Name:_____________________________________

English Language Arts Journal

Title: _________________________________________ Author:________________________________________

Use the following definitions to complete the chart that follows.

Tone: the writers attitude toward the topic. Words that might describe a writers tone include
critical, angry, sympathetic, sarcastic, amused, and sorrowful.
Authors Intention: what the writer wants the reader to know or understand; this is why the
writer has written the text. An authors intention may be to inform, persuade, or entertain the
reader. An author may have more than one purpose in writing a text.
Conflict: a struggle between two opposing forces. The major conflicts in literature are internal
(character vs. self) and external (character vs. character, character vs. society, character vs.
nature/the supernatural).
Characterization: the method an author uses to familiarize the reader with the characters in a
work. Methods used include behavior, speech/dialogue, physical description, thoughts and feelings,
and the thoughts and opinions of other characters.
Theme: the central lesson or message of a literary work.
Element Evidence (Quote/Page) Explanation/Reflection
Example: The authors intention is As Clarisse tells Montag that she
Ray Bradburys intention in illustrated during Clarisses doesnt like to go to school
writing Fahrenheit 451 was to conversation with Montag because they are made to watch
entertain his readers, but also about the feelings of isolation TV or play sports all day, she is
to warn them that television that are common in their complaining that most people
was a potentially dangerous futuristic society (pages 29- dont talk to each other anymore.
technological innovation. 31). Television is used to distract
people from what is really
important. It keeps people from
thinking, communicating, and
questioning the world around
them.
The author/speakers tone is

The author/speakers
intention is
One conflict present is

The character -
____________________ can be
characterized as

One theme present is