A presentation prepared for Masterpieces of the World and Creative Writing courses.

1. ANALYSING PROSE AND
POETRY
EDMAR C. TIGULO
MAED- ENGLISH 1

2. Objectives:
 Define analysis, prose, and poetry;
 Justify why there is a need to
analyse literary text (prose or
poetry); and
 Be familiar with the techniques in
analysing literary text (prose and
poetry)

3. What is ANALYSIS?
According to C. Hugh Holman & William
Harmon, it is “A method by which a thing
is separated into parts, and those parts
are given rigorous, logical, detailed
scrutiny, resulting in a consistent and
relatively complete account of the
elements of the thing and the principles
of their organization.”

4. What is ANALYSIS?
“It is an academic encounter with the
text which involves both close reading
and annotating skills with the aim of
creating meaning and knowledge
formation.”

5. Why ANALYSE?
"Imitations produce pain or pleasure,
not because they are mistaken for
realities, but because they bring
realities to mind."

6. Why ANALYSE?
“Analysis encourages reader and other
readers collaborate with each other
come up with a consensus
interpretation or analysis about a
given text which could construct
meaning and add knowledge about the
given text (Reader and other readers)."

7. Why ANALYSE?
“Analysis allows readers connect a
certain text that they have read to
another text, and see the similarities
of the two in some aspects like style
and significance (Literary text and
other literary texts)."

8. Why ANALYSE?
“Analysis lets readers challenge their
own beliefs. With this, they could have
deeper understanding of what is good
or moral."

9. Why ANALYSE?
“Analysis can help readers identify
which one is a good literature and
which one is not."

10. ANALYSING PROSE

11. What is PROSE?
As mentioned by Crabtree, “Prose
expresses thought through language
recorded in sentences and paragraphs.
Prose includes fiction (short stories,
novels) and non-fiction (articles, essays,
journals, biographies.)”

12. What is PROSE?
"Prose is the ordinary form of written
language. Most writing that is not poetry,
drama, or song is considered prose. Prose
is one of the major genres of literature and
occurs in two forms: fiction and non-
fiction."

13. What is PROSE?
“It is considered as the
language of the mind.”

14. How to Analyse?
Literary lenses help readers interpret and
understand the text.
 How are women portrayed in the story?
 Are there any significant moral or lesson that
we can get from the story?
 Is there a strata or social class inside the
story?
 Is the story connected with the life of its
author?

15. How to Analyse?
Considerations:
 A piece of unseen prose often has layers of
meaning
 For instance explain imagery and the effects
created by it
 Notice the denotative and connotative
meaning
 A text can be understood using its elements
 Look for the style and word choice

16. ANALYSING POETRY

17. What is POETRY?
Dulce et Utile
Dulce means something sweet.
Utile means something useful.

18. What is POETRY?
“It is the spontaneous overflow
of emotions written in lines and
verses.”

19. What is POETRY?
“It is the language of the
heart.”

20. How to Analyse?
 Read the poem all the way through at least
twice. Read it aloud. Listen to it. Poetry is
related to music, so the sound is important.
 Start your search for the theme by looking at
the title of the poem. It was probably
carefully chosen.

21. How to Analyse?
 Next you might consider the tone. Who is
peaking? Listen to the voice. ? Is it a man or a
woman? Someone young or old? Is any
particular race, nationality, religion, etc.
suggested? Does the voice sound like the
direct voice of the poet speaking to you,
expressing thoughts and feelings? Is a
separate character being created, someone
who is not necessarily like the poet at all (a
persona)?

22. How to Analyse?
 Next you might consider the tone. Who is
peaking? Listen to the voice. ? Is it a man or a
woman? Someone young or old? Is any
particular race, nationality, religion, etc.
suggested? Does the voice sound like the
direct voice of the poet speaking to you,
expressing thoughts and feelings? Is a
separate character being created, someone
who is not necessarily like the poet at all (a
persona)?

23. How to Analyse?
 How is the poem organized? How is it divided
up? Are there individual stanzas or numbered
sections? What does each section or stanza
discuss? How are the sections or stanzas
related to each other? (Poems don’t usually
jump around randomly; the poet probably has
some sort of organization in mind, like steps
in an argument, movement in time, changes
in location or viewpoint, or switches in
mood.)

24. References
Chan, A. (2017). Analysing poetry and prose: Methods for the
unseen. Raffles Institutions. Power point presentation
Crabtree, D. (n.d.). Prose interpretation: An analysis. Booth,
A.,
Chan, A. (2017). Analysing poetry and prose: Methods for the
unseen. Raffles Institutions. Power point presentation
Kirszner, L.G. and Mandell, S.R. (2007). Portable literature:
Reading, reacting, writing. USA: Thomson Wardsworth. 6th
edition.
Hunter, J.P., and Mays, K.J. (2005). The Norton introduction to
literature. USA: W.W. Norton and Company Inc.