Whole cultures can have values, beliefs, and ideals that influence the context, purpose, theme, and point of view of a text.

Context:
The social, historical, cultural and workplace settings in which a text is produced

Purpose: the intention of a text

Theme: a statement expressing the central idea of a text; it often comments on an element of human experience.

Point of View: the central perspective of a text or the vantage point from which it is told.

American Songs

• Read your song through and make three observations. These can be questions, thoughts, responses.
• Read your song again through the lens of repeated words or images, marking each repetition in a different way.

American Songs

• Meet with classmates who read the same song. Find & listen to the version of the song that is by the person on the sheet. Take notes on other ideas, patterns, themes that jump out at you. Consider how the style of the music contributes to the meaning of the song.
• Write down what you think the song means.

American Songs

• Share with your ideas on about the song. Add to your own notes. Discuss together what cultural values, ideals and beliefs influenced this song. How is this song responding to those values, ideals, and beliefs?

American Songs

• Together, as a group, write a paragraph summarizing your analysis of the song. It should be at least the same number of sentences as people in your group.

American Songs

• Read your paragraph to the class, each person reading one sentence.

American Songs

• In your R&W journal, take notes on each group's paragraph.
• What does this suggest about American cultural values, beliefs, ideal?

Write down one new or profound idea that you encountered.