SOAPS Explanation
Subject - what is the specific topic of this text?
Occasion - what is the time and place of the piece?
Audience - who was the INTENDED audience
for this piece?
Purpose - Why did the author write this piece?
Speaker – WHO is the speaker & what is the tone of the person telling this story?
Example:
Subject – “A Closer Look – No Female Actors and No R-Rated Love Scenes” describes how boys played the female roles in Shakespeare’s plays, so physical contact was not used.
Occasion – “A Closer Look” was written in 2003 in 9th grade English Anthology entitled Holt Literature and Language Arts.
Audience – The intended audience for “A Closer Look” is North American and British 9th grade students studying Romeo and Juliet.
Purpose – The purpose of “Background” is to teach 9th graders about who actually was allowed to act during Shakespeare’s day
Speaker – The speaker of “A Closer Look” uses an informative, expert tone to instruct. The author is unknown, but is used in the HOLT literature anthology, so he/she must be knowledgeable about the topic.
Occasion - what is the time and place of the piece?
Audience - who was the INTENDED audience
for this piece?
Purpose - Why did the author write this piece?
Speaker – WHO is the speaker & what is the tone of the person telling this story?
Example:
Subject – “A Closer Look – No Female Actors and No R-Rated Love Scenes” describes how boys played the female roles in Shakespeare’s plays, so physical contact was not used.
Occasion – “A Closer Look” was written in 2003 in 9th grade English Anthology entitled Holt Literature and Language Arts.
Audience – The intended audience for “A Closer Look” is North American and British 9th grade students studying Romeo and Juliet.
Purpose – The purpose of “Background” is to teach 9th graders about who actually was allowed to act during Shakespeare’s day
Speaker – The speaker of “A Closer Look” uses an informative, expert tone to instruct. The author is unknown, but is used in the HOLT literature anthology, so he/she must be knowledgeable about the topic.
