Examining how the writer uses character, structure, language and themes. Learn it step by step →
Literary Techniques is a core part of GCSE English Literature. Revise the key concepts and common mistakes below, then lock them in with the free games.
Key concepts
MotifA recurring image, idea or symbol with thematic weight
SymbolismAn object that stands for an abstract idea
JuxtapositionPlacing two contrasting ideas close together
ForeshadowingA hint of an event to come later in the text
MicrocosmA small group standing in for a whole society
SoliloquyA speech revealing a character's private thoughts
Pathetic fallacyWeather mirroring a character's emotional state
SibilanceRepeated s/sh sounds creating hiss or whisper
Dramatic ironyWhen the audience knows more than a character
AnachronismAn object placed in the wrong historical era
ZoomorphismGiving a human character animal qualities
OmniscientAn all-knowing narrator who sees every character's mind
DidacticIntended to teach a moral or political lesson
PolemicalStrongly arguing against an opposing view
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Learn Literary Techniques step by step
Free interactive mini-lessons: short screens, worked examples and quick checks. Pick your exam board to open its course map, then tap L on this topic:
Questions where students often pick the tempting wrong answer — make sure you know the right one:
What does analysing a novel involve?✗ Summarising the plot of the story.✓ Examining how the writer uses character, structure, language and themes.
Is the narrator always honest and the same as the author?✗ Yes, the narrator always tells the truth and is the author.✓ No — narrators can be unreliable and are distinct from the author.
Practise Literary Techniques — free games
Test yourself with these quick revision games for this topic:
