Summary v. Analysis

Summary v. Analysis

What is a Summary?

     A summary is a brief description of a movie, book, story, or poem. A summary answers the basic questions; what, when, where, who, and how. It can be used to help organize thoughts, plots, characters, and time lines. Summarizing helps you to comprehend the text or film you are reading or watching. When you summarize you are basically reducing the context to reveal the basic meaning and plot significance.
 

Example of a Summary...
 

    Stranded in a life boat, sharing limited space with a vicious Bengal tiger, a young man must come to terms with the loss of his beloved family and find the will to survive. "Life of Pi", written by Yann Martel, tells the drama of a 16 year old Piscine Patel as he and his family move from India to Canada. Mid-way through their ocean voyage the ship that carried the Patel family and various animals from their zoo began to sink. Pi and a large Bengal tiger named Richard Parker found themselves to be the only survivors lost at sea in a life boat. Through faith and desperation Pi trains the tiger and soon they learn to cohabitate. After being washing up on the shore of Mexico, Richard Parker and Pi go their separate ways. Pi is then saved by the locals, and questioned by the authorities about the sinking of the ship. The authorities don't believe Pi's fantastical tale and must placate them with a horror story that resembles the previous stories with the key actors that are human. Piscine Patel then makes his way to his final destination in Canada.



By http://www.bollywoodhungama.com [CC-BY-3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons



What is Analysis?

     Analysis is a summary broken down into it's individual parts. The characters are dissected, the plots explored,  and the themes are identified for further research. Questions are pondered, while the answers are turned into arguments. It isn't necessary to have the right answer, just that you have enough evidence to prove your point. To truly understand and critically assimilate what you have read you must analyze your text. Appreciation comes with knowledge and understanding.

 

Example of Analysis...

    Piscene Patel, the main character in "Life of Pi" written by Yann Martel, is a very strong in his his faith. Actually, I should say faiths because he actively practices Hinduism, Muslim, and Christianity. His faiths are tested when he is shipwrecked with a 450 pound Bengal tiger by the name of Richard Parker. After 227 days lost at sea; near death from dehydration, starvation, and the the constant threat of the tigers jaws or the circling fins of the ever present sharks; his survival is definitely a miracle. Faith of his Gods gave Pi Patel the sure will power to live, even when he has already lost everything.

 

A little Summary in your Analysis..

     It may be important to add a little story summary in the opening paragraph. It gives the reader a foundation to understand what your analysis is about. Your other paragraphs should include your arguments and the evidence that support them. Then your conclusion will finish leaving your reader actively questioning whether or not they agree with you.

     



Introduction Video

By Bradley Wade

 

Please call me Leah.

Smiling is infectious,
You can catch it like the flu.
Someone smiled at me today,
And I started too.
-Author Unknown

 

What Is Makes A Good Reader?

By Ryan Franklin from Gilbert, AZ, US of A (Old Les Mis  Uploaded by guillom) [CC-BY-2.0

I never thought about what makes us better readers.  As an elementary librarian I teach my students to reread books and stories so they’re not only familiar with the words but can also comprehend the idea of the story.  After reading, “Good Readers and Good Writers”, by Vladimir Nabokov, I have a better understanding on what makes us better readers.  A good reader knows how to use his imagination, has memory and dictionary to understand text, and has artistic sense.  It’s not the repetition I was teaching the students that made them better readers, but learning new words and memorizing the story, and children have a natural ability to use their imagination. I do agree with Nabokov’s definition of a good reader.  The children who struggle the most with reading are the ones that have a hard time picturing purple dragons, or are so fixated on the here and now they can’t let their minds wonder in a good book.

Norbokov’s points of view of a writer- Storyteller, teacher, and enchanter-is what I believe makes a story or book exceptional. Every year I read my students, “The Giving Tree” by Shel Silverstein.  The story is one of my favorites and has quickly become a hit in our little school.  Children learn to imagine a living tree, complete with feelings and love for the main character.  They learn of sacrifice and unconditional love and the happiness when it is returned. The story is clearly written with meanings and enchants every child who lays their eyes upon the pages.  The simple black and white drawings ignite with color as the child’s imagination takes over.  I have to say that the characteristics of a good reader would have to be imagination, the want to learn new words, and the patience to reread stories to get the full affect and meaning of the story.

I love to read. I reread the stories I love the most. When I read I don’t see words flying by; I see pictures, action, colors and smells. I have feeling; love, hate, fear, desperation, any emotion the author is trying to portray. I look to books like most people look to film. I want the adventure, drama, comedy, the love story. I have trouble at times watching a movie after I read a book; the scenes or characters don’t always match my imagination. Some authors I can’t get past the first chapter because they don’t quench my thirst for a good story. I want to say that I am a good reader. I enjoy reading. I hope one day I will be a good writer as well.