A close reading or explication of a passage
unpacks what is implicit and makes it explicit
and clear.
It is not a summary or a paraphrase.
Directions:
Find a passage (1-2 paragraphs) in Old School
that you think is particularly representative of a
central idea in the book. ALalyze how Wolff
gets this key idea across in the wge; What
is Wolff suggesting through his use of imagery,
figurative language, and word choice?
Steps:
1. Pay attention to key words and phrases that
strike you as particularly significant or
surprising.
2. Look for any patterns in repetition or
contradiction.
3. Ask yourself what the passage suggests and
how it connects to the ideas in the rest of the
story. Why has Wolff chosen to tell the story
this way?
