English Summary and Analysis Essay

Reader response for “Grant the Lee” Essay

How Do I Write a Reader Response?

A reader response should consist of three parts: A thoughtfully highlighted passage

summary and analysis

evaluation and personal responses

questions about the reading

Part 1: Summary and Analysis

In part 1, you should briefly summarize the essay and thoroughly analyze the organization and writing techniques used in the essay (note: do not spend a lot of time on summary — your classmates have done the reading as well).

Part one will reflect your understanding of the structure and the ideas of the read essay.

Part one should be approximately 1-3 paragraphs.

Refer to specific passages of the essay. Use quotes and page numbers where applicable.

Use the following questions as a guide for your summary and analysis.

Summary:

What is the author’s main point? What is the essay about?

What mode does this essay model? (only for the mode reader response for each unit — narration, comparison and contrast, cause and effect analysis, or multimodal)

How does the essay reflect the characteristics of the rhetorical mode (only for the mode reader response for each unit) narration, comparison and contrast, cause and effect,or multimodal)

How does the essay connect to the unit theme? (only for the theme reader response for each unit — The shaping of identity, Understanding my culture, Business and economics, Community and diversity)

How does the essay reflect the characteristics of that pattern of development/mode?

What is the thesis or controlling idea? How does this thesis idea reflect the characteristics of the unit mode or theme?

How did the author organize his or her ideas to support the thesis?

Analysis:

Does the author use effective strategies to convey his/her ideas? (topic sentences, transitions, vivid details, strong vocabulary, other techniques)

What is the author’s view/perspective that he/she is trying to convey?

What is the author’s purpose in writing the essay?

Overall, how does the author communicate to you as a reader?

Example: Below is a sentence with quotation that you could use in the beginning of your reader response to a sample essay in Back to the Lake.

In her essay “Warrior Day,” Anne Bernays describes the setting vividly: “Sitting on bleachers, the visitors were instructed to …” (154).

Note the use of the author’s name, the title of the essay, quoting, and in-text citing. For more on correct MLA documentation, see The Little Seagull Handbook.

Part 2: Evaluation and Personal Responses

In part two of the reader response, you will evaluate the reading.

Share a more personal reaction to the sample essay by explaining what you liked about the reading and what you thought was successful or interesting.

You should also write about what you did not particularly value about the reading. You could include things that made the reading hard to follow or just not interesting. You should write about your ideas and reactions to the sample essay/readings.

Part two should be approximately 2 paragraphs.

Include quotes and paraphrases where applicable.

You can use the following questions as a guide:

What surprised you?

What made you feel uncomfortable?

What did you think of the author’s perspective?

Can you relate to the experience or point of view discussed in the text?

Did this reading make you think differently in any way or reinforce something you already knew or believed?

Part 3: Questions About the Reading

In part three of the reader response, pose questions to your fellow classmates to kick off a discussion of the essay.

Part three should consist of 2-3 questions.

Your questions can ask about:

problems or issues the author raises;

conflicts you see;

stylistic choices the author makes;

your thoughts or your classmates’ thoughts about some specific part of the text that you think should be discussed further.

Don’t worry if you do not have answers to your questions.

Just be sure the questions encourage your classmates to go into deeper study of the essay.

What About the Format/Presentation of the Reader Response?

Your reader response should be carefully crafted using a thesis statement topic sentences effective transitions appropriate sentence structure. If you quote from the essay, use the appropriate citation format (cite passages using quotation marks, page numbers, and/or the author’s last name). proof-read your response before you post it to the discussion board!

Advice: Compose your reader response in Microsoft Word and save it to your computer. Copy and paste it to the discussion board. Each discussion board will have a title that clearly indicates where you should paste your reader response. Please do not try to post your reader response as an attachment: your classmates and professor may not be able to open your document (and it just slows down the conversation).