The key to doing a good quote analysis is to think about it in detail. Describe the quote in its contents and pay attention to its broader context. Explain it, so as to convey its meaning as you understand it. Break down the various stylistic elements, keeping in mind the importance the quote has for its audience.
Steps
Part 1 of 3: Examine the Language Style
Step 1. Highlight the imagery
A quotation, whether oral or written, always has a particular linguistic style and a unique structure. Be wary of using imagery in any form (metaphors, similes, hyperbole, idiomatic or dialectal expressions, personifications, and so on) which can add depth to words or sometimes even other meanings. These images often make a quote richer in meaning and easier to remember.
To give an example, you could write: "Hemingway used a sharp and gory metaphor when he said 'Writing is easy. Just cut a vein and bleed.'"
Step 2. Recognize the tone of the quote
Show the importance and impact of a quote by emphasizing the spirit in which it was said or written. Elements like sarcasm can change the true meaning of a quote, while a negative tone can enrich its message. Point out the mood and tone of the quote, specify if they are characteristic of the author.
- You can also describe an author's tone as macabre, respectful, calm, nostalgic, critical, arrogant, ironic, evasive, bitter, humble, caustic, honest, bizarre, assertive, mocking, formal, impartial, enthusiastic or patronizing, to name a few..
- For example, you could outline the tone of a Dorothy Parker quote by saying, "With her typical half-serious pessimism, Dorothy Parker wrote 'Take me or leave me; or, as is the usual order of things, both.'"
Step 3. Highlight the use of alliterations
Alliteration is the use of words that create a musical effect in the text even in prose, making it more pleasant to declaim and also easier to remember. This writing technique brings together some words with similar consonant sounds. Find alliterations when examining a quote and comment on how they may have made it easier to memorize or recite.
For example, an analysis of a famous verse from Romeo and Juliet might point out that "Shakespeare used an alliteration in a memorable verse that sounds like a song: 'From the fatal loin of rival genies; troubled couple '"
Part 2 of 3: Introduce the Quote
Step 1. Prepare the context
Before presenting the quote you want to consider, anticipate a sentence or two that frame its importance and tone. Briefly explain how it should be received, giving it a positive or negative value. If possible, illustrate the reception it had when it was first written or said.
- For example, you can negatively prepare a quote by saying something like, "There was loud criticism of dismay in the group."
- Place a quote within a topic or phenomenon by saying something like, "The no-vax movement has spread across the country in recent years."
Step 2. Introduce the source
Put the quote in the context of its origin by explaining who, when and where. Name the person who said it, with some background on who he was and why he said it. It is important that you say when she was born and by what means (e.g. in a book or speech).
For example: "In his 1975 publication 'Discipline and Punishment: The Birth of Prison', Michel Foucault said this about power, knowledge and sexuality: […]"
Step 3. Provide the exact quote
Generally, you should always quote a sentence in the same way it was originally presented. Reproduce exact words, punctuation, and capitalization accurately, even if there are grammar errors in these elements. If you quote a lecture, talk, or interview, make sure you can use an accurate transcript that comes from a reputable online library or archive.
Part 3 of 3: Explain the Meaning
Step 1. Rework the quote
Paraphrase the quote by explaining it in your own words to clarify its meaning. Start with an expression like "In other words," and present it with different terms to better convey what the author intended. Be careful not to stray from the original meaning.
For example, you can say, "In other words, when Aristotle said 'It is a sign of an educated mind to be able to host a thought without accepting it', he meant that it is important to know the beliefs of others, even if you disagree with it. they"
Step 2. Determine the importance of the quote
Associate it with a broader context, movement, topic, pattern, or theory that explains why he looked at it. Be concise and concentrate this importance in two or three sentences at the most. Also include an analysis of the influence the quote had on its audience (for example, because it introduced a new idea or provoked an emotional reaction).
For example, write something like: "This quote from Churchill, part of a moving speech that inspired the British, sums up his role in raising morale during the war."
Step 3. Link the quote to current ideas or events
Describe the lasting effect of a quote by demonstrating how it still matters today, beyond the initial context. Look for parallels between different historical periods. Present a theory that explains why those words have had repercussions over time.
For example, you could link the Winston Churchill quote, "Healthy citizens are the greatest good a nation can have," to today's debates on healthcare
Advice
- Don't put a quote at the beginning or end of a paragraph or piece of writing. A well-done analysis should enclose the quote itself between the introduction and your concluding thoughts.
- Avoid quotations that are too long, which can weigh down a writing and make your analysis seem fragmented or inaccurate.
