How do you determine the author's purpose?

Determining the author's purpose involves analyzing the intent behind a piece of writing. When you assess whether the author aims to inform, entertain, persuade, or express feelings, you gain insight into the overall message and tone of the text. For example, an informative text might present facts and data, while a persuasive text would include arguments aimed at convincing the audience of a particular viewpoint. Recognizing these aims helps readers connect with the material and understand the deeper meanings embedded in the writing.

Other options, while they might provide some context for understanding a text, do not directly address the author's purpose. Illustrations can complement the text but do not convey the author’s intention. Counting pages is a logistical detail that doesn’t relate to purpose, and analyzing a main character's actions focuses more on character development than on what the author seeks to achieve with the text as a whole.