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GASSTOP Literary analysis technique
Genre
What type of thing am I looking at? Is it Prose, Poetry, or Drama? Fiction or Non-Fiction? How do we classify the text? What is the structure? Are there headers, page numbers, or other clues?
Audience
Who is the recipient of the piece? It can change throughout the piece, especially in dialogue.
Sometimes this is a specific person, like in a letter, but most often, the correct answer starts with the phrase: “somebody who…”
While a “general audience” is frequent, it is not acceptable to say “anybody.” Try “anybody who…”
Sometimes this is a specific person, like in a letter, but most often, the correct answer starts with the phrase: “somebody who…”
While a “general audience” is frequent, it is not acceptable to say “anybody.” Try “anybody who…”
Speaker
Who is the one speaking the piece? It can change throughout the piece, especially in dialogue. Sometimes this is a specific person, like in a letter, but most often, the correct answer starts with the phrase: “somebody who…” It is not acceptable to say “the author” since I can write from the perspective of say… a fish.
Subject
What is the text generally about? If you were passing somebody on the street and had only 3 seconds to talk, what would you say if they asked you what the text is about?
This tends to be the easiest one to figure out, so don't over complicate it. If you think you know it, you probably do.
This tends to be the easiest one to figure out, so don't over complicate it. If you think you know it, you probably do.
Tone
Tone is the speaker’s attitude about the subject. Tone is very nuanced/specific. Don’t settle for “Happy” or “Sad.” Consult tone word list. Tone OFTEN changes within a piece. This is called Tone Shift. Finding changes really helps increase understanding.
Other Literary Devices
Often an author will use a specific tool to add life to their piece. These are like “special effects” of literature, and there are only so many. Repetition, Hyperbole, Personification, Foreshadowing, Irony, Diction, Repetition, Dialogue, Perspective, Repetition, Onomatopoeia, Parallelism, Rhyme, Meter...etc. For more see this list. Or, test yourself on quizlet.
Purpose
Why did the author write this? What effect does the author hope to have on the reader? How are you changed now that you have read this text? This is called a thesis in an essay or a theme in poetry or a narrative. Never attempt to speculate on the purpose until after you have a strong understanding of most (but hopefully all) of the above.
