Structure in Prose: A Guide for Analysis
- If you want to smash prose analysis, it’s all about looking at how the writer tells the story, not just what they’re saying.
- That means paying attention to their language choices, how the whole thing is structured, and the kind of style or voice they use.
What Counts as Prose?
- Extracts from novels or short stories
- Autobiographical or biographical non-fiction
- Memoirs or personal essays
Core Areas to Focus On
1. Narrative Voice and Point of View
- First-person = intimate, subjective, unreliable?
- Third-person limited = restricted knowledge, creates suspense
- Third-person omniscient = gives broader insight into characters/events
- Shifts in perspective = can mark key turning points or contrasts
Tip
Always ask who is telling the story and why it matters.
Example
- First-person: The Catcher in the Rye “If you really want to hear about it…” → personal, subjective, and unreliable.
- Third-person limited: Harry Potter “Harry had never believed he would meet a boy he hated more than Dudley” → restricted to Harry’s view.
- Third-person omniscient: Anna Karenina “All happy families are alike…” → narrator knows and tells all.
- Shifting perspective: As I Lay Dying “My mother is a fish.” → changes in narrator reveal emotional and mental contrasts.
2. Characterisation
Look at how the author builds characters through:
- Dialogue
- Description
- Internal thoughts
- Actions and reactions
- What other characters say about them
Self review
- How is the character constructed?
- What is revealed about their psychology or motivation?
3. Setting and Atmosphere
- How is the setting described?
- What mood is created through sensory details?
- How does the setting mirror characters’ emotions or themes?
Example
- In The Great Gatsby, the Valley of Ashes is described as “a fantastic farm where ashes grow like wheat into ridges and hills and grotesque gardens.”
- Analysis:
- Fitzgerald’s setting is bleak, barren, and unnatural.
- The grotesque imagery of ashes replacing organic life creates a desolate, lifeless landscape that immediately contrasts with the glamour of East and West Egg.
- Analysis:
4. Structure and Pacing
- Is the story told in chronological order?
- Are there flashbacks or time shifts?
- How do paragraph and sentence lengths affect rhythm or tension?
- Are there contrasts between sections?
Tip
- Chronological structure can reflect inevitability or a character’s journey.
- Flashbacks and time shifts deepen emotional impact or reveal psychological complexity.
- Short sentences create tension or deliver emotional impact; long sentences slow pacing and add reflection.
- Contrasts between sections highlight thematic conflict or character development.
5. Language and Style
- Imagery: Visual, tactile, auditory, etc.
- Symbolism: Objects, colours, or actions that represent larger ideas.
- Tone: Angry? Reflective? Satirical? Nostalgic?
- Diction: What do specific word choices reveal?
- Syntax: Long flowing sentences? Short fragments?
Tip
Always link technique → effect → purpose.
6. Theme and Purpose
- Memory
- Power and control
- Coming of age
- Gender or identity
- Trauma and healing
- Belonging and alienation
Self review
Ask yourself: What human issue is the writer exploring?
How to Structure a Prose Paragraph
Use the PEEL method (Point → Evidence → Explanation → Link):
Example
The author uses first-person narration to expose the psychological fragmentation of the protagonist. The opening line, “I cannot remember when I stopped believing her”, immediately casts doubt and invites the reader into a fractured internal world. The use of the pronoun “I” establishes a personal and unreliable voice, while the vague temporal marker “when” highlights the haziness of memory. This unstable perspective reflects a core theme of uncertainty, inviting readers to question the boundary between perception and truth.
- This is a strong PEEL paragraph. Each element is there:
- Point (first-person shows fragmentation)
- Evidence (direct quote)
- Explanation (how language conveys instability)
- Link (connects to theme of uncertainty)
Exam technique
SCOPE
- S: Sequence
Is the story told chronologically? Are there flashbacks or time shifts? - C: Contrast
Are there structural contrasts (e.g. between chapters, perspectives, or tones)? - O: Order of Information
How is information revealed? Is anything withheld for suspense or impact? - P: Pace & Paragraphing
How do sentence or paragraph lengths affect rhythm, tension, or tone? - E: Environment & Setting
How is the setting described structurally? Does it mirror mood or theme?
Self review
- Have I identified at least one structural feature clearly?
- Can I explain the effect of that feature on pacing, theme, or character?
- Have I linked structure to the writer’s purpose and tone?
- Did I consider how the reader responds as the structure unfolds?
