Review materials in your literature book which discuss writing an explication. Then, in 3-5 pages, write an explication of the poem . Begin by identifying title and author. Characterize the speaker and give a brief overview of the surface reading—just what happens in the poem. Continue this introductory paragraph with three or four sentences highlighting the major images in the poem to create a prose rendering. Narrow your introductory paragraph down to a thesis statement in which you use terms from our vocabulary list. Identify some sort of effect on the reader that leads you to infer the theme or central idea in the poem. This theme should be part of your thesis statement.
Then, continue your explication by examining each image or three or four major images. Each image should, at the very least, have its own paragraph. Make sure you point to certain lines to prove what you see in the poem. Identify and discuss figurative language. Explain the denotation and connotation of key terms and how this diction contributes to tone. Examine versification. Your draft should be submitted in a timely manner to fellow students and any tutoring services so that you can revise and edit before submitting.
paper should be 1000 words, 7-8 paragraphs, or 4 typed pages, double-spaced with standard one-inch margins and standard 12-point font. Use MLA parenthetical citation form to document your sources. Include a list of works cited. Your paper should be clean and well organized. Remember to use present tense when you are referring to literature, but past tense when referring to something in the author’s past or a date when the poem was written or published.