Learn It Part 2

Let’s take a close look at an excerpt from Chapter II of The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano.  This is a slave narrative written by Olaudah Equiano, who was eleven years old when he and his sister were kidnapped from their African home and sold to British slave traders. In the excerpt from Chapter II, Equiano writes of his experience. 

Tip:

Use different colors to annotate and emphasize the different words and phrases you want to remember and discuss.

Directions:

1. Download a Chapter II excerpt #1  from Equiano’s narrative and read through the excerpt completely.

2. Then, read it again to look for details that provide a much more vivid picture of the actual events of the kidnapping than just a summary of the facts. As you read, consider the five key elements of text.

3. After you have read the passage, examine a model of a close reading of the passage.

Annotation Tip

  • Diction - the word choice, connotation and denotation of words and their impact
  • Tone and Mood  - the feelings and atmosphere the passage evokes in the reader
  • Point of View - what you can learn from the perspective from which the narrative is told
  • Author's Purpose - the reasons behind the author's account
  • Organization of Ideas - why the passage is organized the way it is

Now let’s take a close look at how the author uses each of the five elements in The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano.

Click on the Show Answer button below to view a model annotation. Refer to the Annotation Notes underneath the model as you read through the annotation.