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STYLE AND EFFECTIVENESS

Getting you the feels

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Skills �Unit 5

Analyze how style and content contribute to the effectiveness of the text.

Analyze how the perspective and background of an narrator shapes writing choices.

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EFFECTIVENESS

What y’all feel?

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Effectiveness

  1. What’s the purpose/message of these words?
  2. What does it make you think about or feel?

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Effectiveness – An evaluation of how well did it do its job of getting you to think about those things?

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Style

  • Style in writing is not what is said but how it is said
  • Comes from any choice an artist makes
    • word choice
    • tone
    • Syntax (sentence structure)
    • Punctuation
    • Figurative Language
    • Imagery
  • Style may be conscious or unconscious.
  • Can reveal to both emotions and background of author.

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HOW TO WRITE ABOUT STYLE

Fitzgerald uses a poetic and symbolic style in The Great Gatsby.

  • Diction: His choice of words is elegant and rich with meaning. He often uses metaphors and symbolism to add depth to his descriptions.
  • Tone: The tone is reflective and sometimes melancholic, capturing the glamour and sadness of the characters’ lives.
  • Syntax: Fitzgerald often uses longer, flowing sentences to create a dreamy and luxurious feeling, which fits the themes of wealth and desire in the novel.

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EXAMPLE

In F. Scott Fitzgerald's "The Great Gatsby," the descriptive style is a key element in exploring the themes of happiness and superficiality in the novel. For instance, the word choice and description of Daisy's voice as "sad and lovely" suggests both her beauty and the underlying melancholy of her character. The contrast here highlights the isolation, opulence, and disillusionment of the wealthy. Additionally, his long, flowy, and complicated sentence structure helps emphasize the grandeur, decadence, and ultimately the disconnection and complications of such a vapid lifestyle of his character’s.

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A CLOSE LOOK AT STYLE

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Practice discussing effectiveness and style using I Am Where I Come From

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This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY