Explain the difference between summarizing a story and analyzing it.

Summarizing a story involves retelling the main events, while analyzing it involves critically examining the separate parts (literary elements) to understand a bigger meaning (theme).

How can the literary element of 'plot' be used to support a theme?

Events in the plot can be used as evidence to support the theme by showing how characters' actions and experiences relate to the bigger meaning of the story.

Finding Themes in Stories

8th Grade•45 minutes•CCSS CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.8.2

Learning Objective

I can determine a theme of a text and analyze its development throughout the story.

Key Concepts

When analyzing literature, you are critically examining a text by looking at its separate parts, not just providing a summary.

A theme is a recurring idea or insight found in a text, representing a hidden meaning within the story.

Common literary elements include character, symbolism, plot, setting, imagery, and tone/mood, all of which can support the theme of a story.

Practice Questions

This lesson includes 10 practice questions to reinforce learning.

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1. What is the first step in analyzing a literary text, according to the video?

2. In the context of literary analysis, what are literary elements?

3. The video uses the example of Cinderella to explain literary analysis. What is the theme the video suggests for Cinderella?

...and 7 more questions

Educational Video

How to Analyze Literature

HACC, Central Pennsylvania's Community College

Learning Objective

Key Concepts

Practice Questions

Educational Video

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