Analysing Novels & Short Stories
Level Two Analysis: Elements of Literature
Use this guide to help you analyse the choices that an author makes with language. Don't forget to always correctly and specifically identify the author's choice, state the effect with appropriate effect language, and justify how the author's choice achieves that effect. To learn more about Level One analysis, visit the Level One Analysis page on the website.
All texts explore ideas, which can be referred to as themes. When analysisng themes, we are able to identify the perspectives that a text might offer on a given topic or the questions that it raises. Take a look at this analysis guide to better understand the ways in which themes might be commented upon in your interpretations.
Dialogue is a very important aspect of any narrative. Not only does it expose what characters are consciously and unconsciously thinking and feeling, it can demonstrates power dynamics between characters. Use this guide to help with your analysis of dialogue.
Author's make a lot of choices that aren't necessarily about the specific words on the page. For instance, they choose the events of the story, the actions of the characters, the perspective from which the story is narrated, and they choose the way in which they will structure their texts. Read through the slides to learn more about the ways that we can analyse these chocies.
You can't talk about stories without discussing plot. Read through these slides to understand what we mean about plot and the considerations that we might make when commenting on plot in our analysis.
Essentially, irony describes an incongruity between what is expected and reality. It is used to describe when things emerge in a manner that is the direct opposite of expectations. Look through these slides to learn more about the different types of irony.
Example of Analysing Novels & Short-Stories
Click the image to follow access some extra material related to analysing novels and short stories. Use these resources to deepen your understanding of the different ways in which authors develop meaning in this medium.