HSC English Literary Techniques Guide

To effectively use the HSC English literary technique guide, it is important to integrate these techniques into your analysis of texts, demonstrating your understanding of how authors use language to create meaning, develop characters, and evoke emotions. Start by familiarising yourself with each technique and its definition, then practice identifying these techniques in the texts you study. When writing essays or responding to exam questions, select relevant techniques that support your argument, ensuring you explain their function within the text. It’s crucial to provide clear examples and analyse their impact on the overall meaning or theme of the work. By strategically incorporating these techniques into your responses, you will not only showcase your knowledge but also develop a deeper understanding of the text's construction and its effects on the audience. Using these techniques thoughtfully will help strengthen your critical thinking and writing skills, ultimately improving your HSC performance.

Allegory English Literary Technique

A story with a deeper meaning, often moral or political.

Example: George Orwell’s 'Animal Farm' is an allegory for the Russian Revolution.

Alliteration

Repetition of consonant sounds at the beginning of words.

Example: 'Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers.'

Allusion

A reference to another work, person, or event.

Example: 'He was a real Romeo with the ladies.'

Ambiguity

A word or phrase with multiple meanings.

Example: 'The bark was painful.' (Could refer to a tree or a dog)

Anachronism

Placing something in the wrong historical period.

Example: A character in ancient Rome using a smartphone.

Analogy

A comparison to explain a concept.

Example: 'Just as a sword is the weapon of a warrior, a pen is the weapon of a writer.'

Anecdote

A short, personal story.

Example: 'When I was a child, my grandfather told me stories about resilience.'

Anthropomorphism

Giving human traits to animals or objects.

Example: 'The wind whispered through the trees.'

Antithesis

Two opposing ideas in a sentence.

Example: 'It was the best of times, it was the worst of times.'

Aphorism

A short, witty statement.

Example: 'Actions speak louder than words.'

Bildungsroman

A coming-of-age story.

Example: 'To Kill a Mockingbird' by Harper Lee.

Cacophony

Harsh, discordant sounds.

Example: 'The clanging of bells and screeching of brakes filled the air.'

Caesura

A pause in a line of poetry.

Example: 'To be, or not to be – that is the question.'

Chiasmus

A reversal in word order.

Example: 'Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country.'

Cliché

An overused phrase.

Example: 'Time heals all wounds.'

Colloquialism

Informal language or slang.

Example: 'G’day mate!'

Connotation

The emotional meaning of a word.

Example: 'Home' connotes warmth and family.

Contrast

Showing differences.

Example: 'She was light, he was darkness.'

Deus Ex Machina

A sudden, unexpected resolution.

Example: A god swooping in to save the hero at the last moment.

Dramatic Irony

When the audience knows something the character doesn’t.

Example: In 'Romeo and Juliet,' the audience knows Juliet is alive, but Romeo doesn’t.

Dialect

A regional way of speaking.

Example: 'We ain’t got no time for that.'

Diction

Choice of words.

Example: Using 'childish' instead of 'youthful' creates a different tone.

Didacticism

A work intended to teach a lesson.

Example: Aesop’s Fables.

Dissonance

Disruptive sounds in poetry.

Example: 'The clash and clang of swords echoed.'

Dramatic Monologue

A speech where the character reveals their thoughts.

Example: Hamlet’s soliloquy 'To be or not to be'.

Enjambment

A sentence continuing over a line break in poetry.

Example: 'I wonder by my troth, what thou and I / Did, till we loved?'

Euphemism

A mild word replacing a harsh one.

Example: 'Passed away' instead of 'died.'

Flashback

A scene from the past.

Example: 'Back when I was a child, everything seemed brighter.'

Foil

A character that contrasts another.

Example: Draco Malfoy and Harry Potter.

Foreshadowing

Hints at future events.

Example: 'He had a bad feeling about entering the house.'

Hyperbole

Extreme exaggeration.

Example: 'I’ve told you a million times!'

Imagery

Vivid descriptions appealing to the senses.

Example: 'The golden sun dipped below the horizon.'

Irony

A contrast between expectations and reality.

Example: A fire station burning down.

Juxtaposition

Placing contrasting ideas together.

Example: 'Darkness and light intertwined.'

Metaphor

A comparison without 'like' or 'as.'

Example: 'Her voice was music to his ears.'

Mood

The atmosphere created in a text.

Example: A horror story creating fear and suspense.

Narrative Voice

The perspective a story is told from.

Example: First-person, third-person omniscient.

Onomatopoeia

A word that imitates sound.

Example: 'Buzz,' 'Bang,' 'Splash.'

Oxymoron

Two contradictory words together.

Example: 'Deafening silence.'

Paradox

A statement that contradicts itself but has truth.

Example: 'The more you learn, the less you know.'

Personification

Giving human traits to non-human things.

Example: 'The flowers danced in the wind.'

Simile

A comparison using 'like' or 'as.'

Example: 'Her smile was as bright as the sun.'

Symbolism

Using an object to represent an idea.

Example: A dove representing peace.

Tone

The author’s attitude in the writing.

Example: A sarcastic tone, a melancholic tone.

Polysyndeton

The use of many conjunctions.

Example: 'We have ships and men and money and stores.'

Repetition

Repeating words or phrases for emphasis.

Example: 'Never, never, never give up.'

Rhetorical Question

A question asked for effect, not expecting an answer.

Example: 'Why do we fall?'

Sarcasm

A sharp, cutting remark.

Example: 'Oh, great. Another Monday.'

Satire

Humorous criticism of society or individuals.

Example: 'The Simpsons' is a satirical show.

Stereotype

A widely held but oversimplified image or idea of a particular type.

Example: 'All teenagers are lazy.'

Stream of Consciousness

A narrative method that attempts to capture a character's thought process.

Example: 'Ulysses' by James Joyce.

Subtext

An underlying theme or meaning in a text.

Example: The tension between characters in a family drama.

Tragic Flaw

A defect in a character that leads to their downfall.

Example: Hamlet's indecision.

Understatement

Presenting something as less significant than it is.

Example: 'It's just a scratch' (when there's a big wound).