Formative Essay

1. Formative Essay • the space and time context of the extract – where is the extract positioned in terms of character development and plot progression? Focus on analysing not describing . • point of view – is there a change of perspective or multiple perspectives? What is the effect on the reader of this point of view? Why might the author have chosen this perspective? • narrative techniques employed - is there an omniscient narrator? Is the story focalised through a character? Are there shifts in time during the narration? Is it narrated in the style of another author? • literary devices – does the author use metaphors, similes, paradox, hyperbole, irony, personification, alliteration etc and to what effect? • use of imagery – what image is created in the reader’s mind? How does vivid description deepen your understanding of the text? • Tone – What is the emotional state or attitude of the speaker/narrator/characters? • Themes – what is the main idea or message conveyed by the extract/text?

2. Formative Essay • Symbols – what objects in the text signify different meanings or ideas? • Voice – does the author have an individual writing style in the extract? • Characterization – Do the characters change or develop over the course of the extract/text? How might they be perceived by the reader? What details, if any, are we given or remain hidden? • literary allusions - Does the author use intertextuality? – Can you identify any references in the extract? • tradition and innovation of form – Does the author reference past literary traditions or is her/his form innovative? • Structural devices employed – How is the story assembled? Does the authoruse a range of sentence structures, and to what effect?