Unit 1: Nonfiction: Doing a Close Reading: Tutorial

Central Idea:

A central idea is the main argument or topic of a work. Usually it isn't stated out in the open. So, how do you locate the central idea? Look for a sentence that states an idea or particular viewpoint and highlight or circle it. If the sentences and paragraphs that follow support and build on this idea, then you've found the central idea. Think about an essay that discusses cell phone use, for example. The central idea of that text may be about the hazards of using a cell phone while driving. If the essay included stories and statistics that show the dangers of texting while driving, that would be another hint about the central idea.

Repetition

All uses of the repeated phrase "Ain't I a woman?" are highlighted and a note is made about the significance of this repetition. Also, consider that this repeated phrase is the same as the title of the speech.

Structure:

Another technique for reading nonfiction is to analyze how the author introduces information. Is it organized to give a clear understanding of the topic? Does the information support the central idea? The structure of a work can show whether an author has a strong or weak argument. For example, does the author make good points, but they seem to be out of order or disorganized? A weak structure can weaken an argument and make it seem unreliable.

Here are some steps that you can follow when annotating a text:

Circle the title and write down any initial ideas that you have about its importance. Then make notes about how the title connects to the ideas in the text. Research the writer's background and the year that the piece was published. Think about how this information changes your interpretation of the text. Identify the topic and the central argument. Write down any previous knowledge that you have about the subject. As you read the text, note any opinions you have about the topic. If something is unclear, write your questions in the margins. Make a note to do some research later to gain a better understanding of the text. Highlight any unfamiliar words and look them up in the dictionary. Circle any evidence that the writer cites to support the central idea or argument. Summarize paragraphs as you read to make sure you understand what is being said. Look out for any repetition—writers typically use this technique to emphasize a point. Determine if the text is fact or opinion. Using evidence from the text, write down how you came to this conclusion. After annotating the entire text, state the purpose of the text.

Which sentences in the passage are not parallel in structure? House Un-American Activities Committee The House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC) was an investigative committee of the US Congress. Created in 1938, the committee investigated questionable activity and if people were disloyal to the United States. During the Cold War, the HUAC became a permanent committee. Its goal was to investigate suspected communists within the United States. In 1947, the committee held nine days of hearings to investigate communist influence in the Hollywood film industry. The committee believed that some American artists were communists. The list of suspected people became known as the "Hollywood blacklist." One of the most famous hearings held by the HUAC involved Whittaker Chambers and Alger Hiss. Chambers, a senior editor for Time magazine, had once been a member of the Communist Party and a Soviet spy. Chambers testified before the HUAC against Hiss and claiming that Hiss belonged to an underground communist organization. Hiss denied the charges against him, but the committee found him guilty of perjury. The committee was unable to convict him for espionage because the statute of limitations had expired.

Created in 1938, the committee investigated questionable activity and if people were disloyal to the United States. Chambers testified before the HUAC against Hiss and claiming that Hiss belonged to an underground communist organization.

Comparisons:

For a comparative sentence, the elements can be written in a parallel fashion using the same grammatical form. Here's an example that is not parallel: X I like playing tennis more than I like to play basketball. This sentence uses parallel structure: √ I like playing tennis more than I like playing basketball.

You noted how Sojourner Truth used parallel sentences in "Ain't I a Woman?" For example, she used parallel constructions around the conjunction or in her question "What's that got to do with women's rights or negroes' rights?" Writers use parallel sentences for better flow and grammatical accuracy. This style of writing creates balanced sentences and allows for elements or ideas of equal importance to be stated in a similar manner. Based on what you've learned about creating parallel structure, write three original sentences that use parallel structure. Your sentences can be fiction or nonfiction.

Here are some examples of parallel sentences: The new president promised not only to restructure the economy but also to balance the budget. (This sentence is parallel because the two clauses use a matching verb phrase "to restructure the economy" and "to balance the budget.") Shaun likes to play football, read books, and paint portraits. (This sentence is parallel because Shaun's hobbies are listed using the same verb tense: play, read, and paint.) Lynette finished her homework during recess and submitted it before class. (This sentence is parallel because the verbs finished and submitted are both in simple past tense.)

List at least three to five questions about the speech that could help you interpret it during the next section of this lesson.

Here are some questions that might result in a better understanding of the speech: What is the tone of the speech? What is the purpose behind writing this speech? Is the character appealing to her audience's emotions? What is the central idea of the speech? Is the central idea developed and supported well? Does the speech use any words that are unfamiliar?

Clauses:

In sentences with a series of active clauses, using the same verb form within each clause maintains correct parallel structure. The following sentence does not follow this rule: X Our English teacher told us that we must be on time for class, that we must submit our assignments on time, and to participate in class discussions. This sentence uses correct parallel structure: √ Our English teacher told us that we must be on time for class, submit our assignments on time, and participate in class discussions.

Language and Tone:

Look closely at the language and tone of a work to understand its intent or purpose. Textbooks and research papers use formal, academic language to set a serious tone and lend credibility to the writing. On the other hand, articles in magazines and online blogs use a casual, conversational tone. An easy way to figure out the tone of a work is to read it aloud.

Antithesis

Meaning that two things are being contrasted or placed in opposition to one another. In the first sentence, the speaker makes the claim that "women need to be helped into carriages, and lifted over ditches, and to have the best place everywhere." But the next sentence directly opposes this idea. Here, the speaker states that she herself has never been "helped into a carriage, or over mud-puddles, or given the best place." These contrasting images emphasize the imbalance in racial equality for women.

Doing a Close Reading:

Recall that annotating a text is a critical step in close reading. It helps you locate important information in the text, identify the central idea, follow the development of the argument, and understand the writer's purpose.

Conjunctions:

Sentences often use coordinating conjunctions (for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so) and correlative conjunctions (either/or, neither/nor, both/and, not only/but also) to connect ideas. In parallel sentences, the information on both sides of a conjunction uses the same word form. This example shows incorrect structure: X The extra-cheese pizza in the cafeteria is tasty but not for health. This example uses a conjunction and has parallel structure across the clauses: √ The extra-cheese pizza in the cafeteria is tasty but not healthy.

Rewording Language

The annotation "what are we talking about here?" makes a guess at the intended meaning of the rhetorical question "But what's all this here talking about?" The annotation puts the speaker's question into more accessible language. That way, it's easier to understand what the speaker is trying to say. Other instances of this type of annotation are the phrases "no man could head me!" and "when I could get it" in the second paragraph.

Verbs tenses:

The correct use of parallelism uses the same verb tense across the whole sentence. Here's an example of incorrect structure: X When I go to a ballgame, I like eating a hot dog and buy a foam finger. Here's the correct way to write this sentence: √ When I go to a ballgame, I like to eat a hotdog and buy a foam finger.

Exclamations

The exclamatory sentences "Look at me! Look at my arm!" are noted because they depict the speaker's strong emotions and provide some insight into her life.

Audience and Tone

The word children is highlighted to draw a connection between word choice and tone. By using the word children to address the audience, the speaker sets an instructive and informal tone for the entire speech.

Unfamiliar Words

The word kilter is marked and defined to make the language easier to understand. Other instances of this type of annotation include the highlighted phrase "in a fix" in paragraph one and the word lash in paragraph two.

Word Choice

The words racket and 'twixt are highlighted to note an interesting use of language. The speaker's particular word choice is important because different words might not have carried the same tone or effect. Other instances of this type of annotation are the word need and the term "mother's grief" in the second paragraph.

Purpose:

To identify an author's purpose in a work, ask yourself if the text is meant to inform, persuade, entertain, or instruct. For example, the purpose behind a biography is usually to inform and entertain. The Autobiography of Martin Luther King, Jr. by Clayborne Carson, for example, provides readers with insight into King's motivations and beliefs.

Series:

When a sentence has a series of items, it should be written using parallel structure to make the sentence flow well. For example, this sentence is not parallel: X I enjoy watching movies, reading books, and I do yoga. This sentence, on the other hand, is parallel: √ I enjoy watching movies, reading books, and doing yoga.

Point of View:

When reading a nonfiction text, also pay attention to whether the point of view of the author is obvious or subtle. Look for key words that show how the author feels about the topic. Writers often use rhetorical devices to convince or inform readers about their point of view. A writer might use exaggeration or understatement to make a point. In this example, the author uses satire to highlight the dangers of using a cell phone while driving: Although it's really important to let your friends know exactly where you are every second of every day, maybe you could give your thumbs a rest when you're driving. You could even try focusing on holding the steering wheel and watching the road. The author could also use rhetorical questions to get the reader to think a certain way: Don't you think it's sad when people can't put their phones away and just enjoy the moment? Point of View The phrase "none but Jesus heard me" is noted to highlight the speaker's perspective. The annotation makes an educated guess as to the speaker's meaning.

KWL

When you do a close reading of nonfiction texts, you can benefit from creating a KWL chart. This chart has columns to record what you know (K), what you want (W) to know, and what you've learned (L) about a text. Before you read a nonfiction text, look at the title and make some notes about what you think you know about the topic in the K column of the KWL sheet. For example, when you read the title "Ain't I a Woman?" you might note that you think the speech will be about women's rights and racial equality. Next, scan the text and write down any questions that come to mind. List these questions in the W column of your KWL chart. For example, you might want to know the background of the author, when the speech was written, and who the audience was. Finally, after you've done a close reading of the text and annotated it, you can fill in the L column of the KWL chart. Make notes about what you learned after reading and annotating the text in this column. For example, you could make notes about how the writer uses repetition for effect.

Close Reading Nonfiction

When you're reading a magazine article while waiting at the salon, you're reading nonfiction. When you look through a college brochure you received in the mail, you're reading nonfiction. Every day you're reading some form of fact-based and informative writing. Even the thoughts and reflections you read in social media can be considered a form of nonfiction. The social media post from your friend may not require in-depth analysis and comprehension—or maybe it could! But doing a close reading with other forms of nonfiction certainly will. Close reading involves carefully examining and analyzing elements of a text. With nonfiction, we'll first look for the central idea.

Text Features:

While closely reading nonfiction, pay attention to how the content is organized. Does the writer use headings and subheadings? The use of headings or subheadings helps to break information into logical sections. And that makes the text easier to understand. Use the headings and subheadings to figure out which section to look in for specific information, instead of reading through every section. Also, notice any graphic aids in a text. For example, many informational texts are supported by a graph, chart, map, illustration, or photograph. These graphic aids help readers better understand the topic. A manual that describes how to assemble a bookshelf might show an image of each step in the building process. The images provide the reader with visual cues for greater understanding and quicker assembly.

Focus on Language

You may have noticed the use of parallelism in Sojourner Truth's speech "Ain't I a Woman?" Parallelism (also called parallel structure) is a repetition of the same pattern of words, often within a sentence. This device shows that two or more ideas in the sentence have the same level of importance. Parallelism also gives balance to a piece of writing and makes it easier to read. Parallelism uses certain structures and rules of grammar. Let's look at those that are most common.

Do you read a lot of nonfiction, other than newspapers and magazines? What approach do you usually take to reading nonfiction? Have you ever annotated a piece of nonfiction, reading it closely and making notes about the text? If so, how has that helped you to understand the text better? If you've never annotated a text, do you feel there are parts to reading nonfiction that you find confusing?

Your answer should include these points: Yes, I have annotated and closely read a nonfiction text, and it helped me in the following ways: I was able to locate important information in the text quickly. I could identify the central idea of the text. I understood the development of the ideas and arguments in the text. I highlighted and looked up new vocabulary and concepts in the text. or No, I've never annotated a nonfiction text or tried to do a close reading of it. Whenever I've read nonfiction, I had the following problems: I had a hard time understanding what the work was about. I wasn't able to locate the central idea of the text. I had an incomplete understanding of how the ideas and arguments were developed. I didn't mark off any words and concepts I didn't understand, so I never looked them up.

audience and tone -------------------------------------- word choice ---------------------------------------------- author's purpose ----------------------------------------- rhetorical devices and evidence used to support argument -------------------------------------------------- unfamiliar words ------------------------------------------ point of view --------------------------------------------- repetition -------------------------------------------------

conversational, attempts to connect with the audience with informal language: "That's it, honey" pint, quart, "my little half measure full" to argue for equal rights for women; gives evidence to fight against gender discrimination and makes an emotional appeal to audience biblical references; analogy of a wine glass—something that the audience can relate to; reference to Eve as the first woman in direct response to a man in the audience (an African American man) who made a derogatory remark about women (women should not be given equal rights because Christ was not a woman) kilter, twixt woman is as strong as man and deserves equal rights repetitive use of the question "Where did your Christ come from?" for effect

Choose the phrase that makes each sentence parallel. The Mexican War In 1836, Texas declared its independence from Mexico. Mexico, however, did not officially recognize the independence. When the United States annexed Texas in 1845, Mexico saw this decision as an act of aggression and ended diplomatic relations with the United States. The United States and Mexico also had a dispute over which river separated the two countries. The United States claimed that the border was the Rio Grande. Mexico claimed it was the Nueces River, which is farther north. President James K. Polk ordered General Zachary Taylor and his troops to the north bank of the Rio Grande. Mexico viewed this action as an invasion of their country and sent their troops across the Rio Grande. The United States declared war on Mexico on May 13, 1846. The Mexican War continued until the United States and Mexico signed the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo. In this treaty, Mexico not only recognized the Rio Grande as the border between Texas and Mexico but also sold all of what is now California,Nevada, and Utah to the United Sates. Parts of Wyoming and Colorado became U.S. land as well. The United States paid Mexico $15 million for the land.

ended diplomatic relations with the United States. sent their troops across the Rio Grande. sold all of what is now California,Nevada, and Utah to the United Sates. Parallel structure means using a similar form or pattern of words to balance sentences. The sentence beginning "When the United States annexed Texas in 1845, Mexico saw this decision as an act of aggression and" has parallel structure when completed with the option "ended diplomatic relations with the United States" because the verbs saw and ended use the same tense. The sentence "Mexico viewed this action as an invasion of their country" has parallel structure when completed with the option "and sent their troops across the Rio Grande" because the verbs viewed and sent use the same tense. The sentence "In this treaty, Mexico not only recognized the Rio Grande as the border between Texas and Mexico but also" has parallel construction when completed with the option "sold all of what is now California, Nevada, and Utah to the United States" because the verbs recognized and sold use the same tense.