Hazel Tells Laverne

1104 Words5 Pages
Ben Ling Per. 3/4 10 steps: Hazel Tells LaVerne 1. First, consider the title (if there is one) – what are its possible denotations and connotations? The title “Hazel tells LaVerne” probably has a denotation of a woman named Hazel telling something to a man name LaVerne. The connotation may be that she is telling him something that has to do with their relationship. It is a very broad title. 2. Confirm you have read the poem three times. I have read the book three times. 3. Paraphrase – translate the poem into your own words (literal/denotation). Resist the urge to jump to interpretation at this phase. A failure to understand what happens literally inevitably leads to an interpretive misunderstanding. Look for syntactical units (complete sentences rather than line by line – punctuation is your first clue!) However many sentences there are in the poem should roughly equal how many sentences of paraphrase you have. Remember, paraphrase is not summary. the evening before im clearing up my howard johnsons womens area when unexpectedly this frog appears probably came from the drain swimming about and attempting to go up the edge of the basin then I decide to flush it down but then he says sohelpmegod and begins to converse something about a round golden ball and the way I can turn into a princess a princess in me so then I am surprised out of my mind and the frog states please kiss me only one time on the nose then I shriek you small green disgusting thing then I proceed to strike it with a mop and I had to flush the toilet three times in me some princess 4. Consider who is the speaker, who is the audience, what the occasion? What is/are the subject(s)? What is the setting? The speaker is a woman whose audience is probably a friend or coworker. She is telling a story of when she cleans a bathroom and
Open Document