Socio-cultural literacy scholars recognise that literacy learning must follow and analyse the common cultural discourse patterns. Given the frequency of social violence and the international media attention these moments generate, building literacy practices that are effective at both analysing and feeling with these moments is pertinent. This conceptual paper draws on affective literacies and trauma studies concepts to develop a literary analysis method called reading for ripples. This literacy tool can potentially support teachers and their students in analysing moments of social violence and the social texts and affective saturations they generate. Then, the notion of reading for ripples is extended to the analysis of the social space of schooling. The paper ends with suggested ways to start this analysis in classrooms.