Discourse Marker

A word or phrase that marks the divisions between the parts of a communication e.g. ‘actually’, ‘basically’, ‘I mean’, ‘anyway’, ‘ok’. Can be used to guide the reader/audience through points in a speech.

Dramatic Irony

Occurs when an audience or reader is aware of something that at least one character is not aware of.  This can involve a character failing to grasp the full impact of his or her own words, or those of another character.  Dramatic irony can involve the audience/reader while creating suspense.

First Person Narration

‘I’ Using a first-person perspective has a number of advantages.  It is immediate and has a sense of authority. You can usually empathise more with a first person narrator as the voice is personalised.  Often the reader unconsciously adopts their position and accepts what they are saying (manipulated into identifying with the character’s subjective viewpoint). First person narrators may also have their own personal language quirks (idiolect).   

Flashback

An interruption of the chronological sequence of an event to go back to something that happened in the past. A flashback is a narrative technique that allows a writer to present past events during current events, in order to provide background for the current narration. By giving material that occurred prior to the present event, the writer provides the reader with insight into a character's motivation and or background to a conflict.

Foreshadowing

A literary technique used by writers to provide clues for the reader to be able to predict what might occur later on in the story. The writer drops hints about certain plot developments.  Foreshadowing strives to let the reader know that the issues to come are larger than the reader might assume.  As a hook device, they may even tell you explicitly that something big is about to happen.

Omniscient narrator

A narrator adopts an ‘all-knowing’ stance, being able to see into the minds of all the characters.  (see third person narration).

Retrospective Narration

What retrospective narration allows a novelist to do is exploit the distance between the event narrated and the act of narration. Because the narrator looks back, there is a distance in time between the 'then' of the event and the 'now' of the narration. This allows narrators to think about the significance of the past that is being recalled. It also allows readers to think about the differences between the two times. Thus in Great Expectations, Pip recognises how his snobbery was the product of his false sense of values. Sometimes, a retrospective narration is problematic. There are moments when Jane Eyre works retrospectively, but other moments when it doesn't. For instance, Jane never discloses until the final chapter that she is narrating the novel not as Jane Eyre but as Jane Rochester.

Repetition

The repeating of a word or phrase for emphasis.  This technique can give great emotional force to a moment. It can help highlight the significance of something and bring attention to a text’s central idea.

Tripling/Rule of three

One of the easiest and most useful ways of emphasising a point is by using three words or phrases. Arranging ideas using a triadic structure creates a rhythmic cohesive pattern that can make something memorable.