An expository essay gives readers information about a topic. A compare-and-contrast essay organizes information by showing similarities and differences. Compare-and-contrast essays often present different points of view on an issue or information about many products. An effective expository essay has these characteristics: · Detailed information and explanations about a specific topic to guide and inform the reader’s understanding of key ideas and evidence. · An effective introduction states the main idea and conclusion that wraps up the essay. · An organized structure that logically follows the writer’s points. · A variety of sentence structures to keep the readers interested and transitions to connect ideas. · Effective sentence structure and correct spelling, grammar, and usage. A compare-and-contrast essay also includes: · A thesis statement that sets up the compare/contrast points. Specific facts, details, and examples to support the thesis.
An author’s perspective, or author’s point of view, is the viewpoint from which he or she writes. This perspective is based on the author’s beliefs (opinions) and background (facts). The author’s perspective reveals his or her own feelings or personal interest in a subject. Read stories "My Papa, Mark Twain" and "Stage Fright"
Nonfiction works often include an author’s opinion as well as facts. A fact is information that can be proved. An opinion is a person’s judgment or belief. To recognize clues that indicate an opinion, do the following: · Look for phrases that indicate an opinion, such as I believe or in my opinion. · Look for words that indicate a personal judgment, such as wonderful or terrible. Be aware of words, such as always, nobody, worst, and all, that might indicate a personal judgment or viewpoint. Read stories "My Papa, Mark Twain" and "Stage Fright"
Symbolism is the use of symbols. Symbolism plays an important role in many different types of literature. It can highlight certain elements the author wishes to emphasize and all add levels of meaning.
A symbol is anything that stands for something else. In literature, symbols often stand for ideas, such as love or hope. Writers often use symbolism to reinforce the theme or message of a story. To interpret symbols, notice items seem to be of special importance and analyze the details the writer uses to describe them. · The meaning of a symbol is often open to interpretation by the reader, but it should be based on story events and details. · A symbol may have more than one meaning. Symbolism creates a larger theme. As you analyze each symbol, notice the words and phrases not just for their literal meanings, but also for the thoughts and emotions that they trigger. Writers choose words and phrases not just for their literal meanings, but also for the thoughts and emotions that they trigger. The feelings that a word brings to mind are called connotations. Authors use words with specific connotations to describe the symbols in their stories. As you read, create the a chart to keep track of symbols, looking for specific, descriptive words about an object, details of how the character reacts to an object, and what the symbol may represent. Look for the symbolism in the stories "The Sound of Summer Running" and "Eleven." |