Response to Literature
Analyzing, describing, summarizing
the writing of others
What is Response to
Literature?
• RTL is an essay where you
demonstrate your understanding of a
story, the lesson or theme of the
story as learned by the character(s),
and how it connects to your own life.
What is RTL, continued.
• In a Response to Literature, you
refer to specific events and
examples from the story to support
your ideas and statements.
1: Introduction
• State the title, author and genre
(TAG) of the story:
• Example: In the fictional short story, “The
Monkeys Paw”, by W.W. Jacobs…
• Inform the reader of the main event
(Plot summary):
• …the author tells of a family that suffers
from attempting to interfere with fate by
wishing on a cursed monkey’s paw.
Introduction, continued:
Thesis Statement
• State the theme of the story, poem
or book
• Example: The theme of the “Monkey’s Paw”
is that one should not tempt fate, and is
always forced to face the consequences of
one’s actions.
2: Provide background of the main
character(s) and a plot summary
Plot summary: ONLY THE MOST GENERAL DETAILS ARE
INCLUDED.
In Three or Four Sentences, list the characters, what
happens to them, and the lesson they learn.
• “The Monkey’s Paw” by W.W. Jacobs is about a poor
family named The Whites. Mr. White, Mrs. White,
and their son Herbert acquire a magical monkey’s paw
said to be able to grant three wishes. Despite being
warned of the consequences of making wishes, the
Whites go ahead and do so. In return, they are faced
with death and sorrow.
3: Analyze the theme
• Find a quotes from the story to explain
the theme. Then, express your opinion of
what you think that quote means.
• “Morris said the things happened so naturally,” said
his father, ”that you might if you so wished attribute
it to coincidence” (pg 270). I think that this means
sometimes people want to believe that frightening
things can not be true. So we just say it was a
random event, rather than admit personal
responsibility.
4: Develop your response to the
mood, characters, and/or plot.
• Use examples from the story to show the
Plot and your response to the story.
• The mood of the story was spooky from the beginning. The
interest in the story was built through the author’s use of
suspense. I felt a sense of anticipation as the White’s
made the second and third wishes on the paw.
• In terms of the characters, Mr. and Mrs. White both
change dramatically through the story. I thought it was
interesting how Mr. White began with positive feelings
about the paw, and Mrs. White didn’t. But, because of the
events of the story, they each change to the opposite
perspective.
5: Relate
• Discuss how the story made you think,
feel, and react. Use details from the text.
• Relate to your own knowledge and
experience.
• It was as if I was in the room when, “her husband
was groping wildly on the floor for the paw…” I was
gripped with emotion because I wasn’t quite sure
what would happen. Would the wish bring Herbert
back to them as they remembered, or would he show
up a horrible rotted-out zombie? This reminds me of
horror movies where something is lurking behind a
dark corner waiting to surprise a victim.
6: Conclude and Summarize
• Explain the lesson (theme)
• Tell what you took from the story.
• Include a relevant quote from the
text.
• The Monkey’s Paw teaches us an important
lesson about accepting the consequences of
our actions. After reading The Monkey’s
Paw, I now understand what my parent’s
always told me, “Be careful what you wish
for.” You can’t always be certain what you
will get!
Practice: Rainbow Fish
• We will read the story “The Rainbow Fish” by
Marcus Pfister.
• As you listen to the story, write down ideas about
the character’s personality (fishonality) from
beginning to end, the theme (lesson), events that
occur and your reaction or connection to the
story.
Paragraph 1: Explain the Title, Author,
Genre (TAG) and plot summary
• In the story, “The Rainbow Fish” by
Marcus Pfister, Rainbow Fish learns
the secret to happiness. Through the
experience Rainbow Fish has, we
learn that possessions alone can not
make one happy, but sharing and
friendship with others is a more
valuable thing to posess.
Paragraph 2: Summarize
• The story “Rainbow Fish” is about a
beautiful little fish who is proud of his
shiny scales. Over time, his pride and
arrogance make him lose his friends, and
he has to learn that sharing his
possessions is more important than keeping
them and being alone.
Paragraph 3: Analyze
• When a little fish asks Rainbow Fish for one of
his shiny scales, Rainbow Fish refuses asking,
“Who do you think you are?”. This shows how
selfish Rainbow Fish was, and how little he
considered the feelings of others. Over time he
found himself alone wondering, “Why doesn’t
anyone like me?” It is only then that Rainbow Fish
realized he had to make a change in his behavior.
I think that people are similar when we get
focused on our personal appearance and think that
we are better or worse than others just because
of what things we have.
Paragraph 4: Respond
• In the beginning, Rainbow Fish was selfish
and mean. The suspense grew in the story
as Rainbow Fish asked other fish for
advice, and no one could help him. I felt
sad for Rainbow Fish because he didn’t
understand why no one liked him anymore,
but I also felt he deserved to be ignored
by others because he was being rude.
Paragraph 5: Relate
• The story progressed to the lesson that
Rainbow Fish learns when he visited an
octopus in a dark cave. “Give a glittering
scale to each of the other fish,” it tells
him. “You will discover how to be happy.” I
think this means that we have to share
with others in order to gain true
friendship and joy. Material things can’t
replace friendship.
Conclusion
• Ultimately, Rainbow Fish accepted
the Octopus’s advice and shares his
scales with the other little fish. His
act of selflessness was a good
example to us, because it showed
that sharing is caring and friendship
is more important that material
things.
Assignment: RTL
• Write a Six Paragraph Response to
Literature about “The Tell-Tale Heart” by
Edgar Allen Poe.
• The universal theme of the story is that
all actions have consequences.
• Be sure to use examples from the story to
support your answer!