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Textual Analysis Analysis and Evaluation Questions(U)

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Textual Analysis NAB

Coming soon to a classroom near you

11TH December Main NAB Earlier formative

Will be done under exam conditions

Will be either fiction – poetry, prose or drama


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Analysis and Evaluation

Two sides of the same coin

Analysis is technique spotting, naming and explaining

Evaluation is a personal reaction to how effective it is.


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Analysis

Explain named features “Show how the writer uses imagery to

emphasise…”

Explain from a list of possible features “Show how the writer’s feelings in line 5-7 are

conveyed. You may refer to tone, onomatopoeia, imagery ….”

Instructions to look at language of writer “Show how the writer’s language highlights the

importance…”


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Denotation and Connotation

Known as “Word Choice”

The key to getting analysis right

Denotation = The literal meaning of a word

Connotation = The other ideas associated with this word.


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SkinnySkinny

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The goalkeeper was a cat during the game.

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The goalkeeper was a cat during the game.

The writer uses a metaphor to compare the goalkeeper to a cat. This suggests that the goalkeeper was agile and nimble during the game.

Name of technique + things being contrasted + effect

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Evaluation

Look for the E

How effective is this?

Pseudo-personal opinion BE VERY CAREFUL!! The writers in the exam are better than you! The answer is generally “very effective

because…”

Link your answer to the text – “This is effective because the word …. Emphasises how…”


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Word Choice

Why does a writer use a specific word? It doesn’t just happen!

Any word will do?

Connotation and denotation: You know this stuff! Van Nistelroy danced through the tackle Why use dance? Would another verb work as well? Dance suggests elegance, nimbleness, grace, effortless, musical,

artistic

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Word Choice - practice1. I blundered drunkenly down the stairs

• How does the word effectively convey the way he moved?

2. My guest lay on his back, a long knife skewering him through the heart

• How does the word effectively convey the way he moved?

3. A lonely boy reading near the feeble fire • How does word choice effectively establish the scene

4. Simon cringed as Mr Shirpe loomed over him• How does word choice effectively establish the scene

5. The figure was shrouded in a garment of deepest black which masked its face, its head and its form, leaving nothing visible but its outstretched hand.

• How does word choice effectively establish a scary atmosphere

Answer Answer Me Me

AntelopAntelopee

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Evaluation

“Feeling like a Monday but someday I’ll be Saturday night” – Jon Bon Jovi

How effectively does the author convey his mood? (3) E


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Evaluation



The author uses an excellent simile to describe his current mood. He compares it to a “Monday” – typically the first day of a long working week and this has connotations of depression and facing an uphill task. However, the quote ends on an upbeat metaphor – “someday I’ll be Saturday night”, implying one day soon he will metaphorically be the best part of the week. Therefore he effectively captures not only his current depression, but the notion that things will also improve.


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Evaluation



The author uses an excellent simile to describe his current mood. He compares it to a “Monday” – typically the first day of a long working week and this has connotations of depression and facing an uphill task. However, the quote ends on an upbeat metaphor – “someday I’ll be Saturday night”, implying one day soon he will metaphorically be the best part of the week. Therefore he effectively captures not only his current depression, but the notion that things will also improve.


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Techniques

Word choice

Metaphor / simile / personification

Alliteration / siblance / assonance / onomatopoeia

Contrast / paradox / juxtaposition / oxymoron

Punctuation

Sentence structure

Word order


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Metaphor / simile / personification Comparing two things using “like” or “as __________ as” As high as a kite As cold as ice A fun as a barrel of monkeys Like a stocking to a chicken’s lip

Comparing two things by saying one IS the other The audience were glued to their seats Juliet is the sun The Empire State Building, that jumbo-sized dentist’s

drill

Giving human characteristics to non-human things Dawn massed her armies in the east The sun glowered down on men The trees grabbed me as I ran past


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Alliteration / siblance / assonance / onomatopoeia Repeated sound at beginning of words

Caws his carol run red river He who hates the Hun

Siblance Repeated “SS” sound Often hissing or evil Trust in me, just in me their faces show surprise, shock…

Assonance Repeating the same sound within words in the sentence Doomed youth Ah, distinctly I remember it was in the bleak December,

And each separate dying ember wrought its ghost upon the floor.

Onomatopoeia A descriptive word that mimics the noise it is

representing The saw buzzed and rattled, buzzed and rattled


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Contrast / paradox / juxtaposition / oxymoron


Contrast is using opposites to highlight difference The mirror flat lake was ruined by the riotous jetski

Paradox Contradictions – two or more statements that seem

cancel each other out “I can resist anything except temptation” (Wilde) “spies do not look like spies” (Chesterton)

Juxtaposition Contrasting ideas or images placed together The finger of the twisted corpse on the barbed wire

pointed to tree branch where a blackbird sang.

Oxymoron Opposite words placed next to each other Sweet and sour Bitter sweet Shameful joy

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Punctuation

Blackboard exercise


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Sentence Structure Questions

Ahhh, the joys of grammar.

No, not grandma, grammar.

Sentence structure questions are about Sentence structure Punctuation

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Sentence Structure Questions

Different TypesStatementsQuestionsCommandsExclamationsMinor sentences

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Statements

Most sentences are statements.

Tell the reader something

Statements are generally neutral – you are most likely to be asked to comment on other types of sentence

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Questions

Do they end in a question mark?

Ask the reader something

Questions either show uncertainty in the writer, or challenge the reader

Look for rhetorical questions – that don’t expect an answer (what kind of question is that?)

Often questions stir up emotions

Questions

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Commands

May end with an exclamation mark

Tell the reader to do something

Generally used either persuasively or to address the reader directly.

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Exclamations

May end with an exclamation mark

Express excitement or surprise

Generally used to create an emotive or dramatic effect

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Minor sentences

Short, surprising, odd or incomplete sentences

May not contain either a verb or a noun

Used to create a sense of pace, drama, excitement

Also informal or diary entries

Time for a rest. / Running home, tail between legs. / The money, now.

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Sentence Structure Test

Time for a rest.

Think of a number

How beautiful that was!

What a place!

Do you want your life to turn out like this?

Goodness me!

This is not a statement

Running home, tail between legs.

The money, now.

Answer Answer Me Me

AntelopAntelopee

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Sentence Structure Test

Time for a rest. (minor sentence)

Think of a number (command)

How beautiful that was! (exclamation)

What a place! (exclamation)

Do you want your life to turn out like this? (question)

Goodness me! (exclamation)

This is not a statement (statement)

Running home, tail between legs. (minor sentence)

The money, now. (minor sentence/command)

Answer Answer Me Me

AntelopAntelopee

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Word Order

Words: in the right sequence, always?

Changing sequences can change effects or meanings

Anything unusual deserves a comment

Typical types: List Repetition Climax

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List

The lardy pig put in the trolley in front of me: three pork pies, two tubs of ice cream, a king size mars bar and a whole pre-roasted chicken. I wondered how she’d make it to the car

Used to create an impression of “lots of something” List of verbs = action List of nouns = size or volume

Often used for comic effect

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Repetition

We shall fight in France, we shall fight on the seas and oceans, we shall fight with growing confidence and growing strength in the air, we shall defend our Island, whatever the cost may be, we shall fight on the beaches, we shall fight on the landing grounds, we shall fight in the fields and in the streets, we shall fight in the hills;

Used to create a rhythm

Usually tries to emphasise a key concept: The above example also creates a sense of

community and togetherness by stressing “We”

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Climax

Signed, sealed, delivered, I’m yours

Usually creates sense of increasing action

Normally grouped into sets of three similar verbs with increasing impact

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Word order- what kind of sentences are these? With a ragged diamond on shattered plate glass

Hungry, are you? – reverse/inverted word order, start with adjective

Exhausted, he fell to the floor

She was dancing. I mean she was doing things and dancing at the same time. She’d go and put on a new cassette, or find a better track on the old one or just look through what was there, then she’d go over and pinch a fag

They’ll come marching through here burning your houses, killing your children, and yes, violating your women

Signed, sealed, delivered I’m yours


Answer Answer Me Me

AntelopAntelopee

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Word order With a ragged diamond on shattered plate glass –

starting sentence with preposition (with)

Hungry, are you? – reverse/inverted word order, start with adjective

Exhausted, he fell to the floor – reverse/inverted word order, start with adjective

She was dancing. I mean she was doing things and dancing at the same time. She’d go and put on a new cassette, or find a better track on the old one or just look through what was there, then she’d go over and pinch a fag - list of verbs to create action

They’ll come marching through here burning your houses, killing your children, and yes, violating your women - climactic sentence

Signed, sealed, delivered I’m yours – climatic sentence


Answer Answer Me Me

AntelopAntelopee

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Key learning

You need as big a vocabulary as you can get over the next year

You get this from reading widely


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