Interpretive Writing

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Interpretive Writing

• Our _____ _____ reactions to a new text of any
  kind are often a jumble of impressionistic
  thoughts, feelings, and memoriesseldom are they
  fully realized _____.
• To write an interpretive essay, you must take the
  time to _____ this jumble and _____ a reasonable,
  systematic _____ of what the text means and why.
  
• Since all _____ are open to more than _____
  interpretation, an interpretive essay _____ that
  one specific _____ and one particular _____ is
  especially good and worthy of attention.

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Writing Interpretive Essays

• A fully _____ interpretation _____ what the text
  says as reasonably as possible. It also argues
  for a particular interpretation of the texts
  meaningwhat the text _____ or _____ about
  something beyond itself.
• Like any _____, an interpretive essay should be
  as _____ as possible, though it can never be an
  _____ proof. You will _____ passages and _____
  how they _____ in the text.
• You will argue for one meaning by stating a _____
  and _____ it with sound _____ and convincing
  _____.

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Choosing a perspective

• You will interpret a text _____. Focus on the
  _____ (text) under study instead of the _____
  (yourself) doing the study.
• When adopting an objective stance, write from the
  _____ _____ point of view. When you are
  discussing the text, write in the _____ tense.
• Keep references to _____ out of your writing, and
  use language that is _____ and _____. An example
  to avoid The author brilliantly writes an
  emotionally provocative piece that will wet the
  driest eye.

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State your thesis

• To write an interpretation from any point of
  view, you need to _____, _____, and _____ what
  you consider to be the texts _____ meaning.
• It is customary to respond to a prompt, and make
  sure you are _____ the prompts question or _____
  every aspect of the prompt in your thesis.
• Your thesis is a _____, _____ statement of your
  interpretation, _____ to your readers your _____
  for what the text means. Your argument should be
  _____ and _____.

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Provide support

• An interpretive thesis should be _____ tightly
  enough so that you can _____ your argument with
  _____ from the text itself.
• When you draw on the text itself or bring in
  additional sources to support your view, you will
  have to _____ _____ and quote _____ from the
  text.
• Your explanation of the quotes _____ should
  _____ the body paragraph, as it is what will
  largely _____ your argument.

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What belongs in an essay?
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INTRODUCTIONNow, I would like to introduce the
content of my essay Heeeeres my
interpretation!

• You will begin your introduction with a
  __________ sentence including the __________ of
  the piece youre writing about and its
  __________. For example, In his novel, A
  Separate Peace, John Knowles examines life at an
  all-boy boarding school. __________
• Next, you must provide your reader with relevant
  __________ to the text a basic __________.
  __________
• Your topic sentences should be briefly __________
  or __________ before your thesis. __________
• Your __________ should appear last.
• Any generalities and summary will be at the
  __________ of your intro. Once you reach the
  __________ of this paragraph, you will be well
  into the land of the __________.
• Consider your introduction a __________, guiding
  your reader on a __________. Your thesis is the
  __________ - dont lose your reader!

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THESISJust what are you trying to prove?

• Your thesis statement is the __________ of your
  essay. __________
• It is the __________/ __________ you will be
  __________/ __________ throughout your entire
  essay.
• It should be __________, __________, and
  __________.
• Thesis statements should be __________ and
  __________.
• A thesis statement should not be __________ ask
  yourself whether or not your thesis is
  __________. For example, Gene knocked Finny out
  of the tree vs. Genes blind impulse caused him
  to knock Finny out of the tree.

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TOPIC SENTENCESAnd your point is?

• Each body paragraph will have a topic sentence
  that will present the paragraphs __________ and
  __________. This will be your readers signpost.
  __________
• Your topic sentence should be a __________ to
  your thesis these terms will be used
  interchangeably.
• Make a __________ assertion that directly
  __________ back to your __________.
• Never __________ in the topic sentence because
  evidence doesnt belong in the sub-points to your
  thesis.
• It should also avoid __________.

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BODYWho doesnt want the perfect body?

• Your body paragraphs should be __________ by the
  __________ of your quotes __________, aka,
  analysis.
• You cant present a piece of __________ without
  an ample analysis, which will help to __________/
  __________ your argument.
• You will begin with your topic sentence, provide
  context to your quote __________, quote
  __________ ,then support __________.

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CONCLUSIONI must bid thee farewell

• Your conclusion is your readers last __________
  of your essay.
• You must __________ your thesis in the beginning
  of the paragraph, __________ what you have gone
  over in your paper, and __________ with a
  general, yet meaningful ending that conveys your
  essays message.
• Voila!

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PROPER MLA FORMAT

• Entire paper double spaced (including the
  heading), with one-inch margins
• Heading four lines consisting of your name, your
  teachers name, the class, and the due date.
• Font twelve point, Times New Roman
• Titles Center your original title right above
  your introduction paragraph.
• Italicize titles of plays, novels, movies, and
  publications. Put titles of short stories,
  articles, songs, and poems in quotation marks. 

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Developing your STYLE
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Be Yourself! Use words and images that are
natural to you.

• When you write about literature, you may find it
  appropriate to use a slightly more __________
  style.
• Nevertheless, your purpose is to share ideas, not
  to prostrate your reader by the capaciousness of
  your verbal arsenal nor by the baroque
  felicities, or, as it were, the architectural
  symmetries of your sentential configurations.
• Fancy or __________ language that distracts the
  reader from meaning is poor style. Just be
  yourself.

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Be Honest Write what you believe.

• You cannot concentrate on developing your style
  if you are __________ with trying to __________
  what your reader wants.
• You wont always have your choice of topics, nor
  will every assignment ignite your interest and
  emotions.
• Figure out your __________ perspective on the
  topic, and take it from there.

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Be Direct Get straight to the point!

• Say what you mean __________ and in the
  __________ possible words

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Review for Style Whenever you review and
evaluate a draft of your work, keep matters of
style in mind.

• The following questions may help you 
• Ø      Do the sentences and paragraphs express
  your own voice?
• Ø      Do the opinions expressed in the paper
  represent your true convictions?
• Ø      Is your language strong, direct, and
  concise?

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The Journey!!
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Tips on how to be concise
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Avoid Fillers

• Wordy He said that there is a storm approaching.
• Concise He said that a storm is approaching.

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Eliminate Unnecessary Phrases

• Wordy I am going to discuss artificial
  intelligence, which is an exciting new field of
  research.
• Concise Artificial intelligence is an
  exciting new field of research.

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Eliminate Words That Will Not Improve Clarity

• Wordy The book that was lying on the piano
  belongs to her.
• Concise The book lying on the piano belongs
  to her.

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Use Active Rather Than Passive Voice

• Wordy An account was opened by Mrs. McDonald.
• Concise Mrs. McDonald opened an account.

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Avoid Pretentious Language

• Wordy Concise
• Incarcerated felons Prisoners
• Client populations Customers
• Voiced concern that Said, worried
• Range of selections Choice
• Minimizes expenditures Saves money

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• More Style Tips

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Avoid Plot Summary

• In an English paper, you can generally assume
  that your readers are __________ with the work
  you are discussing.
• If you find yourself writing, first this happens,
  and then that happens, youre __________ the
  plot, not __________.

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• You should of course refer in detail to
  particular __________, __________, and __________
  that have a direct bearing on your thesis, but
  you dont need to tell the reader what happened
  to Abigail Williams at each stage of her life.

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A Paper Without Quotations

• is a scary thing. Not to mention, __________.
• No matter how brilliant your analysis, it is
  __________ without quotes.
• They serve as __________ to support the claim
  youre making, and as illustrations of your main
  points.

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• Quality quotes will lead to quality analysis, so
  be __________ when you are selecting your
  evidence.
• Quality analysis is the result of taking time
  with your quotes and explaining them in
  __________.
• That does not mean __________ the quote or
  summarizing the plot or using part of the quote
  to analyze the quote.

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• It is crucial that you pay full __________ to
  each quote you provide before you jump into
  another.
• You neednt write, This quote is
  saying/showing/etc., as quotes are __________.
• You also neednt write, This quote means that,
  as this is a given.
• Get directly to your __________ after your quote.

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Avoid Looking Careless

• Consistently misspelling an authors name, a
  title, or a major characters name is going to
  prove to me that youre not taking time with your
  work.
• Making serious errors in describing a scene in a
  novel or part of a poem or mistaking one
  character for another doesnt bode well for your
  grade.
• When in doubt, look it up!