English Essentials - Powering through Prose - Figurative Language (Stage 6, Years/Grades 11-12)

This video tutorial explores key elements of analyzing prose fiction, focusing on figurative language, imagery, rhythm, syntax, and tone. It covers various techniques such as similes, metaphors, irony, paradoxes, and synaesthesia, using examples from notable works like Orwell's 1984 and Wilde's The Picture of Dorian Gray. The lesson also delves into rhythm and syntax, discussing polysyndeton, asyndeton, and sentence truncation. Finally, it examines tone and context, highlighting their role in character development and thematic expression, with references to Camus' The Stranger.

Which of the following is an example of a simile?

• War is peace.

• The boy ran as fast as a gazelle.

• The winds roared all through the city.

• The girl drowned in a sea of sorrow.

What distinguishes verbal irony from sarcasm?

• Verbal irony is always humorous.

• Sarcasm is a form of verbal irony with malicious intent.

• Verbal irony is used to praise.

• Sarcasm is used to confuse.

In Orwell's '1984', what is the purpose of the paradox 'War is peace'?

• To demonstrate how war can unify a nation.

• To suggest that peace is unattainable.

• To illustrate the complexity of peace.

• To show that war is always justified.

What is synaesthesia in literature?

• A way to describe characters' emotions.

• A mix-up of sensory categories to enhance imagery.

• A technique that uses only visual imagery.

• A method to create suspense.

How does polysyndeton affect the rhythm of a passage?

• It creates a sense of urgency.

• It speeds up the rhythm.

• It makes the passage more confusing.

• It slows down the rhythm.

What is the effect of asyndeton in writing?

• It creates a slow, deliberate pace.

• It adds unnecessary conjunctions.

• It makes sentences longer and more complex.

• It speeds up the rhythm and creates a stream of consciousness.

How can truncated sentences create tension?

• By including many conjunctions.

• By using complex vocabulary.

• By abruptly cutting off sentences.

• By providing detailed explanations.

What does the irregular syntax in 'It was the boy whom she loved' emphasize?

• The girl's indifference.

• The boy's actions.

• The object of the girl's love.

• The setting of the story.

How does tone contribute to characterization?

• By describing the setting.

• By revealing a character's emotions and attitudes.

• By listing a character's traits.

• By focusing on plot development.

What might Camus be criticizing through Meursault's indifference in 'The Stranger'?

• The beauty of the Algerian landscape.

• The complexity of human emotions.

• The colonial attitude towards indigenous populations.

• The importance of personal relationships.