Reading Responses Assignment

What is a reading response? A reading response is a focused response to assigned reading before it is discussed in class. It is an opportunity for you to explore and formulate your interpretation of one aspect of the reading. It is not an essay, but should be written in structured, developed paragraphs. It is not a freewrite and should have focus, organized thoughts, support (e.g. textual evidence), and an adequate degree of correctness. Ideally, these responses will provide you with foundations upon which to build your longer, formal essays.

What should a reading response do? Analyze a singular element of the literature by discussing the WHAT, HOW, and possibly WHY of this element. In other words, if you choose to write about the point of view in a story, you will need to describe what the point of view is, explain how it functions to contribute to the overall effect (intellectual or emotional upon reader) or meaning (theme, concept, or question raised by story) of the text, and perhaps consider why this perspective is successful (or not) in creating this effect/meaning, usually in relation to a particular theme of the work (Theme = the larger issues, ideas, questions or arguments with which a text grapples.)

Or you may choose to discuss a particular theme as developed in a reading assignment. For example, if you choose to write about identity conflict in a section of a novel, you would present what you think the author is saying in this section about this topic (the what). You might expand by describing one or two key scenes or perhaps point to a couple of key passages that illustrate this theme. Then you would do a close reading of the scene(s) or passage(s) to explain what you think each reveals about how the author is creating this impression, message, or argument in the text. Finally, you might speculate as to why this is important in the larger scheme of the work.

So to recap, you need to DESCRIBE (often pointing to specific instances or passages or details from the text will be helpful) and ANALYZE (explain the significance of the piece in relation to the whole).

A reading response is: – NOT a summary of plot – NOT an opinion -NOT a review -NOT a freewrite – NOT about personal experience

What should a reading response look like? For each response you would select only one element. Your first paragraph should be only one or two sentences in which you state a thesis, the single focus of your response and the overall idea or argument you will pursue related to it.

This should be followed by 2-3 fully developed paragraphs in which you explore this topic in an organized way, with specific examples analyzed. Paragraphs should include a topic sentence (identifies main idea of paragraph), remain focused on the idea of the topic sentence, and provide sufficient specific evidence and support from the text analyzed in such a way as to explain what and how you think it helps us to understand your point about the reading. (Do not exceed length limits!) You need not include a concluding paragraph or sentence.

Your response should be no shorter than one page typed or two handwritten, and no longer than 1 ½ pages typed or three handwritten.

What are some possible topics for reading responses?

Elements you may discuss include:

∙ Point of View ∙ Characterization ∙ Tone

or mood ∙ Setting

∙ Conflict

∙ Structure

∙ Turning points ∙ Symbolism

∙ Language/Diction

∙ Use of figurative language (simile, metaphor, etc) ∙ Imagery

∙ Motifs

∙ Use of dialogue

∙ Style

See attached samples of student reading responses as models for both format and content.

How will reading responses be evaluated?

Responses will be evaluated according to the below rubric with a three-point scale.

Three: Response goes beyond the obvious and superficial in its observations and insights about the reading. Response identifies and adheres to single, interesting focus stated at start of response; well-chosen and specific support is presented to discuss this focus; support is analyzed through close reading that interprets the significance of the support and draws meaning from it in relation to the topic of the response. Writing is well organized in unified, fully developed paragraphs, i.e. paragraphs have clearly identifiable topic sentences and remain on topic with sufficient development. Writing contains few grammatical/language errors.

Two: Response identifies and adheres to a single, clearly identifiable focus; support is presented to discuss this focus, but may be general or not fully analyzed in its significant details or rely too heavily on quotations that are not sufficiently addressed. Paragraph structure is apparent. Paragraphs have topic sentences though there may be some digressions or jumps of logic. Paragraphs may not be fully developed. Organization makes it relatively easy to follow flow of ideas. Writing is clear and correct enough to read without difficulty though there may be some errors.

One: Response includes unnecessary plot summary and/or personal opinion/experience; focus may be stated but writing strays significantly from focus; and/or focus is unsupported or support is irrelevant or unanalyzed; and/or there is no identifiable focus. The writing may difficult to follow due to lack of connections between ideas and/or weak paragraph structure. And/or grammatical/language errors interferes with readability of the writing. And/or response falls greatly below length requirement.

Note: Responses Not Handed In (or not handed in on time and therefore not accepted) Will Earn a Score of Zero.

Example #1 of Student Reading Response: How the Garcia Girls Lost Their Accents

In the final chapter “The Drum” Alvarez uses the symbolic image of the cat, and of the

man to explain how Yolanda became a short story writer.

The black cat in this chapter has multiple meanings. First the cat represents the

supernatural. The cat is connected to Pila and her “story devils and story ghosts”. It was through

Pila that a new world was open to Yolanda, the wonderful world of story telling, a world were

reality and fantasy intertwine. At the same time, the cat symbolizes a new beginning or change.

This can also be directly related to Pila. In Spanish the word Pila means baptismal font. Just as a

child is presented to God in Baptism and begins a new life in Christ, it can be said that Yolanda

was presented or introduced to storytelling by Pila and therefore, her life as a writer began. In

addition, Yolanda’s nightmares with the cat can be associated with the cat as being a watchful

guardian over the power of illusion and of the underworld. The mysterious appearances of the cat

can be interpreted as a constant remainder of Yolanda’s talent as a writer and of the violation

committed against the kitten, which can only be forgiven by recreating or giving new life to the

kitten through the power of story telling.

On the other hand, the man with the “goatee” represents the famous Russian short story

writer Anton Chekhov, creator of the short story Kashtanka. In his short story Kashtanka is a dog

owned by a drunken master, who one day takes Kashtanka for a walk and loses her. A kind man

rescues Kashtanka, and later trains her as an animal performer. One day as she is performing her

old master recognizes her and she immediately goes back with him. Kashtanka’s story can be

associated with Yolanda in two ways. First, Kashtanka represents Yolanda. Even though

Kashtanka found a master that treated her nicely she decided to go back with her old master. In the

same way Yolanda decides to go back to her old life through the power of story telling. Secondly,

the incorporation of Chechov by Alvarez represents the influence of Chechov’s style in Yolanda

writing.

Example #2 of Student Reading Response: “A&P” by John Updike

In the story “A&P” by John Updike, A&P is a real place where the story

develops, but also a symbolic place where the narrator creates a fantasy. A&P is a

supermarket where the narrator, Sammy is working for nothing except for money. In fact,

he hates the A&P supermarket: “I bet you could set off dynamite in an A&P…” (380)

because it is so boring and there is no meaning until the three girls in bathing suits

appear. The A&P suddenly turns into a magical place since he sees the third girl: “She

was the queen” (379). Now Sammy sees himself as a knight to protect the queen.

Whoever interrupts what Sammy is doing, such as a customer, he or she must be an

adversary or a witch in his imagination: “If she’d been born at the right time they would

have burned her over in Salem” (378).

Eventually, he meets the queen at his checkout slot. The queen puts down a jar and the

name is also suitable for his fantasy: “King fish Fancy Herring Snacks” (381). When

Sammy holds the jar, he feels more like a knight and the jar symbolizes his loyalty to the

queen and he is proud of taking the jar: “I thought that was so cute” (381).

However, Sammy faces the real world as soon as the manager of A&P appears.

The manager jolts people including the queen in the A&P that the A&P is not a beach,

but it is a real supermarket. A&P is no longer a magical place and it has a policy which

both the staff and customers have to follow to keep order of the real world over the

magical world. The conflict between the queen and the manager results in the victory of

the real world. However, Sammy is still eager for his fantasy and wants to connect with

the queen. Thus, Sammy quits and exits of the real world. He describes the people in the

A&P as “like scared pigs” (383) to justify his fantasy. He pursues the queen as soon as he

comes out of the A&P, but he can’t find her. In fact, he faces the real world without any

fantasy: “I felt how hard the world was going to be to me hereafter” (384).

Example #3 of Student Reading Response: “The Lesson” by Toni Cade Bambara

Sylvia’s narrative is written in a street-wise, callow, and matter-of-fact tone, which plays

a major role in the reader’s understanding of Sylvia and the change she undergoes. The tone in

Toni Cade Bambara’s 1972 story The Lesson distinct from the start when Sylvia begins by

saying, “Back in the days when everyone was old and stupid or young and foolish and me and

Sugar were the only ones just right.” This introduction gives readers a clear impression of

Sylvia’s pre-adolescent mentality at the beginning of the story, and while it indicates that

Sylvia’s impressions have since grown, it sets a tone that remains in her pre adolescent mindset.

In doing this, the reader is provided with the opportunity to truly get in to little Sylvia’s head,

and understand her motivations and the changes that take place in her attitudes by the end of her

story.

When Sylvia introduces her relationship with Miss Moore, she talks about Miss Moore’s

“always planning these boring-ass things for us to do.” Miss Moore’s enthusiasm isn’t well

received; when Miss Moore plans to take them on a trip on one hot summer day, Sylvia talks

about “really hating this nappy-head bitch and her goddamn college degree.” Miss Moore wants

to teach the children an important life lesson, but children being children, they only want to go

out and play—Sylvia’s attitudes reveal the frustrations that children experience in their lack of

control. Despite this lack of control, she presents herself as street-wise, and somewhat devious.

She talks about her desires to “snatch Sugar and go to the Sunset terrorize the West Indian kids

and take their hair ribbons and their money too,” and later, the desire to jump out of the cab with

Miss Moore’s money. These schemes are never followed through, because Sylvia’s tough

attitude, heard in her tone, appears to be a result of her vulnerability and pride.

After the children see the toy sailboat in the window at F.A.O. Schwartz, Sylvia begins to

lose the haughty, delinquent confidence that had characterized her so profoundly leading up to

that moment. Before they set off on their journey, Sylvia disagreed with Miss Moore when she

said that they were “all poor and lived in the slums.” Standing in front of the toy sailboat crushes

her inner confidence and sense of entitlement. Despite her usual resentment towards Miss Moore

and unwillingness to speak to her, she can’t help but participate in the discussion about the

sailboat. Everything that Sylvia says and thinks after seeing the tag on the sailboat is in some

way a response to that moment; she is so disrupted internally, that she has to make a serious

effort to maintain her tone, but it all comes from a defensive place.

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