Another great way to engage your students is through the creation of storyboards that asks your students to find Tone, Word Choice, Imagery, Style, and Theme. This activity is called a TWIST (an acronym for the above literary elements). In a TWIST analysis, students focus on a particular paragraph or few pages to look deeper at the author’s true meaning.
Using any paragraph of the story, students examine, depict, explain, and foreshadow what will happen while getting a good idea of the tone of the story.
“While he still gazed upward into the deep arch of the firmament and had lifted his hands to pray, a cloud, though no wind was stirring, hurried across the zenith and hid the brightening stars. The blue sky was still visible, except directly overhead, where this black mass of cloud was sweeping swiftly northward. Aloft in the air, as if from the depths of the cloud, came a confused and doubtful sound of voices. Once the listener fancied that he could distinguish the accents of towns-people of his own, men and women, both pious and ungodly, many of whom he had met at the communion table, and had seen others rioting at the tavern. The next moment, so indistinct were the sounds, he doubted whether he had heard aught but the murmur of the old forest, whispering without a wind. Then came a stronger swell of those familiar tones, heard daily in the sunshine at Salem village, but never until now from a cloud of night There was one voice of a young woman, uttering lamentations, yet with an uncertain sorrow, and entreating for some favor, which, perhaps, it would grieve her to obtain; and all the unseen multitude, both saints and sinners, seemed to encourage her onward.”
| T | TONE | Confused & Perplexed: Goodman Brown is confused and in disbelief. His faith is tested when he is tossed into the devil's circle and sees so many members of his community that he once believed were pious. |
|---|---|---|
| W | WORD CHOICE |
Hid, cloud, black mass, confused, doubtful, indistinct, murmurs, whisper |
| I | IMAGERY |
“...he... had lifted his hands to pray, a cloud, though no wind was stirring, hurried across the zenith and hid the brightening stars. The blue sky was still visible, except directly overhead, where this black mass of cloud was sweeping swiftly northward.” |
| S | STYLE |
The narrator uses particular imagery and metaphors in his description to illustrate the evil around him. Although he searched for God, there were literal obstacles which kept him from goodness. |
| T | THEME |
The narrator speaks of the darkness that surrounds him as a physical veil from goodness. The darkness, doubt, and fear he experiences are clearly the work of the devil. The major theme is the loss of innocence. As he looks around at community members and even at his own wife he realizes that his faith has been shattered. |
(These instructions are completely customizable. After clicking "Copy Activity", update the instructions on the Edit Tab of the assignment.)
Student Instructions
Perform a TWIST analysis of a selection from "Young Goodman Brown". Remember that TWIST stands for Tone, Word Choice, Imagery, Style, Theme.
Break down each element of TWIST—Tone, Word Choice, Imagery, Style, and Theme—into simple, focused questions for your students. Provide sentence starters or word banks to help guide their responses and build confidence.
Read a paragraph aloud as a class and think aloud your process for identifying each TWIST element. Highlight keywords and invite students to help label tone, imagery, or word choices together.
Give students a TWIST chart or template where they can jot notes for each category. Encourage sketches, color-coding, or sticky notes for visual learners who benefit from seeing connections.
Assign students to teams and let them tackle different paragraphs or elements of TWIST. Foster rich discussion by having groups compare their findings or present to the class.
Display student storyboards or written analyses on a bulletin board or digital platform. Encourage students to explain their choices and learn from peers’ interpretations.
A TWIST analysis is a reading strategy where students examine a passage for Tone, Word Choice, Imagery, Style, and Theme. This helps students dive deeper into the author's intent and literary techniques.
To perform a TWIST analysis on "Young Goodman Brown," select a paragraph and identify each element: describe the tone, highlight key word choices, note vivid imagery, analyze the author’s style, and explain the theme. Use these insights to discuss the story’s deeper meaning.
Examples of imagery in "Young Goodman Brown" include descriptions like "a cloud...hid the brightening stars" and the "black mass of cloud...sweeping swiftly northward," painting a vivid, ominous scene.
The loss of innocence is central to "Young Goodman Brown" because it shows how Goodman Brown’s faith is shaken when he discovers the darkness within his community, leading him to question trust and goodness.
Steps for a TWIST activity: 1) Choose a passage, 2) Analyze for Tone, Word Choice, Imagery, Style, and Theme, 3) Create visual or written representations of each, 4) Write explanations, and 5) Edit and proofread your work before submitting.