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Studying prose texts

Detailed knowledge of the text; understanding of characters, relationships, themes and settings; analysis of how the writer achieves effects through language, structure and form; personal response supported by evidence.

Notes for this topic 1 file, in order

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  1. PDFStudying prose texts – Literature in English notes (Cambridge O Level)45.1 KB

What examiners reward

Detailed knowledge of the text; understanding of characters, relationships, themes and settings; analysis of how the writer achieves effects through language, structure and form; personal response supported by evidence.

Narrative methods

First- and third-person narration, reliable and unreliable narrators, structure (chronological, flashback, framed), pace, foreshadowing, symbolism and motifs, dialogue and description.

Characterisation

How writers present characters through actions, speech, thoughts, narration and the reactions of others; how characters develop; their function in the novel.

Themes

Track themes across the whole text and connect them to key moments and the writer's purpose.

Revision methods

Chapter summaries, character profiles with short quotations, theme maps, and timed practice of extract and essay questions.

Exam tip: Focus on HOW the writer presents something, not just WHAT happens – method is the key to higher marks.

Check yourself

  1. What is a motif?
  2. Name three ways a writer reveals character.
  3. Why should you learn short quotations?
Show answers
  1. A recurring image, idea or symbol that develops a theme.
  2. Any three: actions, speech, thoughts, description by the narrator, reactions of others.
  3. They can be embedded in sentences and analysed closely without wasting time.
Next topicPoetry: close analysis

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