Language & Literature · Topic 3.1
Analysing Novels, Drama & Persuasion
Move beyond identifying literary devices — learn to explain the effect of authorial choices on the reader, analyse persuasive techniques, and write about character, mood, and viewpoint with precision.
What You'll Learn
- Identify and explain the effect of literary devices (simile, metaphor, personification, irony)
- Distinguish between mood (reader’s feeling) and tone (author’s attitude)
- Analyse persuasive techniques: ethos, pathos, logos, rhetoric
- Explain how point of view shapes the reader’s understanding of a text
- Write structured analytical paragraphs using the device + quotation + effect framework
- Discuss characterisation, dramatic irony, and connotation
IB Assessment Focus
Criterion A — Analysing: Analyse language, structure, and authorial choices; explain effects and purposes.
Criterion B — Organising: Organise analytical writing with a clear structure and appropriate transitions.
Criterion C — Producing Text: Support analysis with relevant textual evidence (quotations).
Criterion D — Using Language: Use subject-specific terminology accurately (e.g., “connotation,” “rhetoric”).
Key Vocabulary
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| Authorial purpose | Why the author wrote the text (to entertain, persuade, inform, challenge) |
| Point of view (POV) | The perspective from which a story is told (first person = “I”; third person = “he/she/they”) |
| Mood | The feeling or atmosphere the text creates in the reader |
| Tone | The attitude of the narrator or author toward the subject |
| Characterisation | The methods an author uses to develop a character (direct or indirect) |
| Dramatic irony | When the audience knows something a character does not |
| Rhetoric | Persuasive language techniques used to influence an audience |
| Connotation | The implied or associated meaning of a word (beyond its dictionary definition) |
Critical Distinction: Mood is what the reader feels (e.g., “the mood is tense”). Tone is the author’s attitude (e.g., “the tone is sarcastic”). A text can have a humorous tone but create an uneasy mood.
Language & Literature · Topic 3.1
Literary Devices & Their Effects
At Grade 7, you must go beyond naming a device — you must explain its effect on the reader.
| Device | Definition | Example | Effect |
|---|---|---|---|
| Simile | Comparison using “like” or “as” | “Her voice was like thunder” | Creates a vivid image; helps the reader visualise or feel the intensity |
| Metaphor | Direct comparison (A is B) | “Time is a thief” | Suggests deeper meaning; makes abstract ideas concrete |
| Personification | Giving human qualities to non-human things | “The wind whispered” | Makes settings or objects feel alive; creates mood or atmosphere |
| Dramatic irony | Audience knows what a character does not | We know the villain is behind the door, but the hero does not | Builds suspense and tension; engages the audience emotionally |
| Symbolism | Using an object to represent a bigger idea | A dove = peace; a storm = conflict | Adds layers of meaning beyond the literal |
| Foreshadowing | Hints or clues about future events | “He didn’t know it would be the last time” | Creates anticipation and suspense; keeps the reader engaged |
Direct vs. Indirect Characterisation
Direct
The narrator tells the reader about the character.
“Sarah was a kind and generous person.”
Indirect
The author shows the character through actions, dialogue, thoughts, or appearance.
“Sarah handed her last coin to the beggar and walked home in the rain.”
Grade 7 Upgrade: Always use this three-part structure: Device + Quotation + Effect. Example: “The writer uses a simile when they write ‘her voice was like thunder,’ which conveys the character’s power and authority, making the reader feel intimidated.”
Language & Literature · Topic 3.1
Persuasive Techniques (Rhetoric)
Persuasive writing and speeches use specific strategies to influence the audience. Learn to identify and explain them.
The Three Appeals
| Appeal | Definition | Example | Effect on Audience |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ethos | Appeal to authority or credibility | “As a doctor with 20 years’ experience, I can tell you…” | Makes the audience trust the speaker; establishes reliability |
| Pathos | Appeal to emotion | “Think of the children who go to bed hungry every night…” | Evokes sympathy, anger, or guilt; motivates the audience to act |
| Logos | Appeal to logic and evidence | “Statistics show that 80% of students improve with tutoring.” | Convinces through reason; makes the argument seem factual and objective |
Other Persuasive Devices
| Device | Definition | Effect |
|---|---|---|
| Rhetorical question | A question with an obvious answer, asked for effect | Forces the audience to agree; makes them think without demanding a response |
| Repetition | Repeating words/phrases for emphasis | Drives the message home; creates a memorable rhythm |
| Rule of three | Using three items in a list for impact | Creates a satisfying, complete-sounding argument (“life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness”) |
| Emotive language | Words chosen for their emotional impact | Manipulates the reader’s feelings; “tragedy” is stronger than “problem” |
| Inclusive pronouns | Using “we,” “our,” “us” | Creates a sense of unity and shared responsibility |
Analysing a Persuasive Text — Step by Step
- Identify the purpose — What does the writer want the audience to do, think, or feel?
- Identify the audience — Who is this aimed at? How does that affect language choices?
- Spot the techniques — Find ethos, pathos, logos, rhetorical questions, etc.
- Explain the effect — How does each technique influence the audience? Be specific.
- Evaluate effectiveness — How well does the text achieve its purpose overall?
Language & Literature · Topic 3.1
Novel & Drama Analysis
Understanding how authors use structure, point of view, and dramatic devices to shape meaning in novels and plays.
Point of View
| POV | Pronouns | Effect |
|---|---|---|
| First person | I, me, my, we | Creates intimacy; reader experiences events directly through the narrator. However, the narrator may be unreliable. |
| Third person limited | He, she, they | Follows one character’s thoughts. Creates suspense because the reader only knows what that character knows. |
| Third person omniscient | He, she, they | All-knowing narrator sees into every character’s mind. Allows dramatic irony and broader perspective. |
Narrative Structure
- Exposition — Characters, setting, and background are introduced
- Rising action — Conflicts and complications build tension
- Climax — The turning point; maximum tension
- Falling action — Consequences of the climax unfold
- Resolution — Conflicts are resolved; new equilibrium is reached
Drama-Specific Techniques
| Technique | Definition | Effect |
|---|---|---|
| Stage directions | Instructions in italics/brackets describing movement, tone, setting | Reveal character emotions and subtext beyond dialogue |
| Soliloquy | A character speaking their thoughts aloud while alone on stage | Gives direct access to a character’s inner feelings |
| Aside | A character speaks to the audience while other characters cannot hear | Creates dramatic irony and complicity with the audience |
| Dramatic irony | The audience knows something a character does not | Builds suspense, tension, or humour |
Key Skill: When analysing drama, always consider what is not said (subtext). If a character says “I’m fine” while the stage direction reads [clenching fists, avoiding eye contact], the subtext reveals they are NOT fine. Analysing this gap shows higher-level thinking.
Language & Literature · Topic 3.1
Writing Analytical Paragraphs
The framework for every analytical paragraph you write in Grade 7 and beyond.
The PEE/PEEL Framework
| Step | What to Write | Example Sentence Starter |
|---|---|---|
| P — Point | State the technique or idea you will discuss | “The author uses [device] to…” |
| E — Evidence | Provide a quotation from the text | “This is evident when they write, ‘[quotation]’” |
| E — Explanation | Explain the effect on the reader | “This suggests… / The effect of this is…” |
| L — Link | Connect back to the question or thesis | “Therefore, this demonstrates that…” |
Model Analytical Paragraph
Point: Shakespeare uses dramatic irony to build tension in Act 3. Evidence: The audience knows that Romeo has killed Tybalt, but Juliet does not when she says, “O, what a beautiful day.” Explanation: This creates tension because the audience is aware that Juliet’s happiness is about to be shattered, generating sympathy for her innocence. Link: This dramatic irony reinforces the play’s theme of fate — the audience sees the tragic outcome approaching while the characters remain powerless to prevent it.
Useful Analytical Vocabulary
Verbs for Analysis
- suggests, implies, conveys
- reinforces, emphasises, highlights
- evokes, creates, establishes
- challenges, subverts, reveals
Phrases for Effect
- “This creates a sense of…”
- “The reader is led to feel…”
- “This serves to highlight…”
- “The connotation of [word] suggests…”
Critical Rule: At Grade 7, never just identify a device. “The author uses a metaphor” = low marks. “The author uses a metaphor to convey X, which makes the reader feel Y because Z” = high marks.
Language & Literature · Topic 3.1
Worked Examples
Study these model responses to understand the depth of analysis expected at Grade 7.
EXAMPLE 1Analyse the effect of: “The house stared at them with hollow eyes.”
+
Full Solution
The writer uses personification (“stared”) and metaphor (“hollow eyes”) to describe the house. By giving the house human qualities, the author makes the setting feel threatening and alive, as if the house itself is watching the characters. The word “hollow” connotes emptiness and death, creating a sinister mood. The reader feels uneasy, mirroring the characters’ fear. This technique establishes the house as almost an antagonist, foreshadowing danger.
EXAMPLE 2A speech says: “We must act now. We must act together. We must act for our children.” Analyse the persuasive techniques.
+
Full Solution
The speaker uses repetition of “We must act” (anaphora) to create a powerful rhythm and sense of urgency. The rule of three builds the argument in stages: first the timing (“now”), then the method (“together”), then the purpose (“for our children”). The inclusive pronoun “we” creates collective responsibility, making the audience feel personally involved. The mention of “children” is a clear use of pathos, evoking parental instinct and guilt to motivate action.
EXAMPLE 3Explain how first-person narration shapes the reader’s experience in a coming-of-age novel.
+
Full Solution
First-person narration creates intimacy between the reader and the narrator. The reader experiences events directly through the protagonist’s eyes, sharing their confusion, joy, and growth. However, the narrator’s limited perspective means the reader only sees one version of events — making the narrator potentially unreliable. This is particularly effective in coming-of-age stories because the young narrator’s misunderstandings or naïve interpretations create dramatic irony, where the reader understands more than the character does, deepening the emotional impact.
EXAMPLE 4A stage direction reads: “[She smiles brightly, but her hands are trembling].” Analyse what this reveals about the character.
+
Full Solution
The contrast between the smile (“brightly”) and the trembling hands reveals subtext — the character is hiding their true feelings. The smile is a deliberate performance, suggesting the character wants to appear confident or happy. However, the physical detail of “trembling” hands is involuntary, revealing genuine anxiety or fear that the character cannot fully control. This contradiction between words/expressions and body language invites the audience to question what the character is concealing, building tension and depth.
EXAMPLE 5Compare how two texts present the theme of justice: one a newspaper editorial, the other a novel extract.
+
Full Solution
Both texts explore justice but use different methods. The editorial uses logos (statistics about wrongful convictions) to build a rational argument, while the novel uses pathos (a character’s emotional monologue about being wrongly accused) to make the reader feel the injustice. The editorial’s formal, impersonal tone lends it authority, whereas the novel’s first-person voice creates empathy. However, both achieve the same purpose: making the audience question whether the justice system works. The editorial convinces through evidence; the novel convinces through emotional connection.
EXAMPLE 6Analyse the connotation of the word “crept” in: “Darkness crept across the valley.”
+
Full Solution
The verb “crept” connotes stealth and menace — it suggests something moving slowly and deliberately, as if trying not to be noticed. This personifies the darkness, giving it predatory qualities and suggesting it has intent. The effect is to create an ominous mood; the reader senses approaching danger. If the author had written “darkness fell,” the effect would be neutral — “crept” adds threat and suspense.
Language & Literature · Topic 3.1
Practice Q&A
Attempt each question before revealing the model answer. Use the device + quotation + effect framework.
ANALYSE“How long can we stand by and watch our planet die?” Analyse the techniques used in this speech extract.
+
Model Answer
The writer uses a rhetorical question — the implied answer (“not long”) creates urgency without demanding a response. The personification of the planet (“die”) gives Earth human mortality, making the environmental issue feel emotionally immediate. The inclusive pronoun “we” creates collective responsibility, making the audience feel personally implicated. Together, these techniques use pathos to emotionally mobilise the reader toward environmental action.
ANALYSE“The soldier marched into the shadows, his boots echoing like a heartbeat.” Analyse the imagery in this sentence.
+
Model Answer
The simile comparing the boot echoes to a heartbeat creates a tense, suspenseful atmosphere. A heartbeat connotes fear and adrenaline, suggesting the soldier is walking into danger. The word “shadows” has connotations of the unknown and threat. Together, the auditory imagery and the metaphorical “shadows” create a foreboding mood, making the reader anxious about what lies ahead.
EXPLAINExplain the difference between mood and tone, using an example.
+
Model Answer
Mood is the atmosphere or feeling the text creates in the reader. Tone is the author’s attitude toward the subject. For example, in a horror story, the tone might be detached and clinical (the author describes events calmly), but the mood is terrifying (the reader feels scared). The distinction matters because analysing tone reveals authorial intention, while analysing mood reveals reader response.
ANALYSEA villain in a play says “Trust me” while the audience has just seen them betray another character. What technique is at work?
+
Model Answer
This is dramatic irony — the audience knows the villain is untrustworthy because they witnessed the betrayal, but the other character on stage does not have this information. The effect is to create tension and suspense: the audience wants to warn the character but cannot. It also creates a sense of superiority in the audience, deepening their engagement. The irony makes the villain’s line “Trust me” feel threatening rather than reassuring.
COMPARECompare first-person and third-person omniscient narration. Which creates more suspense?
+
Model Answer
First-person narration creates suspense because the reader is limited to one character’s knowledge — they discover dangers and twists at the same time as the narrator. Third-person omniscient creates suspense through dramatic irony — the reader may know about threats the character cannot see. Both create suspense, but in different ways: first-person uses surprise (we don’t know what’s coming), while omniscient uses anticipation (we know what’s coming and dread it).
ANALYSE“She was a warrior. She was a mother. She was unstoppable.” Identify and analyse the persuasive techniques.
+
Model Answer
The writer uses the rule of three with three short declarative sentences, each beginning with “She was” (anaphora/repetition). The progression from “warrior” to “mother” to “unstoppable” builds from specific roles to an absolute quality, creating a climactic structure. The short sentences create a punchy, assertive rhythm. The effect is to make the subject seem powerful and multifaceted, evoking admiration (pathos) in the audience.
ANALYSEA charity advert shows a photograph of a hungry child with the caption: “You can look away. Or you can help.” Analyse the techniques.
+
Model Answer
The advert uses pathos through the visual of a hungry child, evoking guilt and sympathy. The caption presents a false dilemma (only two options: ignore or help), pressuring the audience to choose “help” to avoid feeling morally responsible. The direct address “You” makes it personal and inescapable. The short, contrasting sentences separated by “Or” create a stark antithesis between inaction and action, making inaction feel like a deliberate moral failure.
EXPLAINWhy is connotation important in literary analysis?
+
Model Answer
Connotation is the implied or associated meaning beyond the dictionary definition (denotation). It matters because authors deliberately choose words for their connotations to shape meaning. For example, “house” is neutral, but “home” connotes warmth, safety, and belonging. Analysing connotation shows you understand the deeper layers of meaning in a text, which is essential for Grade 7 Criterion A. It demonstrates that you can explain why a word was chosen, not just what it means.
Language & Literature · Review
Flashcard Review
Tap each card to reveal the answer. Try to answer from memory first.
What is the difference between mood and tone?
Mood = the atmosphere/feeling created in the reader. Tone = the author/narrator’s attitude toward the subject.
Tap to reveal
Define ethos, pathos, and logos.
Ethos = appeal to authority/credibility. Pathos = appeal to emotion. Logos = appeal to logic/statistics.
Tap to reveal
What is dramatic irony?
When the audience knows something that a character in the story does not know. It creates tension and suspense.
Tap to reveal
What is connotation?
The implied or associated meaning of a word beyond its dictionary definition. E.g., “home” connotes warmth and safety.
Tap to reveal
What is the three-part analysis structure?
Device + Quotation + Effect. Name the technique, quote the text, then explain the impact on the reader.
Tap to reveal
What is a rhetorical question?
A question asked for effect, not requiring an answer. It forces the audience to agree with the implied answer.
Tap to reveal
What does “authorial purpose” mean?
Why the author wrote the text — to entertain, persuade, inform, challenge, or provoke thought.
Tap to reveal
Direct vs. indirect characterisation?
Direct: narrator tells you (“She was brave”). Indirect: shown through actions, dialogue, thoughts, appearance.
Tap to reveal
What is the PEEL paragraph structure?
Point (state the idea) → Evidence (quote) → Explanation (effect on reader) → Link (back to question/thesis).
Tap to reveal
What is foreshadowing?
Hints or clues about what will happen later in the story. Creates anticipation and suspense.
Tap to reveal
What is personification?
Giving human qualities to non-human things (e.g., “the wind whispered”). Makes settings feel alive; creates mood.
Tap to reveal
What are the three types of point of view?
First person (I/me), third person limited (follows one character), third person omniscient (all-knowing narrator).
Tap to reveal
What is subtext?
The hidden meaning beneath what a character says. What they really mean vs. what they literally say.
Tap to reveal
What is the “rule of three” in persuasion?
Using three items in a list for rhetorical impact. Creates a satisfying, complete-sounding argument.
Tap to reveal
What are the five parts of narrative structure?
Exposition → Rising action → Climax → Falling action → Resolution.
Tap to reveal
Language & Literature · Practice Test
Practice Test — 20 Questions
0Score / 20
Q 1 / 20
Correct
Wrong
Score