Analyzing author’s style AP Language Analyzing author’s style

Agenda I can analyze an author’s style for its rhetorical purpose. Pass out Style Models Notes on Style Practice analyzing style Writing in Style Reminders: Retest for Rhetorical Analysis Essay must be completed by Friday, Feb. 17th! I will be staying after school on Wednesday for anyone who needs to retest! Also, Annotate Bib is due on Feb. 15th!

Style When we talk about an author’s style, we aren’t talking about his/her clothing. Style according to classical rhetoricians is an author’s choice of diction and arrangements of words in sentences (syntax).

Style: Review of Diction/Syntax Kinds of diction General or specific Abstract or concrete Formal or informal Polysyllabic or monosyllabic Common words or jargon Denotative or connotative B. Length of sentences C. Kinds of sentences Grammatical: simple, compound, complex, compound-complex Rhetorical: loose, periodic, antithetical Functional: statement, question, command, exclamation

Style But wait, why are we learning this again? Patterns in diction and syntax will often characterize a text as one of three major categories of “style.” -Low/Colloquial Style -Middle Style -High/Formal Style

Style But wait, why are we learning this again? Patterns in diction and syntax will often characterize a text as one of three major categories of “style.” -Low/Colloquial Style -Middle Style -High/Formal Style

Low/Colloquial Style Colloquialism: a word or phrase that is not formal or literary, typically one used in ordinary or familiar conversation. Features of low style: Simple words (casual vocab, colloquialisms, slang, etc) Monosyllabic words Contractions 1st and 2nd person pronouns Frequent simple repetition (repetition of words but maybe not sophisticated repetition like Epistrophe) Short sentences, use of fragments, etc

Middle Style Middle style is all about balance. Pretty even distribution of monosyllabic and polysyllabic words Short sentences reserved for emphasizing important info More or less even distribution of simple, complex, compound, and compound-complex sentences Uses some classical formal stylistic patterns, but is stingy with them—this style is about not drawing too much attention to the speaker

High Style High Style is sophisticated, professorial Polysyllabic diction Mostly 3rd person pronouns (although sometimes can include 1st and 2nd) Longer sentences with more complex structures Intentionally uses more complex rhetorical strategies: Anaphora, antithesis, parallelism, metaphor, irony, metonymy, synecdoche, litotes, hyperbole

Name That Style As we watch the videos, write down features of style that will help you categorize them as high, middle, or colloquial style. V’s Speech from “V for Vendetta” Graduation Speech from “Billy Madison” Pep Talk from “Stripes” Discuss—which styles do these speakers use to accomplish their rhetorical goals?

Why Style? Why do you think speakers would choose each of these styles? DECORUM

Style Practice: Since it’s Valentine’s day, you are going to show me you understand the three different styles. Directions: Composing three different Valentine’s Day cards – one in low style, one in middle style, and one in high style. Your cards must be at least 3 sentences each, and they must use at least 3 features of each style. Use your models of each style for reference.