Another great way to engage your students is through the creation of storyboards that examine Tone, Word Choice, Imagery, Style, and Theme. This activity is referred to with the acronym “TWIST”. In a TWIST, students focus on a particular paragraph or a few pages, to look deeper at the author’s meaning.
Using an excerpt from A Tale of Two Cities, students can depict, explain, and discuss important quotes from the text, and analyze the author’s use of style and word choice to enhance meaning.
It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair, we had everything before us, we had nothing before us, we were all going direct to Heaven, we were all going direct the other way - in short, the period was so far like the present period, that some of its noisiest authorities insisted on its being received, for good or for evil, in the superlative degree of comparison only.
| T | TONE |
reflecting, wise, wistful, dark |
|---|---|---|
| W | WORD CHOICE |
was, best, worst, foolishness, wisdom, epoch, season, spring, winter, Light, Dark, hope, despair everything, nothing |
| I | IMAGERY |
It was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair. |
| S | STYLE |
The passage is a run-on which is filled with contradictions. The winding length of the quote indicates a story and time from the past, and the contradictions exist at the same time, making the period in question paradoxical in nature. |
| T | THEME |
The narrator is reflecting on a time that is tumultuous and full of tension because the aristocracy and the commoners are at odds with one another, much like the contradictions Dickens highlights in these opening lines. |
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Student Instructions
Perform a TWIST analysis of the opening paragraph from A Tale of Two Cities. Remember that TWIST stands for Tone, Word Choice, Imagery, Style, Theme.
Break down each TWIST element—Tone, Word Choice, Imagery, Style, and Theme—into simple, student-friendly definitions and provide clear examples. Use sentence starters, anchor charts, or visual cues to help students identify and discuss each part confidently.
Choose a short passage and read it aloud, pausing to think aloud about each TWIST element. Share your thought process so students see how to approach the text. Highlight specific words or images as you analyze to make it concrete.
Assign each group a TWIST element or a short passage. Encourage discussion and collaboration as groups find evidence in the text. Allow students to share their findings with the class for extra reinforcement.
Provide a simple chart or worksheet where students can jot down notes for each TWIST element. Visual tools help organize thinking and make it easier for students to compare their ideas. Encourage students to draw or use symbols as well as words.
Invite students to present their TWIST findings through posters, storyboards, or digital slides. Recognize creative approaches and group effort. Displaying student work builds confidence and deepens understanding.
TWIST analysis is a literary strategy where students examine a passage by analyzing its Tone, Word Choice, Imagery, Style, and Theme. This method helps deepen understanding of an author's language and intent, fostering critical reading skills.
Start by selecting a key excerpt, then guide students to identify and discuss its Tone, Word Choice, Imagery, Style, and Theme. Encourage them to use storyboards or visuals to represent each element and explain their choices in writing for deeper engagement.
Examples include: What tone does Dickens establish in the opening paragraph? Which words create vivid imagery? How does the style reflect the novel's themes? These help students focus on author technique and meaning.
The TWIST method fosters close reading and critical thinking by breaking down complex texts into manageable elements. It supports analysis skills and helps students articulate their interpretations, especially with challenging works like A Tale of Two Cities.
First, choose an excerpt. Then, for each TWIST letter, select images or scenes that illustrate Tone, Word Choice, Imagery, Style, and Theme. Add descriptions explaining each choice, proofread, and finalize the project for submission.