How should you handle quotes to keep your analysis precise and avoid paraphrase?

• A. Use long quotes to capture nuance.
• B. Use brief, focused quotations, integrate with your own analysis, and explain the effect of each quote in context.
• C. Quote without any analysis to preserve original meaning.
• D. Only quote the title.

Answer: (B)

Quoting effectively in poetry analysis means using brief, focused quotations and explaining their impact within the poem’s context. You pull short phrases that capture a key image, a striking word choice, or a turning moment, then weave them into your own analysis. After each quote, explain what it does—how it shapes tone, mood, or meaning, what technique it shows (diction, imagery, metaphor), and how that supports your overall argument. This approach keeps the analysis precise because you’re examining specific evidence rather than restating the poem, and it avoids paraphrase by showing your interpretation alongside the exact words. Long quotes tend to drown your point and risk glossing over the craft; quoting only the title misses the poem’s craft entirely, so focus on lines that illustrate your point and explain their effect in context.