IB ENGLISH Two Strategies for Unpacking Commentary Passages Here are two small acronyms that may help

you unpack poem and prose passages for commentary: 1) SPECslims S P E C Subject Purpose of the poem Emotional response Craftsmanship: SLIMS S Structure of the poem (ballad, sonnet, etc.) L Language and diction I Imagery M Movement (rhythm and rhyme) S Sound & Sensory devices (alliteration, assonance, caco/euphony, onomatopoeia, etc.)

The initials SPE may be used for part or all of the introduction to your commentary (oral or written). The focus is on the subject, idea or issue being addressed. This can be extremely abstract and refer to ideas or emotional responses instead of more concrete issues. Secondly, you discuss the purpose of the poet: is it to provoke discussion, break your heart, make you feel guilty, etc.? Next is the emotional response of the reader to the idea or issue presented. These ideas can be discussed in three separate paragraphs or merged into one introductory paragraph. Craftsmanship is the essence of a commentary or literary analysis. How did the poet achieve these effects and responses? The use of SLIMS gives you the opportunity to cover all of the generic areas required for a response. However, it is not enough for a higher grade! In order to gain a high grade, you must link these poetic techniques to your response and use quotes to support your statements. Remember, " ... it is also necessary for the reader to authenticate the event of the poem with the memory; he or she must engage in the act of recognition ... this recognition can be divided into intellectual, physical and emotional [ways of recognizing]" (Dobyns, Stephen. Best Words, Best Order. New York: S1. Martin's Press, 1996. 28).

2) SCITTS S CITTSSound Devices/Figurative Language: the effect of metaphor, allusion, paradox alliteration, caco/euphony, connotation, rhyme, meter etc. Characterization: what adjectives would you use to describe the characters involved? What supporting evidence do you have? Imagery: what is the significance of the major images found in the passage? what emotional and sensory response do they evoke from the reader? Theme: with what aspect of the human experience does the passage connect or comment on? Tone: what is the speaker/personas attitude toward the subject/theme of the passage? Setting: what is the significance of time and place in the passage?