Assignment: Book of Mormon Literary and Rhetorical Analysis

Collectively, my students will read the entire Book of Mormon in the next two days, each focusing on about 22 pages of text. Rather than taking a strictly religious approach, we will do a literary and rhetorical analysis. 

Why literary and rhetorical analysis?
The purpose of performing this sort of analysis is that students will better appreciate the literary nature of their faith and its central scripture. They will improve their understanding of the scripture by recognizing genres, patterns, and the persuasive nature of Book of Mormon writings. And as students compare their findings, we will collectively identify larger themes and forms at work across the book as a whole.

How does one perform literary or rhetorical analysis?
In general we will be looking for the "how" to shed light on the "what": identifying form in the writing or speaking and then considering how this form affects the meaning or impact of that communication. First look at form, then interpret its influence. The pattern is simple. Start with concepts of form out of literary and rhetorical terminology, find them, and decide what the use of that form does.

Instructions
Follow this pattern to do an initial attempt at analyzing for form:

1. Review your lecture notes, class recordings, or this list of Literary and Rhetorical Terminology
2. Select one these kinds of literary or rhetorical form
3. Find examples of this form within part of your assigned segment and mark them.
4. Create a post of 200-300 words showing your annotations and drawing conclusions about that one aspect of form that you used. Use the headings and follow the pattern of the example, below.
5. Before posting, check other students' posts to see if they used the same literary or rhetorical concept. If they have, then in the final section ("Questions and Connections" --see example), mention their post(s) and link to it/them, commenting on your similar or different approaches.

Three example analyses follow:

Sample Brief Analysis #1

1. Form Analyzed
[Check this terminology document for ideas on which form to use]
I decided to look at language, and specifically the use of first-person pronouns ("I" "my" "mine").

2. Passage Analyzed
[You don't have to quote the whole passage you analyze. You can just refer to it or summarize it]
Within my section (1 Nephi 1-2), I focused my analysis on just the first verse, 1 Nephi 1:1:

I, Nephi, having been born of goodly parents, therefore I was taught somewhat in all the learning of my father; and having seen many afflictions in the course of my days, nevertheless, having been highly favored of the Lord in all my days; yea, having had a great knowledge of the goodness and the mysteries of God, therefore I make a record of my proceedings in my days.

3. Annotated Text
[Can scan/take pic of your text as in image above, or use digital annotation like this]

4. Breakdown / Listing of things found:
[Compile findings, but don't interpret yet]
Nephi uses his name and seven personal pronouns in the opening verse of the Book of Mormon to refer to himself.

5. Interpretation: 
[Keep it brief!]
This may be scripture, but it is going to have the feel of a journal. It's going to be a personal account as much as anything else. The personal approach is part of what makes this book powerful.

6. Connections / Questions:
[For connecting to other sections of the Book of Mormon, or connecting to other students's posts; and for questions]
Now I'm wondering if this personal approach continues across all or a majority of the books of the Book of Mormon. Are others noticing this journal / personal viewpoint approach in their sections?


Sample Brief Analysis #2
1. Form Analyzed
I thought I would look at setting, and specifically any scenes (which overlaps with plot, I guess).

2. Passage Analyzed
Within my assigned section (1 Nephi 1-2) I thought I would stick to 1 Nephi 1:4-20 where there is a series of scenes featuring Lehi

3. Annotated Text

4. Breakdown / Listing of things found:
Nephi's account of his father includes a series of scenes featuring Lehi:

• Prophets prophesying in Jerusalem (1 Nephi 1:4). It's implied that Lehi is watching, not prophesying himself yet.
• Lehi praying for the people, seeing a pillar of fire, and trembling in reaction (1 Nephi 1:5-6)
• Lehi going home and having a longer vision (1 Nephi 1:7-10)
• Lehi, in the vision, first reading a book given to him and then prophesying (1 Nephi 1:11-15)
• Lehi (after commentary by Nephi) going about prophesying and getting mocked (1 Nephi 1:18-20)

5. Interpretation

It wasn't until I was breaking down the list of scenes that I realized that Lehi was probably not one of the prophets listed as going about propheysing in the first scene I listed (verse 4). By listing the scenes I saw a progression in Lehi: observing, praying, receiving revelation, responding, getting more revelation, and then going out to preach himself. It reminded me of Joseph Smith. Maybe Lehi started just by spiritually pondering the messages he heard others preaching, and when he went to pray he got a vision that gave him the view and the courage to go preach himself.

6. Connections/ Questions
Do other characters/prophets in the Book of Mormon follow a similar pattern? Caroline commented on how Enos went through a spiritual process, and obviously Alma the Younger did, too, which led from personal experience with God to them becoming preachers. Hmmm. Does anyone think that Lehi might have been repenting the way Enos was doing and that is what led to his calling? Is the repenting prophet a pattern in scripture? Modern times, too, like Joseph Smith or Spencer W. Kimball (who both spoke openly about their shortcomings)?

Sample Brief Analysis #3
1. Form Analyzed
I wanted to look at genre, and specifically a genre of speaking: prophesying.

2. Passage Analyzed
Within my assigned section (1 Nephi 1-2), I just looked at prophesying in the first chapter.

3. Annotated Text

4. Breakdown / Listing of things found:
As my annotations show, prophesying is divided between being reported (1st and 4th), implied (2nd), and then given directly through a quotation (Lehi's speaking in 3rd, v. 13). As far as audiences go, they are Jerusalem of Lehi's day (600 BC) twice, Jerusalem of their future (time of Christ) and then the third audience is unclear since it was part of a vision.

5. Interpretation: 
There's a difference between hearing the mention of prophesying and then hearing the actual prophesying. It's curious that here, the most direct prophesying is to the least clear audience (within the vision). I guess we readers are an audience for that, and maybe Nephi was when he heard his father tell about it or read Lehi's writing about it.

6. Connections / Questions:
I wonder how much of the prophesying in the Book of Mormon is indirect, or whether in later chapters either Lehi or Nephi take up a different mode of prophesying, or if the way prophecies are reported by Nephi or Mormon vary in whether they are spoken of generally, or brought to life through direct speech. Is prophecy intended just for its primary audience? What other audiences?