Literary analysis outline graphic organizer

Lesson 6: Prewriting: Literary Analysis

OBJECTIVES
For this exam, the student will

· Use the writing process to draft and revise an essay

· Write an effective thesis statement

· Identify, define, and analyze literary elements

· Develop critical reading skills

· Use responsible research methods to locate appropriate secondary sources

· Use Modern Language Association citation and documentation style to reference secondary source material correctly and appropriately

INTRODUCTION
In 2015, there aren’t too many students who claim to like poetry. But when was the last time you went a day without music? The fact is, music has always been more like poetry than many people realize, and if you can understand and appreciate the language and meaning of a song, then it wouldn’t be too hard to read and understand a poem. In this assignment, you’ll apply the techniques of reading poetry to song lyrics to explore the richness and appeal

of figurative language.

Topic: Analyze the use of figurative language in a song

Purpose: To show how the song’s use of figurative language contributes to its appeal to its listeners

Method:
· To prepare an outline or graphic organizer that will serve as the foundation for a 1,200–1,500 word essay

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· To begin the research process by preparing an annotated bibliography in Modern Language Association citation and documentation format that consists of at least five sources:

· 1 primary source: the song lyrics

· 4 secondary sources: song reviews, critiques, articles about the album, profiles of the singer and/or song- writer that focus on the music and lyrics (not the individual’s personal life)

Audience: Junior and senior-level distance education students enrolled at Penn Foster College

THE WRITING PROCESS
Plan and Prewrite
1. Watch the Literary Analysis lecture notes video on your My Courses page. This video reviews the essay require- ments and the main elements of a literary analysis.

2. Make a list of songs you might write about. Remember that the song needs to employ figurative language, so you’ll most likely need to spend some time online looking up the lyrics to ensure that you choose a song with enough figurative language to eventually write 1,200–1,500 words about.

3. Choose one song from your list to write about.

4. Develop the content for your outline or graphic organizer by first freewriting about your song:

a. What is the song about?

b. How does the song convey that subject?

i. Does it use an straightforward, literal language? If so, you may want to return to your list and choose another.

ii. Does it employ figurative language?

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iii. What types of figurative language can you identify? Review page 661–663 in your textbook and the Literary Analysis lecture notes video on your My Courses page.

c. What does the figurative language represent?

5. Is the song popular? Why do listeners find it appealing?

Research
6. Your lyrics are your primary source and count as one source on your annotated bibliography and toward the research requirement for your essay. Be sure that you have carefully noted where you found them, either online or in print.

7. You’ll need a minimum of four other sources. These sources should focus on the song’s popularity, appeal, and significance in its cultural context.

a. If you’ve chosen a contemporary song, that would mean analyzing why audiences have made it so popular—or perhaps reviled—today.

b. If you’ve chosen an older song, you might explore why it was significant in its own time period and/or why it’s still meaningful today.

c. You don’t need to choose a song from the Billboard charts for this assignment. You may have chosen a song that’s significant to a particular group but doesn’t have widespread popularity. You can still focus on what makes the song meaningful to those who listen to it.

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8. Search online, but remember that you’ll need to evaluate your sources carefully; review pages 569–573 in your textbook. Some examples of appropriate sources follow.

a. Reviews by music critics

b. Profiles by journalists and other professional writers

c. Articles about the time period, cultural events, and social norms