Analysing Fiction (OCR)

Fiction

Works of imagination created by authors to explore ideas, emotions, and experiences through invented characters and events.

Non-Fiction

Works based on factual accounts as opposed to imagination.

Purpose of Fiction

To entertain, explore themes, evoke emotion, offer social commentary, and teach moral lessons.

Entertain

Engage the reader's imagination and provide enjoyment.

Explore Themes

Examine universal ideas about life, society, and human nature.

Evoking Emotion

Making the reader feel empathy, sympathy, fear, joy, etc.

Social Commentary

Critique or reflect on aspects of society, politics, or culture.

Moral Lessons

Conveying messages about right and wrong, or how to live.

Genre Conventions

Choosing genres that appeal to specific readers.

Narrative

The sequence of events in a story.

Character

The people, animals, or creatures in the story.

Protagonist

The main character, often the hero.

Antagonist

The character who opposes the protagonist, often the villain.

Round Characters

Complex, multi-faceted characters with depth.

Flat Characters

Simple, one-dimensional characters serving a specific purpose.

Dynamic Characters

Characters who change and develop over the course of the story.

Static Characters

Characters who remain the same throughout the story.

Direct Characterisation

The author directly tells the reader about a character's personality.

Indirect Characterisation

The author shows the character’s personality through their actions, speech, and interactions.

Setting

The time and place in which the story occurs.

Exposition

Introduction of characters, setting, and initial situation.

Rising Action

Events that build tension and lead to the climax.

Climax

The turning point of the story, the moment of highest tension.

Falling Action

Events following the climax leading to the resolution.

Resolution/Denouement

The ending of the story where conflicts are resolved.

Conflict

The central struggle in the story, which can be internal or external.

Foreshadowing

Hints or clues about events that will happen later.

Theme

The underlying message or idea explored in the story.

Narrative Voice

The perspective from which the story is told.

First-Person Narrator

A character within the story telling the story from their perspective.

Third-Person Limited

Narrator knows the thoughts and feelings of one character.

Third-Person Omniscient

Narrator knows the thoughts and feelings of all characters.

Figurative Language

Language that uses figures of speech such as similes and metaphors.

Imagery

Language appealing to the five senses that creates vivid mental pictures.

Symbolism

Using objects or events to represent abstract ideas.

Motif

A recurring symbol or idea that has thematic significance.

Irony

A contrast between expectation and reality.

Juxtaposition

Placing two contrasting elements side by side to highlight differences.

Pathos

Quality that evokes pity or sadness in the reader.

Catharsis

Emotional release experienced by the reader at the end of a story.