How do we apply literary terms and strong verbs to our analysis? Well, like anything else with writing, building that complexity happens in steps. For example, as we closely read literary texts, we identify literary terms and devices and begin analysis in our annotation. As our argument takes shape, we complicate it with strong verbs and pose questions in order to develop the complexity our analysis. The following guide uses the example of Ross Gay’s “A Small Needful Fact” as its exhibit.

Using Strong Verbs and Literary Terms to Analyze Evidence

“The author uses imagery” doesn’t tell us anything about the meaning of the evidence from the poem. In poetry, we refer to the person speaking in the poem as the speaker, but we’re not analyzing the speaker, nor the author, and are instead are analyzing the imagery and diction of specific evidence.

So, we look to our intellectual questions about specific evidence.

In Ross Gay’s poem “A Small Needful Fact,” how does the imagery of Eric Garner’s “very large hands” contrast with the diction of “he put gently into the earth” and serve to humanize Eric Garner (Gay)?

We have incorporated the literary terms of imagery and diction, but we also need to incorporate strong verbs in order to analyze what those terms do to illuminate meaning.

In Ross Gay’s poem “A Small Needful Fact,” how does the imagery of Eric Garner’s “very large hands” contrast with the diction of “he put gently into the earth” and serve to humanize Eric Garner (Gay)?

Transforming that question into a sentence allows us to create a claim that is specific to the evidence.

In Ross Gay’s poem “A Small Needful Fact,” the imagery of Eric Garner’s “very large hands” contrasts with the diction of “he put gently into the earth” and serves to humanize Eric Garner.

Our readers now expect us to dissect that evidence and explain the how of our analysis. In order to do that, we need to pose more questions of the evidence.

In order to dissect imagery of Eric Garner’s “very large hands,” we might ask:

What does that imagery tell us about the perception of Eric Garner? the stereotyping of of Black men?

In order to dissect how “he put gently into the earth” humanizes Eric Garner, we might ask:

How does it make Eric Garner seem gentle?

In order to dissect the contrast between those images, we might ask

How does the imagery differ in terms of threatening versus loving?

Then we can draw conclusions about the meaning in order to support our claim.

identifying Literary and figurative devices

Having an extensive knowledge of literary terms isn’t necessary for performing careful literary analysis. Having a basic familiarity with some of those terms, however, will allow you to more succinctly describe how the author is using imagery, word choice, and sentence structure to create an effect. While we will talk about different literary devices as they become applicable, the following websites can help you acquaint yourself with literary devices you may not have heard of:

• The Oregon State Guide to Literary Terms: A bilingual resource that provides both short essays explaining common literary terms, video explanations, and, sometimes, writing prompts.
• LiteraryDevices.net: The most extensive dictionary of literary devices to date. If you can’t find the definition of a literary device anywhere else, you are sure to find it here.
• For Better For Verse: A project from the University of Virginia, this online platform allows you to practice your scansion skills. You can practice finding rhyme schemes, identifying poetic feet, and tracking meter using their archive of poems.