section explicating Langston Hughes’ “Harlem” (pp. 47ff). See also the “Checklist” for drafting an explication paper (B54
READING LITERATURE CLOSELY: ANALYSIS (B4: 61-95)
Analysis (B61-67)

What is it? A separation into parts in order to better understand the whole—e.g., reasons for Hamlet’s
“madness,” ways in which Hamlet’s “madness” differs from Ophelia’s, Hamlet’s hyper-rationality, the poisons of Denmark that infect the most brilliant of minds, how Hamlet demonstrates “melancholia” as it was known in16 th century England. An analysis is a systematic explanation of a thesis/argument about a work; the analytic reader/writer selects those parts of the literary text that clarify, explain, and support the thesis. Those selected parts serve as textual evidence supporting the reader/writer’s thesis.
Analysis is not destructive because it requires close reading and study of language. Argument v. quarrel: An argument is a reasoned discussion whose purpose is to enlighten both parties in the discussion. A quarrel is simply a primitive clash of statements and claims whose purpose is to fight: to put down to other person or to defend one’s ego.

Why learn how to do it? (a) Most of college writing assignments are analytic. (b) Analysis helps us think about complex matters and sheds light on our responses. (c) Analysis helps our mental development

How do we do analysis? o Ask reasonable and interesting questions to stimulate thinking (B61), esp. why? N.B. “We believe and we ask you to believe that there are in fact no ‘right answers,’ only more or less persuasive ones, to most questions about literature—as about life. Our aim is to help you to pose questions which will stimulate your thinking. . . . The number of reasonable things that can be said about a work is almost as great as the number of readers. And a given reader might, at a later date, offer a different reading from what the reader offers today” (62). o Begin by exploring the genre and then the structure or organization of parts of the literary work o Look for patterns, for symmetry, and for relationships between the parts of the work
English 201 with Professor Floren. Review of Unit One: Readings in Barnet et al. Page 4

Barnet Review for Unit One o Notice what is NOT in the work o Consider various interpretive or critical approaches (e.g., gender, historical, psychological) –
See Chapter 18
Comparison: An Analytical Tool (B67-73).
“Comparison” includes both difference (contrast) and similarity
(comparison)
 What is its purpose? to call attention to the unique features of something by holding it up against something similar but in some way significantly different.
N.B. “If the differences are great and apparent, a comparison is a waste of effort. (‘Blueberries are different from elephants. Blueberries do not have trunks. And elephants do not grow on bushes.’) – B69

What organizational patterns clearly show comparison? When you write long essays, organize by points about both A and B (point 1- A and B examples; then point 2 A and B examples; etc.)—NOT “all A” and then “all-B” (latter technique is usually hard to construct and control and also hard for the reader to follow unless written extremely well) o EXAMPLE: See B69ff o “Looking at the Essay” bullets B73. (a) The title announces the topic . (b) The first paragraph announces the thesis , the point that will be argued. (c) The second paragraph begins by getting directly to the point announced in the thesis. (d) The body paragraphs advance the argument by explaining the parts of the thesis and by giving evidence (the word “because” signals you are being reasonable). (e) The writer uses relevant quotations to provide further evidence. (f) The final paragraph does not boringly repeat, does not say “Thus we see”—it includes all the key words of the thesis and title, but presents this material freshly o “Checklist” B74: note the 6 points detailing how to revise a comparison—as part of all of your analysis
Evaluation in Explication and Analysis (B74-5)

Evaluation concerns whether and to what extent something (whatever is being evaluated, an idea or a poem or a story, for example) is good or successful or effective or worthwhile or valuable (and so on)

Evaluations are based on standards. (a) Be sure your standards are clear to the reader. (“The story is inspiring because. . . .” “The poem is disappointing because. . . .”). (b) Be sure your standards reflect critical thinking, knowledge of what you are judging, and maturity. (Don’t embarrass yourself or your reader by making claims like “The story is inspiring because it proves that my religious beliefs are true” or “The poem is disappointing because it is boring” or “because it has too many big words in it.”)
Choosing a Topic – Developing a Thesis for Analysis (B75-7)
 Most essays cannot discuss all aspects of an idea or a literary work. You need to choose a topic.
 What is an appropriate topic? Something in which you can, through your own effort, be genuinely interested. Note that you are in charge of making something interesting, not the literary work, not the assigned subject, not the professor. There are no boring ideas or literary works, only boring thinkers and boring readers.
o The topic must be COMPASSABLE You can write about it with reasonable attention to detail in the number of words required by the assignment and in the number of days you have to complete the assignment.
o Which of the following topics is compassable for a meaningful essay of 1000-2000 words?
(a) Shakespeare’s Hamlet
(b) Character in Hamlet
(c) Symbolism of revenge in Hamlet
(d) Revenge in Hamlet
(e) The role of Providence in Hamlet .

What questions can you ask to find an appropriate topic? (B76)
English 201 with Professor Floren. Review of Unit One: Readings in Barnet et al. Page 5

Barnet Review for Unit One o What purpose does this serve? Identify with the author (e.g., what is the role of Osric) o Why do I have this response? Trust your feelings when they are activated by critical reading
(e.g., how is it possible that I am interested in and sympathetic to a character who is essentially a bore?)
 What questions can you ask to find an appropriate topic? (continued) o How does my response test against a published scholarly commentary that is different or even opposite? (a) Don’t accept without thinking what you read. (b) Test published and unpublished claims (by scholars, classmates, and teachers) about the literary work against your own critical reading of that work. “Students who pay close attention to their peers learn a great deal” (B76).
Which is the most promising thesis for a 1000-2000-word essay on the role of Providence in Hamlet ?
(a) The role of Providence is hard to understand but very important.
(b) The role of Providence in Hamlet is interesting, is very important, is evident in the role of the Ghost, is somewhat complicated, and can be seen in every scene.
(c) The role of Providence in Hamlet is not confined to the Ghost but is found also in the killing of Polonius, in the surprising appearance of the pirate ship, and in the presence of the poisoned chalice.
NOTE: Sample essay on Thurber’s story, with analysis of the essay (B77-84) – not for facts but for understanding of how to write a story analysis (be familiar in Unit 1- know by end of Unit 3)
Developing an Argument (B84ff): Organizing the parts of your essay

INTRODUCTION (the opening paragraph). Unimportant in the process of writing (most openers in the early stages of drafting are false starts, throw-aways). Critical to the final product o Types of UNINTERESTING openers (B84f):

Dictionary definition
 Simple restatement of title (e.g., title is “Peace Starts from Within”  ineffective opener=”This essay will discuss peace that starts from within.”)
 A platitude (e.g., Everyone has their [sic] own definition of pace” or “People have been at war since the beginning of time.”) o Types of INTERESTING or EFFECTIVE openers (B 85f):
 Establish a connection between life and literature.
 Give an overview
 Include a quotation
 Use a definition of your own
 Introduce a critical stance or perspective (e.g., feminist, Marxist, psychoanalytical)
 Provide facts that underlie your assumptions
 Tell a relevant story about your own life or something in the recent news
 Each makes a specific point that supports the thesis, and develops that point with relevant evidence
 Each is coherent—develops ONE supporting point about the thesis of the essay. Each sentence is logically and explicitly connected to the previous and following sentences.
 Connections between paragraphs are made clear by appropriate transitional words and phrases.
 Paragraphs are sequenced in a logical, easy-to-follow order.
 MIDDLE PARAGRAPHS: o Each makes a specific point that supports the thesis, and develops that point with clear evidence o Each is coherent—develops ONE supporting point about the thesis of the essay. Each sentence is logically and explicitly connected to the previous and following sentences (no non sequiturs , clear transitions between sentences) o Connections between paragraphs are made clear by appropriate transitional words and phrases. o Paragraphs are sequenced in a logical, easy-to-follow order.
English 201 with Professor Floren. Review of Unit One: Readings in Barnet et al. Page 6

Barnet Review for Unit One
 CONCLUDING PARAGRAPSH (B87FF) for essay under 2000 words in general should NOT be a mere summary – should NOT begin with phrases such as "In conclusion," "To summarize," "Thus we see," “Therefore,” or "I recommend this work because. . . “ – should not end with a plot summary either
REVIEW: WRITING AN ANALYSIS (B89-95)
COMPLETE READING OF YOUR PLAY (Hamlet or Electra) . Know the facts of your play
(who’s who, what happens). Be able to identify ironic statements and situations.
APPENDIX B: WRITING RESEARCH PAPERS (B 1325-42): reference only. Quiz questions only on items worked for assignments.
REVIEWING A DRAMATIC PRODUCTION (B146-49): extra credit.
CRITICAL STRATEGIES (B621-38): Be able to explain and recognize the different strategies (aka approaches to a literary work, critical perspectives).
ESSAYS ON HAMLET (B1037-53 ). Scan essays to get familiar with various critical approaches to interpreting a literary work in all three Units of English 201. No questions on Quiz 1.
READING AND WRITING about ESSAYS (B207-18)

Types of essays: meditative (reflective), argumentative (persuasive), expository, narrative, descriptive
 Essayist’s persona: voice, tone

Example summary and analysis of an 216f) essay (e.g., preparing a summary 213ff, stating the thesis of the essay 215f, drafting a summary

Checklist: getting ideas for writing about essays (useful also in analyzing your own or a classmate’s essay): persona and tone, kind of essay (purpose), structure, value
APPENDIX C: NEW APPROACHES TO RESEARCH (B 1343-72): reference only. Quiz questions only on items worked for assignments.
SUMMARY AND PARAPHRASE (B130-2)
 What is a summary? A brief restatement of a text (e.g., of the plot of a story) in a SHORTER form o Fewer words than the original text (“much briefer”) – not a paraphrase, not a word-byword translation of someone’s words into your own o Omits almost all the concrete details of the original – sticks to the main points o Is accurate o Is usually written in present tense
English 201 with Professor Floren. Review of Unit One: Readings in Barnet et al. Page 7

Barnet Review for Unit One o Is short in proportion to the text being summarizes (e.g., 250-word summary paragraph for 2500+ word original text, longer summaries possible for longer texts—it depends on the context for your summary) o Does not need to keep the main points in the same order as in the original text being summarized o Makes clear when the summary ends and when it begins (N.B., use quotation marks around phrase or words used in a special sense—Barnet’s advice is misleading on p.
131) o Summary is not analysis, only restatement in digested (short) form

What is a paraphrase? A restatement of a text that may need clarification – includes all the information of the original, does not omit concrete details o Is used only for very short passages, sections of essays or stories, lines of poetry or drama o Does not merely change vocabulary or substitute a few synonyms for words or phrases in the original text, but actually says the same thing in new words AND new sentence structures o Requires skill in using good desk dictionary, and skill in structuring sentences o Value? Improves understanding of at least surface meaning and often implicit meaning as well

Helps a reader understand the original (great for clearing up points in poetry)

Clears up unfamiliar terms or words and phrases loaded with meaning

Explains figures of speech o A paraphrase is always a different language experience from that provided by the original text.
Other work in Unit One:
Handouts: class syllabus materials and introductory handouts (requirements of the course such as workload and AWS—the letter to students, and definitions of effervescent and evanescent, the carpenter metaphor), paper guidelines (e.g., headings, format, drafting process), APEx, editing symbols (proofreaders’ marks—e.g., P, pov, WC, dev), research handouts, Website recs, etc.
Class lectures, demos, and discussions: point of view, APEx, logic, JSTOR, credentials, etc.
Class assignments and exercises: Learning Logs, Paper 1, Research Assignments, Paper 2 (and research method, primary v. secondary sources, bibliography and note cards, plagiarism, MLA format, author’s credentials), etc.
English 201 with Professor Floren. Review of Unit One: Readings in Barnet et al. Page 8