Structure? How is the content organised?

How is the content organised? Is it chronological? Does it have flashbacks? Is there a logical development of argument (if, so, therefore, thus, because)? Is there a juxtaposition of ideas? How is the text introduced and concluded?

Authorial Voice?

How conscious are you of the author? What kind of narrative is this - first, second or third person? Is the tone conversational, confessional? Is s/he subjective or objective? What does the author foreground?

Style?

Formal, colloquial, use of dialect, standard, nonstandard. What characterizes the lexis (Latinate, verbose, taciturn, field specific, laconic)? What about the syntax, are the sentences simple or complex, or is there an unusual word order? Is there dialogue, monologue or reported speech? Are nouns pre/post modified? Is the tone ironic, humorous, sad, angry, patronising? Is the tone consistent or does it shift? Does the text make use of shocking, taboo language? Are there any rhetorical devices? Active or passive voice? Metaphors and other literary techniques? Prevailing tense forms & articles? Alliteration, assonance, imagery, simile, rhyme, personification...

Argument?

Persuasion, political tract, sermon, advertisement. Is there evidence of bias, or does the writer make concessions to the other side of the argument? Does the writer anticipate the other side of the argument? Is there a plea to or sense of camaraderie with the audience? Is there a more sophisticated lexis?

Social Issues?

Class, gender, race, age.

Miscellany

Puns, euphemisms, archaic language, affixation, use of quotations, ambiguity, idiom, clichés, stream of consciousness, phonological features, foreign words, nonsense words, rhythm, anecdotes, didactic, satire, hyperbole, vernacular, coherence, sarcasm...

Дата добавления: 2015-08-27