Style Analysis—“By the Waters of Babylon”
Setting and
Foreshadowing
Allusion
Identify several
allusions Benet uses.
What is the setting?
What clues does Benet For example, why did
the author use the
give us that provide
allusion to Psalm 137 in
hints about the
the title? How does it
setting?
relate to the ideas in
the story?
Diction
Syntax
What specific
connotative words are
used in this piece?
Why? How would you
describe the language
overall? How does the
language contribute to
the tone/ theme?
Does the author use
short/long sentences?
Why? What is
emphasized? Why?
Look at the
punctuation. What
effect does his
punctuation make?
Imagery and Figures
of Speech
Point of View
What effect does the
1st person POV have on
What specific images
or figures of speech are the reader? How does
John’s narration shift in
in the story? What is
the effect of this figure the story? Is he a
of speech? How does reliable narrator? Why
or why not?
it add to the
tone/theme?
Tone/Mood
What is Benet writing
about in this story?
What is his attitude
(tone) toward this
topic? How do you
know? How do you
feel (MOOD) as you
read the story? Why?
Theme
What is the idea or
insight about life and
human nature that
gives this story
meaning? How do you
know?