Analysing Voice - Year 11 English

Defining Voice

  • In English and Literature, 'voice' refers to the combination of vocabulary, tone, point of view, and syntax.
  • This combination dictates how phrases, sentences, and paragraphs flow and sound.
  • Some authors have such a well-defined voice that it is immediately recognizable.
  • The distinct literary voice contributes to the lasting appeal of many famous novelists.
  • Texts can contain multiple voices including those of the author, narrator, or characters.

Types of Voices

  • Authorial Voice:
    • Refers to the persona, role, or character that the author adopts in a text.
  • Narrative Voice:
    • Deals with how a narrator relates to the story.
    • This includes whether the narrator is first or third person.
    • Also encompasses the narrator's knowledge of events (omniscient or restricted).
    • It also considers the narrator's reliability in interpreting events.
  • Character Voice:
    • A skilled author gives unique tones to different characters.
    • This unique combination includes personality, vocal syntax, lexicon, accent, and colloquialisms.
    • Dialogue reveals information about the character beyond the literal words being spoken.
  • Other Voices:
    • Texts often contain multiple voices presenting views, positions, ideas and perspectives of other individuals or groups.
    • It’s important to recognize these various voices in a text.
    • Also important to recognize how they relate to one another.
    • And how the creator of a text uses these to shape audience response.

Analysing Voice

  • Describe:
    • What does the voice sound like?
    • Consider the tone, mood, or emotion of what is written.
    • Examples: Humorous, satirical, sarcastic, serious, somber, bleak, defeated, mysterious, critical, joyful, exuberant, searching, curious, inquisitive, formal, colloquial, menacing.
  • Construct:
    • Which language features have been used to construct the voice?
    • This includes written and visual language.
    • Examples: vocabulary, connotation, syntax, emotive language, slang, repetition, figurative language, camera shot type, camera angle, props or objects, clothing, emanata, body language, speech bubbles.
  • Embody:
    • What values, attitudes, or perspective does the voice embody?
    • Does it reflect a particular social group or ideology?
    • Examples of values: equality, truth or family.
    • Examples of attitudes or perspectives: injustices of slavery, benefits of change, autonomy for women etc.
  • Relate:
    • What is the relationships between this voice and other voices?
    • Is it privileged or marginalized?
    • Does it support or conflict with other voices?
    • Does it challenge or reinforce the accepted notions of the time?
    • Does it reflect the author's beliefs?
    • Are readers positioned to empathize, sympathize or criticize it?
  • Present:
    • How is this voice used to present particular themes or ideas?
    • Start with a general theme.
    • Then state your theme as an explicit idea.
    • Examples of themes: love, grief, memory, loss, friendship, survival, family, war etc.
    • Example of use: The voice conveys the idea that war can have a dehumanizing effect on individuals.