Conventions

• Juxtaposition

  • Places two or more dissimilar character, concepts, themes, etc. side by side for comparison
  • To highlight their differences/contrast.
  • E.g. night and day
• Archetype

  • A 'universal symbol' that brings familiarity and context to the story + represents feelings and situations that are shared across cultures or time periods - could be a character, setting, theme, or action.
  • creates an immediate sense of familiarity, allowing an audience member to relate to an event or character.
  • E.g. Superman is a heroic archetype
  • E.g. for Macbeth - blood is a violent archetype.
• Connotation

  • A word or phrase that evokes a certain feeling or emotion for a reader.
  • Helps establish the mood and elicit particular emotions.
  • E.g. 'beautiful' and 'cute'. Both mean visually appealing but 'beautiful' creates a sense of elegance and maturity, while 'cute' is typically associated with youth and innocence.
• Dramatic Irony

  • when the audience knows more about the situation going on than at least one of the characters involved, creating a difference between the ways the audience and the character perceive unfolding events.
  • creates suspense/tension and evokes emotions as the audience knows things that the characters don't.
  • E.g. when watching the titanic, Rose says, "It's so beautiful, I could just die" because the audience knows that she will die.
• Metonymy

  • Metonymy is like symbolism but even more so. A metonym doesn't just symbolise something else; it comes to serve as a synonym for that thing.
  • Makes words or phrases more powerful and allows the author to express more complex ideas/concepts.
  • E.g. "the pen is mightier than the sword" - 'pen' is substituted for written words and 'sword' refers to military force.
• Motif

  • it recurs throughout the story - could be a symbol, concept, or image.
  • helps develop/reinforce a theme in the story
  • E.g. the motif of blood in Macbeth represent his guilt which furthers the theme of said guilt.
  • E.g. the recurring idea of sleep symbolises innocence, purity, and peace of mind.
• Polysyndeton

  • the use of repeated conjunctions in a lengthy sentence for dramatic effect.
  • Used to create tension or convey feelings of excitement or anxiety, and add emphasis.
  • E.g. "If there be cords, or knives, or poison, or fire, or suffocating streams, I'll not endure it."
• Tone

  • Refers to the overall mood and message of the story, and sets the feeling that the readers take away from the story.
  • E.g. 'Macbeth's tone is predominantly sombre and foreboding.
• Allegory

  • a story that can be interpreted to reveal a hidden meaning, typically a moral or political one
  • E.g. Animal farm - the animals are rebelling against their owner, but what it actually concerns is the oppression faced in that time period.\
• Allusion

  • a subtle reference to an event, person, text, place, etc. that readers may infer.
  • provides further meaner, allows the reader to draw connections between certain things.
  • E.g. "chocolate is his kryptonite" - the word 'kryptonite' alludes to the hero superman.
  • E.g. "Look like th' innocent flower, But be the serpent under 't" is a biblical allusion to the serpent in Eden's garden.
• Euphemism

  • When a polite expression is used instead of a vulgar or blunt term.
  • Used to soften an uncomfortable topic
  • E.g. using 'passed away' instead of 'died'.
• Modality

  • The strength/force of a word. High modality = forceful (you MUST put your rubbish in the bin). Low modality = passive (you MAY put your rubbish in the bin.)
  • Used to express certainty, willingness, necessity.
  • Could be used in Lady Macbeth convincing Macbeth (showing her amibition)
• Foreshadowing

  • A device used to give a hint or indication of what is to come later in the story.
  • Creates a sense of anticipation, suspense, and curiosity.
• Soliloquy

  • A character speaks their inner thoughts and emotions aloud, typically while alone on stage.
  • provides insight into their motivations and inner conflicts
• Aside

  • A character’s comment which is directed to the audience (or another character) and is not meant to be heard by other characters on stage.
  • Allows for dramatic irony and reveals hidden intentions
• Monologue

  • a speech presented by a single character
  • gives the audience more details about the character and plot.
• Dialogue

  • a conversation between two or more characters.
  • Allows the characters to reveal their emotions, thoughts, and plans.
  • E.g. particularly between Lady Macbeth and Macbeth.
• Alliteration Sibilance

  • The repetition of a soft (s, sh, th) consonant sound at the beginning of multiple words.
  • Allows the reader to engage with the text and create a specific (fantasy, dreamlike, illusion) mood.
• Symbolism

  • recognisable objects, colours, body language. Something that represents something else.
• Foils

  • characters who are deliberately contrasted with one another to highlight their differences and emphasise certain traits.
  • E.g. Banquo to Macbeth
• Mood and Atmosphere
• Conventions (IF MASTDA FAME JAM CAMP) - imagery, foils, mood, atmosphere, symbolism, tone, dramatic irony, alliteration sibilance, foreshadowing, allegory, modality, euphemism, juxtaposition, archetype, motif, connotation, allusion, metonymy, polysyndeton.
• Drama conventions (Shakespeare) (SDACSS) sound effects, dialogue, aside, characters, stage directions, soliloquy
• Tragic as a genre (might ask about generic conventions) - Aristotle stated that tragic plays will involve:

  • a protagonist, who is usually of royal or noble birth.
  • In the course of the play, the protagonist reveals a fatal flaw (hamartia) which causes them to go from success or happiness to failure, misery, (peripeteia) and often death at the hands of an antagonist.
  • Tragedy set out to stir feelings of fear and pity in the audience (catharsis)
• Narrative Structure for Tragedies (Aristotle's version) is strictly chronological.

  • exposition (act 1)- introduces characters, settings, and key ideas.
  • Rising Action (act 2) - series of related events leading to key moment in plot
  • Climax (act 3) - marks a turning point; up until this point things have gone well for protagonist - now things will rapidly go downhill
  • Falling action (act 4) - Main conflict between protagonist and antagonist is established.
  • Denouement (act 5) - protagonist is defeated by the antagonist and events return to a state of normality.
• Persuasive language (VICE FIG CARE SAVE RAIN) vocabulary choice, inclusive/exclusive language, colourful language, emotive language/appeal, formal language, imagery/figurative language, generalisation, connotation, anecdotal evidence, repetition, exaggeration/hyperbole, sensationalism, adjective, verb, euphemism, rhetorical, attack, irony, noun.