Name
Anita Do-Well
Date
Hour
— An Exemplar —
— an analysis method (used most often for nonfiction) —
Directions:
Complete the SOAPSTone chart below by using the text assigned. When filling out each box, ensure that you (a) are
specific in your answer, (b) use textual evidence and/or precise details from the text, and (c) explain your thought
process. It’s recommended that you use your yellow handout for assistance.
Piece being analyzed: “I’ve Been Workin’ on the Whale-Road: Moby-Dick”
Creator of the text:
Thomas C. Foster
The speaker of this text is Thomas C. Foster, author of The Twenty-Five
Books that Shaped America. Also, he uses many classic novels as examples in
Speaker this chapter, which proves that he is clearly well-read. It can likewise be noted
that Foster is a professor of literature in Michigan, as was discussed in his
chapter “The Allegory Man Cometh” which I read a few weeks ago for class.
The occasion is that Foster has selected 25 literary works that shaped
America—Moby Dick is one of those works. In other words, the occasion for
Occasion writing the chapter “I’ve been Workin’ on the Whale-Road” is because Foster
believes Moby Dick is a key American Literature text that should be featured
in his book The Twenty-Five Books that Shaped America.
One might say the audience is one who has read Moby Dick, but it is also
those who have not read it but have a desire to read great American literary
works, as this chapter them persuades them to read Moby Dick. Additionally,
Audience clearly it is written for a higher level reader (mid-high school or above) as it
refers to many famous authors who are known for writing complex literature
with which a less experienced reader would not likely be familiar, such as
Vladimir Nabokov, William Faulkner, J.R.R. Tolkien, and Louise Erdrich.
Undoubtedly Foster’s purpose here is to persuade. Foster dismisses many
counter arguments—mainly the fact that Moby Dick is quite long—and
Purpose explains them away in order to allow the aspects of the novel he deems
‘better’ to shine through. Furthermore, he has a clear bias toward the work
being a great text, calling the work “brilliant” (Foster 57), the cast “colorful”
(64), and Melville “America’s patron saint of [the] complex…narrative” (67).
Subject
The subject of “I’ve been Workin’ on the Whale-Road” is that despite the
extreme length of Moby Dick and its handful of scenes that seem pointless
upon first encounter it is indeed a simple text and the greatness of the work
lies within that simplicity: Foster states that “the story line of Moby Dick is
simplicity itself” (57) and within that simplicity there is deeper meaning.
There are “highly theological” implications (63) as well as the work being “an
American cautionary tale” (67).
Tone
The tone of the work is intellectual with conversational undertones. Foster’s
constant references to famous authors who are known for writing complex
literature highlights how well-read he is, Combine that with the detailed research
he obviously did on past reviews of Moby Dick (discussed on pages 58-59) and the
intellectual tone becomes undeniable. However, Foster is not a conceited
intellectual since his tone is also conversational. When Foster uses phrases like “and
just like that, we have ourselves a mystery” (56), questions like “sound like any
place you know?” (61), and cracks jokes like “’Call me, Ishmael’. Be careful with
punctuation” (68) it makes him sound like less of an academic and more of a
friend because he’s combining first person narration with rhetorical questions and
humor, just a most people do when speaking to family and friends. In other words,
by being casual in addition to intellectual-sounding he makes his high-level ideas
more approachable and enjoyable for his readers.
FINALLY: Return to your SOAPSTone + Theme that you did for “The Allegory Man Commeth: The Scarlet Letter” and
identify a theme that befits that text AND “I’ve Been Workin’ on the Whale-Road: Moby-Dick.” Be sure to explain
how the theme fits BOTH texts.
The shared theme is: Even well-crafted, important pieces of literature may not
be appreciated at first.
This theme befits “The Allegory Man Commeth: The Scarlet Letter” because…
In this chapter Foster talks about how he did not enjoy The Scarlet Letter at
first but after talking to AP Literature students and others he looked at the
Theme novel again and discovered its greatness.
The shared
This theme befits “I’ve Been Workin’ on the Whale-Road: Moby-Dick” because…
In this chapter Foster talks about how when Moby Dick was first published it
reviewed many negative reviews, but when it resurfaced years later readers
found a previously undiscovered greatness in the novel.
How would it score?
Piece 1
Criteria
The SPEAKER is identified and textually supported
The OCCASION for which the piece is written is captured effectively
The intended AUDIENCE is clearly identified and textually supported
The PURPOSE of the text is identified and textually supported
The SUBJECT of the text is identified and textually supported
The TONE of the text is identified and textually supported
+
Final analysis compares a THEME as well as the concepts of the two texts
X

Piece 2
-
For Both Pieces
*Assuming
+
X
X
X
X
X
X

-
+50
50*
“Piece 1” was just as thorough