READING ACTIVELY AND THINKING CRITICALLY

When you read descriptive essays, you are often more concerned with impressions and images than you are with the logical progression of ideas. To get the full benefit of descriptive writing, you need to read actively to connect what you are reading to your own senses of sight, sound, smell, touch, and taste. But you must also examine and challenge the author’s attitude as it is shown in the selection. Below are some guidelines for reading and thinking critically about descriptive essays. (For more on reading actively, see Chapter 3; for more on thinking critically, see Chapter 4.)

WHAT TO LOOK FOR, HIGHLIGHT, AND ANNOTATE

  1. Preview the essay to get an overview of its content and organization. (For more on previewing, see Chapter 3.)
  2. Identify the dominant impression. As you read, identify the subject of the description and try to determine the dominant impression the writer creates. If it is not directly stated in a thesis statement, try the following:
    • Pay attention to sensory details and highlight particularly striking ones. How do the sensory details contribute to the dominant impression?
    • Observe how the writer uses language to achieve an effect. Make an ✗ or ✓ in the margin next to effective comparisons. Underline or circle powerful word choices. How do they contribute to the dominant impression?
    • Consider the introduction, conclusion, and title. How does the introduction hint at the dominant impression or indicate the subject of the description? How does the conclusion relate to the dominant impression? How does the title suggest the essay’s dominant impression?
  3. Think about the meaning. Concentrate on the essay’s meaning by answering the following questions:
    • What is the thesis? If it is not stated directly, write a sentence stating what you think the main point of the essay is.
    • What is the author’s purpose in writing this description? For what audience is it intended? What techniques does the writer use to achieve her or his purpose with this audience?
  4. Consider your reactions. Think about how the description relates to your own experience:
    • Have any situations you’ve experienced evoked similar images or feelings for you?
    • What thoughts and feelings does the essay evoke in you? What did you feel as you read? What feelings were you left with after reading the essay?

ANALYZING DESCRIPTIONS

A description will be colored by the writer’s personal, subjective experience. Unless you have reason to believe otherwise, assume that the writer is honest — that he or she is presenting the subject accurately. But also keep in mind that the writer chooses details selectively, with the goal of advancing his or her agenda.

What is the writer’s attitude toward the subject? The words a writer chooses to describe a subject can largely determine how readers view and respond to that subject and often reveal the writer’s feelings and attitudes toward the subject. A description of a car as “fast and sleek” suggests approval, while the phrase “slick and glitzy” suggests a less favorable attitude. You can make the subject seem attractive and appealing or ugly and repellent, depending on the details you choose and the words you select.

APPEALING The stranger had an impish, childlike grin, a smooth complexion with high cheekbones, and strong yet gentle hands.
REPELLENT The stranger had limp blond hair, cold vacant eyes, and teeth stained by tobacco.

As you read, pay attention to connotations; writers often use them intentionally to create a particular emotional response. Highlight words with strong connotations or annotate them in the margin. Ask yourself whether the writer is presenting a neutral, objective description or a subjective, possibly biased, one. For example, when reading “Bad Dog” (para. 6), you might wonder how Maizes’s ex-husband or pet owners whose puppies Chance “flattened” (6) might have described Chance.

What details does the writer omit? As you read an essay, ask yourself questions like these:

Writers often omit details because they are not relevant, but they may also omit details that would contradict the dominant impression they intend to convey. You have probably noticed that news outlets on television or online offer slightly different slants on a news event, each providing different details or film footage. By combining or synthesizing the various reports, you can form your own impression. Often you must do the same thing when reading descriptions. Pull together information from several sources to form your own impression.