AP English Language
The Awakening: Chapter 6 Style Analysis Project
A Cooperative Lesson
Revised from a Lesson by Deborah Louis, AP Consultant
Goals:


Work cooperatively to analyze assigned sentence(s) and present a thorough and thoughtful analysis
that explains how the author’s style contributes to the tone and meaning, especially how the ideas of
chapter 6 connect to the novel as a whole.
Select and use digital tools to craft a multi-media presentation that presents analysis and invites
feedback and discussion from a global audience, using any combination of the following digital tools:
o Voicethread.com, wiki, blog
o text documents
o video
o photographs
o slideshow(s)
Assigned Roles:
1. Diction Detective
a. Determines, defines, and presents author’s strongest word choices (diction), their connotations,
and associated tones.
b. Defines and presents ambiguous or difficult vocabulary of the sentence.
2. Syntax Sleuth
a. Presents the type of sentence, identifying the independent and dependent clauses and the
subjects within the clauses. Explains syntax and its impact on the overall meaning.
b. Identifies any schemes or tropes (rhetorical devices) and explains their effect and author’s
purpose in using them.
c. Explains how author’s diction connects to author’s purpose and meaning.
3. Imagery Imitator
a. Meets with team and examines other team members’ explanations and charts before drawing.
b. Draws the sentence to bring to life the imagery and tone of the sentence. Makes certain that no
color exists on paper that does not exist in sentences. No white space exists unless there is
white in the sentence.
c. Pays special attention to color inferences, shapes, and subordinated ideas vs. main ideas.
d. Mediums: markers, pencils, cut-outs, paints, crayons, PowerPoint, PhotoShop, etc.
e. Explains art decisions in presentation, explaining how details of drawing connect to meaning of
sentence(s).
4. Attitude Analyst and Digital Director
a. Evaluates and presents author’s selection of detail and, if present, allusions.
b. Leads discussion with whole group to put sentence(s) in context of the whole novel, explaining
these ideas in the presentation.
c. Crafts a tone thesis sentence that accurately pinpoints the tone of the sentence(s) and the “So
What?”—the author’s purpose and point.
d. Leads discussion with whole group to select a format for presentation and decide which digital
tool or combination of tools would work best to present analysis. Creates a storyboard to map
out presentation format and identify digital tools used.
e. Coordinates digital tasks to complete and publish project.
Lisa Huff
http://justread.wordpress.com
Cooperative Lesson adapted from lesson by Debra Louis
1
“In good writing, words become one with things.”
- Ralph Emerson
#1
A certain light was beginning to dawn dimly with her—the light which, showing the way, forbids
it.
Circle the type of sentence:
simple
compound
complex
compound-complex
Circle the subjects in the sentence. Remember, each clause has a subject. Avoid those sneaky prepositional
phrases.
Questions to ponder, discuss, answer, and explain in your presentation. Identify the strongest
words and/or phrases in your sentences and discern between diction, detail, imagery, and
syntax.
DICTION
Strong words
Denotation
RHETORICAL/LITERARY DEVICE
Quotations
Device
Connotation
Tone
Purpose, Effect, Meaning
Tone
IMAGERY
Images (Look for phrases)
Colors?
Shapes and Senses?
Connotation
Tone
Write a Compound Sentence: What is your interpretation of the purpose, effect, meaning of sentence(s)?
Lisa Huff
http://justread.wordpress.com
Cooperative Lesson adapted from lesson by Debra Louis
2
“In good writing, words become one with things.”
- Ralph Emerson
#2
At that early period it served but to bewilder her. It moved her to dreams, to thoughtfulness, to
the shadowy anguish which had overcome her the midnight when she had abandoned herself
to tears.
Circle the type of sentence:
simple
compound
complex
compound-complex
Circle the subjects in the sentence. Remember, each clause has a subject. Avoid those sneaky prepositional
phrases.
Questions to ponder, discuss, answer, and explain in your presentation. Identify the strongest
words and/or phrases in your sentences and discern between diction, detail, imagery, and
syntax.
DICTION
Strong words
Denotation
Connotation
Tone
DETAIL
Details which add factual elaboration
RHETORICAL/LITERARY DEVICE
Quotations
Device
Importance to passage; Importance to reader
Purpose, Effect, Meaning
Tone
IMAGERY
Images (Look for phrases)
Colors?
Shapes and Senses?
Connotation
Tone
Write a Compound Sentence: What is your interpretation of the purpose, effect, meaning of sentence(s)?
Lisa Huff
http://justread.wordpress.com
Cooperative Lesson adapted from lesson by Debra Louis
3
“In good writing, words become one with things.”
- Ralph Emerson
#3
In short, Mrs. Pontellier was beginning to realize her position in the universe as a human
being, and to recognize her relations as an individual to the world within and about her. This
may seem like a ponderous weight of wisdom to descend upon the soul of a young woman of
twenty-eight—perhaps more wisdom than the Holy Ghost is usually pleased to vouchsafe to
any woman.
Circle the type of sentence:
simple
compound
complex
compound-complex
Circle the subjects in the sentence. Remember, each clause has a subject. Avoid those sneaky prepositional
phrases.
Questions to ponder, discuss, answer, and explain in your presentation. Identify the strongest words
and/or phrases in your sentences and discern between diction, detail, imagery, and syntax.
DICTION
Strong words
Denotation
Connotation
Tone
Reference
Purpose, Effect, Meaning
Tone
Purpose, Effect, Meaning
Tone
ALLUSION
Quotations
RHETORICAL/LITERARY DEVICE
Quotations
Device
Write a Compound Sentence: What is your interpretation of the purpose, effect, meaning of sentence(s)?
Lisa Huff
http://justread.wordpress.com
Cooperative Lesson adapted from lesson by Debra Louis
4
“In good writing, words become one with things.”
- Ralph Emerson
#4
But the beginning of things, or a world especially, is necessarily vague, tangled, chaotic and
exceedingly disturbing. How few of us ever emerge from such a beginning! How many souls
perish in its tumult.
Circle the type of sentence:
simple
compound
complex
compound-complex
Circle the subjects in the sentence. Remember, each clause has a subject. Avoid those sneaky prepositional
phrases.
Questions to ponder, discuss, answer, and explain in your presentation. Identify the strongest
words and/or phrases in your sentences and discern between diction, detail, imagery, and
syntax.
DICTION
Strong words
Denotation
RHETORICAL/LITERARY DEVICE
Quotations
Device
Connotation
Tone
Purpose, Effect, Meaning
Tone
IMAGERY
Images (Look for phrases)
Colors?
Shapes and Senses?
Connotation
Tone
Write a Compound Sentence: What is your interpretation of the purpose, effect, meaning of sentence(s)?
Lisa Huff
http://justread.wordpress.com
Cooperative Lesson adapted from lesson by Debra Louis
5
“In good writing, words become one with things.”
- Ralph Emerson
#5
The voice of the sea is seductive; never ceasing, whispering, clamoring, murmuring, inviting
the soul to wander for a spell in abysses of solitude; to lose itself in mazes of inward
contemplation.
Circle the type of sentence:
simple
compound
complex
compound-complex
Circle the subjects in the sentence. Remember, each clause has a subject. Avoid those sneaky prepositional
phrases.
Questions to ponder, discuss, answer, and explain in your presentation. Identify the strongest
words and/or phrases in your sentences and discern between diction, detail, imagery, and
syntax.
DICTION
Strong words
Denotation
RHETORICAL/LITERARY DEVICE
Quotations
Device
Connotation
Tone
Purpose, Effect, Meaning
Tone
IMAGERY
Images (Look for phrases)
Colors?
Shapes and Senses?
Connotation
Tone
Write a Compound Sentence: What is your interpretation of the purpose, effect, meaning of sentence(s)?
Lisa Huff
http://justread.wordpress.com
Cooperative Lesson adapted from lesson by Debra Louis
6
“In good writing, words become one with things.”
- Ralph Emerson
#6
The voice of the sea speaks to the soul. The touch of the sea is sensuous, enfolding the body
in its soft, close embrace.
Circle the type of sentence:
simple
compound
complex
compound-complex
Circle the subjects in the sentence. Remember, each clause has a subject. Avoid those sneaky prepositional
phrases.
Questions to ponder, discuss, answer, and explain in your presentation. Identify the strongest words
and/or phrases in your sentences and discern between diction, detail, imagery, and syntax.
DICTION
Strong words
Denotation
RHETORICAL/LITERARY DEVICE
Quotations
Device
Connotation
Tone
Purpose, Effect, Meaning
Tone
IMAGERY
Images (Look for phrases)
Colors?
Shapes and Senses?
Connotation
Tone
Write a Compound Sentence: What is your interpretation of the purpose, effect, meaning of sentence(s)?
Lisa Huff
http://justread.wordpress.com
Cooperative Lesson adapted from lesson by Debra Louis
7