Reading Primo Levi - Day 1

[changeling67]

Assignment Title - Consider the representation of imprisonment, physical and psychological, in Primo Levi's If This is A Man.

I have got to about page 50 out of 200 and already I can see how Levi is sparing and factual about his account of Auschwitz. You can tell how the men are worn down from day one - depicting man's inhumanity to man.  I would wax more lyrically, but I will leave this for my essay (I don't want to be done for self plaigiarism - which, up until I started the FdA, I hadn't realise that you can be guilty of precisely that).  It is a good book and I can see a framework for analysis building already.  Awaiting for my other books to be delivered, but mostly I must stay offline and extensively read.

My sister and I were engaged in conversation about how a framework for English was never truly explained to her.  I have written how the framework was explained to me.  For anyone who is interested, the framework is under the cut.

ENGLISH FRAMEWORK FOR ANALYSIS

Remember to use the SEA frame – Statement, Evidence, Analysis.

OVERVIEW
·        Write briefly and concisely – remember that this is the introductory paragraph – about the context, purpose, audience, content, audience, attitude, text-type, themes.

DISCOURSE (STRUCTRE)
·        Identify any special features of graphology (layout, pictures) or typography (font etc.)
·        Look at the paragraph structure.
·        Look at narrative stance (first person, third person etc., viewpoint).
·        Consider any figures of speech.
·        Register (what type of audience is it aimed at?).

GRAMMAR
·        Identify any non-standard features.
·        Look at sentence type (minor, simple, compound).
·        Highlight any particular features of punctuation.
·        Consider sentence mood (declarative, interrogative, imperative, exclamative).
·        Aspects of syntax (order of words); i.e. listing, tripling, inverted syntax, juxtaposition).

LEXIS
·        High, medium or low register.
·        Use of lexis (jargon, colloquial lexis, archaic lexis, neologisms, (coined words), lexical sets (e.g. ‘bright’ idea, a ‘beacon’in this dark world – all light lexis).
·        Comment on figurative language (simile, metaphor, personification)
·        Word classes e.g. verb, noun, adjective.

MODE
Consider Phonology
·        Alliteration, assonance, consonance, sibilance, onomatopoeia
·        Cacophonic sounds (unpleasant or harsh-sounding), or Euphonic (pleasing/soft)
Consider Tone
·        Serious, matter-of-fact, or flippant.
·        Use of irony, satire or black humour
·        Positive, upbeat, or depressing
Think about the Effect
·        What is the overall effect and how far has it succeeded in its purpose?

Comments

[bluegerl.livejournal.com]

The Framework - whoooo. My goodness. You do have to read and re-read and re-re-read to cover all these points. I spose after a bit of practice you can suss them all out at once? or nearly. At least pick out the most important points that 'jar' or leap out with the others as background.

Enjoy Levi - he is depressing in that factual 'You Cannot Escape the Human Race and Its Behaviour' statement.

[calico-pye.livejournal.com]

When you check through it enough times, it tends to stick - it just reminds you how emotive writing can be and how you can write to that effect.