Interpreting a poem... From Reading to Writing Some people say that reading a poem is like peeling an onion—with every layer you peel away, there is another underneath. At first, “The Pasture” by Robert Frost seems like a simple poem about chores on a farm. Response to Literature Essay

Interpreting a poem... Interpretive Essay However, if you read it again, you may discover new meanings. Writing an interpretive RESPONSE TO LITERATURE essay means going beyond the surface to discover the deeper messages of a work. Great literature always reveals something new. Now is your chance to find it.

B a s i c s i n a B o x Interpretive RESPONSE TO LITERATURE Essay at a Glance RUBRIC STANDARDS FOR WRITING A successful Response to Literature essay should identify the title and author of the work give a clearly stated interpretation of the poem’s message at or near the beginning of the essay present examples from the poem to support the interpretation use transitions to guide the reader summarize the interpretation in the conclusion Introduces the literary work and includes a clear thesis statement introducing the interpretation Introduction Summarizes the interpretation Conclusion Body Supports the interpretation with evidence from the literary work Example Evidence

To read a poem is to hear with our eyes; to hear it is to see it with our ears. Octavio Paz poet To read a poem is to hear with our eyes; to hear it is to see it with our ears. Octavio Paz poet Writing Your Interpretive RESPONSE TO LITERATURE Essay 1 Prewriting

Go back to the poem you have studied and read it aloud. What sparked an idea or reminded you of something? What are the most interesting sound devices or imagery? Also list lines with unusual structures, powerful themes, or confusing lines. 1 Prewriting Writing Your Interpretive Response to Literature Essay

Planning Your Interpretive Response to Literature Essay 1.Read the poem several times. Read it both aloud and silently to understand the full meaning.

Planning Your Response to Literature Essay 2. Look at elements in the poem. To help you see how the poet communicates meaning, try making a chart that shows the sound devices, the figurative language, and the words or phrases that convey the meaning. Sound DevicesFigurative LanguageWords or PhrasesRepresents

Planning Your Interpretive Response to Literature Essay 3. Discuss your reactions to the poem. In a small group, ask each other questions and exchange ideas on reactions to the poem and ideas about different meanings. 4. Decide on your focus. Look back at your chart and decide on the main message or theme of the poem. Which elements of the poem contribute most to the message?

Now it is time to put your thoughts down on paper. Include all of the observations and examples you gathered that help to make the poem effective. You can eliminate less important details later. 2 Drafting Writing Your Interpretive Response To Literature Essay

2 Drafting Organize Your Essay Use your introductory paragraph to identify the poem and the author and to briefly state your interpretation. For the body of your essay, decide which idea you want to present first. Then use examples to support your main points. Conclude with a summary of the meaning of the poem. Writing Your Interpretive Response To Literature Essay

TARGET SKILL SUPPORTING YOUR RESPONSE WITH EXAMPLES In your interpretation, it is not enough simply to state your point. You must tell your reader how you reached that point. You can do this by including direct quotes and other examples from the text itself. To help your readers understand, explain your thought process. 3 Revising Writing Your Interpretive RTL Essay

TARGET SKILL SUBJECT-VERB AGREEMENT Verbs should always agree with their subjects in number. A singular subject takes a singular verb. A plural subject takes a plural verb. 4 Editing and Proofreading Writing Your Response to Literture Essay

5 Peer review Have at least TWO other people Read your essay (complete form) Consider their suggestions Make revisions and corrections Use Style Guide page 17 for format Minimum five (5) paragraphs Introduction Three body paragraphs Fact and three proofs Conclusion Writing Your Response to Literature Essay