Poetry is one of the most expressive forms of literature. It can evoke emotions, set a mood, tell a story, or create a deeply and universally understood feeling in its readers. This makes expounding its elements, and understanding its rich meaning, comparisons, and symbols, even more important.
The TP-CASTT method of poetry analysis is a great way to teach students to dissect a poem and understand its parts. It helps students to uncover the deeper meanings within poems while giving them the confidence to be self-educators. TP-CASTT Poetry Analysis is an order of operations similar to PEMDAS for math. It asks students to list items in sequential order and answer questions based on their reading of the poem.
| T | TITLE |
The title makes the poem sound like it might be about women. Maybe women in general? Women who made a difference in life? |
|---|---|---|
| P | PARAPHRASE |
The poem focuses on the narrator’s mother’s generation who were fierce and brave as they knocked down obstacles in order for their children to go to school. They probably wanted their children to have more opportunities than they did. |
| C | CONNOTATION |
The narrator uses words that make the women sound like warriors: “...with fists as a well as hands / How they battered down doors”... “How they led armies / Headragged generals across mined fields / Booby-trapped ditches.” |
| A | ATTITUDE/TONE |
The narrator’s tone is filled with admiration, determination, and awe of these women from the beginning of the poem. At the end, it softens as the women’s mission is made clear: to make sure their children are educated, even when they themselves were not. |
| S | SHIFT |
The shift in the poem appears near the end when the narrator moves from warrior and military imagery to the reason why they are fighting: schools for their children. |
| T | TITLE |
The title is about the women of the narrator’s mother’s generation, who made sacrifices and fought so that their children could go to school. |
| T | THEME |
The theme of the poem is that mothers will find bravery in their mission to make a better life for their children, and that education is worth fighting for. |
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Student Instructions
Perform a TPCASTT analysis of "Women". Remember that TPCASTT stands for Title, Paraphrase, Connotation, Attitude/Tone, Shift, Title, Theme.
Boost student collaboration by organizing small groups to analyze poems using the TPCASTT method. Working in teams encourages discussion and deeper understanding as students compare ideas and interpretations.
Designate a role for each student, such as Title Interpreter, Paraphrase Writer, or Theme Finder. This ensures all students participate and build confidence in specific elements of poetry analysis.
Offer prompts like 'The title suggests…' or 'The tone feels… because…' to help students organize their thoughts and develop stronger, evidence-based responses.
Let groups choose creative formats—such as posters, skits, or digital slideshows—to share their TPCASTT analysis. Presenting in different ways makes learning memorable and fun.
Lead a whole-class conversation after presentations, asking students to compare group insights and reflect on new perspectives. This reinforces understanding and builds a supportive classroom community.
The TPCASTT method is a step-by-step strategy for analyzing poetry. It stands for Title, Paraphrase, Connotation, Attitude/Tone, Shift, Title, Theme, guiding students to break down and deeply understand a poem’s meaning and structure.
To analyze 'Women' by Alice Walker using TPCASTT, examine each element: predict the title, paraphrase the poem, identify connotations, determine the attitude/tone, note any shifts, revisit the title for deeper meaning, and state the theme—focusing on sacrifice, bravery, and the value of education.
The theme of 'Women' by Alice Walker is the courage and determination of mothers to secure a better future for their children, highlighting that education is worth fighting for even when they themselves lacked it.
TPCASTT is useful in high school because it gives students a clear, organized process to analyze poems, helping them uncover deeper meanings and build confidence in interpreting complex literature.
Examples of connotation in 'Women' include phrases like “with fists as well as hands” and “led armies,” which suggest strength and resilience, painting the women as warriors fighting for their children's education.