Analyze the text in translation

1. Analyze the text as a material object. This can mean any or all of the
following:

a. Analyze the text as argument. Who is the intended audience? What is the
author trying to persuade the audience to believe or do? (What is the standpoint of
the text?) What arguments are used in the text to convince the reader? What was
the author's purpose in writing this text? What evidence is used to support the
argument of the text? How does the author use reasoned argument, emotion, or
personal character to persuade?

b. Analyze the structure of the text. What comes first? What comes after? How
is it built? Is it a travelogue, or fantasy or a historical novel or a nonfiction work or
poetry or what? Does it follow a time-line, a logical sequence, a problem-solution-
resolution process, a simple list of items, a comparison and contrast analysis, a
balance of forces analysis, or does it simply jump back and forth chaotically? How
are the chapters and sections divided? What sort of language and imagery does the
text contain? What style (tone) of language is used (high, medium, or low)? How
good is the spelling, grammar, vocabulary and punctuation?

c. Analyze the text as a product on the market. How long or short is the text
(and is it too long or too short? Why?). What is the context (social, economic,
political, historical, commercial, intellectual) in which the text was produced and
sold? How attractive is the physical form and appearance of the text (cover,
printing, type-faces, website, etc.)? Who is the intended consumer? Why was this
text written or published, and how well does it fulfill that purpose for the majority
of readers? Is it commercial (popular), scholarly, journalistic, or some other form
of writing, and does it meet expectations for this form of writing? Did you find any
errors, typos or problems within the text itself?

d. Analyze the text as the product of the author's mind. Who was the
author? When and where did she/he live? What is the author's personality, attitude
and outlook on life and how does it show up in the text? What were the author's
upbringing, physical circumstances, health, ethnic background and social class?
What other works has this author published, and how do they relate to this text?

e. Analyze the text as communication. How effective is the text in

communicating the main idea? Who is the intended audience or actual audience of
this text? How does the voice of the author shine through in the text? How true are
the facts in the text, or is it purely made-up fiction or fantasy? How powerful is the
writing, whether in persuading the audience or simply in entertaining (which is
another form of persuasion)? How effective is the text in accomplishing the
purpose for which it was created?

f. Analyze the text in a social context. Whom does this text serve best? Who
in society does it put down, ignore, pretend not to notice or shove aside? Does the
author speak for the dominant part of society, or was she/he writing with the voice
of the majority who are not dominant? Does the text glorify the wealthy, the
famous and the proud? Does it lift up the powerless and those who have been
pressed down? Is everyone assumed in the text to be prosperous, white and
healthy, or straight, or young, or English-speaking? Does this text make you feel
contented and satisfied about the way things are right now in the world, or does it
make you want to help make the world better? Does it even engage the real world
at all, or not? Does it make you feel hopeless, that life is meaningless and nothing
anyone can do matters, or does it suggest that people can make a difference?

g. Analyze the text from a psychological viewpoint. What are the possible
psychological motivations of the author in writing this book, and what does it
suggest about the author's mind? What about the psychological motivations of the
characters in the text?

h. Analyze the text from some certain specific point of view or belief. How
does this text treat women--does it honor and raise them up, or disrespect and put
them down? In what way? How might this text read differently through the eyes of
a gay or lesbian reader than in the view of a straight reader? What analysis of the
text would a third-world reader or a person of color give, or a senior citizen, or a
blind or deaf audience? How would you analyze this text from a faith-based
perspective?

2. Analyze the text as a work of art. This might include the following:

a. Clarity (How clear is the writing? Is it easy to understand or is it confusing

and mysterious, and did the author intend it that way or not?)

b. Grandeur (How strong, educated, mature and vigorous is the language?

Why?)

c. Beauty (Is this text a pleasure to read? Or, does the author use any annoying
or ugly words and expressions where they are not appropriate? Is the imagery lively
or boring?)

d. Speed (How fat-free is it? Does the writing in the text flow along easily,
making it easy to read, or does it drag along with extra words, phrases and
sentences? Does the author repeat him/herself anywhere in the text? Does it keep
you at the edge of your seat, or put you to sleep? Why? )

e. Character (If applicable, how realistic or believable are the characters in the
text? How is the character of the author reflected in the text?)

f. Truth (How true are the facts used in the text? How well does the author use
facts? How well does he/she present sources and proofs for facts, quotes or data
cited in the text?)
 g. Gravity (Does this text pass the "who cares?" test? How much does this text
MATTER? Does it change your mind or your feelings, inform you, or make you
agree more with the author? Why or why not?)
(based on the Seven Ideas of Hermogenes.)

3. Analyze and respond to the text from your own personal viewpoint as an
individual reader.

a. How much does it agree or clash with your view of the world, and what you
consider right and wrong? Why or why not? How much were your views
challenged? How well does it address things that you, personally, care about and
consider important in the world? How much new did you learn from it?

b. How did you like or enjoy the text overall, and (most importantly) why or
why not? Keep in mind that some texts (news reports, textbooks, obituaries) are
not written to be enjoying or entertaining.

http://utminers.utep.edu/omwilliamson/engl0310/analysis1.htm