Theme is the message, insights, or truths an author explores throughout a story. Theme encourages readers to contemplate life by examining thoughts, emotions, and behaviors. Teaching kids to determine the theme is a key component of literary analysis because it goes beyond retelling and listing of events: (“First this happened; then that happened”), to thinking […]
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Figurative language enables authors to turn plain sentences into vivid, emotional, and memorable descriptions. In this section, we’ll explore common types of figurative language, such as metaphor, simile, personification, hyperbole, idioms, symbolism, allusion, and imagery. Each element works together to add depth and color to both reading and writing. Overviews and Tutorials Imagery Video (with
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Characters and setting work together to pull readers into the world of a story. A clever plot may keep us turning pages, but it’s the people (or creatures!) we care about, and the world they live in, that contribute to making a story compelling. Characters come alive through their actions, dialogue, and choices. They can
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Literary analysis is more than just “talking about a book.” It’s learning to notice how authors use language, structure, and style to create meaning. For homeschool families, teaching literary analysis helps learners develop critical thinking, writing skills, and appreciation for great works of literature. Even if kids think they won’t like literary analysis, they may
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