Analysis of Poetry

Using TPFASTT to Analyze Poetry

T – TitleP – ParaphraseF – Figurative LanguageA – AttitudeS – ShiftsT – TitleT - Theme

Title

What do the words of the title suggest to you?

Paraphrase

Translate the poem in your own words. What is the poem about?

Figurative Language

What meaning does the poem have beyond the literal meaning? Consider: O ImageryO Point of ViewO AllusionsO Symbolism O Figurative Language

Attitude

What is the speaker’s attitude? What is the author’s tone?

Shifts

Shift refers to a change or movement in a piece resulting from an epiphany, realization, or insight gained by the speaker, a character, or the reader.

Where do the shifts in tone, setting, voice, etc. occur? Look for time and place, keywords, punctuation, stanza divisions, changes in length or rhyme, and sentence structure.

Title

Reanalyze the title on an interpretive level. You have read the poem, now what are your thoughts on the title?

Theme

What is the underlying message the author is trying to convey to the reader? What is the poem saying?