HOW TO ANALYZE FICTION
Definition: The theme is a recurring idea or insight in the text; it's the hidden meaning or underlying message.
Understanding Themes:
Consider broad topics like love, friendship, or good vs. evil.
Reflect on what the story conveys about these topics.
Example: In "Cinderella," a theme is dreams. The story explores what the author wants to communicate about pursuing one's dreams.
Definition: The setting is the backdrop of the story and helps establish the mood.
Components of Setting:
Geographical Location: Where the story takes place.
Time: When the story is set.
Social Environment: The social context within the story.
Purpose of Setting:
Helps understand characters’ actions and motivations.
Provides context for the genre or themes.
Example: In "Cinderella," the setting includes a distant kingdom and a time long ago.
Definition: The method writers use to create life-like and believable characters.
Components to Consider:
Descriptions provided by the writer.
How other characters perceive them.
Their dialogue and actions.
Example: In "Pride and Prejudice," Mr. Darcy is portrayed as tall, handsome, and aloof, while Elizabeth Bennet is honest and witty.
Language: Refers to the specific words and phrases used and their impact on the reader.
Structure: The organization of the plot and how it’s presented to the reader.
Effect on Reader:
Language and structure can evoke emotions, create suspense, or clarify themes.
Purpose: Enhances understanding and prepares for analysis.
Techniques:
Use abbreviations (e.g., ‘allit’ for alliteration).
Highlight/underline important text.
Write notes in the margins.
Circle words/phrases for further exploration.
Focus on key information, avoid annotating the entire text.
Strategy:
Skim first, then annotate on a second read.
Steps:
Read the extract carefully.
Understand the question and its focus.
Re-read the text with the question in mind.
Identify key sentences or phrases relevant to the question.
Plan your answer using structured paragraphs.
Formulas to Structure Answers:
PEE: Point/Evidence/Explain
PEEL: Point/Evidence/Explain/Link
PEA: Point/Evidence/Analysis
SEAL: State your point/Evidence/Analyse/Link
WET: Words/Effect/Techniques
RATS: Reader’s response/Author’s intention/Theme/Structure
Main Types: Prose, Poetry, Drama.
Genres of Prose Fiction:
Science Fiction: Imaginative future scenarios.
Historical Fiction: Based on historical events.
Romance Fiction: Focuses on romantic relationships.
Bildungsroman: Focuses on a character's development.
Short Stories: Brief, focus on atmosphere and limited characters.
Novellas: Mid-length, usually one plot line.
Novels: Longer, multiple plot lines and well-developed characters.
Elements of Setting:
Time (past, present, future).
Location (city, country, specific place).
Environment (social and physical context).
Role of Setting:
Influences the narrative and themes.
Can create mood or atmosphere (e.g., using weather or time of day).
Example: In "The Great Gatsby," the setting emphasizes luxury and glamour.
Archaic Words: Words like "omnibus," "motor-boats," and "aquaplanes" suggest an older time period, setting the novel in the past.
Atmosphere of Wealth: Descriptions such as "champagne," "his beach," "Rolls-Royce," and "motor-boats" establish an opulent setting, highlighting themes of wealth and indulgence.
Narrative Perspective: The narrator is positioned as an observer, an outsider looking in, which can suggest themes of exclusion or voyeurism.
Cinematic Description: The narrative moves fluidly through different parts of the setting (garden, raft, beach, water), creating a sense of energy and movement.
Contrast in Setting: Descriptions of the garden at night (whispering, blue, stars) versus the beach in the afternoon (sun, hot, slit the waters) highlight a contrast that adds depth to the setting.
Use of Personal Pronouns: The repeated use of "his" (e.g., "his gardens," "his guests") links a character (likely Gatsby) strongly to the luxurious setting, even before the character is fully introduced.
Themes vs. Topics: A theme is the underlying idea or message in a text, whereas a topic is what the text is literally about. For example, the topic of Of Mice and Men might be two friends traveling and working on ranches, but its themes could include friendship and the futility of dreams.
Common Themes: Power, love, money, death, appearance versus reality, heroism, technology, friendship.
Motifs: Repeated images or ideas that help develop a theme. For example, recurring images of hands in Of Mice and Men help explore themes of violence and identity.
Themes can often be inferred from specific language choices, imagery, and descriptions of settings.
Example - Skellig by David Almond:
Themes of death and renewal are suggested through images like "Doctor Death," "Skellig appearing dead," and the family's move during spring (a season of renewal).
Language choices create a tension between life and death, suggesting deeper themes in the narrative.
Conflicts within themes can add complexity to a text. For example:
Love: Forbidden love versus attainable love.
Power: Individual versus state, man versus nature.
Family: Safety within family versus desire for independence.
Examining the opposite sides of a theme can provide structure and depth to an analysis.
Characterization: The way writers create and develop characters. It involves how characters are described, what they say, what they do, and how they are perceived by others.
Language Techniques:
Similes and Metaphors: Used to create vivid imagery (e.g., "a smile like the sunrise" suggests brightness and hope).
Personification: Gives human qualities to non-human elements (e.g., "the wind screamed through the trees" creates an eerie atmosphere).
Motif: Repeated ideas or images that have symbolic significance (e.g., "rotten apple, plague of flies" in a narrative could symbolize moral decay).
Structure: Refers to the arrangement of words, sentences, paragraphs, and the overall text to create meaning and affect the reader's response.
Structural Devices:
Repetition: Repeating words or phrases for emphasis.
Connectives: Words like "meanwhile," "finally," or "although" shift the reader's focus and create transitions.
Sentence Types: Variations in sentence length and complexity can affect pacing and emphasis.
When analyzing an extract, consider the following:
Language Choices: How do they suggest a theme or mood?
Patterns in Language: Are there repeated motifs or words that create a semantic field?
Characterization: How are characters constructed through dialogue, actions, and descriptions?
Setting: How does the description of the setting contribute to themes or character development?
Structural Choices: How does the structure of the text influence the reader's understanding or engagement?
Definition: The theme is a recurring idea or insight in the text; it's the hidden meaning or underlying message.
Understanding Themes:
Consider broad topics like love, friendship, or good vs. evil.
Reflect on what the story conveys about these topics.
Example: In "Cinderella," a theme is dreams. The story explores what the author wants to communicate about pursuing one's dreams.
Definition: The setting is the backdrop of the story and helps establish the mood.
Components of Setting:
Geographical Location: Where the story takes place.
Time: When the story is set.
Social Environment: The social context within the story.
Purpose of Setting:
Helps understand characters’ actions and motivations.
Provides context for the genre or themes.
Example: In "Cinderella," the setting includes a distant kingdom and a time long ago.
Definition: The method writers use to create life-like and believable characters.
Components to Consider:
Descriptions provided by the writer.
How other characters perceive them.
Their dialogue and actions.
Example: In "Pride and Prejudice," Mr. Darcy is portrayed as tall, handsome, and aloof, while Elizabeth Bennet is honest and witty.
Language: Refers to the specific words and phrases used and their impact on the reader.
Structure: The organization of the plot and how it’s presented to the reader.
Effect on Reader:
Language and structure can evoke emotions, create suspense, or clarify themes.
Purpose: Enhances understanding and prepares for analysis.
Techniques:
Use abbreviations (e.g., ‘allit’ for alliteration).
Highlight/underline important text.
Write notes in the margins.
Circle words/phrases for further exploration.
Focus on key information, avoid annotating the entire text.
Strategy:
Skim first, then annotate on a second read.
Steps:
Read the extract carefully.
Understand the question and its focus.
Re-read the text with the question in mind.
Identify key sentences or phrases relevant to the question.
Plan your answer using structured paragraphs.
Formulas to Structure Answers:
PEE: Point/Evidence/Explain
PEEL: Point/Evidence/Explain/Link
PEA: Point/Evidence/Analysis
SEAL: State your point/Evidence/Analyse/Link
WET: Words/Effect/Techniques
RATS: Reader’s response/Author’s intention/Theme/Structure
Main Types: Prose, Poetry, Drama.
Genres of Prose Fiction:
Science Fiction: Imaginative future scenarios.
Historical Fiction: Based on historical events.
Romance Fiction: Focuses on romantic relationships.
Bildungsroman: Focuses on a character's development.
Short Stories: Brief, focus on atmosphere and limited characters.
Novellas: Mid-length, usually one plot line.
Novels: Longer, multiple plot lines and well-developed characters.
Elements of Setting:
Time (past, present, future).
Location (city, country, specific place).
Environment (social and physical context).
Role of Setting:
Influences the narrative and themes.
Can create mood or atmosphere (e.g., using weather or time of day).
Example: In "The Great Gatsby," the setting emphasizes luxury and glamour.
Archaic Words: Words like "omnibus," "motor-boats," and "aquaplanes" suggest an older time period, setting the novel in the past.
Atmosphere of Wealth: Descriptions such as "champagne," "his beach," "Rolls-Royce," and "motor-boats" establish an opulent setting, highlighting themes of wealth and indulgence.
Narrative Perspective: The narrator is positioned as an observer, an outsider looking in, which can suggest themes of exclusion or voyeurism.
Cinematic Description: The narrative moves fluidly through different parts of the setting (garden, raft, beach, water), creating a sense of energy and movement.
Contrast in Setting: Descriptions of the garden at night (whispering, blue, stars) versus the beach in the afternoon (sun, hot, slit the waters) highlight a contrast that adds depth to the setting.
Use of Personal Pronouns: The repeated use of "his" (e.g., "his gardens," "his guests") links a character (likely Gatsby) strongly to the luxurious setting, even before the character is fully introduced.
Themes vs. Topics: A theme is the underlying idea or message in a text, whereas a topic is what the text is literally about. For example, the topic of Of Mice and Men might be two friends traveling and working on ranches, but its themes could include friendship and the futility of dreams.
Common Themes: Power, love, money, death, appearance versus reality, heroism, technology, friendship.
Motifs: Repeated images or ideas that help develop a theme. For example, recurring images of hands in Of Mice and Men help explore themes of violence and identity.
Themes can often be inferred from specific language choices, imagery, and descriptions of settings.
Example - Skellig by David Almond:
Themes of death and renewal are suggested through images like "Doctor Death," "Skellig appearing dead," and the family's move during spring (a season of renewal).
Language choices create a tension between life and death, suggesting deeper themes in the narrative.
Conflicts within themes can add complexity to a text. For example:
Love: Forbidden love versus attainable love.
Power: Individual versus state, man versus nature.
Family: Safety within family versus desire for independence.
Examining the opposite sides of a theme can provide structure and depth to an analysis.
Characterization: The way writers create and develop characters. It involves how characters are described, what they say, what they do, and how they are perceived by others.
Language Techniques:
Similes and Metaphors: Used to create vivid imagery (e.g., "a smile like the sunrise" suggests brightness and hope).
Personification: Gives human qualities to non-human elements (e.g., "the wind screamed through the trees" creates an eerie atmosphere).
Motif: Repeated ideas or images that have symbolic significance (e.g., "rotten apple, plague of flies" in a narrative could symbolize moral decay).
Structure: Refers to the arrangement of words, sentences, paragraphs, and the overall text to create meaning and affect the reader's response.
Structural Devices:
Repetition: Repeating words or phrases for emphasis.
Connectives: Words like "meanwhile," "finally," or "although" shift the reader's focus and create transitions.
Sentence Types: Variations in sentence length and complexity can affect pacing and emphasis.
When analyzing an extract, consider the following:
Language Choices: How do they suggest a theme or mood?
Patterns in Language: Are there repeated motifs or words that create a semantic field?
Characterization: How are characters constructed through dialogue, actions, and descriptions?
Setting: How does the description of the setting contribute to themes or character development?
Structural Choices: How does the structure of the text influence the reader's understanding or engagement?
