Introduction to poetryIntroduction to poetry(also known as literary analysis boot (also known as literary analysis boot

camp)camp)

““I’ll know it when I see it.”I’ll know it when I see it.”

Poetry is hard to define—for our Poetry is hard to define—for our purposes, it’s everything that isn’t purposes, it’s everything that isn’t prose or drama.prose or drama.

The next slides will show you what The next slides will show you what we’ll be focusing on in our poetry we’ll be focusing on in our poetry discussions.discussions.

DictionDiction

This means WORD CHOICE. Writers This means WORD CHOICE. Writers choose their words very carefully, and choose their words very carefully, and a good reader pays close attention.a good reader pays close attention.

Look at your handout. The poem by Look at your handout. The poem by Emily Dickinson uses very specific Emily Dickinson uses very specific diction. What is implied by her word diction. What is implied by her word choice?choice?

Look at capitalization and spelling, Look at capitalization and spelling, too.too.

Things to look at:Things to look at:

What is capitalized? Why do you What is capitalized? Why do you think it was capitalized?think it was capitalized?

What is NOT capitalized that might What is NOT capitalized that might have been? What does this tell have been? What does this tell you?you?

What words have connotations What words have connotations beyond their literal meaning?beyond their literal meaning?

SyntaxSyntax

SYNTAX is the order in which SYNTAX is the order in which words appear and how the words words appear and how the words are arranged on the page.are arranged on the page.

Look again at the Dickinson poem, Look again at the Dickinson poem, this time focusing on syntax. What this time focusing on syntax. What word orders are unexpected or word orders are unexpected or significant?significant?

StructureStructure

STRUCTURE looks at the poem as a STRUCTURE looks at the poem as a whole. This is where we’ll talk about whole. This is where we’ll talk about rhythm, rhyme schemes, stanzas, etc.rhythm, rhyme schemes, stanzas, etc.

Look at Dickinson again. What divides Look at Dickinson again. What divides her stanzas? Summarize their main her stanzas? Summarize their main ideas.ideas.

Use letters to show her rhyme scheme.Use letters to show her rhyme scheme. Look at the LINE BREAKS. The words Look at the LINE BREAKS. The words

poets use to end or begin lines can be poets use to end or begin lines can be significant to analysis.significant to analysis.

e e cummingse e cummings

Read the poem all the way Read the poem all the way through. Don’t make any notes this through. Don’t make any notes this time.time.

Look at the compound words Look at the compound words cummings created. (This is diction, cummings created. (This is diction, by the way)by the way)

What other significant word What other significant word choices do you see?choices do you see?

cummings, continuedcummings, continued

Look at the way things are phrased. Look at the way things are phrased. (What are we doing now? SYNTAX!)(What are we doing now? SYNTAX!)

Look for parallel structures, Look for parallel structures, repetition, inverted syntax, and line repetition, inverted syntax, and line breaks.breaks.

Look at punctuation.Look at punctuation. How is this poem structured? Are the How is this poem structured? Are the

stanzas equal in length? Is there a stanzas equal in length? Is there a rhyme scheme? How does this fit the rhyme scheme? How does this fit the idea of the poem?idea of the poem?

TP-CASTTTP-CASTTThis is a basic analysis tool. Write it down.This is a basic analysis tool. Write it down. T—Title. Ponder it before reading.T—Title. Ponder it before reading. P—Paraphrase. Translate the poem into your P—Paraphrase. Translate the poem into your

own words, one sentence per stanza.own words, one sentence per stanza. C—Connotation. Find meaning beyond the C—Connotation. Find meaning beyond the

literalliteral A—Attitude. Figure the tones of both the A—Attitude. Figure the tones of both the

author and the speaker.author and the speaker. S—Shifts. Find the changes in the speaker’s S—Shifts. Find the changes in the speaker’s

attitude.attitude. T—Title. Again, but on an interpretative level.T—Title. Again, but on an interpretative level. T—Theme. Summarize what the poet is saying T—Theme. Summarize what the poet is saying

in one complete sentence.in one complete sentence.

“The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock,” “Neutral Tones,” “Some Days”

Your Assignment:Your Assignment:

TP-CASTT on three poemsTP-CASTT on three poems Marginal notes (extensive, please!) Marginal notes (extensive, please!)

on three poemson three poems For ALL poems assigned: a one-For ALL poems assigned: a one-

sentence statement of theme AND sentence statement of theme AND a question. a question.

Prufrock, “Some Days,” “Neutral Tones”—TP-CASTT

“That the Science of Cartography is Limited,” “I felt a Funeral, in my Brain,” and “Nightclub”—marginal notes