The Art of Annotating

The Pathway to Analytical Reading

The Profile of the Good

Reader

Set a purpose

vs

Connect what you are reading

to…How does this relate to something else I’ve read?

How does this relate to me?

How does this relate to something else in my life—family, community, etc?

Ask QUESTIONS

About the characters About the plot and how the author will unfold the narrative to you About information you don’t understand

Make an Inference

Writers often give you hints or clues that help you "read between the lines." These clues give you a deeper understanding. When you infer, you go beyond the surface details to see other meanings that the details suggest or imply (not stated). When the meanings of words are not stated clearly in the context of the text, they may be implied - that is, suggested or hinted at. When meanings are implied, you may infer them.

From this

To this

SUMMARIZE

Evaluate and Judge

What is the author ‘s thematic purpose? What ideas does the writer present that you agree with? Disagree with? How relevant are these ideas to you? What previous ideas of yours has this work changed or amplified?

ANNOTATIONS TRACE

ALL OF THESE

But wait! There’s More!

Annotations also trace

LITERARY ANALYSIS

The Levels of a Literary Text:

Moving from the PLOT

to the THEMATIC

PLOT LEVELThings that can be answered with the question “What?”

Things that concern events and setting and character descriptions.

Things character doesPlot-level outcome of character’s actionsOther characters’ reactions to events/other charactersSetting details

Figurative LevelThings that can be answered with the question “Why?” or “How?”

Things that consider characters in the narrative as both dynamic people and also the result of artistic choices:

People with goals, passions, ambitions, fears and desires.When we INFER things about the “hidden” life of a character and what

motivates him/her When we consider literary devices and techniques that an author uses

to connect certain emotions or ideas with a character, place, or event.

And the last and most sophisticated Level:

THEMATIC Level

when we can make thematic evaluations and statements.

when we say that such and such a character/ represents a CONCEPT or an IDEA by his very construction; these take on a greater significance, and become a commentary on a deeper message, or overall point the author is conveying.

When we consider overarching ideas or universal themes that the author has asked us to consider

What does “annotate” mean?

Annotation is a method of writing down your ideas of a text:

To trace your reading

(setting purpose, asking questions,

connecting, summarizing,

inferring)

To develop your understanding of literary analysis(plot, figurative,

thematic)

Good annotations will have a balance of written ideas of

Your own thoughts, connections and ideas

With

Your understanding of the author’s ideas and intentions

Only Gatsby, the man who gives his name to this book, was exempt from my reaction—

Gatsby—who represented everything for which I have an unaffected scorn. If personality

is a series of successful gestures, then there was something gorgeous about him, some

heightened sensitivity to the promises of life, as if he were related to one of those

intricate machines that register earthquakes ten thousand miles away.

Text to SELF: I’ve met people who seem to be part of a group of people you hate but then turn out to be likable for some reason

Text to World: celebrities often become representative of the rich, spoiled, American Dream even if they do not characterize the rest of the “celebrity world”

The “was” indicates that he is either dead or this was written long after he was gorgeous

Reader Connections

Gatsby—who represented everything for which I have an unaffected scorn. If

personality is a series of successful gestures, then there was something gorgeous

about him, some heightened sensitivity to the promises of life, as if he were related to

one of those intricate machines that register earthquakes ten thousand miles away

(Fitzgerald 3).

This metaphor, comparing your personality to a series of choreographed, physical movements makes it seem like he is graceful

Why does he evoke both “scorn” and “gorgeous” qualities?

How is he more sensitive to the “promises of life”? Does this mean he is more hopeful or more depressed?

Comparing him to a seismograph makes it seem as if he is “in tune” with FATE or “Lady Luck” and that things must always go his way, or that is what he must believe

The Figurative Level

Gatsby—who represented everything for which I have an unaffected scorn. If

personality is a series of successful gestures, then there was something gorgeous

about him, some heightened sensitivity to the promises of life, as if he were related to

one of those intricate machines that register earthquakes ten thousand miles away

(Fitzgerald 3).

So Gatsby represents what he doesn’t like

He’s good looking

I don’t get what this means

Unproductive Annotations

Comment on a specific image

Do Don’tMake a general comment about an entire line or whole quotation

Mention literary devices/elements Just discuss “words” or

“images”

Mention authorial intent/ or at least try to speculate authorial intention

Just mention your own opinion about the text