Analyzing Voice (Questions)
Questions to guide your analysis of voice
Diction
Is there any difference between the denotative meaning (simple, literal definition) and the connotative meaning (contextual, suggestive meaning) of the words? If so, what is the difference?
Are the words concrete (physical, tangible) or abstract (emotional, intangible, philosophical)?
What is the level of formality? Are the words formal, informal, conversational, colloquial?
What do the words reveal about the age of the author or the historical context of the piece? Are the words old-fashioned? Common? Trendy? (Would the author's original audience agree with your assessment?)
Do the words exhibit local color (e.g. regional dialect), or are they standard and universal?
How do the words sound? Are they euphonious (pleasant sounding) or cacophonous (harsh sounding)?
Are the words monosyllabic (one syllable) or polysyllabic (more than one svllable)?
Syntax
How and why does the author vary the lengths of his sentences?
How does the author begin and end his sentences, and why?
Which of the three basic sentence types (simple, compound, complex) does the author use most frequently and why?
Which of the three most common detail arrangements (periodic, loose, and split) does the author use, and why?
What syntactic patterns (parallel construction, juxtaposition, repetition, rhetorical question, etc.) does the author use, and to what effect?
Which of the four moods (declarative, interrogative, imperative, exclamatory) does the author use, and why?
How does the author punctuate the sentences, and why?
How does the author arrange ideas in sentences and paragraphs, and why does he use that organizational pattern?
Which of these devices is most common in the piece and which tends to stand out?
How does the use of these devices contribute to the rhythm, organization, or memorability of the piece as a whole?
How do syntactic shifts reflect the author's shifting tone, mood, subject, or audience?
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