Literary

Analysis
Introduction:
- History/Background of the Title
- Author’s Biography
Content:
- Form
- Elements of a story/poem
- Social/Historical Background

Analysis and Evaluation

- Moral Lesson of the story
- Assess the story's strengths and weaknesses.
- Author's writing style, the effectiveness of the arguments presented, and how well the book achieves its
intended purpose.
- Personal insights and critique, supported by evidence from the text
Conclusion
- Summarize your overall thoughts and impressions of the story/poem.
- Restate key points and provide a recommendation for potential readers, indicating whether you would
suggest reading the story/poem and why
• History/Background of the Title
 Title Analysis A. Historical Context: Time period when title was created
1. Cultural significance
2. Historical events influencing the title
3. Original language/translations
 Title Meaning: Literal interpretation
Symbolic meaning
1. Multiple meanings/interpretations
2. Cultural references
3. Literary allusions
 Questions to Consider: Why did the author choose this title?
1. What does it suggest about the work?
2. How does it relate to the main themes?
3. Are there hidden meanings?
• Example
Title: "The Great Gatsby"
Historical Context: - Written in 1925 during the Jazz Age -
"Great" reflects the American Dream - "Gatsby" suggests
new money vs old wealth
Meaning: - Ironic use of "Great" (questioning what makes
someone great) - References to the character's
reinvention - Reflects themes of wealth, status, and
appearance
• Author’s Biography B. Professional Career: Writing career timeline
A. Personal Life: Birth and death dates 1. Major works
1. Family background 2. Literary influences
2. Education 3. Writing style evolution
3. Relationships 4. Awards/recognition
4. Personal struggles 5. Critical reception
5. Major life events
6. Cultural background D. Influences on Writing: Personal experiences
C. Historical Context: Time period lived in 1. Political views
1. Major historical events 2. Religious beliefs
2. Social movements 3. Social values
3. Political climate 4. Philosophical ideas
4. Cultural environment 5. Other writers/artists
 Career:
• Example Wrote nearly 1800 poems
Few published during lifetime
Unique punctuation style
Author: Emily Dickinson
Personal Life: Themes: death, immortality, nature
- Lived 1830-1886
- Born in Amherst, Massachusetts Historical Context:
- Reclusive lifestyle - American Civil War period
- Never married - Victorian era
- Strong family connections Professional - Religious revival movements

Women's limited roles in society Influences:

Religious upbringing
Nature observations
Personal isolation
Family relationships
• Form for POEM 2. Haiku (3 lines: 5-7-5 syllables)
Example:

1. Sonnet (14 lines with specific “Autumn leaves falling

rhyme schemes) Dancing gently in the breeze
- Shakespearean sonnet (rhymes ABAB CDCD EFEF GG) Nature's lullaby”
Example:
“Shall I compare thee to a summer's day? (A) 3. Limerick (5 lines with AABBA
Thou art more lovely and more temperate: (B)
Rough winds do shake the darling buds of May, (A)
rhyme scheme)
Example:
And summer's lease hath all too short a date...” (B)
“There once was a cat from Nantucket
Who carried his food in a bucket
He'd fish all the day
In a methodical way
Then guard all his catch, lest folks took it”
 5. Cinquain (5 lines with syllable
4. Free Verse (no formal structure) pattern 2-4-6-8-2)
Example: Example:

“The city breathes “Snowflake

Drifting down
concrete and steel rising
Dancing through the air now
like dragons in the morning mist Joining others on the ground below
while pigeons scatter dreams At rest”

across empty streets” 6. Acrostic (First letters spell a word)

Example:

“Peaceful waters flow

Ocean waves crash on the shore
Endless horizon
Memories of salt and sand”
• Elements of the Story/Poem 2. Characters
A. Main Types:
1. Plot (The sequence of events)
- Exposition (Introduction/Background) - Protagonist (Main character)
- Rising Action (Building tension) - Antagonist (Opposition/villain)
- Climax (Peak of conflict) - Supporting characters
- Falling Action (Events after climax)
- Resolution/Denouement (How story ends) B. Character Development:
- Personality traits
3. Setting - Motivations
- Time period - Growth/changes
- Location - Relationships
- Physical environment - Backstory
- Social environment
- Weather/climate
- Cultural context
- Historical context
• Elements of the Story/Poem
4. Conflict 7. Tone
Types: 5. Theme
Common themes include: Tone (Author's attitude):
- Person vs. Person - Serious
- Person vs. Self - Love
- Redemption - Humorous
- Person vs. Nature - Satirical
- Person vs. Society - Good vs. Evil
- Coming of age - Formal
- Person vs. Technology - Informal
- Person vs. Fate/Supernatural - Power
6. Point of View - Justice
- Death Mood (Reader's feeling):
- First Person ("I")
- Freedom - Suspenseful
- Second Person ("You")
- Romantic
- Third Person Limited
- Mysterious
- Third Person Omniscient
- Melancholic
- Multiple Perspectives
- Joyful
• Elements of the Story/Poem
8. Literary Devices
- Symbolism 9. Style
- Foreshadowing - Diction (word choice)
- Flashback - Syntax (sentence structure)
- Imagery - Dialogue
- Metaphor - Description
- Simile - Pacing
10. Structure
- Irony - Voice
- Chapters
- Personification - Scenes
- Timeline
- Narrative arc
- Beginning/Middle/End
- Subplots
• Story: Little Red Riding Hood
Plot: Girl goes to grandmother's house, meets wolf, gets tricked
Characters: Little Red, Wolf (antagonist), Grandmother, Woodcutter
Setting: Forest, Grandmother's house
Conflict: Person vs. Person (Wolf)
Theme: Innocence vs. Deception
Point of View: Third Person
Tone: Cautionary
Mood: Suspenseful
Literary Devices: Foreshadowing (wolf's intentions)
Style: Simple, direct narration
Structure: Linear timeline with clear beginning, middle, end
• Analysis and Evaluation

- Moral Lesson of the story

- Assess the story's strengths and weaknesses.
- Author's writing style, the effectiveness of the arguments presented,
and how well the book achieves its intended purpose.
- Personal insights and critique, supported by evidence from the text
Conclusion
- Summarize your overall thoughts and
impressions of the story/poem.
- Restate key points and provide a
recommendation for potential readers,
indicating whether you would suggest reading
the story/poem and why
Literary Analysis
of "Telephone
Conversation" by
Wole Soyinka
Wole Soyinka's "Telephone Conversation" is a powerful poem that
explores themes of racism, colonialism, and identity. This poem,
written in 1963, centers on a conversation between a Nigerian man
and a British landlady. The man's attempt to rent a flat is met with
prejudice and misunderstanding, highlighting the deeply ingrained
biases of the time.

by Janine Manalo-Reuta
Learning Outcomes
1 Analyze the portrayal of cultural
differences and prejudice in the
poem.

2 Evaluate the effectiveness of the

poem's form and language in
conveying its message.
Introduction to
Wole Soyinka and
the Poem
1 Wole Soyinka: A 2 Telephone
Renowned Conversation: A
Figure
Wole Soyinka is a
Powerful Work
Nobel Prize- The poem
winning Nigerian "Telephone
playwright, poet, Conversation" is a
and novelist. He is compelling work
a prominent voice that captures the
in African experience of
literature, known racism and
for his insightful prejudice through
critiques of a seemingly
colonialism and ordinary phone
social injustices. call.
Introduction to the
poem and its
themes
1 Colonial Legacy Identity and Belonging
2
The poem reflects the The protagonist's struggle to be
lingering effects of British recognized as an individual
colonialism in Nigeria, beyond his race speaks to the
where racial prejudice complexities of identity and
was deeply ingrained in belonging in a post-colonial
society. world.

3 Power Dynamics 4 Communication

The conversation
and
highlights the power
Misunderstandin
The poem explores how
imbalances between the
g
communication can be
landlord and the tenant, fraught with
where the landlord holds misunderstanding and
the ultimate power to misinterpretation, leading to
grant or deny the rental. conflict and frustration.
The significance of
the title and opening
lines Opening Lines
Telephone Conversation
The title itself is The opening lines, "The
significant because it price seemed reasonable,
suggests that the landlady, / And the area is
conversation is limited, quiet..." establish a
mediated, and seemingly mundane
potentially fraught with conversation about renting
misunderstandings. a flat. This normalcy serves
as a stark contrast to the
underlying racial tension
that emerges later.
Exploration of the poem's structure and p
Structure Poetic Devices
The poem is structured as Soyinka uses various
a dialogue between two poetic devices, including
characters. The repetition, irony, and
conversational style makes imagery, to emphasize the
the poem feel immediate themes and create a sense
and personal, drawing the of frustration and
reader into the tension of absurdity.
the interaction.
Analyzing the Use of
Language and Literary
Devices
Irony
1
The irony lies in the contrast between the
speaker's polite and respectful language and the
landlord's discriminatory behavior.

2 Imagery
Visual imagery like "black as night" and "white as
snow" reinforce the racial divide and the power
dynamics between the speaker and the landlord.

3 Repetition
The repetition of phrases like "are you sure"
emphasizes the landlord's persistent assumptions
and skepticism.
Racial tensions and
power dynamics in the
dialogue
Discrimination
The landlady's persistent questions about the man's
"colour" and his "race" highlight the pervasive nature of
racial discrimination at the time.

Power Imbalance
The landlady holds the power to accept or reject the man's
application, making him feel vulnerable and powerless.

Consequences
The dialogue exposes the insidious effects of racism on
both the victim and society as a whole.
The role of perspective
and point of view
1 Landlady's Perspective
The landlady's perspective is characterized by fear and
prejudice. Her questions and assumptions reveal her deeply
ingrained biases.

2 Tenant's Perspective
The tenant's perspective highlights the frustration and
indignity of being judged solely on the basis of his race.

3 Shifting Perspectives
The poem forces readers to confront both perspectives,
prompting them to question their own assumptions and
prejudices.
Connecting the Poem to the
Broader Social and Historical
Context
Post-Colonial Era The poem reflects the challenges
faced by Africans and people of
color in post-colonial societies,
where racism and discrimination
persisted.

Immigration and IdentityThe poem explores the

complexities of navigating a new
culture and asserting one's
identity in a society marked by
prejudice.
Implications for Civil
Engineering students
Ethical Considerations The poem highlights the
importance of recognizing and
addressing societal injustices.

Cultural Sensitivity Civil engineers work on

projects that impact diverse
communities. Understanding
cultural contexts is crucial.

Communication and The poem emphasizes the

Collaboration importance of clear
communication and
collaboration to overcome
misunderstandings and build
bridges.
Conclusion and key takeaways
Racism and Prejudice Power Dynamics
The poem exposes the The poem emphasizes the
insidious nature of racism importance of
and prejudice, highlighting understanding and
their lasting impact on challenging power
individuals and society. imbalances in society.

Communication and Empathy

The poem encourages us to engage in conversations that
challenge stereotypes and foster empathy.