An important part of studying literature/poetry is analysis of text. Examining an author's techniques—diction, syntax, tone, symbolism, imagery, and other useful devices—in communicating the all-important message can give a reader deep appreciation for both the writer's skill and the impact of the work of literature/poetry.
An explication is a specific form of essay writing in which a passage of literature is "explained." This explanation is focused strictly on the text of the passage; information that has not been placed in the passage by the author should not be included in this type of analysis. Background information about the author or the work itself, while often interesting and enlightening, should not be a part of an explication. Instead, the student must examine the methods the author uses to communicate his/her message. Therefore, the heart of the essay should be a discussion of devices used by the author as s/he expresses that theme, and these devices should be explained by examining specific examples from the text.
The best way to begin an explication is to focus on the theme expressed in the passage. What does the author want the reader to understand? Once the student identifies the message of the text, then s/he may begin to discover how the author communicates that meaning.
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