1. With a Partner: Look at the Sample Double Entry Journal Entry for Formalism
Identify which Question from the “Formalism Asks” handout this person used
Identify how and where in the entry the writer answers this question. Annotate your Handout.
Identification
Meaning
Purpose

2. In this section, Beah and his friends find a village whose inhabitants are quite suspicious of the boys. Initially, when they are brought before the chief, he threatens their lives despite the fact they are children. Ultimately what saves the boys is the same thing that brought them all together in the first place: music. This scene continues to build the symbolic representation of music as a unifier, a peacemaker, and a savior in this story. Initially it brought the boys together, began teaching them English and different dances, and inspired them to compete (the catalyst behind leaving their small village of Mogbwemo for Mattru Jong in the first place). Now we see music acting to save the boys from a dismal fate and helping to bring compassion and understanding in an otherwise hostile situation.

3. a few important terms to expand your thinking
Analyzing style
a few important terms to expand your thinking

4. Mood & Tone
Examining author intent and audience reaction

5. Mood What? The atmosphere in writing
Why? Conveys emotionality of a text or scene
How? Established by setting and diction
For example:

6. Tone
What? The author’s attitude toward a subject as established by diction:
His buddies forced him to go on a date.
His buddies encouraged him to go on a date.
Why? Explores connotative meaning of text
Connotative meaning = emotions and associations with a word (positive, neutral, or negative)

7. Syntax & Structure
How arrangement in a sentence can be as beautiful as arrangement in a bouquet of flowers

8. Parallelism

9. Parallelism
What? Use of similar structures in grammar, meter, sound, or meaning
Why? Creates a rhythm, adds balance, and helps the writing flow smoothly
Examples:
“Success is getting what you want. Happiness is wanting what you get.” —Dale Carnegie
“We make a living by what we get, we make a life by what we give.” —Winston Churchill
“Ask not what your country can do for you; ask what you can do for your country.” —John F. Kennedy

10. Juxtaposition

11. Juxtaposition
What? Two contrasting images placed closely together in a text.
Why? Contrast creates strong imagery and heightens sensory detail.
Examples: Characters have foils, language has juxtaposition
Foils: Harry Potter and Draco Malfoy (characters meant to contrast one another): We see how kind and brave Harry is when he’s contrasted against Draco’s selfishness and weakness
Juxtaposition: the warm, fire-lit tower of Gryffindor’s common room vs. the dark, gloomy dungeons of Slytherin’s common room.

12. Antithesis

13. Antithesis
What? Contrasting images or ideas put together in a parallel structure.
Essentially: parallelism + juxtaposition = antithesis
Why? Repetition of structure combined with high-contrast phrasing often stresses conflict.
Example from Charles Dickens’s A Tale of Two Cities:
“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair, we had everything before us, we had nothing before us, we were all going direct to Heaven, we were all going direct the other way…”

14. “Story of an Hour” by Kate Chopin
With a partner:
Read the short story! (you can stop once we get to the annotations. That is for another day)
Annotate:
Mood
Tone
Parallelism
Juxtaposition
Antithesis
*Remember to focus on the text itself, this story has a lot to notice. Stay focused and don’t go off the rails.