1. Diction Analysis Advice 1. Remember: Words are loaded with meaning; they indicate what we mean and how we feel. This is especially true of fiction when an author has the choice to say anything in any what he chooses! 2. Identify the author’s purpose. Examine how the author’s diction supports his/her purpose. 3. Be patient as you think and as you write about diction. 4. When developing your analysis of key diction: (a) When you analyze the diction in a text, zero in on a key word(s). Think about the connotations of this word. It’s okay to start by asking if the word has positive, negative, or neutral connotations. Then, try to get more specific with those positive, negative, or neutral connotations. (b) Think about associations and/or images for each word. (c) Juxtapose the word the author actually uses with other words he/she could have used. When you do so, what do you notice about the word the writer selects and its effects? (c) Explain how the effects of this word affect what the author is trying to do.

2. To simplify… What does he say? How does he say it? What does it mean?

3. I was only thirteen, and they were going to have me psychoanalyzed and all, because I broke all the windows in the garage. I don't blame them. I really don't. I slept in the garage the night he died, and I broke all the goddam windows with my fist, just for the hell of it. I even tried to break all the windows on the station wagon we had that summer, but my hand was already broken and everything by that time, and I couldn't do it. It was a very stupid thing to do, I'll admit, but I hardly didn't even know I was doing it, and you didn't know Allie. My hand still hurts me once in a while when it rains and all, and I can't make a real fist any more-- not a tight one, I mean--but outside of that I don't care much. I mean I'm not going to be a goddam surgeon or a violinist or anything anyway.

4. Iand allIbroke all the windows II I broke all the goddam windows just for the hell of itIbreak all the windows broken and everything I I'llII and all Ioutside of that Idon't care muchI I'm goddam I was only thirteen, and they were going to have me psychoanalyzed and all, because I broke all the windows in the garage. I don't blame them. I really don't. I slept in the garage the night he died, and I broke all the goddam windows with my fist, just for the hell of it. I even tried to break all the windows on the station wagon we had that summer, but my hand was already broken and everything by that time, and I couldn't do it. It was a very stupid thing to do, I'll admit, but I hardly didn't even know I was doing it, and you didn't know Allie. My hand still hurts me once in a while when it rains and all, and I can't make a real fist any more-- not a tight one, I mean--but outside of that I don't care much. I mean I'm not going to be a goddam surgeon or a violinist or anything anyway. Repetition: Broken Broken – Why repeat the word? Significance? I I – Whole thing is in first person, but this is excessive. Why? Sentence length: Why are those so much shorter? Dismissive Language: Dismissive Language: Why suggest it doesn’t matter? Deliberate over simplification Deliberate over simplification: Why leave out the details? Profanity: Profanity: Why?

5. Recap Repetition: – Broken – Broken – Why repeat the word? Significance? Significant because Holden is also “broken.” – I – I – Whole thing is in first person, but this is excessive. Why? It is a deeply personal event. By continual and repeated use of “I,” he drives that point home. Sentence length: Why are those so much shorter? – We rush through things that we don’t really want to say. – Because he says it so quickly, and then tries to convince us that he’s “means it,” we believe him less. Dismissive Language: Dismissive Language: Why suggest it doesn’t matter? – Precisely because it does matter. This was obviously a significant event. Deliberate over simplification Deliberate over simplification: Why leave out the details? – Details require us to think more closely about something. He doesn’t want to think about it. Profanity: Profanity: Why? – Give himself the appearance of maturity. Tries to be grown up.

6. What you will do… You will carefully analyze the diction in your passage. You need to say three things about your passage. Pay careful attention to things like imagery, repetition, tone, hyperbole, etc.