W H AT I S C L O S E A N A LY S I S ?

A quick introduction and guide to prepare you for our

study of ‘Voices of Country’ AND “Cat On A Hot Tin
Roof” by Tennessee Williams
 DEFINITIONS:

• Close reading: means focusing on a passage/s in order to gain a more complex in-
depth understanding of the text as a whole.
• Writing a close analysis: means writing about a section of the text in detail. This is
the best way of providing supporting evidence for an interpretation of the text’s wider
meaning.
What you need to know (knowledge): What you need to be able to do (skills):
• How language affects the reader’s response to the • Show the effects of particular elements of
text. language use.
• How key passages have particular importance to • Explain the significance of key moments in a text
the meaning of the text as a whole. to its overall structure and meaning.
• How different features of the text such as • Analyse the features of a text and make
characterization, setting, tone and style are connections between them as part of an
connected to each other and to the text’s meaning. interpretation.
• How to develop an interpretation of a text. • Present an interpretation using close reference to
the text and a logically developed argument.
 BUT YOU ARE NOT
S I M P LY A N A LY S I N G
T H E PA S S A G E / S I N
FRONT OF YOU.
• While you are provided with passages
that you do need to closely analyse,
they are still going to reflective of the
broader concerns embedded throughout
the entire text, right?
• Think about it like moving in and out of
the text. It’s like a playing a game of
Jenga in reverse – you take a specific
bit and closely analyse it, then you sit
back and look at the whole. Then you
go again! Let’s break that down a bit
more…..
L O O K AT T H E B L O C K ,
CONNECT IT TO THE
TOWER…..

Blocks = language features, plot detail, quote, symbol etc.

Row of blocks = plot development, character development,
shifting meaning etc.
Complete tower = overall views and values, messages that
the author is trying to convey.

So your job, when developing your interpretation in a close

analysis essay is to show the marker HOW you are playing
your reverse game of Jenga. How are you putting all the
pieces together? How are you making sense of the
meaning that the author is attempting to convey by
exploring small amounts, connecting them to bigger
elements, then connecting them to the overall purpose of
the text?
H O W T O S TA RT
A GUIDE FOR FIRST
R E A D I N G O F PA S S A G E S :

• Read for basics: What’s happening to whom? When?

• Read for comprehension: Why is it happening? What
do we know?
• Read for your personal response: What do I think/feel
about this?
• Reflect on how you are positioned: How does the
writer want me to respond?
• Search for connections: What is similar? What is
different? Why does comparing these moments side by
side provide more insight about characters/plot/themes?
• Read for analysis: How has the writer achieved these
effects through the use of language and structure?
S O M E G U I D I N G Q U E S T I O N S T H AT M AY
HELP:
• What do these passages reveal about the characters, character development, characterization
and character relationships? Which character are we more connected to in this moment? How
does that influence your interpretation?
• How would you describe the mood of the passage? What particular words or lines help to
convey this mood? Is this similar or different to the others? How does the mood influence your
interpretation of the text?
• What are the concerns that are evident within these passages? Are these concerns presented as
turning points in the narrative? How does the writer serve to identify their importance over other
events in the narrative? What are the characteristics of these concerns that separate them from
other concerns in the text? How has the writer’s focus influenced your perception of the text?
• What other features or qualities of language are apparent in this passage?
• Do these passages remind you of, or have parallels with, other moments or aspects in the
text? What conclusions about the concerns and preoccupations of the whole text can you draw
from these parallels?
W H AT S H O U L D A C L O S E A N A LY S I S E S S AY
LOOK LIKE?
You already have a basic Three Passage Analysis Structure Scaffold that you can use but
the truth is, there is no one right way to produce a close analysis. The aim is to express
your viewpoint by making logical connections between features of the text and
clearly basing each of your points on evidence from the text.
You are using the passages as the starting point but don’t use them fleetingly either; they
have been selected because they are powerful.
The following slide contains some key things to consider for each stage of your close
analysis essay.
Remember, everyone that is reading your essay has read the text, so it’s not your job to
re-tell what happens. Instead, you are interpreting the text, to explain what certain
elements of the text reflect in relation to your central thesis. The principle focus of
your essay is to draw conclusions and develop arguments.
W H AT M U S T B E I N Y O U R E S S AY:
• Introduction:
Capture your reader’s attention using a quote, a provocative question, a startling statement or a
combination of these.
MUST contain a strong thesis. A thesis is a restricted, precisely worded declarative statement that
states the purpose of your essay – the point you are trying to make. Without a carefully conceived
thesis, an essay has no chance of success.
Include title of the work of literature and the name of the author.
Eg: “Life has got to be allowed to continue even after the dream of life is over.” Tennessee
Williams’ 1955 play ‘Cat on a Hot Tin Roof ’ delineates the heavy consequences that apply if one
is unable to move on from, or is reluctant to confront, the truth. The essence of the three passages
is protagonist Brick’s incapability to handle the confrontational nature of his exchanges with the
primary individuals in his life about his dead friend, Skipper. This “pure” and “clean”
relationship has significantly impacted Brick’s way of life, to the point where he is heavily reliant
on alcohol and his crutch for his ankle for physical and emotional support, and as a result
neglects salient things such as producing offspring, receiving inheritance, and most importantly,
real contentment.
 • Body paragraphs:
Can start in a variety of ways, but just remember your Jenga game. You’re going to start with a block, then
move out to the tower. The block could beany important element.
STEP 1: Identify the important element.
STEP 2: Explain the affect of the important element.
STEP 3: Connect it to other parts of the text or the text as a whole.

Important elements Examples

Nuances of language • Specific word choices that seem purposeful or unusual.

• Symbolism: colours, objects etc.
• Adjectives/adverbs for characters, moments, interactions etc.
• Recurring images/motifs.
• Tone, imagery, voice.
• Punctuation: commas, exclamation marks, formatting, italics, dashes etc.
• Specific stage directions or theatrical devices.

Significance of key passage • Placement of the passage within the text.

• Significant settings, moments, interactions etc.
• Turning points, crisis points, resolutions.
• Evidence of writer’s style.
• Revelations embedded in conversations, use of language.

Connections between features • Links between theway the text is written and what is being said.
• Structure and order of passages, events etc.
• Whether characters are rewards, punished, heroized, etc.
• Conclusion:
Not always necessary, but it is a nice way to show the marker that your essay is complete, your
interpretation developed.
You can:
Restate the thesis in different words OR make a relevant comment about the literary work that
you are analysing with relation to your thesis.
Eg. Perhaps all human beings are predetermined to live their lives “on a hot tin roof” like
Brick and Maggie, struggling against the internal oppressive forces that prevent us from being
comfortable with out true sense and as a result, living a cathartic and fulfilling life. Brick’s
final inability to take charge of his life and cross the threshold to become the hero the
audience so desperately desires him to be reflective of our own inability to stand up to the
societal pressures that crush our spirit.

Not too hard, right! Now it’s time to give it a go with “The Boy Behind The
Curtain” and “Emily Dickinson Complete Poetry.”