Author's Purpose

Author's Purpose

RI.2.6 Determine an author's point of view or purpose in a text and analyze how an author uses rhetoric to advance that point of view or purpose.

Open Ended

Define "author's purpose" in your own words.

Open Ended

Why do you think artists write their own songs?

To figure out an author's purpose, ask yourself:

• what message do they want to share with the audience?

• why did they use the words/phrases they did?

Let's take a look at Sober by Demi Lovato!

Open Ended

What do we know about Demi Lovato that might help us understand her perspective better?

Sober Lyrics

I don't know, I don't know, I don't know, I don't know why

I do it every, every, every time

It's only when I'm lonely

Sometimes I just wanna cave and I don't wanna fight

I try and I try and I try and I try and I try

Just hold me, I'm lonely

Momma, I'm so sorry, I'm not sober anymore

And daddy, please forgive me for the drinks spilled on the floor

To the ones who never left me, we've been down this road before

I'm so sorry, I'm not sober anymore

Open Ended

Knowing what we do about why artists write their own songs, why do you think Demi wrote this song?

Open Ended

Define "point of view" in your own words.

Remember, point of view isn't just who is telling the story, it can also mean

• the narrator's position in relation to a story being told.

To figure out an author's point of view, ask yourself:

• what kind of perspective do they have on the topic they're talking about?

• how do they view the story?

Open Ended

What kind of perspective does Demi Lovato have to write the song Sober? (ex. a woman's perspective, a perspective of someone in the spotlight, etc.)

Multiple Choice

What kind of rhetoric strategy does she use in her song?

• ethos

• logos

• pathos

What words/phrases signify pathos?

I don't know, I don't know, I don't know, I don't know why

I do it every, every, every time

It's only when I'm lonely

Sometimes I just wanna cave and I don't wanna fight

I try and I try and I try and I try and I try

Just hold me, I'm lonely

Momma, I'm so sorry, I'm not sober anymore

And daddy, please forgive me for the drinks spilled on the floor

To the ones who never left me, we've been down this road before

I'm so sorry, I'm not sober anymore