The goal of this final stage of reading is to determine who does what to whom or what, by first breaking the text down into its component parts and then putting it back together in a way that makes sense to you, the reader. When you are done you have what is known as a thematic structure, which is developed through a more extensive exploration of the surface structure, or syntax, of the text. The purpose is not to focus strictly on the grammar of the text, but to access the linguistic tools you will need to facilitate comprehension and textual interpretation.

Strategy 1. Review Relevant Syntax

Noam Chomsky, a linguist and philosopher, dedicated himself to studying the underlying natures of language and the mind. One of the fundamental concepts that developed from his research was that all human language is based on shared principles called linguistic universals. One of his universal linguistic rules states that all complete sentences must have both a subject and a predicate. The subject represents the "doer," or "who," of the sentence. The predicate represents the action, or "does what to whom or what." These two components interact with and impact each other in many, sometimes subtle, ways (Chomsky 1957).

In order to understand a Spanish sentence, you must know the linguistic components of which it is comprised and understand how they interact with one another. That means that you can classify sentences by mood or tense and identify the subject, verb, and object(s) of each sentence. If there is a pronoun in the sentence, you must be certain of its antecedent. Do not guess based on a quick glance; know by analyzing the grammatical elements.

Task 1. Complete Chart. Complete the following chart of the relevant parts of speech and their functions for quick reference.

The chart is a .pdf file; you will need the Adobe Acrobat reader to view it and print it out.

1.			Parts of Speech (73.0K)

Task 2. Define Verbal Elements. In order to unravel a narrative, you need to be able to decode the main verb(s) in any sentence, that is, to separate and clarify the verbal elements based on a key. Define each of the following elements that make up the key for decoding verbs. What information does each element provide?

2.			the infinitive:
3.			the root:
4.			the person:
5.			the number:
6.			the mood:
7.			the tense:
8.			the English equivalent:

Task 3. Decode Verbs. Decode the underlined verbs in the following passages from La camisa de Margarita by completing the chart. Make sure you can explain your answers.

The chart is a .pdf file; you will need the Adobe Acrobat reader to view it and print it out.

9.			Verbal Elements (85.0K)

Task 4. Identify Parts of Speech. The following sentences have also been taken from La camisa de Margarita. Identify the main parts of speech in each sentence and list them on the following chart.

Note: Begin by identifying the verb, or "does what" part, of the predicate. The verb identifies the activity or the state of being that corresponds to the subject. Based on the verb, you can determine the subject, or the "who," and the object, or the "to whom or what," of the sentence. You can also list other grammatical elements that might assist in unraveling the meaning of the sentence, for example, adverbs, adjectives, and if clauses.

The chart is a .pdf file; you will need the Adobe Acrobat reader to view it and print it out.

10.			Parts of Speech (105.0K)

Task 5. Identify Pronouns. In the following paragraphs, identify the type of pronoun, the antecedent of the pronoun, and the grammatical function of the pronoun. To determine the antecedent, trace each pronoun to its source. That is, find the "who and/or what" that the pronoun stands in for.

The chart is a .pdf file; you will need the Adobe Acrobat reader to view it and print it out.

11.			Pronoun Identification (86.0K)

Strategy 2. Relate Actions to Characters

Task 1. Complete Graphic Organizer.

12.			Expand existing word wheels, or complete the following graphic organizer, with information about the action of the characters. Focus on what the characters do to create the action of the narrative in relationship to themselves, the other characters, and the story itself. Support your information with textual references that include page numbers. <a onClick="window.open('/olcweb/cgi/pluginpop.cgi?it=jpg::::/sites/dl/free/0072558466/96838/graphic_organizer3.jpg','popWin', 'width=642,height=417,resizable,scrollbars');" href="#"><img valign="absmiddle" height="16" width="16" border="0" src="/olcweb/styles/shared/linkicons/image.gif"> (17.0K)</a>

Task 2. Compare and Contrast.

13.			Document the relationship between the characters using a venn diagram (see Appendix), indicating their similarities and differences.

Strategy 3. Summarize Each Segment

Study Hint: Summarizing

A summary is a short version of someone else’s ideas written in your own words. It should be composed of several simple statements that are related to your thesis and to each other, and that move the story forward. Simplicity is the key. In order to create an accurate summary, you need to be able to:

• determine the topic sentence of a paragraph;
• invent a topic sentence if there is none;
• delete unnecessary or redundant information;
• substitute a term or event for a list of items or actions; and
• substitute an action word for a list of sub-components of that action.

Task 1. Identify Topic Sentence.

14.			A topic sentence states the main point of the paragraph. Although the topic sentence is often the first sentence of the paragraph, it also can be found in the middle or at the end of the paragraph. On your working copy of the text, bracket or underline the topic sentence in each segment. If there is no topic sentence, invent one and write it in the margin next to the segment.

Task 2. Delete Information.

15.			Using the same working copy, go from segment to segment and draw a line through redundant information and information that is not central to the theme.

Task 3. Generalize.

16.			Look at the information left in the segments. Can it be generalized?

Task 4. Summarize.

17.			Based on the information from Tasks 1, 2, and 3, summarize each segment and determine its function in the narrative. Is it a descriptive paragraph, or does it move the text forward? Document your summaries on the numbered sheets you created in Stage II, Strategy 1, Task 2.

Strategy 4. Create Thematic Structure

Task 1. Identify Thematic Elements.

18.			Refer to the chart on la historia that you created in IIb. Elementos principales del texto literario. Identify in La camisa de Margarita the literary elements defined in that chart. Write the thematic element next to the segment of the text in which it occurs.

Task 2. Complete Thematic Structure.

19.			Take all of the information you have gathered so far and use either a sequence chain or a story map (see Appendix) to establish the chain of events in the text. Each "link" in the chain should be an event that moves the story forward. The link may be a change in state of mind, emotion, opinion, or perspective, as well as an event. Substantiate your selections with textual support.

Task 3. Ask Yourself. If you are unsure of the answers to these questions, scan the relevant parts of this chapter to refresh your memory.

20.			Could you go into your class and discuss all of the narrative elements that you have explored in this chapter?
21.			Could you teach another student the strategies you have learned in this chapter?
22.			When discussing the narrative in class, will you be able to explain your answers using correct literary terminology?