Gail Herman

Sulphur Springs High School

Both

test students’ abilities to read and understand various genres of literature (novels, plays, and poems) from various time periods;

ask students to interpret challenging literature;

ask students to answer multiple-choice questions about their reading;

demand that students possess excellent close-reading skills;

require that students understand literary terminology and recognize the effects of literary devices;

demand an understanding of the historical development of literature;

require that students write perceptively about literature.

Practice, practice, practice!

Read and discuss with students. Ask them what they think about a character, a relationship, a situation. Ask why they believe an author chose a certain detail or used a particular metaphor. Have them point to text evidence to support their responses. Students should write about literature frequently. For AP, this means polished essays and timed writings. For Lit Crit, this means tiebreaker essays. AP timed writings and Lit Crit tiebreaker essays have much in common.

Students must learn to use the language of scholars. Just as doctors, attorneys, and educators use language common to their fields, so, too, do those who analyze literature. Knowing specific terminology helps students understand and appreciate what they read. Knowledge of terminology is crucial to success in UIL Literary Criticism.

Open-ended question requiring students to write a focused literary analysis on a novel or play of literary merit;

Question asking students to analyze a prose passage;

Question asking students to analyze a poem or to compare/contrast two poems (again, very similar to the Lit Crit tiebreaker).

A bildungsroman, or coming-of-age novel, recounts the psychological or moral development of its protagonist from youth to maturity, when this character recognizes his or her place in the world. Select a single pivotal moment in the psychological or moral development of the protagonist of a bildungsroman. Then write a well-organized essay that analyzes how that single moment shapes the meaning of the work as a whole.

Analyze the novel from the standpoint of its being a bildungsroman:

How does John Grady change during the course of the novel?

What are key moments in his development?

What strategies does McCarthy use to reveal John Grady’s character?

How does the fact that the novel is a bildungsroman connect to the themes that McCarthy develops?

Teach students to become comfortable with terms such as

Point of view (see excellent explanation and discussion in Perrine’s Literature)

Characterization (flat vs. round, static vs. dynamic; three fundamental methods of characterization—see entry on characterization in A Handbook to Literature)

Theme—the abstract concept that is made concrete through presentation in person, action, and image. Encourage students to be open to a multiplicity of themes. While one dominant theme may be apparent in a short selection, writers frequently address more than one idea.

Plot—Aristotle called it the “imitation of an action.” E. M. Forster described it as “a narrative of events, the emphasis falling on causality.”

Do students understand the connections among the basic elements of literature? Do they see a relationship between characterization and conflict? Between characterization and theme? Do they comprehend how the author’s choice of point of view shapes the revelation of character? Do they recognize turning points? Can they identify the dénouement (literally, “unknotting”) of a novel?

Learning one term leads to learning another term. The key is for students to learn terms in context because doing so promotes understanding and retention. Students also develop curiosity and—one hopes—passion for the exciting ways in which the various elements of literature work together.

Challenges in Teaching Poetry:

Teachers’ fear and/or dislike of poetry Students’ fear and/or dislike of poetry Lack of exposure to poetry (lack of familiarity breeds

unease) The complex nature of poetry The fact that poetry analysis seems to require more

sophisticated knowledge than prose analysis Students’ often low level of tolerance for ambiguity Students’ resistance to the indirect and the subtle

and sometimes the figurative (How many times have you been asked, “Well, then why didn’t he [the poet] just say that?”)

Face your fear and help your students face theirs. Before teaching poetry, prepare thoroughly, but don’t be afraid to let your students see you wrestling with the text. After all, this is what real readers do. Engage your students in a joint process of making meaning.

Share with students a wide variety of kinds of poems.

Focus on understanding what the poem is saying; then move to an analysis of how the poet communicates his or her message.

Teachers must teach prosody (defined in the Handbook as the principles of versification, particularly as they refer to rhyme, meter, rhythm, and stanza), but they should not make the mistake of leading students to believe that the “mechanical” aspects constitute the totality of studying poetry. Provide a foundation by explaining the basic types of feet and meter, but to begin with, focus on what the poem seems to be saying.

A good way for students to learn the 5 basic feet is with the mnemonic “It ads.” Iamb Ʋ / Trochee / Ʋ Anapest Ʋ Ʋ / Dactyl / Ʋ Ʋ Spondee / / Then they can learn to sing or chant the accompanying rhythmical pattern. “Ʋ” indicates an unaccented or unstressed syllable, while “ /” indicates an accented or stressed syllable.

Choose a simple poem that will be relatively easy for students to detect the foot and meter of. A good choice is a poem such as Anne Bradstreet’s “To My Dear and Loving Husband.” This poem, along with Bradstreet’s “Upon the Burning of Our House July 10th, 1666,” provides many opportunities to introduce or review students over such basic terms as rhyme, eye rhyme, near rhyme, inversion, imagery, anaphora, assonance, and diction. Further, both poems have very clear themes that are easy for students to identify. Finally, “Upon the Burning” affords an excellent opportunity to show students an example of a speaker’s change in attitude since such shifts are something to which good readers are attuned.

Once students become more comfortable with reading poetry, introduce additional terminology. When students begin to see how the meaning of the poem and the structure of the poem intersect, their reading will be enriched immensely.

“Dover Beach” by William Wordsworth

“Sea of Faith” by John Brehm (used as the basis of the tiebreaker essay on the 2013 Regional Lit Crit test)

“The Broken Heart” by John Donne (used on an AP Lit Exam)

Read carefully the text provided (typically, it is a poem).

Annotate the text. Mark any particular literary devices that stand out (e.g. metaphors, similes, personification, imagery, alliteration).

Note the format of the poem. Is it free verse? Blank verse? A sonnet? A lyric poem? What can be observed about the poem’s structure?

Identify the speaker and the occasion.

Paraphrase the poem. What does the poem seem to be saying? What is the main idea expressed?

Look again at the prompt, which provides a direction for the analysis.

Develop a thesis for the analysis. Be sure it connects directly to the prompt.

Briefly outline the key points that should be made in the essay. Plan to write 2 to 3 body paragraphs. Each paragraph should have a clear topic sentence.

Write the body paragraphs. Include transitions, specific details from the poem, and pertinent quotations from the poem. Embedding quotations into one’s own sentences is an effective strategy.

Include appropriate poetic terminology, making sure to comment on what the poet’s use of a particular device adds to the effectiveness of the poem.

Write a brief concluding paragraph, again keeping in mind the direction the prompt provides for the analysis. It is always good to address the notion of universal meaning in the concluding paragraph. That is, what is the main point the poet is making? How does this idea relate to people or life in general?

Proofread the essay. (And it never hurts to title the essay either!)

As a concession to the eyes of the graders, if writing on unlined paper, leave a one-inch margin around the essay.

www.collegeboard.com This site contains many useful articles about teaching English. In particular, check out The Teaching Series—Special Focus in English Literature and Composition—Reading Poetry.

Various literature anthologies contain many poems to read and discuss with students as well as editors’ commentary and questions.

What strategies have you used effectively to prepare students for Lit Crit and/or AP Lit?

Enjoy the journey as you lead your Lit Critters and AP English students to discover the many joys that literature has to offer!

Contact information: gherman@ssisd.net