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how a writer’s style choices, such as figurative language, convey a work’s meaning. meanings. If some words have associations, or connotations, beyond the dictionary 1
1
Once you begin to analyze literature closely, you will see how all of the parts of a piece definitions, you should ask how those contribute to the meaning of the piece, too.
of literature work together, from large elements like characterization and setting to the Sometimes a word’s connotations will reveal another layer of meaning in terms of DIFFERENTIATION chapter 1
TION
DIFFERENTIA
details revealed by individual word choices, sentence structure, and tone. formal or informal diction, which is sometimes called slang, or colloquial language.
Scaffolding
Let’s look closely at an excerpt from My Ántonia by Willa Cather, a novel about early For instance, “fake” and “artificial” have basically the same denotation of “not Scaffolding
While students quickly understand the
settlers in the American West, narrated by a young boy who moves from Virginia to authentic,” but “fake” is more conversational; when referring to a person, it carries a While students quickly understand the
term denotation, they sometimes struggle
Nebraska to be brought up by his grandparents. negative connotation. “Artificial” is more formal, suggesting a lack of originality but not term
to understand how connotation functions.
intentional deception. Diction can also be abstract or concrete. Concrete words are to understand how connotation functions.
oup, food can be a good
With this age gr
from My Ántonia generally those you can perceive through your senses because they are part of the With this age group, food can be a good
Analyzing Short Fiction
starting point. Ask them to jot down what
physical world; abstract words are less tangible and refer to a concept or an idea. For starting point. Ask them to jot down what
Willa Cather they think about when they hear that
they think about when they hear that
example, Cather includes several concrete nouns in the first part of this excerpt such
someone is eating lobster. Then, have them
© Bedford, Freeman & Worth Publishers. For review purposes only. Do not distribute.
I sat down in the middle of the garden, where crumbled it through my fingers. Queer little red as the “pumpkin” and the “grasshoppers.” Later in the paragraph, she mentions much someone is eating lobster . Then, have them
do the same for pizza, bread and water,
snakes could scarcely approach unseen, and bugs came out and moved in slow squadrons more abstract concepts, including “goodness” and “happiness.” Section 2 / Close Reading: Analyzing Literary Elements and Techniques do the same for pizza, br ead and water ,
escargot, and potato chips. Explain that
leaned my back against a warm yellow pumpkin. around me. Their backs were polished vermilion, While the passage from My Ántonia is entirely narrative, it’s important to note the escar got, and potato chips. Explain that
all of the associations they attach to these
There were some ground-cherry bushes growing with black spots. I kept as still as I could. Nothing function diction serves as part of dialogue in prose. The characters’ spoken words are all of the associations they attach to these
foods constitute their connotations.
along the furrows, full of fruit. I turned back happened. I did not expect anything to happen. also the author’s language choices, and you should think critically about their effect on foods constitute their
the papery triangular sheaths that protected I was something that lay under the sun and felt the reader.
the berries and ate a few. All about me giant it, like the pumpkins, and I did not want to be Let’s look at some of the diction choices Cather makes. The passage begins in
grasshoppers, twice as big as any I had ever anything more. I was entirely happy. Perhaps we a garden where it would be hard for a snake to “approach unseen.” The narrator is CLOSE READING
seen, were doing acrobatic feats among the feel like that when we die and become a part of outdoors on a sheltered part of a prairie farm, so the garden and the snake are examples
Prompt students to focus on the narrator’s
dried vines. The gophers scurried up and down something entire, whether it is sun and air, or of concrete details. But snakes and gardens also carry other meanings. It is hard not to Pr ompt students to focus on the narrator’ s
elationship to natur
ou might have them
e. Y
the ploughed ground. There in the sheltered goodness and knowledge. At any rate, that is think of the Garden of Eden and a sheltered, childlike innocence. Perhaps the most r relationship to nature. You might have them
write down every aspect of the natural
draw-bottom the wind did not blow very hard, happiness; to be dissolved into something write down every aspect of the natural
world that the excerpt details, and then
but I could hear it singing its humming tune up complete and great. When it comes to one, it striking detail is the narrator leaning back “against a warm yellow pumpkin” and slowly world that the excerpt details, and then
comment on the narrator’s observations of
on the level, and I could see the tall grasses wave. comes as naturally as sleep. eating berries after “turn[ing] back the papery triangular sheaths that protected [them].” comment on the narrator’ s observations of
and r
eactions to each. Ask the students to
The earth was warm under me, and warm as I 1918 The language itself conveys a sense of ease and trust. and reactions to each. Ask the students to
pr
provide a brief explanation of how these
ovide a brief explanation of how these
details of the setting, as well as the specific
details of the setting, as well as the specific
After even an initial reading of such a descriptive passage, you probably have a sense KEY QUESTIONS diction choices r elated to setting, might
diction choices related to setting, might
of how comfortable the narrator feels in this natural environment. But how does Cather Analyzing Diction contribute to the significance of the setting.
contribute to the significance of the setting.
convey that feeling? To answer that question, we need to get more specific about exactly • Which of the verbs, nouns, adjectives, and adverbs are general and abstract, and
what literary elements and techniques are at work. Understanding these concepts will which are specific and concrete?
give you things to be on the lookout for as you read closely, as well as the vocabulary • Are important words and phrases formal, informal, colloquial, or slang?
to help you describe what you see. Most important, these elements provide essential • Do any of the words have multiple denotations, and if so, which of the definitions apply?
evidence for close literary analysis and help you support your interpretation. It’s likely • Do any words have strong connotations or seem “loaded”? What are those
you know some of these terms, but others may be new to you. Examples of all of these connotations?
concepts, and more, are available in the Glossary/Glosario at the back of this book
(p. 1340).
TRM Suggested Responses
Analyzing Diction activity
Diction Suggested responses to the activity on
Following is a passage from The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald. The book takes
Authors choose their words carefully to convey precise meanings. We call these word place on and around Long Island, New York, in the 1920s and is narrated by Nick this page can be found in the Teacher’s
choices the author’s diction. A word can have more than one dictionary definition, or Carraway, a young man of relatively modest means whose wealthy friends and family Resource Materials.
denotation, so when you analyze diction, you must consider all of a word’s possible treat him as a confidant. In this passage, Nick goes to visit Tom Buchanan, his cousin’s
(continued)
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chapter 1 / Close Reading: Analyzing Literary Elements and Techniques 27

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