TPCASTT Template
TPCASTT:
Poem Analysis Method: title, paraphrase,
connotation, diction, attitude, tone, shift(s), title revisited and theme
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Title Before you even think
about reading the poetry or trying to analyze it, speculate on what you think
the poem might be about based upon the title. Often time authors
conceal meaning in the title and give clues in the title. Jot down what you
think this poem will be about…
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“A Poison Tree” a tree that poisons people somehow
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Paraphrase Before you begin
thinking about meaning or tying to analyze the poem, don't overlook the
literal meaning of the poem. One of the biggest problems that students often
make
in poetry analysis is jumping to conclusions before
understanding what is taking place in the poem. When you paraphrase a poem,
write in your own words exactly what happens in the poem. Look at the number
of sentences in the poem—your paraphrase should have exactly the same number.
This technique is especially helpful for poems written in the 17th and 19th
centuries. Sometimes your teacher may allow you to summarize what
happens in the poem. Make sure that you understand the difference between a paraphrase
and a summary.
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If you’re angry with your friend you should
talk with them and solve it. If you don’t speak up, things will get worse.
Take action on your anger or it might be too late.
Your fear can turn into something beautiful
but deadly. Narrator enjoys proving enemy wrong with something beautiful.
Your enemy will steal your apple, eat it and die.
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Connotation Although this
term usually refers solely to the emotional overtones of word choice, for
this approach the term refers to any and all poetic
devices, focusing on how such devices contribute to the meaning, the effect,
or both of a poem. You may consider imagery, figures of speech (simile,
metaphor, personification, symbolism, etc), diction, point of view, and sound
devices (alliteration, onomatopoeia, rhythm, and rhyme). It is not necessary
that you identify all the poetic devices within the poem. The ones you do identify
should be seen as a way of supporting the conclusions you are going to draw about
the poem.
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Rhymed couplets
Apple, garden and tree symbols from Adam and
Eve—sin
Twisted version of Adam/Eve story
Apple metaphor of beautiful version of anger. It represents the climax of their anger.
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Attitude Having examined the poem's devices and clues closely,
you are now ready to explore the multiple attitudes that may be present in
the poem. Examination of diction, images, and details suggests the speaker's
attitude and contributes to understanding. You may refer to the list of words
on Tone that will help you. Remember that usually the tone or attitude
cannot be named with a single word Think complexity.
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Author feels that telling friends of anger
is good; withholding sharing your angry feelings can be deadly
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Shift Rarely does a poem
begin and end the poetic experience in the same place. As is true
of most us, the poet's understanding of an
experience is a gradual realization, and the
poem is a reflection of that understanding or
insight. Watch for the following keys to
shifts:
• key words, (but, yet, however, although)
• punctuation (dashes, periods, colons, ellipsis)
• stanza divisions
• changes in line or stanza length or both
• irony
• changes in sound that may indicate changes in meaning
• changes in diction |
Starts with happy ending to conflict
resolution.
Shifts to sinister ending of unresolved
conflict.
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Title revisited Now look at
the title again, but this time on an interpretive level. What new insight
does the title provide in understanding the poem.
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Our anger can grow into something deadly,
like a Poison Tree, which may produce fruit to kill a friend.
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Theme What is the poem
saying about the human experience, motivation, or condition? What subject or
subjects does the poem address? What do you learn about those subjects? What
idea does the poet want you take away with you concerning these subjects?
Remember that the theme of any work of literature is stated in a complete
sentence.
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Someone who doesn’t get rid of his anger
versus a friend will create deadly consequences.
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Name __________________________________________ Title of
Poem ____Poison Tree______________________________ Period _____ Score _______
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