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DISCUSSION STARTER
“Above all, the art of reading aloud should be
cultivated”
-Alfred Lord Witehead
How can careful reading help you better understand
literature in a way where you can interpret it using
your voice?
SPECIAL ACTIVITY

A special At this time, get with

performance a partner and
(Humorous read your short
Interpretation by passage to them.
Grant Markwell) After, critique one
another in terms
of techniques you
have learned.
LOOKING AHEAD
As you become a better oral interpreter, your understanding of
literature will be enhanced because you will become a more
careful reader. Careful reading will lead you to new insights
about the meaning of the literature as well as make more
sensitive to the beauty of the language.
The audience too, will share this intellectual and emotional
experience , for you will not only entertain audience members
with your performance, you will bring literature alive for them.
INTRODUCTION

Oral interpretation
is still an
important part of
your life.
Storytelling, radio,
news, essays
WHAT IS ORAL INTERPRETATION?

Do not impersonate a familiar voice

Simply create an appropriate and original
voice to give life to words on a page.

After analyzing the meaning and feeling

behind those words, you use your voice
and body to share the words with others.
ORAL INTERPRETATION

The art of communicating works

of literature by reading aloud
well.
ORAL INTERP HISTORY
Oral Interp is one of
the oldest human
social activities.
Until paper
replaced memory,
people needed to
communicate
orally.
HOW CAN I USE THIS IN DAILY LIFE?

Your own history is available to you in human

form. You can ask your parents, grandparents
or other family members or friends to tell
you how things were “way back when”
When the story is being told, oral tradition is
kept alive.
TO USE ON THE JOB
The business world now realizes that storytelling can be
an effective tool to persuade a potential client of the
quality of a product, or to convince employees of a
policy change.

How/why do you think this is so?

YOU CAN CHANGE THE WORLD
Nelson Madela was convicted of the charges against him and
sentenced to life in prison. However, he was freed in 1990 after
serving 17 years.
Mandela continued his involvment in politics. His efforts in the end
paid off. He ended up receiving the Nobel Peace Price for his
efforts in promoting a democratic South Africa. Mandela was
elected president in 1994.
“During my time I have dedicated myself to this struggle of the
African people. I have fought against white domination. I have
cherished ideal of a democratic and free society in
opportunities. It is an ideal which I hope to live for to and
achieve. But if needs be, it is an ideal for which I am prepared to
die.
RECALLING THE FACTS

1.Why is impersonating a familiar

voice not interpretation?
2.How might businesses use the art of
storytelling?
THINKING CRITICALLY

At current rates, some 90 % of the world

languages will vanish during the next
century. As these languages face
extinction, what can be done to
preserves the stories and memories that
will be lost in the disappearing words?
 A L
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TIPS ON CHOOSING
Anthologies: books that include literary works by subject
matter (such as love, war, nature)

Ask your teacher to provide suggestions

Ask Connie Kibbey for literature that could be read
aloud.
3 THINGS TO CONSIDER
• your own tastes in literature.
• Choose something of quality.
• The occasion or desires of your audience.
RECALL THE FACTS

1. Name three things you should consider in

selecting material for an interpretive
reading.
2. What are the literary works called that
collect material by subject matter?
 U R
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M ECT
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• To interpret a selection well, you
must first understand it.
• You do this by considering both the
meaning and the feeling of the piece.
• After that, you must adapt your
interpretation to the requirements of
the form: prose, poetry, or drama.
MEANING

An important part of the process analysis is to

know what each word means (and how each
word relates to every other word) so that you
can share that understanding with the
audience.
Denotation: the dictionary meaning
Connotations: the implied meaning
THEMES

These are central ideas in a literary work

Knowing this theme helps you to make choices

in interpreting the denotative and the
connotative meanings of all the words.
FEELING

What feelings the author is trying to convey?

Mood: a feeling in the work, an emotional tone.

INTERPRETING PROSE

You must determine who is the narrator.

Who is the narrator telling the story to?
What relationship does that person have
to the described event?
POINT OF VIEW

First person: using “I” to identify the narrator

Third person: describing characters as “he” or
“she”
Second person: the author addresses “you”
INTERPRETING POETRY

Meter: Instead of measuring distance, meter

measures the rhythm in a line of poetry.
Rhythm: the flow of stressed and unstressed
syllables.
http://
www.youtube.com/watch?v=TZ1S1cl8JO
w
INTERPRETING POETRY CONT.

Rhyme: a repetition of sounds between

words or syllables or the endings of lines
of verse.
Imagery: the language that creates mental
pictures. These pictures differ in the minds
of the reader and the listener.
INTERPRETING DRAMA

The goal of the actor is to make

the performance as close to real
life as possible.