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English · Grade 12

Literary Interpretation and Competing Readings

Learners treat interpretation as argument. Using Robert Frost's “The Road Not Taken” (1916) in full, with short excerpts from Christina Rossetti, W. B. Yeats and Edith Wharton, they analyze how ambiguity and figurative language open more than one meaning, weigh competing readings by how much of the text each explains, and write an interpretation that engages a competing reading. An optional honors-style lesson studies the startling simile that opens T. S. Eliot's “The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock” (1915).

  • 5 lessons
  • About 145 minutes
  • Interpretation and competing readings check: 10 questions
  • Ways to answer: choose an answer, highlight a text, match pairs, put in order, sort into groups and arrange tiles
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What learners will discover

  • Frame an interpretation as an arguable claim about meaning, supported by strong and thorough textual evidence, including where the text leaves matters uncertain.
  • Analyze how word choice, figurative language and ambiguity create layered or multiple meanings.
  • Compare competing readings, including sincere and ironic ones, and judge which accounts for more of the text.
  • Write an interpretation that fairly states and answers a competing reading.

Lessons

  1. Interpretation is an argument 6 steps3 practiceabout 33 min
  2. Ambiguity and figurative language 6 steps3 practiceabout 33 min
  3. Weigh competing readings 6 steps3 practiceabout 34 min
  4. Write an interpretation that answers a rival 5 steps3 practiceabout 40 min
  5. Going further: Prufrock's opening simile 6 steps2 practiceabout 25 min
  6. Interpretation and competing readings check 10 questions at the end

Keep exploring

More 12th grade reading

Guide for grown-ups