Textual Evidence

Source: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1b7V7xTBLG4

Words to know:

• explicit: stated directly, very clear• implicit: not stated directly– requires us to use evidence to figure out the

author’s message• imply: to express or indicate something

without directly stating it• infer: to guess, speculate, or conclude from

evidence and your own prior knowledge

Example of explicit message:

• “Alice was beginning to get very tired of sitting by her sister on the bank, and of having nothing to do...” (Carroll, Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland)

• We are told directly how Alice is feeling.

Example of an implicit message:

• “Though possessed of half a dozen hats, it took him some time to find one, then there was a hunt for the key, which was at last discovered in his pocket…” (Alcott, Little Women)

• What’s happening? What can we infer about the character?

• Evidence:– He has six hats but still can’t find one.– He can’t find his key, even though it’s in his pocket.

• Conclusion: – He is disorganized, irresponsible, loses things

easily...

• “Eckels swayed on the padded seat, his face pale, his jaw stiff. He felt the trembling in his arms…” (Bradbury, “A Sound of Thunder”)

• Explicitely stated evidence: Eckels looks pale, his jaw is tense, and he is trembling.

• Our inferred conclusion: Eckels is nervous/scared/anxious.

Another difference:

• Explicit messages are clear. It’s hard to misinterpret them.

• Implicit messages may mean different things to different people, depending on background and culture.– We can interpret pieces of literature differently

because we have different life experiences.

Close Reading

• A close reading is a careful and purposeful reading of a text

• It requires – rereading a text, sometimes several times– making notes and summarizing in the margins

Annotating

• Annotate: to make notes in the margins and within the text itself

• Use your chart of annotation marks and any other notes you need in the margins.