3. Sharing Responses to a Story... From Reading to Writing Have you ever read a story and thought, “I admire the main character!” or “I had an embarrassing time like that once”? If so, you know that your own experiences often affect how you feel about a story. Response to Literature

4. Sharing Responses to a Story... Response to Literature You might be drawn to the boys in “Scout’s Honor.” As you read “Eleven,” you might have identified with the young girl. One way to understand your reactions to a story is by writing a response to literature.

5. B a s i c s i n a B o x Response to Literature at a Glance RUBRIC STANDARDS FOR WRITING A successful response to literature should include an introduction that names the literary work and the author tell enough about the work so that readers unfamiliar with it can understand your response focus on one element to analyze support your statements with quotations and details from the story summarize the response in the conclusion Introduces the title, author, and a clear statement of your focus Introduction Summarizes the response Conclusion Body Supports the response with evidence from the work Examples from the story Quotations Specific reactions Evidence

6. The golden rule of writing is to write what you care about. Jerry Spinelli author of Maniac Magee The golden rule of writing is to write what you care about. Jerry Spinelli author of Maniac Magee Writing Your Response to Literature 1 Prewriting

7. Recall the short stories you have read recently. Think about your favorite scenes. Write down the names of characters you would like to write about. In selecting a story for your response, Writing Your Response to Literature List similar situations you have experienced. 1 Prewriting

8. Planning Your Response to Literature 1.Carefully reread the short story. Notice the passages in the story that seem important and that you can relate to. Jot down notes as you read. 2. Freewrite about the story. Ask, What did I think about the whole story? What affected me most? Why? Record your thoughts as you answer each question.

9. Planning Your Response to Literature 3. Choose a focus. Look back at your notes and your freewriting. Which element stands out? You can focus on plot, theme, character, or something else.

10. Planning Your Response to Literature 4. Gather evidence. Which quotations and details from the work support your interpretation? Which contradict it? Find passages and examples in the text that will help you make your points.

11. Writing Your Response to Literature Begin writing your analysis with the idea that you will revise it later. Use the following points to help you organize your interpretation. 2 Drafting

12. Writing Your Response to Literature 2 Drafting Write an introduction that includes the title, the author, the focus of your essay, and a short summary of the story. In the body, explain your thoughts about the element you are analyzing. Support your ideas with specific examples or quotations. Restate the most important ideas of your analysis in the conclusion.

13. TARGET SKILL SUPPORTING YOUR RESPONSE Add quotations and details from the story to support your response statement. Writing Your Response to Literature 3 Revising

14. TARGET SKILL SUBJECT-VERB AGREEMENT In a sentence, verbs must agree with their subjects. A singular subject agrees with the singular form of a verb, and a plural subject agrees with the plural verb form. 4 Editing and Proofreading Writing Your Response to Literature

15. TARGET SKILL SUBJECT-VERB AGREEMENT 4 Editing and Proofreading Writing Your Response to Literature Compound subjects—two or more nouns or pronouns joined by and—require a plural verb form. When you proofread your response, check that all your subjects and verbs agree.

16. FOR YOUR WORKING PORTFOLIO 5 Reflecting Writing Your Response to Literature How did writing about the short story help you to understand it? Did your ideas about the story change as you wrote your essay?