Transcript I Love Puppies

• Let’s talk about diction:
• Diction=words, not sentences! If I ask you for a diction example and you give me a whole
sentence, you must identify the specific word/words (not more than three words
together!) you are analyzing.
• Negative example: In I Love Puppies, Smith uses connotative diction when he says “Puppies are vibrant
bundles of energy.” This contributes to the purpose of illustrating the joys of puppy ownership
because the words bring to mind images of positive energy.
• Positive example: In I Love Puppies, Smith uses connotative diction when he says “Puppies are vibrant
bundles of energy.” The words vibrant and bundles bring to mind images of positive energy. Instead
of vibrant, the author could have used hyper or overactive, but, here vibrant makes the reader think of
something that actually reenergizes people instead of depleting them. Additionally, bundles brings to
mind a package or gift, which makes the reader think that the puppy’s energy is a blessing.
• Use the correct adjective before the diction word. Remember, words can’t have feelings.
• Instead of saying “The author uses sad diction,” write “The author uses diction connotative of
sadness.”
• “Illustrating the time period” or “Conveying the characters” is NOT a purpose.
• Remember: diction=words, not sentences or imagery!
• Connect everything back to purpose! You should tell me exactly how that word, as it
represents the strategy you identify, contributes to the specific purpose you identify.
• Let’s talk about syntax:
• Review the grammatical and functional sentence patterns!
• Remember, you need to identify the scheme that has the most effect
• Example: A sentence may be both interrogative and a rhetorical question, but your
job is to identify and analyze the scheme that would have the biggest effect!
• Alliteration: two of the same sounds in the same sentence is probably not alliteration!
• Polysyndeton: two of the same conjunctions in the same sentence is probably not
polysyndeton!
• “Illustrating the time period” or “Portraying the characters” is NOT a purpose!
• Connect everything back to purpose! You should tell me exactly how that sentence, as it
represents the strategy you identify, contributes to the specific purpose you identify.
• Negative example: In I Love Puppies, Smith uses connotative diction when he says “Puppies are vibrant
bundles of energy.” This contributes to the purpose of illustrating the joys of puppy ownership because it
really helps the readers to connect to the puppies.
• Positive example: In I Love Puppies, Smith uses connotative diction when he says “Puppies are vibrant
bundles of energy.” The words vibrant and bundles bring to mind images of positive energy. Instead of
vibrant, the author could have used hyper or overactive, but, here vibrant makes the reader think of
something that actually reenergizes people instead of depleting them. Additionally, bundles brings to
mind a package or gift, which makes the reader think that the puppy’s energy is a blessing. The
connotations of these words as opposed to their more denotative counterparts makes the reader better
able to understand the joys of puppy ownership because those joys come from the emotional, not factual,
experience.
The test…
• Identification (I provide diction definition and you provide name of
strategy)
• Passage analysis: MC and short answer
• Multiple choice
• Short answer questions (one sentence or less, or you write an
example)
• Identification (I provide a scheme example and you provide the name
of the scheme)
• Review The Declaration of Independence
**structure is subject to change for grading/sanity/Zen purposes!