The Specialty of English Language, Literature and Culture

1ere

RÉFORME DU BAC 2023-2024

 Table of Content

 Themes in Literature Pages 2-

 Literary Terms Pages 4-5

 Literary Devices Pages 6-17

 Imagery Pages 18-20

 PEE Pages 21-23

 PALL Analysis Pages 24-25

 Summary VS Analysis Pages 26-

28

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 18 Common Grammatical Mistakes Pages

29-30

 Punctuation Pages 31

The Specialty of English Language, Literature and Culture - 1ere

RÉFORME DU BAC 2021

Themes in Literature
As you continue to enjoy literature throughout your life, you'll encounter five important
elements to any story: character, setting, plot, conflict, and theme. No story would
be worthwhile without a multi-faceted (having many different aspects or features.) main
character, an interesting setting, an engaging plot (or series of events), a conflict to
overcome, and a central theme or message.

What Is Theme?
The theme is a pivotal element, because it lingers or continues throughout the entire
story, from start to finish. In any work of art, the theme is the underlying message that
the writer would like to get across. Maybe it's a theme of bravery, perseverance, or
undying love.

It can be whatever the author deems appropriate, and there can also be more than one
theme. Before we dive into several examples of theme in literature, let's start with a
thorough review of this important element.

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Whether you're reading, there will always be a pervasive theme woven through the
story. You'll notice the characters embracing - or turning away from - the theme time
and again, and you'll see how their relationship to the theme impacts the events that
unfold.

It's important not to confuse the theme and the main idea. The theme is an underlying
message of bravery, or hope, or love. The main idea, however, is simply what the story
is about. In a way, the main idea is a tight summary of the plot.

Throughout every bit of character development and conflict resolution, a theme should
be prevalent. It's the glue that binds the story together. If the theme is courage, we'll
see it in most of the pivotal plot elements. We'll admire the main character for his
strength and resolute behavior. We'll see it unfold, no matter the setting or number of
characters.

How to Find the Theme?

No story is complete without a few essential elements. They are:

 Characters - The people who take part in the action of the story
 Setting - Where the story takes place
 Plot - is the sequence of events where each affects the next one through the
principle of
cause-and-effect
 Conflict - The struggle faced by the main character that must reach a resolution

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  At this point, you can also ask yourself, "What's the main idea? What's the short
version of the story?" Once you're comfortable speaking on each of these elements, it's
time to dive into the theme. These three questions will help you unearth it:

1. What problem is the main character facing?

2. What lesson did the main character learn?
3. What message can you take away from the story?

 Once you hit that third question, you'll be well on your way to understanding the theme
of the story.

 L i t e r a r y Te r m s a n d L i t e r a r y D e v i c e s :

 Literary Terms:
What are literary terms?
Literary terms refer to the technique, style, and formatting used by writers and speakers to masterfully
emphasize, embellish, or strengthen their compositions.

 Here are the literary terms every writer should know:

 Imagery – The use of visually descriptive or figurative language in writing.

 Personification – When you give human characteristics to non-human objects

or elements.

 Point of view – How your story is told and through whose perspective is what
your point of view is. This could be first person, second person, third person, or
more that we’ll cover down below.

 Protagonist – This is the “good guy” in your story or the person your readers
will root for.

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 Antagonist – Also known as the “bad guy,” or the person trying to prevent your
protagonist from succeeding. This person or group or organization will likely be
the reason for your protagonist’s hardships in your book.

 Foreshadowing – is the placement of clues about what will happen in the

future of your story.

 Conflict – This is a basic term to describe the difficulties your protagonist or you
face in your book. Any issues between characters or elements are known as
conflict.

 Rising Action – Rising action is the events that directly lead up to the climax of
your novel.

 Falling Action – When writing a novel, this is often the last chapter or two after
the climax to “tie up” loose ends in your story.

 Climax – The biggest, most pivotal point in your novel. This is when your
protagonist faced their challenges head-on and either “wins” or “loses.” Think of
any time Harry Potter directed faces off with Voldemort at the end of the books.
This is the climax.

 Voice – A writer’s voice is the unique narrative of the writing. This is the way in
which the author chooses to display sentences and even down to the phrasing
they use.

 Style – Much like the author’s voice, the style is the unique way the author
writes but also includes the whole of the novel and story as well. Their style can
mean how they write, but also how they tell a story and the way in which they
allow events to unfold.

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 Elements of a Story

 Literary Devises
What are literary devices?
Literary devices are various elements and techniques used in writing that construct the whole of your
literature to create an intended perception of the writing for the reader.

 Here are 18 literary devices to use in your writing:

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1. Allusion 8. Foreshadowing 14. Paradox

2. Anecdote 9. Hyperbole 15. Onomat

opoeia
3. Alliteration 10. Imagery
16. Symboli
4. Allegory 11. Irony sm

5. Anaphora 12. Metaph 17. Satire

or/simile
6. Colloquialism 18. Rhetori
13. Personi cal question
7. Flashbacks fication

#1 – Allusion: An allusion is a literary device that references a person, place, thing, or event

in the real world. You can use this to paint a clear picture or to even connect with your readers.

Allusions are often used as literary elements that help connect the reader to the works. By referencing
something the reader may be familiar with in the real world, this invests them more than if you didn’t have
any connections.

Allusion Literary Device

Example:

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#2 – Anecdote

#3 – Alliteration: Alliteration is a literary device that uses the same letters

or sounds at the beginning of words in a sentence or title. There are many nursery rhymes that use
alliteration but this is also useful for creating something memorable within your writing.
You can also use alliteration when choosing the title of your book, as it makes it easier to remember, as you
can see in the example of alliterative titles above.

Alliteration Example 1: “Peter Pan” Alliteration Example 2: “Beauty and

the Beast.”

#4 – Allegory : An allegory is a figure of speech where abstract ideas are described using

characters, events, or other elements. That’s more of a fancy way of saying that instead of being literal with
an idea, you use characters, events, or other elements in order to describe it in a way the reader can better
understand.

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Think of it like a story within a story. You use characters, events, or other means to represent the
literal meaning.

This one is a little better understood with examples than a definition.

Allegory Example: One of the most famous

works using allegory is George Orwell’s Animal
Farm. The perceived story is about a group of
farm animals who rise up and defeat humans
but the underlying story is about the Russian
Revoluation.

Using an allegory is often telling a darker story

in a way that’s easier to understand and for
readers to receive.

#5 – Anaphora: Anaphora is a literary device that is similar to alliteration in

the sense that it is a technique that relies on repetition. The difference is that
an anaphora repeats the same word or phrase at the beginning of successive
sentences.

Used widely in rhetoric, examples of anaphoras can be found in many famous

speeches.

Anaphora Example: In the example of anaphora below, look at the

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 repeated use of “it was” at the beginning of each new concept:

#6 – Colloquialism: One way to increase the world building in your book /writing is to use
colloquialisms. Colloquialisms are expressions, words, and phrases that are used in informal, everyday
speech, including slang.

Colloquialism Examples:

Bamboozle – to Be blue – to be sad Over yonder – over

deceieve there
Bugger off – go
Gonna – going to away Da bomb – the best

#7 – Flashbacks: Flashbacks are a popular literary device not only in stories and books, but
in film and screenwriting, too. A flashback is exactly what it sounds like; in writing, it’s when a narrator is
mentally transported to an event that happened in the past.

Common reasons to use flashbacks in your story are to:

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 1. Provide the reader with more context about the character, or a situation
or event.
2. Increase the suspense and tension
3. Clue readers in to an important event that affected the present

Flashbacks Examples:

Look to any popular movie for flashback examples. In Disney’s Tangled, Rapunzel has
an important flashback when she looks up at the ceiling in the tower, and notices the
sun symbol. Seeing the sun symbol triggers her to have a flashback in which she
remembers who her real parents are.

#8 – Foreshadowing: Foreshadowing is when the author places elements within the

writing that gives clues about what will happen in the future of the story.

These can often be small bits and pieces that some readers might not pick up on the first read through. They
might even look back and realize that certain elements were foreshadowing once they hit the climax or a big
plot twist was revealed.

Foreshadowing can be both literal and thematic.

You can write a scene where there’s a conversation that the reader can’t fully understand the meaning of
until more is revealed.

You can also write a scene that has symbolic elements that foreshadow events, like placing a black crow in a
scene that foreshadows a death, as crows are symbolic of this.

As an example of this literary device, you can create a culture in which rabbits are a “known” sign of change
and conspicuously place a rabbit in a later scene.

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Foreshadowing Example:

#9 – Hyperbole: It’s a fancy name for a literary element that’s simply defined as extreme
exaggeration of a real event or situation.

Use hyberbole in your writing to add a humorous effect or to emphasize a concept. It’s easy to use, and
many examples of this literary element can be found in everyday conversation. Romance writers especially
enjoy using hyperbole to describe their character’s love and plight.

Hyperbole examples:

 I’m so hungry, I can eat a whole cow.

 It had been forever since they saw each other.

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  She was dying to attend one of the best writers conferences this year.

#10 – Imagery: This is one that we briefly touched on above and also one you likely learned
in school, though it may have been a while since then so we’ll give you a refresher.

Imagery is when you use visually descriptive or figurative language in your writing. Think of it more
like showing versus telling in writing where you use more sensory language versus blunt, plain words.

You would also use stronger verbs in order to present stronger imagery in your writing.

Imagery example:
Here’s an example of imagery from Hannah Lee Kidder’s anthology, Little Birds:

Notice how Kidder uses visuals to bring life to her words. You’re very easily able to picture where this
scene takes place and exactly what those rocks look like.

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#11-Irony:
The most common purpose of irony is to create humor and/or point out the illogicality of life. life has a way
of contradicting our expectations, often in painful ways. Irony generally makes us laugh, even when the
circumstances are tragic.

Irony Examples:

Example 1
In O. Henry’s famous short story The Gift of the Magi, a husband sells his prized watch so that he
can buy combs as a gift for his wife. Meanwhile, the wife sells her beautiful hair so she can buy a
watch-chain for her husband. The characters’ actions contradict each other’s
expectations and their efforts to give each other gifts make the gifts useless.

Example 2
Edgar Allen Poe’s The Cask of Amantillado is full of verbal and situational irony, including the
name of the main character. He’s called Fortunato (Italian for “fortunate”), in spite of the fact
that he’s extremely unlucky throughout the story.

Example 3
“Water, water everywhere, nor any a drop to drink.”

This line from Samuel Coleridge’s “Rime of the Ancient Mariner” describes the dark irony of a
sailor dying of thirst on his boat while he is surrounded by water.

#12 – Metaphor/Simile: Metaphors and similes are comparisons used to create better
clarification and understanding for readers.

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While these are similar, they’re quite different.

Metaphor : A metaphor is a comparison between two things that are NOT alike and replaces
the word with another word, without using “like” or “as” within it.

Simile : Similes are comparisons between two things that are NOT like and replaces the word
with another word but uses “like” or “as” within it.

Metaphors VS Similes Examples:

#13 – Personification: Personification is a literary device where you give human-like

qualities to non-human elements.

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This is one of the most well-known literary devices and it’s useful for a
number of reasons:

1. It creates a stronger visual

2. It pulls readers further into your world

3. It helps the readers relate to and understand what’s going

on

4. It can allow readers to have a new perspective

5. You can give readers a new view on a typical

visual/occurrence

Personification Example:
Example 1:

The wind whistled past my ears like a familiar tune I’d long
forgotten.

Example 2:

The moon yanked a blanket of silver light over the forest.

#14 – Paradox
A paradox is a sentence or a phrase that appears contradictory, but implies some kind truth.

When you want to add a hidden meaning to a concept in your writing, use a paradox. It will engage
the reader by delicately adding a sense of mystery to a larger context. Many readers love to read
between the lines!

Paradox Example:
An example of a paradox is found in this quote: “Keep your friends close, and your enemies
closer.”

This example means:

To be very aware of your enemies' behavior in order to detect and avoid any malicious actions.
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#15 – Onomatopoeia : is a word or phrase that shows you the sound something

makes. Since we can’t hear books, this literary device is best used to paint a clear picture and include the
sense of hearing in your writing. While its name may be confusing, this literary device is actually easy to
understand once you get past its difficult spelling. An onomatopoeia

When using this literary element in writing, the correct formatting is almost always to have the word
italicized to show emphasis of the sound.

# 16-Satire is a technique employed by writers to expose and criticize foolishness and

corruption of an individual or a society, by using humor, irony, exaggeration, or ridicule. It intends
to improve humanity by criticizing its follies and foibles. The role of satire is to ridicule or criticize
those vices in society the writer considers to be a threat to civilization. The writer considers it his
obligation to expose these vices for the betterment of humanity. Therefore, the function of satire is
not to make others laugh at persons or ideas they make fun of. It intends to warn the public, and to
change people’s opinions about the prevailing corruption and conditions in society.

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Satire Example
George Orwell’s Animal Farm is a dark satire of Soviet
Communism and the Russian Revolution. While the
book is not meant to be particularly humorous,
its plot definitely ridicules the way that the Soviet
government perverted the original principles of
Communism. For example, the animals begin with the
basic belief that “All animals are equal.” But by the
end of the book, they have changed it to “All animals are equal…but some animals are more
equal than others.”

#17 – Symbolism: Every story uses symbolism in some way. This literary device is the use

of a situation or element to represent a larger message, idea, or concept.

Many times, authors use symbolism as a way to convey a broader message that speaks to more readers. You
can also use symbolism to foreshadow what will happen later in the story.

Symbolism Example

Crows are used to symbolize a bad omen, like death

 The color purple symbolizes royalty

 The color red can symbolize death, struggle, power, passion

 Spiders can symbolize spying, sneaky, or untrustworthiness

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18- Rhetorical Question: A rhetorical question is a question that is not asked in order to receive
an answer from the audience or reader. It’s just posed to make a point. Don’t we do this all the time in everyday
speech? Sometimes a rhetorical question will just be left open, but other times the speaker will immediately go on
to answer it. In either case, no answer from the audience is expected.

Rhetorical Question examples:

“What’s in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as
sweet!” (Juliet, Romeo and Juliet)

One of Shakespeare’s most famous lines is a rhetorical question. In this line,

Juliet is raising the question to prove a point – that names don’t mean anything
and it shouldn’t matter if Romeo’s last name is unacceptable to her parents.
She’s asking the question rhetorically, and doesn’t expect that someone will
come in and tell her what is in a name.

Imagery
What Is Imagery? 5 Types and Examples
Whether you’re a writer or a reader, you probably know that the best writing can make you feel like you’re
right there in the scene next to your favorite characters.
Authors who achieve this can make it look seamless, but it usually doesn’t just happen that way; to really
grab readers and make them feel like part of the story, you’ll need to be precise with your word choice and
learn to master imagery.

Great imagery is what gives readers a sensory experience they won’t soon forget. Read on for more on its
definition and 5 different types, as well as examples from literature.
 Definition of Imagery
Imagery is a literary device that uses figurative language to describe objects, actions, and ideas in a way
that appeals to the physical senses and helps readers to picture the scene as if it were real.
The term imagery can be a bit misleading. Though figurative language can be used to describe the visual
appearance of something, imagery also refers to vivid descriptions of sounds, tastes, physical sensations,
and smells.

What Are the 5 Types of Imagery?

The 5 different types of imagery correspond with the five senses: visual, olfactory (smell), gustatory (taste),
tactile (touch), and auditory (sound).

Visual Imagery

Visual imagery is the most obvious and typical form of imagery. When you’re writing a scene, whether you’re
describing a person, place, or thing, it’s best to show instead of tell.
That means using vivid imagery and sensory details to make your reader see the scene for themselves.
Example: The moonlight shone over the lake and reflected in her big, dark eyes.

Olfactory Imagery
Olfactory imagery appeals to our sense of smell. Don’t underestimate what the power of a good aromatic
description can do.
So if you’re writing a scene about food, for example, be sure to use descriptive words that will have your
readers’ mouths watering.
Example: The sweet aroma of the freshly baked chocolate chip cookies wafted from the kitchen to the living
room, causing Greg’s stomach to rumble.

Gustatory Imagery
Gustatory imagery describes taste. It often works hand in hand with olfactory imagery (what’s taste without
smell after all?)
Example: As he bit into the juicy burger, a variety of spices danced upon his tongue.

Tactile Imagery
Tactile imagery appeals to our sense of touch. From the softness of cashmere to the biting cold of a
December night, good tactile imagery helps readers to feel that they are part of the scene.
Example: A gust of cold wind pierced her body.

Auditory Imagery
Auditory imagery describes sounds, from shrill cries to whispering winds. Even the subtlest of sounds can
help set the scene and place readers right in the middle of the action.
Example: She awoke to the chirping of birds and the soft whisper of a breeze as it passed through the tree
outside her window.

What Are Some Examples of Imagery?

Below are several examples of imagery from famous works of literature
Great Expectations by Charles Dickens
“It was a rimy morning, and very damp. I had seen the damp lying on the outside of my little window… Now, I
saw the damp lying on the bare hedges and spare grass, … On every rail and gate, wet lay clammy; and the
marsh-mist was so thick, that the wooden finger on the post directing people to our village—a direction which
they never accepted, for they never came there—was invisible to me until I was quite close under it.”
This description from Great Expectations of a damp morning near a marsh appeals to the sense of sight
and feel, allowing readers to feel like they’re arriving on the scene themselves.
Examples for Imagery sentences: