8.6–Analyzing Nonfiction on the Sentence Level

As previously discussed, layers of external context such as cultural and biographical circumstances provide a macro-level lens through which to view and understand a literary nonfiction work’s impact, the exigencies to which it responds, and how the author’s presence and choices manifest themselves. Conversely, it’s also important to analyze texts on a micro level, specifically looking at how an author’s decisions on the sentence level shape our assessment of larger choices and patterns in the work.

In order to conduct an analysis of a text on the sentence level, readers should be able to identify and understand the importance of the following sentence components:

• Independent clauses are the main portions of a sentence, as they contain a subject-verb-object (SVO) configuration and represent complete thoughts on their own. The other components of a sentence both modify the meanings of these independent clauses and branch around them (to the left, right, or middle).

• • Note: Depending on the placement, branching creates different effects. Left-branching creates buildup prefacing the independent clause, middle-branching adds clarifying information on the subject before moving to the verb, and right-branching creates an effect of falling action after the independent clause.
• Dependent clauses also contain an SVO configuration, but unlike independent clauses, they cannot stand alone as sentences. Dependent clauses can perform several different modifying functions in a sentence. These include conveying subordinate information (adverb clauses), clarifying information (an adjective clause) or standing in for a noun (a noun clause).
• Phrases are modifiers that do not have an SVO configuration. Similar to dependent clauses, they can also modify sentences in different ways. Conveying relationships in time and space (prepositions), providing background action or extending action (verb phrases), or clarifying nouns (noun phrases) are all examples of this.

To demonstrate how these different components function in a literary passage, let’s look at some samples from Common Sense. Here is the first sentence of paragraph 31 from the pamphlet:

MANKIND [sic] being originally equal in the order of creation, the equality could only be destroyed by some subsequent circumstance.

In the first sentence “the equality… circumstance” is the independent clause, with “equality” being the subject, “could only be destroyed” being the main verb in conditional form, and “some subsequent circumstance” being the object. Because an independent clause has more “weight” in a sentence than other components, placing it at the end concludes that sentence on a more definitive note.

Further, now that we have identified the independent clause, we can see that the remainder of the sentence consists of modifiers and is, therefore, left-branching. “Mankind being…creation” is primarily a type of noun phrase called an absolute phrase, because it features a secondary noun performing a background, participial action.

Let’s look at another sentence from paragraph 31 in Common Sense:

Oppression is often the consequence, but seldom or never the means of riches; and though avarice will preserve a man from being necessitously [sic] poor, it generally makes him too timorous to be wealthy.

Here we have two independent clauses; the presence of a second independent clause is signaled by the semicolon (as is the case with this sentence). The two independent clauses in this passage are, “Oppression is…riches,” and “it generally makes him..” The most significant modifier in the passage is “though avarice…poor.” Because this modifier has an SVO configuration (“avarice will preserve a man”), we can tell that it’s a dependent clause rather than a phrase. From there, we can deduce further that it is an adverb clause, because it is conveying subordinate information to the second independent clause. Putting the modifying adverb clause between these two independent clauses has a few important effects: it bookends the sentence with weightier components, it creates variety in the sentence’s rhythm and thus makes it more engaging, and also provides background information that prefaces the second main clause.

Although the content and form of Frederick Douglass’s speech differ from Paine’s pamphlet, its sentences also operate by the same principles. Douglass writes:

Standing with God and the crushed and bleeding slave on this occasion, I will, in the name of humanity which is outraged, in the name of liberty which is fettered, in the name of the constitution and the Bible, which are disregarded and trampled upon, dare to call in question and to denounce, with all the emphasis I can command, everything that serves to perpetuate slavery—the great sin and shame of America!

A reader can tell at a glance that this sentence is rich with modifiers, and, in fact, branches in all three directions. Here’s what the sentence looks like broken down to its single, independent clause and the modifiers it requires to make sense:

I will dare to call in question and to denounce everything.

Even within this single clause, we have several infinitive phrases (to call and to denounce) that expand the main action of dare.

Here’s what the modifications on the left (preceding the subject) look like:

Standing with God and the crushed and bleeding slave on this occasion,

This is a participial verb phrase, because it starts with a verb performing a background action (i.e., Douglass standing with God and the slave is a background action to his dare, and it is being performed as he goes into the main action of “dare”).

Here are the modifiers in the middle (between the subject and verb):

in the name of humanity which is outraged, in the name of liberty which is fettered, in the name of the constitution and the Bible, which are disregarded and trampled upon,

All three “in the name of”s in this part of the sentence are prepositional phrases which contextualize the main action of “dare,” making it more specific and complex. There are also several adjective clauses in here—“which is outraged,” “which is fettered,” and “which are disregarded and trampled upon”–that clarify the nouns “humanity,” “liberty,” and “the constitution and the Bible,” respectively.

Here are the modifiers on the right:

[everything] that serves to perpetuate slavery—the great sin and shame of America!

“That serves to perpetuate slavery” is an adjective clause with an infinitive phrase. It provides a more specific context for what Douglass means by “everything.” “The great sin and shame of America” is an appositive noun phrase, which also serves to clarify exactly how Douglass views slavery.