Analyzing Literature Assessment

Step 1: Review the prompt.

Layers of meaning exist in all works of literary fiction. Consider the ways the author of your selected
short story used style and literary elements, like plot, diction, syntax, figurative language, character,
conflict, and setting. Compose an essay in which you analyze and explain how the author's style and
employment of literary elements create a particular mood in the text.

Step 2: Review your short story and your graphic organizer.

Step 3: Outline your essay using the chart below. Begin with your thesis statement, and then fill out the
outline based on your thesis. You may or may not use each section, but provide as much information as
possible in the planning stage.
Remember: outlines are not written in paragraph form. You are only outlining the literary analysis, not
writing the entire essay. You will write the essay in a later module.

Short Story The short story I selected is

“There Will Come Soft Rains” By Ray
Bradbury
Thesis Statement My Thesis:In "There Will Come Soft Rains" , Ray
Bradbury uses the reveal of setting and quick
introduction of characters through informal
diction to create a sad and eerie tone to this
short story.

Body Paragraph:
I. Reason #1
A. Direct Quote #1 to Support Reason
1. Paraphrase this Evidence
B. Connection to Thesis
1. Elaborate on Connection
C. Direct Quote #2 to Support Reason
1. Paraphrase this Evidence
D. Connection to Thesis
1. Elaborate on Connection
E. Concluding Statement that
Restates Language from Thesis
I.
The author uses the introduction of
characters that are not real people to create
an eerie feeling.
A. "In the living room the voice-clock sang,
Tick-tock, seven o'clock, time to get up, time
to get up, seven o 'clock! as if it were afraid
that nobody
would.
1. The clock is ringing out as if it is
hoping for someone to get up, however
there is no one there to hear it.
B. This sentence shows an inanimate object as
if it has a personality. Introducing this as a
first character creates a very empty and
eerie feeling.
C. "Somewhere in the walls, relays clicked,

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Body Paragraph:
II. Reason #2
A. Direct Quote #1 to Support Reason
1. Paraphrase this Evidence
B. Connection to Thesis
1. Elaborate on Connection
C. Direct Quote #2 to Support Reason
1. Paraphrase this Evidence
D. Connection to Thesis
1. Elaborate on Connection
E. Concluding Statement that
Restates Language from Thesis
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trademark of Florida Virtual School.
memory tapes glided under electric eyes."
1. This is showing that even though there
is no one there it is like the material
and electronic things surrounding are
always aware.
D. Once again the author manages to
personalize an inanimate object to make the
readers feel. This works because it is making
the reader wonder where all of the human
characters are and why no one is reacting to
the objects one again resulting in an eerie
feeling.
E.The author does an amazing job at making
the readers feel or behave a certain way,
especially from something so simply as giving
inanimate objects' personable traits to make
them feel a bit frightening.
ll.The author uses the setting in the short
story to create a feeling of mystery in the
reader.
A." The rooms were a crawl with the small
cleaning animals, all rubber and metal."
1. Only rubber and metal filled the rooms.
B. The rooms are empty with little to no signs
of life besides what we know as small robotic
animals.
1. This makes the reader wonder what is
going on and if news is still being spread
why is there no life here.
C. "The house stood alone in a city of rubble
and ashes. This was the one house left
standing."
1. The house is the only one left in the
ruins that are now the world
 D. This is where the mystery finally begins to
set in for the reader and open up their mind
even more
1. The author is letting us see this life
and the world realizes there is nothing in it.
Electronics and everything material is still
happening and there is no one there to see it.
E. Bradbury is using the setting to help the
readers better understand and feel through their
reading.

Analyzing Literature Rubric

On Target Almost There Needs Improvement
15-12 points 11-9 points 8-0 points

● The thesis is ● The thesis includes the ● The thesis is

skillfully-crafted and title and author of the ineffective and/or
includes title/author of short story but may unconnected to the
the short story. lack appropriate prompt.
Thesis ● The claim insightfully structure or direction. ● The thesis lacks the
(15 points) reflects elements of ● The elements of required elements,
the prompt, including author's style, literary such as title/author,
author's style, literary elements, or mood author's style, literary
elements, and a may be unclear or elements, and/or an
carefully chosen mood illogical. appropriate mood
word. word.

45-36 points 35-27 points 26-0 points

● The outline includes ● The outline includes ● The outline includes

two or more reasons reasons but may only reasons with little
to support the thesis. loosely connect to the evident connection to
● Each section of the thesis. the thesis.
Reasons, outline contains two ● Sections of the outline ● The reasons are not
Evidence, and direct quotes from the may be missing the supported by evidence
Elaboration short story, required elements, or from the short story.
(45 points) appropriate the paraphrasing, ● The outline is missing
paraphrasing, connections, and/or paraphrasing,
insightful connections, elaborations may be connections, and/or
and perceptive insufficiently elaboration.
elaboration. developed or
explained.

Unless Otherwise Noted All Content © 2022 Florida Virtual School. FlexPoint Education Cloud™ is a
trademark of Florida Virtual School.
Unless Otherwise Noted All Content © 2022 Florida Virtual School. FlexPoint Education Cloud™ is a
trademark of Florida Virtual School.