QUote Analysis
The act of analysis is literally the act of separating a whole into parts in order to understand the whole.
1. Start with:
a. Write the quote in proper format “Somewhere across this milky green ribbon of water is his mother. Enrique is challenging the unknown to find her” (Nazario 137).
b. Topic sentence indicating a basic observation or assertion about the text or passage – in one sentence introduce the reader to what your point is gong to be.
2. When Analyzing, make sure to include at least ONE the following steps of analysis:
a. Explain what it means, trying your analysis of the passage back to the significance of the text and its themes as a whole.
b. Consider what is said, particularly subtleties of the imagery and the ideas expressed (do you agree/disagree? Is there another perspective that is not being addressed?).
c. Asses how it is said, considering how the word choice, the ordering of ideas, sentence
structure (short, long?), purpose (why include that information), audience (who is this information for?) etc., contribute to the meaning of the passage or the text as a whole.
3. Offer a context for the passage without offering too much summary, 1-2 sentences MAX. OPTIONAL - only if necessary for analysis. I’ve read the book, if you have to summarize then your not showing comprehension of the ideas.
4. Connect DQ to the themes (Theme is a phrase/sentence – the underlying message in a text)
- ruthlessness
- compassion
- using play to learn about real life
- friends can be enemies
- the relationship between adults and children
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Optional - - only necessary steps for analysis. Use if you need to write more.
5.Make predictions about what you think will happen next or in the future.
6.Connect back to your lecture/class notes/discussions/chapter questions, etc.
7.Compare/Contrast ideas, actions, other text, films we have watched, etc.
8.Opinions about the passage, actions, characters, etc.
9.What pending questions do you have about the text that were not addressed?
1. Start with:
a. Write the quote in proper format “Somewhere across this milky green ribbon of water is his mother. Enrique is challenging the unknown to find her” (Nazario 137).
b. Topic sentence indicating a basic observation or assertion about the text or passage – in one sentence introduce the reader to what your point is gong to be.
2. When Analyzing, make sure to include at least ONE the following steps of analysis:
a. Explain what it means, trying your analysis of the passage back to the significance of the text and its themes as a whole.
b. Consider what is said, particularly subtleties of the imagery and the ideas expressed (do you agree/disagree? Is there another perspective that is not being addressed?).
c. Asses how it is said, considering how the word choice, the ordering of ideas, sentence
structure (short, long?), purpose (why include that information), audience (who is this information for?) etc., contribute to the meaning of the passage or the text as a whole.
3. Offer a context for the passage without offering too much summary, 1-2 sentences MAX. OPTIONAL - only if necessary for analysis. I’ve read the book, if you have to summarize then your not showing comprehension of the ideas.
4. Connect DQ to the themes (Theme is a phrase/sentence – the underlying message in a text)
- ruthlessness
- compassion
- using play to learn about real life
- friends can be enemies
- the relationship between adults and children
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Optional - - only necessary steps for analysis. Use if you need to write more.
5.Make predictions about what you think will happen next or in the future.
6.Connect back to your lecture/class notes/discussions/chapter questions, etc.
7.Compare/Contrast ideas, actions, other text, films we have watched, etc.
8.Opinions about the passage, actions, characters, etc.
9.What pending questions do you have about the text that were not addressed?
Quote Analysis and Summary Sample - 4
Quote Analysis Sample
In Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck, we learn in Chapter One about Lennie and George who
are on their way to a ranch. In the quote, "Lennie DABBLED his big paw in the water"
(Steinbeck 5) Steinbeck uses animal imagery to compare Lennie's actions to a large animal that acts
with out any logical reasoning. When Steinbeck describes Lennie like an animal, George and
Lennie have just traveled 4 miles from town, and they are resting before they reach the ranch they
will be working at. George wants Lennie to remember they are near the river so he has somewhere
to go when gets in trouble. George thinks Lennie will get in trouble like he did in Weed. This passage is
important to the chapter and novel because it lets the reader know what kind of reasoning ability Lennie
is capable of. His intellectual disability has already gotten them in trouble once when he was accused of
rape. It was really a misunderstanding. However, this shows that people can misunderstand Lennie and his
actions. I think George is afraid of this, and the comparison to his hand as a “paw” is a way for us to visualize
what Lennie is like and why he makes those decisions.
The quote is important because it connects to the theme of making decisions,
it shows that the decisions Lennie makes are not based on ELABORATE plans when he dabbles or splashes
like a little kid-and the decisions George makes are out of fear for what will happen to Lennie.
I think the quote foreshadows that Lennie will make a decision without thinking, like he did in Weed, that will
have bad consequences. The imagery of Lennie “dabbling his paw” in the water is a powerful
word choice to show what we can expect from Lennie’s decision making abilities.
Summary for Chapter One OMAM
In Of Mice and Men, Chapter One starts with a detailed description of the setting. The story
Chapter one starts near Soledad, California. The river is cool and green, it provides a refreshing place to stop
before going to the ranch where they have jobs waiting for them.
The men got jobs from Murray and Ready’s and have work cards for the boss.
George and Lennie travel together from job to job, a lot of which they lose because of Lennie.
George is quick to get annoyed with Lennie, in chapter one he gets upset because he
is carrying a dead mouse, he asks for ketchup when they do not have any and he is forgetful. George is small,
serious and takes care of Lennie. Lennie is huge, he seems to have an intellectual disability that makes
him forget certain things. George and Lennie have a dream of owning land and having a little ranch to work.
They are different than other migrant workers because they have each other, and most migrants travel
alone. A pattern that starts in chapter one is George wishing he was alone, and saying that his life would be
easier if he did not have Lennie to get him in trouble. We learn that he and Lennie were chased out of Weed.
We also learn that Lennie is forgetful, does things without thinking and can be manipulative. He tells George he
can leave if George doesn’t want him anymore, and then he gets George to tell him the story of how they will
one day have their own little ranch with rabbits. The chapter ends with George telling Lennie that he needs to
remember the place by the river so that if he ever gets in trouble, he can go back. This makes me think that
Lennie is going to do something bad again, like he did in Weed, because he doesn’t think about things -
he just does them.
These are examples of what a chapter summary and quote look like. The examples are of what a 4 should look like.
In Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck, we learn in Chapter One about Lennie and George who
are on their way to a ranch. In the quote, "Lennie DABBLED his big paw in the water"
(Steinbeck 5) Steinbeck uses animal imagery to compare Lennie's actions to a large animal that acts
with out any logical reasoning. When Steinbeck describes Lennie like an animal, George and
Lennie have just traveled 4 miles from town, and they are resting before they reach the ranch they
will be working at. George wants Lennie to remember they are near the river so he has somewhere
to go when gets in trouble. George thinks Lennie will get in trouble like he did in Weed. This passage is
important to the chapter and novel because it lets the reader know what kind of reasoning ability Lennie
is capable of. His intellectual disability has already gotten them in trouble once when he was accused of
rape. It was really a misunderstanding. However, this shows that people can misunderstand Lennie and his
actions. I think George is afraid of this, and the comparison to his hand as a “paw” is a way for us to visualize
what Lennie is like and why he makes those decisions.
The quote is important because it connects to the theme of making decisions,
it shows that the decisions Lennie makes are not based on ELABORATE plans when he dabbles or splashes
like a little kid-and the decisions George makes are out of fear for what will happen to Lennie.
I think the quote foreshadows that Lennie will make a decision without thinking, like he did in Weed, that will
have bad consequences. The imagery of Lennie “dabbling his paw” in the water is a powerful
word choice to show what we can expect from Lennie’s decision making abilities.
Summary for Chapter One OMAM
In Of Mice and Men, Chapter One starts with a detailed description of the setting. The story
Chapter one starts near Soledad, California. The river is cool and green, it provides a refreshing place to stop
before going to the ranch where they have jobs waiting for them.
The men got jobs from Murray and Ready’s and have work cards for the boss.
George and Lennie travel together from job to job, a lot of which they lose because of Lennie.
George is quick to get annoyed with Lennie, in chapter one he gets upset because he
is carrying a dead mouse, he asks for ketchup when they do not have any and he is forgetful. George is small,
serious and takes care of Lennie. Lennie is huge, he seems to have an intellectual disability that makes
him forget certain things. George and Lennie have a dream of owning land and having a little ranch to work.
They are different than other migrant workers because they have each other, and most migrants travel
alone. A pattern that starts in chapter one is George wishing he was alone, and saying that his life would be
easier if he did not have Lennie to get him in trouble. We learn that he and Lennie were chased out of Weed.
We also learn that Lennie is forgetful, does things without thinking and can be manipulative. He tells George he
can leave if George doesn’t want him anymore, and then he gets George to tell him the story of how they will
one day have their own little ranch with rabbits. The chapter ends with George telling Lennie that he needs to
remember the place by the river so that if he ever gets in trouble, he can go back. This makes me think that
Lennie is going to do something bad again, like he did in Weed, because he doesn’t think about things -
he just does them.
These are examples of what a chapter summary and quote look like. The examples are of what a 4 should look like.