June 18th Reading & Blog

Notes courtesy of Emily Harting: Research

Read Chapter 30. Seriously. It may be dry, but this will begin to answer some of your questions about research and organization.

Begin working on the Abstract for your paper. You can find this assignment on the website. It is a brief description of your paper: it describes which text(s) you are thinking of analyzing, describes your argument/interpretation, and purpose (why is it worthwhile to look at that text in this way?). I’ve had a number of you chat with me about paper topics after class; I’m always happy to ponder with you, so please don’t feel shy about asking questions in advance (in advance not being the night before).

Working with Another Student’s Lyrics: Blog

       Visit someone else’s blog to find the song they chose to analyze. ON YOUR OWN BLOG, you will analyze their chosen song (meaning you need to identify it), using the questions from class to guide you.

1.     Identify the subject (topic) of the song.

2.     Describe the “speaker” of the poem. Who is “speaking” these lyrics? (Is there a fictional speaker vs. autobiographical speaker?)

4.     Which words suggest more than their literal meaning? What are their connotations ( 1-2 examples)?

5.     If there is a rhyme scheme, identify it for one stanza.

6.     What images stand out? Give an example of a simile or metaphor, if you can find one.

7.     What do you think is the theme (message) of the poem?