Definition
Analysis
Analysis means breaking something down to explain how it works.
- In English, you're breaking down how a writer shapes meaning using language, structure, and form.
- In other words, analysis is about seeing how words aren't just words.
- Words are tools, and every tool is used for a reason.
Writer's Don't Make Random Choices
- Every word, tone, and sentence length is intentional.
- This means your job boils down to:
- Spotting the most interesting techniques
- Explaining how they shape meaning
- Connecting them to what the writer is trying to do
Note
If a writer made a choice, it’s your job to figure out why.
Pattern of Analysis
Every strong paragraph of analysis follows this pattern
Example
- Technique: The writer uses the simile “as empty as a ripped-out page”
- What it does: to show the narrator’s sense of emotional numbness.
- Why it matters: The comparison to something torn out suggests something missing or damaged, linking to the theme of trauma.
What Analysis is Not
- “This is a metaphor” ← spotting is not analysing
- “This shows she’s sad” ← vague and shallow
- “This makes the reader think” ← about what?
Hint
- Real analysis is specific.
- It tells us exactly what the technique is doing and why it matters.
It's Always About Purpose
- Be relentless in asking "why?"
- Every unusual word, image, structure, or tone, stop and ask: Why this word? Why this effect? Why now?
- Recall that writers write to do something: persuade, criticise, entertain, reveal, expose.
- Therefore, your analysis should always aim to answer: How is this helping the writer achieve their purpose?
- The goal is never just to describe. It’s to explain.
Exam technique
- To write clear, high-quality analysis paragraphs, follow this sequence:
- Identify the technique
- Quote the word or phrase
- Label the technique accurately
- Explain the effect on the audience
- Link to the writer’s purpose or theme
Example question
“She filmed a ‘get ready with me’ while crying about her ex.”
Solution
- Technique: Juxtaposition
- Quote: “get ready with me” and “crying about her ex”
- Effect: The casual self-presentation contrasts sharply with emotional vulnerability.
- Meaning: Captures the weird mix of sincerity and performance in online identity.
- Link: Suggests how social media blurs the line between real emotion and content creation.
Final sentence:
The juxtaposition between the upbeat format “get ready with me” and the raw detail of “crying about her ex” highlights how online spaces often package real pain as watchable content, complicating what we see as authentic.
Key Takeaways
- Analysis is about choice and effect.
- You must always go beyond the surface.
- Explain how technique shapes meaning and serves the writer’s purpose.
Hint
- This is the foundation of everything in this course.
- The rest becomes 10x easier once you get this.
