1. SIFTT Method of Literary Analysis
SIFTT through your book…

2. Put GRAMMAR JOURNAL in the BOX.
Read Margaret Atwood’s “Happy Endings” on page 624 in your textbook. Then create a SIFTT analysis on a separate sheet of paper.
SIFTT-Use for basic literary analysis
Symbols
Images
Figures of Speech
Tone
Theme

3. SYMBOL Examine the title & text for symbolism Traditional symbols
Contextual symbols
How do the symbols change over time?
Characters as symbols

4. IMAGERY What do I see, hear, taste, smell, or feel?
What effect is the author trying to convey with these images?
Descriptive language

5. FIGURES OF SPEECH Similes, metaphors, personification
How do these help convey effect & meaning?
Irony & allusion

6. TONE Word choice, imagery & detail What is the author’s attitude?
What connotative words are used to create tone?

7. THEME To determine theme: Summarize the story
List the subject(s) that emerge such as evil, injustice, inhumanity, social protest, corruption, etc.
Write a sentence about each subject based on the literary devices used in the story
What life lessons have the characters learned? What has the reader learned? What insights has the author shared? What is the author’s message?

8. Practice
Now we will practice using SIFTT for a short story.