Textual Analysis on Alice Walker’s “The Flowers”

For this essay, write a Textual Analysis on Alice Walker’s “The Flowers”. You will need to critically read and analyze the entire text. As you read, break down points/ideas from the text to uncover the underlying
meanings that you think are being suggested. **Be sure to take active reading notes for reference.
Based on your understanding of the text, develop a thesis statement that makes an
argument/claim, regarding your interpretation of the overall purpose/meaning of the text. The
thesis statement needs to clearly state what argument/claim you are making about the text. As
you build a thesis, consider the following as you develop your argument: Do you want to show
that the text presents a certain meaning, uses certain techniques to achieve its purpose, tries to
influence its audience in particular ways, or relates to some larger context in some significant
manner?
To support your analysis, you will also need to include specific textual evidence (quotes,
points/ideas, literary devices used by the author, etc.) from the text itself. The textual evidence
you include can be any part of the text you find to be significant or evidence that presents
meaning in relation to your argument.

What is the purpose/message of the text? How is it developed throughout?
• Who is the author’s intended audience? How can you tell?
• What are the main points being made in the text? How do these points build towards the
text’s purpose/message?
• What ‘genre’ would you classify the text? Is it in the style of one genre or a mixture?
Why is it important to know the genre?
• What point of view is the text told from? First person, third person? How does this affect
the overall message being presented?
• Consider the author’s diction, is it formal, informal, technical, or slang? How does the
author’s diction influence the purpose/message of the text?
• Does the author incorporate literary devices such as imagery, personification, repetition,
allegory, etc. How do these devices create meaning for the text and why are they
important for understanding the overall purpose of the text?
• Does the author use dialogue, quotations, or personal examples? Consider why an author
may or may not.
• Does the author utilize descriptive techniques such as sensory details, active verbs, or
comparisons? How does the author create meaning through these techniques?
• What is the structure of the text? How does the structure present meaning?
***Note: You do not need to answer each of these questions in your essay. Instead, think of these
questions as a starting point to begin exploring the text you choose to analyze. You will need to
build main points that support your argument.

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