1. Writing about Author Use of
Literary Elements

2. Your Task
Choose a specific literary element (e.g., theme,
characterization, structure, point of view, etc.) or
literary technique (e.g., symbolism, irony,
figurative language, etc.) used by one of the
authors. Using specific details from either
Passage I or Passage II, in a well-
developed paragraph, show how the author
uses that element or technique to develop the
passage.

3. The Process: BEFORE Writing
1. Read the passages critically.
2. Think about what the authors do.
3. Choose ONE passage to write about.
4. Choose a specific literary element or literary
technique used in the passage.

4. The Process: Writing the Paragraph
1. Craft a topic sentence that includes:
1. The title and author of the passage chosen
2. The literary element/technique used by the
author.
2. Discuss how the author uses that element or
technique to develop the passage.
3. Provide evidence from the passage to explain
your ideas.

5. Example
In passage II, “Still I Rise” by Maya Angelou, the poet
uses figurative language to emphasize the speaker’s
value and depth of character. She accomplishes this in many
ways, but the images of “oil wells” (line 8), “gold mines” (line 19),
and “diamonds” (line 27) all symbolize the value the speaker feels
entitled to. These images are embedded in similes which show
that the speaker carries herself as though she has money. Angelou
also uses a powerful metaphor in the last stanza to show the
depth of the speaker’s character: “I’m a black ocean, leaping and
wide” (line 33). This line shows the reader that the speaker is full
of unknown treasures and has a dark and evil past, just like the
ocean. It also lets the reader know that the poem is about a
person’s approach to oppressors in her life. Clearly, Angelou’s
figurative language leaves a powerful impression on the
reader, creating a character that will be remembered.

6. Let’s Practice
• Read “Turning,” an excerpt from Gary Paulsen’s
The Winter Room, thinking about what Paulsen
uses in the passage.
• Choose a specific literary element or literary
technique used in the passage.
• Write a paragraph explaining what Paulsen
does.