Paper 1 Prose

Framework for commentaries

  • Where and when did it take place. We could call that the setting for the event.

  • Who took part? They are the people – Characters – involved.

  • What happened? That‘s the Action/plot.

  • How did it all happen? We might call that the Style of what we read.

  • What conclusions can we draw from all of the above. These are the Ideas or themes we take away with us at the end.

Planning/ possible essay layout

  • 1 paragraph: Brief introduction detailing what you plan to do(you may also talk about the title and any relevant historical/social context)

  • 1 paragraph: Themes Identify all of the key themes/ideas of the extract. Use abstract nouns such as ‘CONFLICT’, ‘JEALOUSY’, ‘LOSS’.

  • 1 paragraph: Tone Identify the overall tone or mood of the piece. Identify if it changes. How is it created by the writer?

  • 2-3 paragraphs: Character or setting (Decide which is more important and which you will focus on-occasionally you will do both

    • Indoors or outdoors

    • 1st or 3rd person

    • Descriptions (details!)

    • Direct speech

    • Dialogue (look carefully at the actual dialogue, as well as the identifier –‘said’ is the most common identifier.)

    • Note what a character says as well as the WAY they say it.

    • Comments by narrator on a character

  • 2-3 paragraphs: Language (Go through the passage in detail, possible in sequence) Talk about as many literary features as you can.)

    • Imagery

    • Symbolism

    • Punctuation

    • Tenses

    • Pronouns

    • Adjectives/adverbs

    • Irony

    • Ellipses

    • Sensory imagery

  • 1 paragraph: structure

    • Use of paragraphs

    • Sentence lengths

    • The flow of the story/narrative

    • How does pace change?

  • 1 paragraph: Conclusion. Summarize your response so far –Bring in any personal interpretation or subversive readings of the piece. How does the writer achieve their intentions?

Notes for setting

  • Particular types of settings:

    • Locale—planet, country, city, building, field, woods, vehicle, at sea, in space. Any place where you can put characters and action.

    • Weather—rain, snow, sunshine, fog, temperatures, hurricanes, droughts, and so forth

    • Objects—any physical items a character can touch or use or refer to (think props)

    • Realism – Is the setting a realistic depiction, or impressionistic?

    • Time—Two types of time (1. Era –when does the story take place. 2. How much time foes by during the scene.)

    • Culture—laws, social practices, societal taboos, societal expectations, politics and government, entertainment/games, religious practices, education, war, mores, technology

    • Geography—type and/or condition of land to include mountains, plains, lowlands, islands, cloud cities, volcanoes, and so on. Terrain. Plant and animal life.

    • Interior/Exterior – How clearly evoked are each of these settings.

    • Tone – How is this created?

  • Style (What techniques does the writer use to create setting)

    · Imagery (Figurative language)

    · Story –Is the setting an antagonist for the narrator/character?

    · Details

    · Sensory imagery

    · Sentence length

    · Emotional connection to narrator/characters. How does setting influence character or vice-versa.

    · Use of adjectives

    · Use of adverbs

    · Symbolism of objects and the setting itself

    · Weather as a symbol