Main content
8th grade reading & vocabulary
Course: 8th grade reading & vocabulary > Unit 2
Lesson 5: Reading for understanding: fiction; One Big MessCiting evidence in literary analysis | Reading
In order to successfully build an argument about a text, you must make inferences and draw conclusions—and those must be built on the backs of evidence in the text. Let's talk about how to search for evidence-bearing details in text, and how to best derive support for the points you're trying to make, in the only way I know how: by talking about fictitious pirates. Created by David Rheinstrom.
Want to join the conversation?
- I'm in 7th. Not sure that i am ready for this!(11 votes)
- no way, don't let negativity rule you dude. You got this!(62 votes)
- Does everyone think David is funny?(11 votes)
- No I think he is hilarious(18 votes)
- Could I use this in a Informational Argumentative essay?(10 votes)
- 100%, Citing evidence is VERY important in an Informational Argumentative essay(13 votes)
- do theses lessons co agree with 8th grade learning standards?(9 votes)
- I think it depends on what class you are in-if your school offers advanced ELA, you may have already seen this, or you might be behind.(5 votes)
- How do you tell the difference between explicit and implicit evidence?(5 votes)
- Explicit evidence is found in the text from word to word. Implicit evidence makes us think what and why the character is saying or doing. So when you start to think why and what, then you are trying to get implicit evidence.
Hope this helped you out!(12 votes)
- Don't focus on grades, stay confident, david is just explaining the parts of a story.(9 votes)
- The burbling deep
By lilly pilly
Captain Bigsby was a birdman and the captain of the pirate ship Albatross. He was feared by many, with his sharp talons and piercing gaze. But what he was known for most was his dismissive and rude attitude towards his crew members, especially towards Eniola, who had just joined the crew.
Eniola was a young woman who had always dreamed of sailing the seas and becoming a pirate. But she had never anticipated the harsh reality of life at sea with Captain Bigsby. He would often belittle her in front of the crew and make her do the most menial tasks on the ship.
Despite the challenges, Eniola refused to give up. She knew that she had to prove herself to the captain and earn his respect. So she worked tirelessly, day and night, always striving to do better.
One day however eniola forgot to clean the portholes, and when she tried to correct him about her name, he snapped at her, "Does it look like I care?" Eniola was taken aback by his behavior and tried her best to ignore his rudeness.
One day, Eniola was watching the deck after a long day at work. The sky was getting darker and darker, and she knew a storm was coming.
She saw something out of the corner of her eye. Something big and terrifying."A kraken" She thought to herself. She called for help but no one came. Without thinking, she launched herself at the monster, throwing a punch right at its face.
To her surprise, the monster stumbled back, surprised by her sudden attack. Eniola couldn't believe it - she had never been the type to jump into action like this before.
But as the storm raged on around her, Eniola realized that she had to keep fighting. She punched and kicked the monster, dodging its attacks as best she could. And finally, after what felt like hours of battling, the monster gave up and slunk away into the night.
Eniola was left standing there, breathing heavily and feeling more alive than she had in years. She had faced down her fears and come out victorious.
That day Eniola proved her worth and saved them all by punching a giant octopus monster. Captain Bigsby was amazed by her bravery and realized that he had been wrong about her all along.
After tending to Eniola's broken leg, Captain Bigsby apologized to her saying, "Eniola, that was some mighty fine pirating you did. You showed no fear when you punched that kraken, and more importantly, you showed no fear when you stood up to me. I was wrong, and I have been a jerk, and I am sorry."
From that moment on, Captain Bigsby treated Eniola, and everyone else on the ship, with much greater respect and courtesy. He had learned that it was important to recognize the potential in others, and he had changed for the better.
Eniola was glad to see Captain Bigsby's transformation and was grateful for his apology. She knew that she had earned his respect and that she had helped him become a better person. Together, they sailed the seas as a team, with Captain Bigsby leading them with kindness and fairness.(6 votes)- i can dunk on this man(3 votes)
- i don't know what litterary text means(3 votes)
- literary text is a story or a poem that is telling a story or just for entertainment. for example fiction novel(10 votes)
- I don't have any questions(6 votes)
- e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e(6 votes)
- and I'm not done(3 votes)
Video transcript
- [Instructor] Hello readers. The following video
contains explicit content. Uh, okay, not in the way you're thinking. It doesn't contain violence,
obscenity or profanity. Or even anything that wouldn't
appear in a G-rated movie, but it will contain explicit evidence. Yes, we're talking about citing evidence in literary analysis. When you're talking about a text and making arguments about it, in order to successfully
build that argument, you must make inferences
and draw conclusions. And those must be built on the back of evidence. Both explicit, that is stated in the text, or implicit or based on clues
or evidence in the text. So your responsibility is to tie those conclusions or
inferences back to explicit or implicit evidence in the text. It can't just be, "This is a feeling I have." It has to be, "My feeling
about this is backed up by this specific evidence." Say you're trying to be make an argument in a book that the captain
of this pirate ship, let's just say, I guess, he's a birdman. That's what I drew, he's a birdman. He's really unkind to the main character in the beginning of the book, but changes by the end of the book and treats everyone,
including the main character with respect and courtesy. So I'm gonna write that my argument is that the captain's behavior changes towards the MC, the main character. I have to back that
assertion up with evidence. So how do we find those details? First, you have to seek out parts of the book where the captain and the main character interact. Then look closely at
the pros and dialogue. What are the details
that prove your point? Which are the strongest,
most specific details that say, "Oh, yes, here is where the captain is being mean. Here is where the captain
is being respectful." If you can't find evidence
for your assertion, first, try searching in a
different part of the book. Or importantly,
acknowledge the possibility that you might have a weak argument. Maybe it's time to start over and find a new or
different argument to make and find support for. Once you've assembled your evidence work it into your analysis. "Captain Bigsby is dismissive and rude to Eniola when she first joins the crew of the pirate ship
Albatross," I might say. And then back it up with an explicit example of Captain Bigsby being dismissive and rude with a page
number citation like so. On page 34 of "To the Burbling Deep," Bigsby says to Eniola, "You
there, what's her name! These portholes need to
be scrubbed yesterday. Get to work!." "Yes, sir, Captain," Eniola said. "But my name is-" "Does it look like I
care?" the captain snarled. But by the end of the story, when Eniola has proven her worth, saved the day, and humbled the captain, he treats her, and everyone around him, with much greater respect and deference. On page 225, after Bigsby
tends to Eniola's broken leg, he tells her, "Eniola, that was some mighty fine pirating you did. You showed no fear when
you punched that kraken, and more importantly, you showed no fear when you stood up to me. I was wrong, and I have been
a jerk, and I am sorry." Now both of those examples
use explicit evidence where Captain Bigsby is being a jerk and then when he is
apologizing for being a jerk. There's also implicit evidence too. Bigsby tends to Eniola's broken leg. So while he's not saying, "I will take care of you
little buddy," with his words, he is saying it with his actions. And in that first example when he demands that
Eniola clean the portholes, he's not literally
saying, "I'm impatient," But by saying, "They need
to be scrubbed yesterday," as an immediately because
you already messed up, he's implying that he's impatient. Now there is no such book that I know of about a kraken punching girl pirate. But if we're lucky, my
friend Jordan will write one. Remember to use strong
details to get good evidence. There might be a part of
"To The Burbling Deep" where Captain Bigsby huffs angrily at Eniola but doesn't say anything, and that's mean or, at least, impolite, but it's not as strong
as him yelling at her. So when you find the detail, ask yourself, how does that detail related back to your analysis or your argument. Is it repeated? Does that detail or detail similar to it appear elsewhere in the text? And if you see a lot of similar details, how do those details prove the argument that you're trying to make? If you have a sense of
what the central idea or ideas of the text is, try to connect those details back to that central idea and then connect that central idea to your own argument. I don't know what "To the Burbling Deep" is about 'cause I made
it up 20 minutes ago. But maybe one theme in it is that it's important to recognize the potential with another people. And that can be both true for Eniola who becomes a hero and punches
a giant octopus monster, but it can also be true of Captain Bigsby who occupies kind of antagonistic role and then changes through the story. And so we can build our
argument around that idea that character change is possible. Not just for the main character, but for everybody. So that's where I will leave you. Remember to choose the pieces of evidence that give you the strongest support for your idea and if the evidence doesn't match your idea, you might need to change the idea itself. You can learn anything.
David out.