Language Paper Structural Techniques

Question 1

What is enigma

Answer 1

A question or puzzle that the reader must solve by reading further

Question 2

What is retardation

Answer 2

Holding back key information from the reader

Question 3

What is equilibrium

Answer 3

Where there is no tension within the world of the narrative
Everything is balanced

Question 4

What is dis-equilibrium

Answer 4

When the world of the narrative is disrupted by a problem

Question 5

What is the resolution

Answer 5

When the problem that caused dis-equilibrium has been resolved

Question 6

What is exposition

Answer 6

The insertion of important background information within a story

Question 7

Give some examples of information that could be in the exposition

Answer 7

Setting
Characters’ backstories
Prior events in the plot
Historical context

Question 8

What is rising action

Answer 8

A series of related incidents following the exposition that build towards the climax

Question 9

What is the climax

Answer 9

The point during a narrative when the action or conflict reaches its peak

Question 10

What is falling action

Answer 10

The parts of the story after the climax and before the very end

Question 11

What is the denouement

Answer 11

The final part of a narrative in which the strands of the plot are drawn together, and matters are explained or resolved

Question 12

What is the effect of dialogue

Answer 12

If used up the start, it can create enigmas about the identity of the speaker, or the action of the narrative
Allows us to hear a speaker’s thoughts which might be a reaction to, or contrast with, the events

Question 13

What is the effect of description

Answer 13

Presents the reader with specific, telling information about objects of interest
Can be used to give surprising or subtle links to the action of the narrative

Question 14

What is the effect of the action

Answer 14

Develops the narrative through a sequence of events

Question 15

What is the effect of the zoom out

Answer 15

Focuses the reader’s attention on the macro
Revealing the setting or linking the events to a wider frame of reference
Can create a sense of calm, or end suspense

Question 16

What is the effect of zoom in

Answer 16

Focuses the reader’s attention on the micro
Picked out specific, close-up detail
Can increase discomfort or intensity

Question 17

What is the effect of a shift in focus

Answer 17

Create links between the focus objects
Invite contrast between the focus objects, from the reader

Question 18

What may a focus shift to

Answer 18

Diff time period
Diff location
Diff object
Diff person

Question 19

What is the effect of first-person perspective

Answer 19

Presents information from a character’s perspective, which invites the reader to sympathise with them
An unreliable perspective, meaning the reader might not have access to all information

Question 20

What is the effect of the second person perspective

Answer 20

Directly addresses the reader as ‘you’
Depending on the tone, this could create a sense of friendship or threat
The reader may feel more directly involved, as if they’re in a conversation with the author

Question 21

What is the effect of the third person perspective (could also be third person omniscient)

Answer 21

Refers to characters as he or she, and views them as if from a distance
Create an objective distance between the reader
The omniscient narrator knows everything and can comment on all the characters thoughts, feelings and events. They may judge the characters, presenting bias

Question 22

What is the effect of past tense

Answer 22

Create the sense that the events of the narrative have already happened and are being recounted
Gives a sense of objective distance
Provides retrospection
Reader feels comfortable, as they know what the result of these events is

Question 23

What is the effect of the present tense

Answer 23

Create a sense of immediacy, placing the reader in the same situation as the characters
Can create suspense, excitement of fear

Question 24

What is the effect of a flashback

Answer 24

Where the author reorders the events of the narrative
The narrative moves to an earlier time to provide the reader with key information, which alters their perspective of the current events

Question 25

Another word for flashback

Answer 25

Analepsis

Question 26

Another word for flash forward

Answer 26

Prolepsis

Question 27

What is the effect of a flash forward

Answer 27

Where the author reorders the events of a narrative The narrative moves to a future time to provide the reader with key information, which then alters their perspective on current events

Question 28

What is the effect of a short paragraph

Answer 28

Create surprise or excitement Can also introduce or finish passages of important narrative The speed up the action of the narrative

Question 29

What is the effect of a long paragraph

Answer 29

Can be used to create a slow build-up of tension, or to mimic slow actions They provide a large amount of narrative information

Question 31

What is the effect of a short sentence

Answer 31

Create surprise and excitement Mimics quick speed of narrative actions Create a sense of finality if used at the end of an event

Question 32

What is the effect of a long sentence

Answer 32

Create a sense of calm, or the slow build-up of tension They also mimic the slow speed of narrative actions

Question 33

What is the effect of contrast between sentence of paragraph length

Answer 33

Arthur's will deliberately change the lengths of paragraphs and sentences to create a changing sense of speed or emotional changes in the characters You should link what is happening in the extract to the lengths of each section

Question 34

What is dialogue

Answer 34

A conversation between two or more people

Question 35

What is description

Answer 35

All relevant details of a person, object or event

Question 36

What is action

Answer 36

The physical movements, gestures, events, and behaviours that characters perform to drive the plot forward and create movement within a story

Question 37

What is zoom in

Answer 37

When the narrator focuses on a specific detail, moving from a broad scene to a narrow, sensory-rich perspective

Question 38

What is zoom out

Answer 38

The movement to a wider perspective from more intimate details

Question 39

What is a shift in focus

Answer 39

Where the writer alters the attention of the narrative

Question 40

What is first person perspective

Answer 40

A narrative mode where the story is told by a character within the story using I, me, my, we

Question 41

What is second person perspective

Answer 41

A narrative mode that addresses the reader directly using the pronoun you

Question 42

What is third-person perspective

Answer 42

A narrative style where an outside narrator tells the story using pronouns like he, she, they or names The narrator isn't a character within the story and offers varying levels of insight into the character's thoughts, feelings and actions

Question 43

What is past tense

Answer 43

A story telling style where events are accounted as having already occurred

Question 44

What is present tense

Answer 44

A story telling style where the events are described as they happen in real time Eg I run, she sees

Question 45

What is analepsis

Answer 45

A narrative technique that interrupts the chronological flow of the story to recount events that occurred at an earlier time

Question 46

What is proplepsis

Answer 46

A literary device where the story jumps forward in time to depict future events, before returning to the chronological present