ANALYSIS EXERCISES NAME____________________________________________________________

ENG 101: ENGLISH COMPOSITION

Instructor: Y. Bailey-Kirby

Directions: When writing an analysis essay, you want to identify examples of passages that will support your thesis. Moreover, you
will want to evaluate them for their meaning and significance in supporting your thesis. You can practice asking yourself “how” and
“why” types of questions when interpreting these passages as evidence. For instance, if you are analyzing a literary element like
symbolism, personification, or tone, etc., you will need to provide lines from the poem as support. Once you have provided a passage
as evidence of the theme, you can ask: what do the words mean; why are they significant/relevant examples; and how do they
support the thesis? You will practice applying analytical thinking skills by composing a paragraph for a literary analysis essay.

1. You have formulated the following thesis: The theme of carpe diem is conveyed through the symbolism,
metaphor, and
tone in “The Road Not Taken” by Robert Frost.

A. Find an example of the symbol/symbolism: Frost describes the crossroads/fork in the road when he writes, “Two
roads diverged in a yellow wood /And sorry I could not travel both /And be one traveler, long I stood /And looked down
one as far as I could /To where it bent in the undergrowth; /Then took the other, as just as fair /And having perhaps the
better claim, /Because it was grassy and wanted wear” (1-8).
Now, answer the following questions:
 What does the fork in the road (crossroads) represent? (i.e. Statue of liberty is a symbol of freedom.)

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 Why or how does this help to demonstrate the theme of seizing the day?

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B. Now, you want to create a body paragraph: (a) First sentence: A topic sentence that identifies the subject of your
body paragraph. You will refer to the theme as well as symbolism. (b) Second sentence: A sentence that identifies what
the symbol/symbolism is in this poem. (c) Third sentence: Insert a quote that shows this theme as well as provides
evidence to support your thesis. (d) Fourth sentence: Now, you need to explain/evaluate the meaning of it and
how/why this symbol conveys the theme of carpe diem (seize the day). (NOTE: it might take you 1-3 sentences to
explain yourself. (e) Fifth sentence: You might include a quote from the secondary source listed on the assignment sheet
to lend you authority. (f) Sixth sentence: you will explain the meaning/relevance of the secondary source’s quote in
supporting your thesis.

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The Road Not Taken by Robert Frost

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth;

Then took the other, as just as fair,

And having perhaps the better claim
Because it was grassy and wanted wear,
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same,

And both that morning equally lay

In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way
I doubted if I should ever come back.

I shall be telling this with a sigh

Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I,
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.
 Aesop's Fable A fox was bragging to a cat of its clever ways of escaping its enemies.

The Cat and the Fox "I have a whole bag of tricks," he said, "which contains a hundred ways of
escaping my enemies."

"I have only one," said the cat; "but I can generally manage with that."

Just at that moment they heard the cry of a pack of hounds coming towards
them, and the cat immediately scampered up a tree and hid herself in the
boughs.

"This is my plan," said the cat. "What are you going to do?"

The fox thought first of one way and started to scamper off. But then
another, even better trick popped into his head and he started in the other
direction. Then the fox stopped. Another trick had come to him but he
wasn't quite sure if it was better than the second one he'd had.

While he was debating the hounds came nearer and nearer.

At last, the fox in his confusion as to which plan was best was caught by the
hounds, putting an end to all of his clever plans.

Don't forget -- a little common sense is better than many sneaky

tricks!
Don’t let your pride get in the way of having wisdom and humility.

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SECONDARY SOURCE BY AMANDA COLLINS FROM PAGE 4:

Cats as symbols and characters in literature remind us to not fall prey to false beliefs, to not be a fool out of ignorance and derive
understanding from our own internal wisdom. The cat beckons us to realize that when we turn within to our own hearts, minds and souls,
and trust in ourselves we will always be shown the truth of matters. Cats themselves are quite resourceful and tend to give us messages of
change, flexibility of adaptability, and creativity. Often, when a cat makes an appearance in literature the message is to shake up our
habitual routines and make some fresh changes in our lives, as well as be more flexible in our thinking, use wisdom, be humble, and adapt
an intuitive, astute, watchful and clever approach to surviving in the world. Cats can also be quite aloof, and this too is often a message for
us to distance ourselves from people or situations. Sometimes the best cure for a problem is to step away from it - the cat inherently realizes
this, and we would be wise to recognize this need as well. In juxtaposition, the fox encourages us to think outside the box and use our
 intelligence in different, creative ways or try a different angle of action. The fox is also a reminder that we must utilize all our resources
(seen and unseen) in order to accomplish our goals. Sometimes, this means calling upon some unorthodox methods. Nonetheless, in Native
American lore, fox animal symbolism deals with two interpretations. One perspective (Northern tribes) observes the fox as a wise and noble
messenger. The other (Plains tribes) views the fox as a trickster playing pranks, or worse - luring one to demise. However, in mythology,
folklore, and literature, the fox is a sign of being more mindful of our surroundings. For instance, some of the best known classic fox
literature was written over 2,500 years by Aesop. His fables told stories about various intelligence animals, and they were used to convey a
moral point to the reader. Because of their craftiness, beauty, and solitary nature, foxes figured prominently in these fables whenever deceit,
pride, and individuality were necessary for presenting the moral of the story.

Directions: On a separate sheet of paper, you will write an analysis paragraph on the characters of the fox and the cat as
well as discuss the theme of pride vs. wisdom. You will quote from Aesop’s story, and explain how it demonstrates the
theme of pride vs. wisdom. Basically, what is the lesson to be learned? Then, you will quote ONCE and paraphrase ONCE
from the secondary source above to lend your discussion authority, and you need to explain how/why it supports your
discussion. (Aim for 5-9 sentences and incorporate using ellipsis, brackets, and single within double quotation marks as
practice.)

Aesop's Fable
"We are helping to store food for the winter," said the ant, "and think you
The Grasshopper and the Ants should do the same."

"Winter is far away and it is a glorious day to play," sang the grasshopper.

But the ants went on their way and continued their hard work.

The weather soon turned cold. All the food lying in the field was covered
with a thick white blanket of snow that even the grasshopper could not dig
through. Soon the grasshopper found itself dying of hunger.

He staggered to the ants' hill and saw them handing out corn from the
stores they had collected in the summer. He begged them for something
to eat.

In a field one summer's day a grasshopper was hopping about,
chirping and singing to its heart's content. A group of ants walked by,
grunting as they struggled to carry plump kernels of corn.
"Where are you going with those heavy things?" asked the
grasshopper.
Without stopping, the first ant replied, "To our ant hill. This is the third
kernel I've delivered today."
"Why not come and sing with me," teased the grasshopper, "instead
of working so hard?"
"What!" cried the ants in surprise, "haven't you stored anything away for
the winter? What in the world were you doing all last summer?"
"I didn't have time to store any food," complained the grasshopper; "I was
so busy playing music that before I knew it the summer was gone."
The ants shook their heads in disgust, turned their backs on the
grasshopper and went on with their work.
Don't forget -- there is a time for work and a time for play!
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SECONDARY SOURCE BY DR. DEREK FREEMAN FROM PAGE 54:

 Ants are characters that represent basic trust, discipline, patience, team work, loyalty, and order in most morality tales and folklore. It is
about trusting in the Universe to provide. It knows that it will ultimately be rewarded for all its efforts. If your activities are for the greater
good, then you will attract that in return. It may be, however, that you will have to put greater effort into the realization of your dreams and
use your creativity. The ant teaches you how to become the creator of your life. It shows us how to construct our dreams into reality.
Although there is a caste system within the ant community all ants honor and respect each other and work for the common good. Ants
typically live in groups, and everything is done for the ant colony and the good of the community. The ant teaches that you will have
everything you need and will receive it when you need it most. Ants show us the power of working together as a team. Patience is also a
major factor in their makeup. The quiet determination of ants to reach a goal and the willingness to work hard at steadily accomplishing it is
a powerful lesson in stories like Aesop’s “The Grasshopper and Ants.” There is no false pride, and working within the group is a sign of
strength rather than weakness. Patiently, ants teach us to take things one step at a time and to problem solve issues rather than be idle,
indolent, careless, imprudent, and empathetic like the grasshopper who was more of a procrastinator and did not plan ahead for winter like
the ants did.

Directions: On a separate sheet of paper, you will write an analysis paragraph on the characters of the grasshopper vs. the ants
as well as discuss the theme of discipline vs. idleness. You will quote from Aesop’s story, and explain how it demonstrates the
theme of discipline vs. idleness. What is the lesson to be learned? Then, you will quote ONCE and paraphrase ONCE from the
secondary source above to lend your discussion authority, and you need to explain how/why it supports your discussion. (Aim
for 5-9 sentences and incorporate using ellipsis, brackets, and single within double quotation marks as practice.)