Pre-writing I:

1. Meaning — theme, portrayal, main idea, stories — Put in one sentence

2. connotations of word choices

3. tone(s) — attitude of the speaker, voice of speaker

4. explain any figurative language (metaphors, similes, personification, paradox, anything not literal)

 

Pre-writing II:

Poetic Devices that are mechanical in nature

1. sound effects — alliteration, consonance, assonance, onomatopoeia, rhythm, rhyme, slant rhyme, couplets

2. refrains, repeated words

3. punctuation

4. capitalization

5. stanzas — structure

 

Shifts and Repetitions

Essay based on similar theses from former AP poetry essay tests. Choose just one as the controlling idea for the essay:

1. find the shift and explain he differences between the first half and the second half — and how the poet does it
      a.  attitude, tone
      b.  imagery
      c.  point of view
      d.  diction

2. literal vs. metaphoric meaning

3. chronological progression

4. central contrast and explain it

5. tell the meaning and how it is created

6. tone, attitude (speaker)

7. one controlling metaphor expresses attitude

8. speaker's response to central subject

9. title of the poem

10. mood, scene

 

Revise if higher grade is desired

1. stay with content and meaning in thesis, not device

2. weave in strategies and devices as the undercurrent to the content