One of the most distinctive features of Wintergirls is the crossed-out text that appears throughout Lia's narration. These lines reveal thoughts she tries to suppress, and they give students a concrete, visible example of how form creates meaning. For teachers looking for an accessible way into close reading, they are an ideal starting point.

Close reading often feels abstract to students who have only been asked to find themes. The strikethrough text makes the process tangible because students can literally see where the narrator contradicts herself. A short activity in which they compare the crossed-out words with the text that follows can reveal how much is happening beneath the surface of a single sentence.

To turn this into a written assignment, ask students to select a single passage and explain what the typographic choice adds that plain text could not. The task is deliberately narrow, which prevents the wandering summaries that plague broader prompts. A one-page response also keeps the grading load manageable while still demanding precise, evidence-based thinking.

Scoring a Close Reading Response

A strong close reading moves from observation to interpretation to implication. The student first describes exactly what appears on the page, then explains what that choice suggests about Lia's state of mind, and finally connects it to a broader idea in the novel. Papers that stop at observation should be scored lower than those that complete all three steps.

• Accurately describes the passage and the formal choice being analyzed
• Interprets the effect on tone, characterization, or reader response
• Connects the passage to a larger theme or pattern in the novel
• Uses short, well-integrated quotations rather than long block quotes
• Maintains analytical language and avoids drifting into plot summary

Common Problems in Student Responses

Students frequently describe the strikethrough as showing that Lia is lying, which is only part of the picture. A better reading notices that the crossed-out words are often the most honest ones, and that the act of crossing them out is itself a form of control. Feedback that nudges students to consider this tension tends to produce noticeably stronger revisions.

Another typical weakness is the use of overly long quotations that leave little room for the student's own analysis. A useful rule is that the explanation should be longer than the quoted material it discusses. Encouraging students to quote a few precise words rather than an entire passage forces them to focus on the details that actually matter.

Grading Efficiently

Short responses make it possible to give focused feedback on every paper, but the volume still adds up across multiple sections. Pre-writing the three most common comments for this assignment saves time and ensures that every student receives the same quality of guidance. You can then add one individualized note to each paper that references the specific passage the student chose.

AI feedback tools can handle the first pass by checking each response against the rubric and flagging where the analysis stops at observation. The teacher then reviews the flagged papers and adjusts the comments as needed. This approach keeps the human judgment in the process while removing much of the repetitive effort.