Language
Example of a simile from The Hunger Games, Suzanne Collins
When talking about language there are a number of things to look for:
- the literary devices an author uses, like A comparison using 'like' or 'as' to create a vivid image, eg as big as a whale; float like a butterfly, sting like a bee. and A comparison made without using 'like' or 'as', eg 'sea of troubles' and 'drowning in debt'.
- the emotive language - language designed to make the reader feel a certain way
- the connotations of particular word choices
- the types of words used in the text, eg dialect words, long and complicated words or short and straightforward words
- the types of sentences used, eg long or short, simple or complicated
Find out about the characters by looking closely at the words they use in The words said by a character in a story or play. . If they use long, difficult words, it might show how clever a character is (or thinks they are!).
Language also tells us a lot about the underlying ideas of a text. Words have two sets of meanings:
- denotations - their dictionary meaning
- connotations - the ideas they link to
For example, the word 'desk' literally denotes a table, but it has connotations of work and study.
Words can reveal a theme, such as death, or love, or create a particular mood in a scene. For instance, specific words and phrases might be used to create tension.