大象传媒

Language

Character Katniss from the Hunger Games book standing in front of a setting sun representing simile.
Figure caption,
Example of a simile from The Hunger Games, Suzanne Collins

When talking about language in fiction, there are a number of things you could look for:

  • literary techniques, for example and
  • other language techniques, for example language, or
  • of particular word choices
  • language choices within , for instance if is used to reveal more about a character
  • types of words used in the text, for example , , ,

Many words can be understood in different ways:

  • 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 section of the narrative.

Patterns in language

It鈥檚 useful to look for any patterns in the language chosen by the writer, as these patterns may suggest important themes or deeper meanings beyond the obvious. For example:

  • Is there a particular used by the writer? (For example words linked to the military or hospitals.)
  • Does the writer repeat any ideas or images? (These could act as a in the text.)
  • Does the writer favour a particular type of word? (For example using lots of like dream, love, peace, friendship.)
  • Can words or phrases from different parts of the text be linked in some way?