The document discusses the art of annotating texts. It explains that good annotations balance the reader's own thoughts and connections with understanding the author's ideas and intentions. Readers should comment on specific images or passages, highlight important details, and mention literary devices and the author's intent. Annotations help readers trace their understanding from the plot or subject matter to figurative elements and broader thematic ideas.

1. The Art of Annotating
The Pathway to Analytical Reading

2. The
Profile of
the Good
Reader

3. Set a purpose
vs

4. Connect what
you are reading
to…
How does this How does this
relate to relate to
something else something else
in my life— I’ve read?
family,
community, etc?
How does this
relate to me?

5. Ask QUESTIONS
 About the characters
 About the plot and
how the author will
unfold the narrative
to you
 About information
you don’t understand

6. 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.

7. From To
this
this

8. 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?

11. The Levels of a Literary Text:
Moving from the
PLOT/SUBJECT
to the THEMATIC
PLOT LEVEL
Things that can be answered with the question “What?”
What is being said or argued.
What details are provided.
In fiction: things a character does, other characters’ reactions
Details of setting

12. Figurative Level
Things that can be answered with the question “Why?” or “How?”
When we INFER things about the speaker’s point of view, or
motivations
When we observe and interpret literary devices and techniques that
an author uses.

13. And the last and most
sophisticated Level:
THEMATIC Level
When we consider the big ideas or
universal themes that the author has
presented or hinted at.

14. What does “annotate” mean?
Annotation is a method of writing down your ideas on a text:
To trace your To develop your
reading understanding of
(setting, purpose,
asking questions, literary analysis
connecting, (plot, figurative,
summarizing, thematic)
inferring)

15. 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

16. Comment on a
specific image Highlight: it doesn’t
add any value!
Mention literary
devices/elements Just circle words: say why
Mention author’s intent
or at least try to guess Limit yourself to your own
author’s intention opinion about the text, move
on to purpose.

19. Reader Connections
Only Gatsby, the man who gives his name to this book, was exempt from my reaction—
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
Gatsby—who represented everything for which I have an unaffected scorn. If personality
Text to World: celebrities often become representative of the rich,
spoiled, American Dream even if they do not characterize the rest of
is a series “celebrity world”
the of successful gestures, then there was something gorgeous about him, some
The “was” indicates that he is either dead
heightened sensitivity to the promises of life, as ifor this wasrelated to one of those
he were written long after he was
gorgeous
intricate machines that register earthquakes ten thousand miles away.

20. Gatsby—who represented everything for which I have an unaffected scorn. If
This metaphor, comparing your personality to a series of
choreographed, physical movements makes it seem like he is graceful
personality is a series of successful gestures, then there was something gorgeous
Why does he evoke both “scorn” and
“gorgeous” qualities?
about him, some heightened sensitivity to the promises of life, as if he were related to
How is he more sensitive to the “promises of
one of those intricate machines that register earthquakes ten thousand miles away
life”? Does this mean he is more hopeful or
more depressed?
(Fitzgerald 3). 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

21. Unproductive Annotations
Gatsby—who represented everything for which I have an unaffected scorn. If
So Gatsby represents what he doesn’t
like
personality is a series of successful gestures, then there was something gorgeous
He’s good looking
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
I don’t get what this means
(Fitzgerald 3).