How to Analyze a Quote
Point out metaphors and similes., Identify the tone of the quote., Note the use of alliteration.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Point out metaphors and similes.
A quote, whether or written or spoken, will have a unique linguistic style and structure.
Note the use of any figurative language (e.g. metaphors, similes) that may add depth or a double meaning to the words.
Such comparisons often make quotes more memorable and consequential.As an example, you could write, “Hemingway used a blunt and dark metaphor when he said, ‘Writing is easy.
You just open a vein and bleed.’” -
Step 2: Identify the tone of the quote.
Show the impact and significance of a quote by outlining the spirit in which it was spoken or written.
Elements like sarcasm may alter the true meaning of a quote, while negativity or nihilism can intensify their message.
Note the tone and mood of the quote, and mention if it is emblematic of the person who gave it.For instance, you might identify the tone of a Dorothy Parker quote by saying, "with her typical tongue in cheek defeatism, Dorthy Parker wrote, 'Take me or leave me; or, as is the usual order of things, both'."
Alliteration is a literary tool that creates a musical effect in text and prose, making it enjoyable to recite and easy to memorize.
This writing technique groups a number of words with the same first consonant sound closely together.
Identify alliteration when analyzing a quote and comment on how it might have made the quote more memorable or recitable.For instance, an analysis of a famous line from "Romeo and Juliet" might note that, "Shakespeare used alliteration in a memorable line that reads like a song: 'From forth the fatal loins of these two foes; a pair of star-cross’d lovers take their life.'" -
Step 3: Note the use of alliteration.
Detailed Guide
A quote, whether or written or spoken, will have a unique linguistic style and structure.
Note the use of any figurative language (e.g. metaphors, similes) that may add depth or a double meaning to the words.
Such comparisons often make quotes more memorable and consequential.As an example, you could write, “Hemingway used a blunt and dark metaphor when he said, ‘Writing is easy.
You just open a vein and bleed.’”
Show the impact and significance of a quote by outlining the spirit in which it was spoken or written.
Elements like sarcasm may alter the true meaning of a quote, while negativity or nihilism can intensify their message.
Note the tone and mood of the quote, and mention if it is emblematic of the person who gave it.For instance, you might identify the tone of a Dorothy Parker quote by saying, "with her typical tongue in cheek defeatism, Dorthy Parker wrote, 'Take me or leave me; or, as is the usual order of things, both'."
Alliteration is a literary tool that creates a musical effect in text and prose, making it enjoyable to recite and easy to memorize.
This writing technique groups a number of words with the same first consonant sound closely together.
Identify alliteration when analyzing a quote and comment on how it might have made the quote more memorable or recitable.For instance, an analysis of a famous line from "Romeo and Juliet" might note that, "Shakespeare used alliteration in a memorable line that reads like a song: 'From forth the fatal loins of these two foes; a pair of star-cross’d lovers take their life.'"
About the Author
Michelle Bell
A passionate writer with expertise in practical skills topics. Loves sharing practical knowledge.
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