[Discussion] Writing a Close Analysis

How was your experience in the previous activity? Was it easy or difficult?
Now, let's try having an example of close-reading:

A Close Reading of Trees for Adolescent Readers

by Marvin Dominic B. Buena
(Unpublished Review)

Trees by Judge Antonio Carpio talks about how the persona questions the injustice of
planting a tree. The form of this lyric poem is notable. First it follows a rhyme scheme of
AABBCC DDEEAA FFGGAA in a structure of three stanzas with six equal lines. The entire
poem is designed as if it forms a tree. Notice how the lines on top forms the branches while
those at the middle forms the trunk, and the bottom lines form the roots of a tree. In the first
stanza, the speaker is asking why should he plant a tree. He feels like he is enslaved by the
law as a decree is mentioned and he doesn’t want to do it anymore because just like any
other individual, he was made by God with freedom.
In the second stanza, the speaker goes back to his childhood when he wants to grow various
trees such as pili, mango, or a rose. He states that there is someone who forces him to grow
these trees and accuse them of robing of his joy. By this time, he is introducing what
happens in the next stanza.
In the third stanza, the speaker accuses loggers cutting down trees in virgin hills which
means they target forests that were not touched before. He cites that this is unfair because
as these loggers chunk down trees, why should an individual like him be burdened by a
following law that requires a person to plant tree when loggers were the ones who cut trees
down. He asks for justice. He then ends with telling that this poem is made by foolish people
like him but those that made this law more foolish that he seems to be.
What the poem really talks about is injustice. The speaker questions the injustice of planting
a tree while illegal loggers still get away with their unlawful acts. To him, even if there are
numerous laws of planting a tree, this still not a good solution because the problem is not
being stopped—cutting down trees. This poem further opens up different issues in the
country since laws that are not useful are being passed.

Writing a Close Analysis

What can you say about the analysis of the poem? Let’s discuss
the process of writing a close analysis by using the example
above.
In writing an analysis, it is important that each paragraph contains a unifying idea. For
example, the first paragraph talks about phase 1: What the Text Says? The meaning of the
poem was revealed right away followed by phase 2: How the Text Says it in which the
sentences reveal the evidences that prove the meaning of the poem. The rhyme scheme was
introduced, the shape was also discussed and the most important thing is to cite the words
that the poem uses. This is the very heart of the analysis but also difficult to write since you
are obliged to summarize the entire narrative of the poem. In the analysis, it took three
paragraphs to mention the evidences and the summary of the poem. Finally, phase 3: What
the Text Means, the writer discusses the issue behind the poem. He then explains and
support its meaning and relate it to issues that exist in real life.

To provide an easier visual, you may follow this sample outline:

Paragraph 1- What the Text Says? and How the Text Says it
Paragraph 2 or more- How the Text Says it (You may be needing more if the text is longer.)
Last Paragraph- What the Text Means