TPCASTT Notes

T - Title - Examine the title of the poem before reading it. Predict what the poem is about based only on the title. If the poem doesn't have a title, use the first line. (This should take you 1-3 lines. It counts 10 points.) After doing this, read the poem. Read it more than once.

P - Paraphrase - After reading the poem, put the lines of the poem into your own words. Don't try to interpret the meaning of the poem - that comes later. Go line by line, rephrasing every line into your own words. (This should take as many lines as the poem is long. Skip lines between the stanzas. It counts 25 points.)

C - Connotations - This is where you start looking at the poem like a poet would. What literary techniques does the poet use to convey his/her message? Some of the things you might see are similes, metaphors, hyperbole, personification, repetition, rhyme, assonance, consonance, allusions, onomatopoeia... Or maybe the way the poem is designed is physically unique. Maybe the punctuation is different in places. What is the mood of the poem? What is the rhyme scheme? Does the poet use symbolism? By noticing these things, we begin to get a better idea of what the poet is trying say. Note the line(s) you find the technique, but also explain it. You can't just make random guesses; you have to be able to support your comments with text evidence. (This should take you about as many lines to complete as the poem has in it. It's okay to have more. It counts 25 points.)

A - Attitude - How does the speaker in the poem (or the author) feel about this poem? Refer to your list of tone words for some ideas. (This should take 1-3 lines. It counts 10 points.)

S - Shift - Look for shifts in tone, attitude, meaning... Where does the author/speaker shift from one idea to another? Where does the author/speaker shift from one mood to another? Where does the author/speaker shift from asking questions to answering them? Note the line and explain. (This should take 1-3 lines. It counts 10 points.)

T - Title - Look at the title again now that you have read the poem. Does the title give any insight into the message the author is trying to convey? What is the significance of the title? Were you right in your earlier prediction? (This should take 1-3 lines. It counts 10 points.)

T - Theme - What is the message the author is trying to make with this poem? Look for a global message because themes usually apply to everyone. Poets often use simple things to make a more universal comment, like using a fork in the road to symbolize choices in life. (This should take 1-3 lines. It counts 10 points.)