IGCSE English Literature 0475 - Component 1: Poetry and Prose

Objective: Demonstrate appreciation of the writer’s craft and personal engagement with the text.

Understanding the Objective

This component assesses your ability to not only understand what a poem or prose piece is about but also to analyze how the writer achieves their effects. It also requires you to share your own thoughtful responses and interpretations of the text, supported by evidence from the text itself.

Key Areas of Focus

Writer's Craft

This refers to the techniques the writer uses to create meaning and impact. Examples include:

• Imagery: The use of vivid language to create pictures in the reader's mind.
• Figurative Language: Metaphor, simile, personification, hyperbole, etc.
• Sound Devices: Alliteration, assonance, consonance, rhyme, rhythm.
• Structure: Stanza form, line breaks, use of punctuation.
• Diction: Word choice and its effect.
• Narrative Techniques (Prose): Point of view, plot structure, characterisation, setting.

Personal Engagement

This involves:

• Responding to the text: Sharing your own thoughts, feelings, and reactions to the poem or prose piece.
• Connecting to wider themes: Relating the text to broader ideas about life, society, or human nature.
• Evaluating the writer's effectiveness: Assessing how well the writer achieves their purpose and the impact of their techniques.
• Using textual evidence: Supporting your interpretations with specific examples from the text.

Poetry Analysis

Understanding Poetic Devices

Poetry often relies heavily on specific techniques to create meaning and evoke emotion. Here's a breakdown of some common ones:

Device	Description	Example
Imagery	Language that appeals to the senses (sight, sound, smell, taste, touch).	"The crimson sun bled across the horizon." (Visual imagery)
Metaphor	A direct comparison between two unlike things, without using "like" or "as".	"Life is a stage."
Simile	A comparison between two unlike things, using "like" or "as".	"He is as brave as a lion."
Personification	Giving human qualities to non-human things.	"The wind whispered secrets through the trees."
Alliteration	The repetition of consonant sounds at the beginning of words.	"Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers."
Assonance	The repetition of vowel sounds within words.	"The rain in Spain falls mainly on the plain."
Consonance	The repetition of consonant sounds within words.	"He struck a streak of bad luck."
Rhyme	The repetition of similar sounds at the end of words.	"cat, hat, sat"
Rhythm	The pattern of stressed and unstressed syllables in a line of poetry.	(Consider iambic pentameter)

Analyzing Structure

The way a poem is structured can also be significant. Consider:

• Stanza Form: How many lines are in each stanza? What pattern do they follow?
• Line Breaks: Where does the poet choose to end lines? What effect does this have?
• Enjambment: When a line of poetry runs over into the next without punctuation.
• Caesura: A pause within a line of poetry (often marked by punctuation).

Prose Analysis

Narrative Techniques

In prose, the writer uses various techniques to tell a story. These include:

• Point of View: Who is telling the story? (First person, third person limited, third person omniscient)
• Plot Structure: How is the story organized? (Exposition, rising action, climax, falling action, resolution)
• Characterisation: How are the characters described? (Direct description, dialogue, actions, thoughts)
• Setting: Where and when does the story take place? How does the setting contribute to the story?

Diction and Tone

The writer's word choice (diction) and the overall feeling conveyed (tone) are crucial to understanding the prose piece. Consider:

• Formal vs. Informal Language
• Positive vs. Negative Connotations of Words
• The writer's attitude towards the subject matter

Example Textual Analysis Framework

1. Brief Summary: Briefly summarise the main events or ideas of the poem or prose piece.
2. Identify Key Techniques: List the most significant poetic or prose techniques used by the writer.
3. Explain the Effect: Explain how each technique contributes to the overall meaning and impact of the text.
4. Personal Response: Share your own thoughts and feelings about the text, supporting your views with evidence from the text.
5. Conclusion: Summarise your main points and offer a final evaluation of the writer's effectiveness.