Read Like This: A Strategy for Analyzing Literary Nonfiction

Literary nonfiction presents real people, places or events in an actual real-life situation, through a particular, specific point of view.  Personal narratives, memoirs and biographies offer us a glimpse into those real lives and events.  The authors often employ literary techniques and styles usually associated with fiction to report on people, places and events.

When reading literary nonfiction, focus on the type of text, who authored it, how it is organized, and what you see as the author’s purpose.  Also, try to visualize historical events from the author’s perspective.  As you read, pay close attention to the ways in which the author chooses words to convey meaning as you examine some aspect of the text’s form, craft or meaning. When you are able to closely analyze a text, that information will lead you to create deep and reflective oral and written responses.