Sample Analysis: A Step-by-Step Guide
- Let’s walk through an example so you can actually see how PEEL works.
- We’ll figure out how to find techniques, explain what they do, and tie it all back to the writer’s message.
Note
PEEL = Point, Evidence, Explanation, Link
- P: Point
- Start with a clear idea or argument.
- What is the writer showing or saying through the text?
- E: Evidence
- Drop in a quote or describe a specific moment.
- This should show how the writer is doing what you just said.
- E – Explanation
- Unpack how the technique works.
- What effect does it have? Why did the writer choose it?
- What does it make the reader think or feel?
- L – Link
- Tie it all back to your main point.
- How does it support your overall argument or the text’s big idea?
Step 1: Read the Passage
Excerpt:
“A single candle flickered in the corridor, its flame trembling as if afraid.”
Step 2: Deconstruct the Passage
- What techniques are being used?
- What images, tone, or emotions are created?
- What themes or ideas emerge?
- What effect does the language have on the reader?
- What is the writer’s purpose?
| Technique | Identification | Effect |
|---|---|---|
| Visual Technique | A single candle in a dark corridor | Highlights isolation and focuses the reader’s attention. |
| Imagery | “flame trembling” (tactile/visual) | Suggests vulnerability, as if the light itself feels fear. |
| Personification | The flame appears “afraid” | Projects human emotion onto the candle, enhancing tension. |
| Symbolism | The candle symbolises hope or life | Implies that even a faint light can resist overwhelming darkness. |
Step 3: Using PEEL to Structure Your Analysis
- Point:
- The author uses the image of a lone candle to symbolize the fragility of hope in an oppressive or fearful environment.
- Evidence:
- This is shown through the visual description of “a single candle in the dark” and the personified imagery of its “flame trembling as if afraid.”
- Explanation:
- The focus on the isolated candle draws attention to a fragile source of light, emphasizing how small and vulnerable hope feels in overwhelming darkness.
- The phrase “flame trembling as if afraid” uses both visual and tactile imagery, while also personifying the flame to mirror human fear.
- This creates a tense, suspenseful atmosphere, where even the symbol of hope appears uncertain or threatened.
- By portraying the candle as flickering and fearful, the author deepens the emotional intensity of the scene, showing how precarious hope can be under pressure.
- Link:
- Together, these techniques use light and fear to emphasize how hope, even when faint, persists, and how its survival in darkness becomes a powerful emotional anchor.
Here is a model analytical paragraph:
Example
In this passage, the author uses visual imagery and symbolism to explore the fragility of hope within a fearful setting. The description of the “single candle” visually isolates the source of light, focusing the reader’s attention on its vulnerability. The personification of the “flame trembling as if afraid” conveys human emotion, intensifying the atmosphere of suspense and fear. This candle becomes a powerful symbol of hope or life, suggesting that even in overwhelming darkness, a faint light endures. Through these techniques, the author evokes both tension and quiet resilience, establishing a central theme of persistence in the face of fear.
Step 4: Writing a More Concise Version
Example
The author employs visual imagery and personification in describing the “flame trembling as if afraid” to emphasise the vulnerability of hope. The candle becomes a symbolic force of life resisting the surrounding darkness, and its fragility intensifies the suspenseful, fearful tone of the scene.
Tip
- Slip in micro-quotes, single words or short phrases, from elsewhere in the passage whenever they sharpen your point.
- It shows the examiner you see how scattered details knit together to create one coherent effect.
Key Lessons
- The PEEL method ensures your analysis is complete by covering technique, meaning or effect, and purpose.
- It is more effective to combine steps into fluent, well-structured sentences rather than separating them rigidly.
- Some quotations require extensive analysis, while others can be addressed concisely. Use judgment based on the complexity of the language.
- There is no single correct way to analyse a quotation. The key is to develop an interpretation that is well-supported and clearly linked to the writer’s intent.
Exam technique
- Depth beats breadth.
- Examiners reward insightful linkage, not a laundry list of techniques.
- Good luck!
