Caribbean Advanced

Proficiency Examination®

SYLLABUS
LITERATURES IN ENGLISH
CXC A15/U2/17

Effective for examinations from May–June 2018

Correspondence related to the syllabus should be addressed to:

The Pro-Registrar
Caribbean Examinations Council
Caenwood Centre
37 Arnold Road, Kingston 5, Jamaica

Telephone Number: + 1 (876) 630-5200

Facsimile Number: + 1 (876) 967-4972
E-mail Address: [email protected]
Website: www.cxc.org

Copyright ©2017 by Caribbean Examinations Council

Prince Road, Pine Plantation Road, St Michael BB11091

CXC A15/U2/17
 Contents

INTRODUCTION ........................................................................................................................................ i

RATIONALE .............................................................................................................................................. 1

AIMS ........................................................................................................................................................ 2

SKILLS AND ABILITIES TO BE ASSESSED ................................................................................................... 2

PREREQUISITES OF THE SYLLABUS .......................................................................................................... 3

AREAS OF STUDY ..................................................................................................................................... 4

GENERAL OBJECTIVES ............................................................................................................................. 4

STRUCTURE OF THE SYLLABUS ................................................................................................................ 5

APPROACHES TO TEACHING THE SYLLABUS ........................................................................................... 5

RESOURCES ............................................................................................................................................. 6

UNIT 1 AND UNIT 2 ................................................................................................................................. 7

MODULE 1: DRAMA ................................................................................................................... 7
MODULE 2: POETRY ................................................................................................................. 13
MODULE 3: PROSE FICTION ..................................................................................................... 19

PRESCRIBED TEXTS – UNIT 1 ................................................................................................................. 24

PRESCRIBED TEXTS – UNIT 2 ................................................................................................................. 25

OUTLINE OF ASSESSMENT .................................................................................................................... 26

REGULATIONS FOR PRIVATE CANDIDATES ........................................................................................... 32

REGULATIONS FOR RESIT CANDIDATES ................................................................................................ 32

ASSESSMENT GRID ................................................................................................................................ 33

GLOSSARY OF LITERARY CONCEPTS OFTEN USED IN THE CAPE® LITERATURES IN ENGLISH

EXAMINATION....................................................................................................................................... 34

CXC A15/U2/17
GLOSSARY OF BEHAVIOURAL VERBS USED IN THE CAPE® LITERATURES IN ENGLISH
EXAMINATIONS ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….37

APPENDIX I: PRESCRIBED POEMS FOR UNIT 1 ...................................................................................... 39

APPENDIX II: PRESCRIBED POEMS FOR UNIT 2 ..................................................................................... 41

CXC A15/U2/17
 The Literatures in English Syllabus (CXC A15/U2/17) was revised in 2017
for first examination in 2018.

Teaching is expected to commence on the revised syllabus in September 2017.

Issued 2001
Revised 2005, 2010 and 2017

Please check the website, www.cxc.org for updates on CXC®’s syllabuses

CXC A15/U2/17
T

 Introduction

T he Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examination (CAPE®) is designed to provide certification of the

academic, vocational and technical achievement of students in the Caribbean who, having completed
a minimum of five years of secondary education, wish to further their studies. The examinations
address the skills and knowledge acquired by students under a flexible and articulated system where
subjects are organised in 1-Unit or 2-Unit courses with each Unit containing three Modules. Subjects
examined under CAPE® may be studied concurrently or singly.

The Caribbean Examinations Council offers three types of certification at the CAPE® level. The first is
the award of a certificate showing each CAPE® Unit completed. The second is the CAPE® Diploma,
awarded to candidates who have satisfactorily completed at least six Units, including Caribbean
Studies. The third is the CXC® Associate Degree, awarded for the satisfactory completion of a
prescribed cluster of eight CAPE® Units including Caribbean Studies, Communication Studies and
Integrated Mathematics. Integrated Mathematics is not a requirement for the CXC® Associate Degree
in Mathematics. The complete list of Associate Degrees may be found in the CXC® Associate Degree
Handbook.

For the CAPE® Diploma and the CXC® Associate Degree, candidates must complete the cluster of
required Units within a maximum period of five years. To be eligible for a CXC® Associate Degree, the
educational institution presenting the candidates for the award, must select the Associate Degree of
choice at the time of registration at the sitting (year) the candidates are expected to qualify for the
award. Candidates will not be awarded an Associate Degree for which they were not registered.

CXC A15/U2/17 i
 Literatures in English Syllabus

 RATIONALE
Literature is arguably the most vital register of the major ideas, concerns, feelings, aspirations, and
hopes of the communities out of which it comes. To know literature is, therefore, to be familiar with
the communities that have produced it. To be familiar with communities is to understand how they
resemble each other and how they differ from each other; that is, to understand the uniqueness of
each. In a rapidly shrinking world this understanding becomes increasingly crucial and urgent as each
community sees itself, on the one hand, as part of a large human family and, on the other, as a unique
cultural context. Mediating between the community and literature is the artist who interprets facets
of the life of the community in imaginative structures. These structures encompass the personal,
social, and the universal; consequently, the study of literature promotes understanding of both the
individual and mankind in general.

Nothing that is human is foreign to literature, because literature participates with other disciplines in
commenting on, clarifying, and enhancing the human condition. To study literature, therefore, is to
understand how the human imagination, the creative faculty, works as it responds to diverse
experiences.

Through its varied treatment of the facets of human experience, literature uniquely prepares
individuals for living and working in the world. The study of Literature facilitates individuals’
development of analytical, organisational, communicative and enquiry skills, as defined in all five of
the UNESCO Pillars of Learning. These skills will enable individuals to succeed in their academic careers
and the world of work. Students of Literature become adults who appreciate that there is more than
one solution to a problem, and engage their talents in collaboration with others to develop solutions.
They will also become critical thinkers who appreciate that the capacity to transform themselves and
their society is honed from within. Through the study of Literature students are encouraged to embrace
change, thus adaptation to a rapidly changing, technologically driven world is possible. These skills can
lead to their success in career opportunities in a variety of fields, including education, the media,
human resource management, corporate communications, advertising, law and many others.

Literature is one of the disciplines that nurture the Ideal Caribbean Person. Students who pursue
Literature develop an appreciation for all other disciplines, as the study of texts provides insight into
the human condition in every facet of life. Students of Literature engage their creative faculties in their
response to, and examination of, varied experiences. Their interpretation of experiences helps them to
gain a respect for human life since literary study is the foundation on which all other desired values
must rest. As students of Literature gain an informed respect for global cultural heritage, they readily
identify the importance of development in the economic and entrepreneurial spheres in all other areas
of life. Most importantly, students of Literature understand that diversity is the hallmark of our
humanity.

CXC A15/U2/17 1
 AIMS
The syllabus aims to:

1. develop an understanding of the nature and function of literature;

2. develop an understanding of the methods of literary study;

3. encourage critical reading, interpretation, and evaluation;

4. encourage an understanding that there are various acceptable interpretations of a literary

work;

5. encourage an appreciation of and an informed personal response to literature;

6. sensitise individuals to the needs and concerns of self, of others, and of the larger community;
and,

7. integrate information, communication and technological (ICT) tools and skills.

 SKILLS AND ABILITIES TO BE ASSESSED

The skills and abilities which students are expected to have developed on completion of this syllabus
are grouped under three main headings:

1. Knowledge and Understanding;

2. Application of Knowledge; and,

3. Organisation of Information.

Knowledge and Understanding

The Assessment will test:

1. familiarity with the primary (prescribed) texts;

2. familiarity with secondary sources: critical, historical, social, philosophical, biographical and
contextual;

3. familiarity with the features of genres;

4. familiarity with, and the proper use of the vocabulary specific to genres; and,

5. understanding of the relationship between form and content within genres.

CXC A15/U2/17 2
 Application of Knowledge

The Assessment will test:

1. the ability to analyse, evaluate, and synthesise knowledge;

2. the ability to write a clear thesis, select appropriate evidence and use sound logic;

3. the ability to analyse and evaluate the effectiveness of the relationship between form and
content;

4. the appropriateness of the information selected; and,

5. the ability to present a reasonable conclusion based on evidence provided.

Organisation of Information

The Assessment will test the effective use of the mechanics of essay writing which includes:

1. the opening paragraph with a clear thesis which introduces main points of argument;

2. middle paragraphs which develop the points outlined in the opening paragraph;

3. the final paragraph which brings the argument to a reasonable conclusion;

4. transition words between sentences and paragraphs;

5. formal syntactic structures;

6. correct grammar; and,

7. use of language.

 PREREQUISITES OF THE SYLLABUS

Any person with a good grasp of the Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC®) English B
syllabus, or its equivalent, should be able to pursue the course of study defined by this syllabus.

CXC A15/U2/17 3
 AREAS OF STUDY
The areas of study for Unit 1 and Unit 2 are indicated in the following table.

Module 1 Module 2 Module 3

Drama Poetry Prose Fiction
Unit 1 1. Shakespeare 1. British 1. Caribbean
(a) Comedies 2. American 2. British/American/
(b) Histories 3. Postcolonial Postcolonial (other
than Caribbean)
Unit 2 1. Shakespeare Caribbean Poetry 1. British
(a) Tragedies 2. American
(b) Romances 3. Postcolonial

2. Modern Drama

 GENERAL OBJECTIVES
On completion of each Unit, students should:

1. develop a sensitivity to the ways in which writers manipulate language to convey meaning;

2. develop an appreciation for the relationship between form and content;

3. understand and demonstrate an ability to use the vocabulary of literary criticism at an

appropriate level;

4. understand the differences in style and structure among the literary genres;

5. develop the ability to critique works of different genres written in different periods from
different cultures;

6. develop competence in critical thinking;

7. develop informed, sensitive, and balanced responses to the complexity of human nature as
portrayed in literary works;

8. develop the ability to discern and grasp attitudes, values, feelings, and ideas illustrated in
literary works;

9. develop the ability to write coherent, well-reasoned argumentative essays;

10. develop the ability to write informed and analytical essays on literature; and,

11. develop an appreciation for varying critical interpretations of works of literature.

CXC A15/U2/17 4
 STRUCTURE OF THE SYLLABUS
The CAPE® Literatures in English syllabus comprises two Units, each containing three Modules
corresponding to the three literary genres: Drama, Poetry, and Prose Fiction. These Modules are
synonymous with the profile dimensions to be assessed. These Modules may be studied in any order.

Each Unit incorporates the subject core which comprises the knowledge and understanding derived
from a range of readings; concepts and skills in literary study, and related assessment objectives. The
core comprises four texts drawn from a range of historical periods between 1370 and the present day.
All prescribed core texts are works originally written in English. The core requires students to study,
at least, the following:

1. one play by Shakespeare;

2. one work of Caribbean literature;

3. one work of poetry; and,

4. one work of prose fiction.

Each Unit requires a study of a minimum of four texts.

Students are expected to spend at least 50 hours on each Module.

 APPROACHES TO TEACHING THE SYLLABUS

The study of Literature requires wide reading; those who read most widely are likely to do best.
Teachers, therefore, should encourage students to read as much as possible. They should encourage
students to read more than the required texts. Knowledge of texts other than those prescribed always
helps.

Teachers should advise students on the selection and use of information available on the Internet.
Since this material is uneven in quality and usefulness, teachers should guide students in choice and
use.

Similarly, teachers, wherever possible, should encourage the use of film and audio material as avenues
to the better understanding of the texts. Teachers should always encourage critical appraisals of media
material. This constitutes a valuable teaching resource. It is imperative, though, that teachers remind
students that neither film nor performance nor audiotape ought to be used as a substitute for the
text. The examination tests primarily the knowledge and understanding of the prescribed texts.

Development of a facility in writing is incremental; the more often you write the more proficient you
become at writing. Therefore, teachers should afford students ample opportunity to enhance their
proficiency in the writing of coherent argumentative essays.

The list of elements and concepts under Content in each Module is not exhaustive. Each is meant to
be an adequate guide to the study of literature at this level.

CXC A15/U2/17 5
 RESOURCES
(for use throughout the Units)

Beach, R., Appleman. Teaching Literature to Adolescents. Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, 2006.

D. Hynds, S. and Teaching Language and Literacy: Policies and Procedures for Vernacular
Wilhelm, J. Craig, D. R. Situations. Ian Randle Publishers, 2006.

Griffith, K. Writing Essays about Literature: A Guide and Style Sheet, 7th Edition.
Thomson Wadsworth, 2006.

Lazar, G. Literature and Language Teaching: A Guide for Teachers and Trainers.
University Press, 1993.

Merriam Webster’s Readers Handbook. Massachusetts: Merriam-

Webster Inc., 1997.

Warrican, S. J., and Strategies for the Teaching of Reading and Writing: A Practical Guide for
Spencer-Ernandez, J. Teachers of Caribbean Children. Joint Board of Teacher Education
Foundation, University of the West Indies, 2006.

CXC A15/U2/17 6
 UNIT 1 AND UNIT 2
MODULE 1: DRAMA

The word ‘theatre’ comes from the Greek word “theatron” meaning “a place of watching”.
The evaluation and analysis of Drama as an art-form require that the student as a critic be considerate
of the way that the written script will be performed. Drama is mimetic by design, intended to
communicate by showing or revealing more than it does by telling viewers what is happening. Students
assess what the scriptwriter is employing to make his or her creation something that will enthrall and
intrigue as it is shown. Students must be mindful of the unique social and visual nature of drama.
Plays are meant to be performed, and as such, students would benefit from an approach which pays
close attention to the elements and features which are specific to this genre.

SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES

Students should be able to:

1. explain how meaning is conveyed through the structure of the chosen genre, for example,
comedy, history, tragedy, or romance;

2. assess how meaning is expressed through the playwright’s choice of language, literary devices
and the use of structural elements and features of drama;

3. analyse the contexts in which the chosen plays are written;

4. analyse dramatic works from different cultural and historical contexts;

5. examine how meaning is affected by context;

6. evaluate their own views and the views of critics; and,

7. write informed and independent opinions and judgements about the issues explored in the
chosen plays.

CONTENT

For both Unit 1 and Unit 2, the focus of study should include the following:

1. Forms of Drama

(a) Comedy.

(b) History.

(c) Tragedy.

(d) Romance.

(e) Tragi-comedy.

CXC A15/U2/17 7
UNIT 1 AND UNIT 2
MODULE 1: DRAMA (cont’d)

(f) Theatre of the Absurd.

(g) Satire.

(h) Farce.

(i) Modern drama.

(j) Melodrama.

2. (a) Choice of language pays attention to the issue of form, as well as the stylistic and
linguistic choices of a playwright, for dramatic effect. Carefully consider, for example,
the effectiveness of diction (word choice) in creating or impacting theme,
characterisation, mood and humor.

(b) Literary devices:

(i) imagery;

(ii) motif;

(iii) symbolism;

(iv) dramatic and tragic irony;

(v) juxtaposition; and,

(vi) other literary devices.

(c) Elements of drama:

(i) act;

(ii) scene;

(iii) exposition;

(iv) conflict;

(v) complication;

(vi) climax;

(vii) denouement (unravelling/resolution of the plot);

(viii) peripeteia (reversal of fortune);

(ix) characterisation;

CXC A15/U2/17 8
UNIT 1 AND UNIT 2
MODULE 1: DRAMA (cont’d)

(x) protagonist and antagonist;

(xi) main plot, subplot; and,

(xii) suspense.

(d) Features of drama:

(i) monologue;

(ii) dialogue;

(iii) soliloquy;

(iv) aside;

(v) set;

(vi) stage direction;

(vii) stage conventions:

a) costume;

b) lighting;

c) sound effects;

d) movement (stage motion, entrance, exit);

e) stage position (centre stage, upstage, downstage);

f) backdrops; and,

g) props.

(viii) stage action;

(ix) chorus;

(x) dramatic unities (time, place and action); and,

(xi) disguise.

CXC A15/U2/17 9
UNIT 1 AND UNIT 2
MODULE 1: DRAMA (cont’d)

3. Literary context can be varied and wide-ranging, to include:

(a) social;

(b) historical;

(c) political;

(d) religious;

(e) ethnic;

(f) moral;

(g) intellectual;

(h) cultural;

(i) physical;

(j) psychological; and,

(k) biographical.

4. Works of drama spanning varied cultures and historical periods.

5. Views of different critics.

6. Views of critics with a personal, informed response to contextual issues within the text.

7. Issues explored through drama.

Suggested Teaching and Learning Activities

To facilitate students’ attainment of the objectives of this Module, teachers are advised to engage
students in the teaching and learning activities listed below.

1. Encourage students to read the plays on their own and formulate personal responses to the
plays.

2. Take students on a tour of a local theatre where they can acquaint themselves with various
features of the theatre environment.

3. Provide an introductory lecture on features of Elizabethan and other kinds of theatre and
drama.

CXC A15/U2/17 10
UNIT 1 AND UNIT 2
MODULE 1: DRAMA (cont’d)

4. Invite persons involved in theatre, such as local actors, and directors to make presentations
on different aspects of drama, for example, the importance of costumes, lighting, and the use
of stage props.

5. Show film versions or video recordings of the plays under study and critically evaluate how
these can alter, modify, or enhance students’ understanding and appreciation of the plays.

6. View and critically appraise a live performance.

7. Put on a live performance of one of the plays, allowing students to work in groups to perform
specific functions (for example, creating props; managing lighting and sound effects; directing
the drama; being actors; creating costumes, and so on) that would be required for putting on
a play in the real-world context.

8. Play audio tapes of the plays (where these are accessible) and critically evaluate how these
dramatic readings can alter, modify, or enhance students’ understanding of the plays.

9. Work in groups to create and record voiceovers of scenes in a play. Share these recordings
with the entire class for discussions around the effectiveness and appreciativeness of orality
and drama.

10. Provide introductory lectures on the cultural, social, and literary contexts in which the plays
were written.

11. Have students dramatise specific scenes in order to critically evaluate dramatic techniques
and elements in relation to themes and character development.

12. Arrange for dramatic readings of significant scenes to facilitate student participation and to
develop sensitivity to the performance aspect of drama (seeing the play as more than a text).

13. Encourage role playing to enhance students’ understanding and interpretation of the
characters in the plays.

14. Encourage debates, discussions, oral presentations, and critical appraisals of key issues and
aspects of the plays.

15. Urge students to direct dramatic scenes. For example, students can watch the same scene of
a play in two or three different productions and based on their own reading of the play, debate
the merits of each director’s interpretation.

16. Encourage students to write dramatic pieces, dramatise and record them.

17. Have students practise writing essays which show evidence of an understanding of the
vocabulary specific to drama, and which present and defend clear positions in response to
given stimuli.

CXC A15/U2/17 11
UNIT 1 AND UNIT 2
MODULE 1: DRAMA (cont’d)

18. Have students engage in debates about differing interpretations of a play, for example,
students can watch the same scene from two or three different productions (film versions)
and based on their own reading of the play debate the merits of each director’s interpretation.

19. Have students write evaluations of differing interpretations, providing evidence to support
their views. This could be done through different media, for example, blogging and
webcasting.

20. Divide students into groups and ask each group to identify textual evidence from their own
reading of the play to refute and/or defend in writing a selected statement from a critical
interpretation of a play.

21. Create a class website on which students’ personal responses to the plays are posted for
further online engagement and critical analyses (by peers or a wider audience).

22. Have students maintain a reading journal in which they record their ongoing reflections on
specific elements and/or features of the drama being studied. Reflections can centre on, for
example, the dramatic significance of a particular character, or the effects of shifts in the
plot/sub-plot, or the effects of particular props or stage directions.

23. Use graphic organisers to map out thematic concerns and structural techniques evident in two
plays. Afterwards, extend the graphical maps to create an essay that compares and contrasts
the two plays, paying attention to the themes and techniques/structure.

RESOURCES

Abrahms, M. H. A Glossary of Literary Terms. Wadsworth Publishing, 2008.

Gordon, R. How to Study a Play. London: Macmillan, 1991.

Noel, K. Carlong Caribbean Drama. Longman, 2001.

Peck, J. and Coyle, M. How to Study a Shakespeare Play. London: Palgrave, 1995.

Literary Terms and Criticism, 3rd Edition. London: Macmillan, 2002.

Pickering, K. How to Study Modern Drama. London: Macmillan, 1990.

Stevens, C. A Guide to Dramatic Elements and Style: Drama grades 7–9. Weston
Watch, 2000.

Stone, J. Theatre, (Studies in West Indian Literature). London: Macmillan,

1994.

Tillyard, E.M.W. Shakespeare’s History Plays. Chatto & Windus (1944).

CXC A15/U2/17 12
UNIT 1 AND UNIT 2
MODULE 2: POETRY

Although poetry has evolved over the years, one feature of poetry as a form of expression that remains
is that the poet is always cognisant that the poem will be heard. Poetic elements (of design) and devices
(linguistic and auditory techniques) are employed by the poet primarily to shape the way listeners,
even more than readers, will be moved by the work. The study of a poem’s aesthetics entails a critique
of the ways in which elements and techniques contribute to the “voice” of the work and its impact on
an audience. It is, by nature, condensed, compact and sensuous. Perhaps the poet, more than any
other writer, is conscious of the symbiotic relationship between sound and sense/meaning.

SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES

Students should be able to:

1. identify a range of different forms of poetry and their characteristics;

2. analyse the relationship between elements of sound (alliteration, consonance, sibilance and
rhyme) and sense (meaning);

3. explain how meaning is expressed through the poet’s choice of language, literary devices, and
structural elements commonly found in poetry, such as image, symbol, alliteration,
assonance, metre, lineation, and rhyme;

4. assess the importance of point of view and the difference between the persona, the speaker,
and the poet;

5. assess the relationship between structure and meaning;

6. analyse the context in which the chosen poems are written in order to appreciate relationships
between context and meaning;

7. examine how meaning is affected by context;

8. evaluate their own views and the views of critics; and,

9. write informed and independent opinions and judgements about the issues explored in the
chosen poems.

CONTENT

For both Unit 1 and Unit 2, the focus of study should include the following:

1. Forms of poetry

(a) Ballad.

(b) Sonnet.

(c) Lyric.

CXC A15/U2/17 13
UNIT 1 AND UNIT 2
MODULE 2: POETRY (cont’d)

(d) Ode.

(e) Terza Rima.

(f) Dramatic Monologue.

(g) Blank Verse.

(h) Free Verse.

(i) Villanelle.

2. Elements of poetry:

(a) rhyme;

(b) rhythm;

(c) metre;

(d) lineation;

(e) diction;

(f) tone; and,

(g) mood.

3. (a) Choice of language pays attention to the issue of form, as well as the stylistic and
linguistic choices of poets in conveying meaning. Carefully consider, for example, the
effectiveness of diction (word choice) in creating or impacting theme, mood, imagery,
and symbolism.

(b) Literary devices:

(i) simile;

(ii) metaphor;

(iii) alliteration;

(iv) onomatopoeia;

(v) imagery;

(vi) symbolism;

CXC A15/U2/17 14
UNIT 1 AND UNIT 2
MODULE 2: POETRY (cont’d)

(vii) hyperbole;

(viii) litotes;

(ix) euphemism;

(x) pun;

(xi) metonymy;

(xii) juxtaposition;

(xiii) irony;

(xiv) paradox;

(xv) oxymoron;

(xvi) motif;

(xvii) apostrophe; and,

(xviii) other literary devices.

(c) Point of view:

(i) speaker;

(ii) persona; and,

(iii) poet.

(d) Literary context can be varied and wide-ranging, to include:

(i) social;

(ii) historical;

(iii) political;

(iv) religious;

(v) ethnic;

(vi) moral;

(vii) intellectual;

(viii) cultural;

CXC A15/U2/17 15
UNIT 1 AND UNIT 2
MODULE 2: POETRY (cont’d)

(ix) physical;

(x) psychological; and,

(xi) biographical.

4. Views of different critics.

5. Views of critics with a personal, informed response to contextual issues within the text.

6. Issues explored through poetry.

Suggested Teaching and Learning Activities

To facilitate students’ attainment of the objectives of this Module, teachers are advised to engage
students in the teaching and learning activities listed below.

1. It is important to show students how much they already know about poetry. Read poems
aloud to students and have them describe their response. Poems may also be recorded using
a range of voice recording tools widely available on smartphones and other computing
devices. This facilitates repeated playback and the ability to focus on particular sections of the
poem.

2. Scan individual words. (For example, “instill” is an iamb; “chutney” is a trochee; “airfare” is a
spondee; “beautiful” is a dactyl’ and “intervene” is an anapest. Words keep their normal
stresses in poetry). Mark the stresses in simple iambic poems, for instance, Lewis Carroll’s
“The Mad Gardener’s Song” or have students bring in lyrics from music of interest to them,
for example, calypso, rap, dub, rock, chutney, zouck. Analyse the rhythm. Mark the stresses.

3. Discuss types of metre (Duple metre – iambic, trochaic, spondaic, triple metre – dactylic,
anapestic).

4. Have the whole class parody a verse with regular rhythm, for example, “The Mad Gardener’s
Song”. Let each student write one, read it aloud, and have students discuss whether the
rhythm is correct. Discuss the rhymes in these examples. Assist students to parody other
forms or limericks.

5. Discuss sample types of form, for example, ballad, hymn, and sonnet. Most forms should be
taught as they are encountered, as should most elements of poetry.

6. Use examples to show students that poets do write sentences and that these sentences are
meaningful units which may run through several lines or even stanzas. Poets also use
punctuation marks for poetic effect and change word order for poetic reasons.

7. Divide class into small groups. Each group should read aloud and discuss the same poem.
Each group should then report its own interpretation to the class. Discuss the differences and
reasons for the interpretations. A collaborative web-based word processor such as Google
Docs could be used to record the discussions for further reference.

CXC A15/U2/17 16
UNIT 1 AND UNIT 2
MODULE 2: POETRY (cont’d)

8. Divide students in groups and ask them to find evidence in a poem to support differing
interpretations of the same poem. For example, for Edward Baugh’s poem, “A Carpenter’s
Complaint,” simple statements such as, “This poem is about death” or, “This poem is about
tradition” or, “This poem is about grief” might be used. After group discussion, ask each
student, to develop a paragraph on one part of their argument in support of the interpretation.
Together the group would have produced one interpretation. After all the groups have
presented, you can have open discussion with challenges and/or further support.

9. Have students research the social and historical context in which the poems were written.

10. Have students find, share, and discuss critical essays on various poems. A social bookmarking
service could be used to record and share links to these poems.

11. Have students practise writing essays which show evidence of an understanding of the
vocabulary specific to poetry, and which present and defend clear positions in response to
given stimuli.

12. Create a class website on which students’ personal responses to, or practical criticisms of, the
poems are posted for further online engagement and critical analyses (by peers or a wider
audience).

13. Facilitate a class “Poetry Slam” or “Poetry Festival”, whereby students learn selected poems
by heart and perform them. In so doing, students should seek to understand the poem, and
demonstrate an appreciation of the nuances in meaning as they recite or perform the poems
for an audience of their peers.

14. Assign students to work individually or in groups to create and record voiceovers of selected
poems. Share these recordings with the entire class for discussions around the effectiveness
and appreciation of sound and meaning in poetry.

15. Have students maintain a reading journal in which they record their ongoing reflections on
specific aspects or features of the poems being studied. Reflections can centre on, for example,
the significance of diction, the effects of symbolism, and the use of irony and its impact on the
overall meaning of the poem.

16. Where several poems by a selected poet are being studied, students can create an electronic
portfolio, containing a combination of images, words, and audio, to detail or reflect the
thematic concerns of the selected poet.

17. Students can create their own response poem to any of the poems or poets being studied. The
response should be a reaction to or a reflection on any of the concerns or devices utilised within
the selected poem or used by the selected poet. Provide opportunities for these response
poems to be read aloud or performed.

CXC A15/U2/17 17
UNIT 1 AND UNIT 2
MODULE 2: POETRY (cont’d)

RESOURCES

Breiner, L. An Introduction to West Indian Poetry. Cambridge: Cambridge

University Press, 1998.

Eagleton, T. How to Read a Poem. Willey – Blackwell, 2006.

Maxwell, R.J. & Teaching English in middle and secondary schools, 3rd Edition. New
Meiser, M. J. Jersey: Merrill Prentice Hall, 2005.

Peck, J. How to Study a Poet. London: Macmillan, 1992.

Perrine L. Sound and Sense: An Introduction to Poetry, 12th Edition. Thomas Arp
and Greg Johnson Cengage Learning, 2007.

Raffel, B. How to Read a Poem. New York: New American Library, 1994.

Rozakis, L. E. How to Interpret Poetry. Macmillan, (ARCO’S Concise Writing Guide),

New Jersey: Petersons, 1998.

CXC A15/U2/17 18
UNIT 1 AND UNIT 2
MODULE 3: PROSE FICTION

Popular contemporary novelist Stephen King indicated that the main reason any reader might put a
story aside is that that the writer may have gotten lost in the intricacies of his descriptions and lost
sight of the story he or she set out to tell. The techniques for telling a story, for bringing action to life
in text form, are what students must look at in their critiques of prose fiction writers. The story is at
the heart of prose fiction, and how that story unfolds and is narrated defines the writer of prose
fiction. An understanding and analysis of narrative techniques will be crucial to the study of this
genre as the writer develops characterisation, the motivation of the characters and the construction
of the plot, and issues are explored via the individual often at odds with his/her society.

SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES

Students should be able to:

1. explain the differences between the novel, novella, and the short story, as well as their sub-
genres;

2. identify different types of novels and their characteristics;

3. assess how meaning is conveyed through the author’s choice of language, literary devices,
and the elements of prose fiction;

4. assess the relationship between structure and meaning, that is, how the author shapes the
novel to obtain the desired meaning;

5. analyse the context in which the chosen texts are written;

6. examine how meaning is affected by context;

7. discuss their own views and the views of critics; and,

8. write informed and independent opinions and judgements about the issues explored in the
chosen texts.

CONTENT

For both Unit 1 and Unit 2, the focus of study should include the following:

1. Forms of prose fiction:

(a) novels;

(b) novellas; and,

(c) short stories.

CXC A15/U2/17 19
UNIT 1 AND UNIT 2
MODULE 3: PROSE FICTION (cont’d)

2. Types of fiction:

(a) fable;

(b) science fiction;

(c) bildungsroman;

(d) romance;

(e) allegory;

(f) picaresque;

(g) gothic;

(h) historical;

(i) stream of consciousness narrative;

(j) detective; and,

(k) epistolary.

3. (a) Choice of language pays attention to the issue of form, as well as the stylistic and
linguistic choices of prose fiction writers in conveying meaning. Carefully consider, for
example, the effectiveness of diction (word choice) in creating or impacting theme,
mood, imagery, and symbolism.

(b) Literary devices:

(i) imagery;

(ii) symbol;

(iii) irony;

(iv) satire; and,

(v) allusion.

CXC A15/U2/17 20
UNIT 1 AND UNIT 2
MODULE 3: PROSE FICTION (cont’d)

(c) Elements of prose fiction:

(i) narrative technique;

(ii) point of view;

(iii) characterisation;

(iv) setting;

(v) theme;

(vi) plot; and,

(vii) style.

4. Structural devices:

(a) stream of consciousness;

(b) interior monologue;

(c) flashback;

(d) foreshadowing;

(e) chapter organisation;

(f) time frame;

(g) motif; and,

(h) juxtaposition.

5. Literary context can be varied and wide-ranging, to include:

(a) social;

(b) historical;

(c) political;

(d) religious;

(e) ethnic;

CXC A15/U2/17 21
UNIT 1 AND UNIT 2
MODULE 3: PROSE FICTION (cont’d)

(f) moral;

(g) intellectual;

(h) cultural;

(i) physical;

(j) psychological; and,

(k) biographical.

6. The views of different critics.

7. Views of critics with a personal, informed response to contextual issues within the text.

8. Issues explored through prose fiction.

Suggested Teaching and Learning Activities

To facilitate students’ attainment of the objectives of this Module, teachers are advised to engage
students in the teaching and learning activities listed below.

1. Engage students in completing worksheet questions on significant aspects of prose fiction, for
example, prose rhythm, diction, and point of view. Direct students’ attention to specific pages
of the text, requiring them to examine closely the author’s use of language and narrative
technique.

2. Engage students in listening to recordings, view videotapes, DVDs, and movies of texts so that
students may enhance their understanding and appreciation of the auditory and visual
dimensions.

3. Invite resource persons such as authors, literary experts, and historians to share ideas on the
text.

4. Encourage students to write diary/journal entries, letters, blogs, e-mails, and short
imaginative pieces on various aspects of the prescribed texts, for example, “A Day in the Life
of ….”.

5. Encourage students to participate in role playing and dramatised readings.

6. Have students work in groups to explore the unique elements of an author’s narrative
techniques; for example, the epistolary device used in Aunt Jen, or the use of caricature in
Dickens’ Hard Times.

CXC A15/U2/17 22
UNIT 1 AND UNIT 2
MODULE 3: PROSE FICTION (cont’d)

7. Organise debates and the assessment of different critical responses to texts to help students
recognise that there are various acceptable interpretations of any given text.

8. Have students practise writing critical essays which show evidence of an understanding of the
vocabulary specific to prose fiction, and which present and defend clear positions in response
to given stimuli.

9. Encourage students to use graphic organisers to map out thematic concerns and structural
techniques evident in two works of prose fiction. Afterwards, extend the graphical maps to
create an essay that compares and contrasts the two works of prose fiction, paying attention
to the themes and techniques/structure.

10. Organise reading quizzes in which students are given specific questions on aspects of plot,
characterisation and setting to which they must respond in writing in a set time frame.

11. Using the Socratic method (of asking and answering questions), direct students to aspects of
the texts so as to stimulate critical thinking, to draw out ideas, and to examine assumptions
about the relationship between themes and techniques.

RESOURCES

Ashcroft, G. and Tiffin The Empire Writes Back, London: Routledge, 1985.

Daiches, D. The Novel and the Modern World, Chicago: University of Chicago Press,
1984.

King, B. West Indian Literature, London: Macmillan, 1995.

Lane, R. The Postcolonial Novel: Themes in 20th Century Literature and Culture.
Cambridge: Polity, 2006.

Peck, J. How to Study a Novel, London: Macmillan, 1988.

Ramchand, K. The West Indian Novel and Its Background, 2nd Edition. Kingston: Ian
Randle Publishers, 2004.

Roberts, E. V. Writing about literature, 12th Edition. New Jersey: Pearson Education, Inc.,
2009.

Scarry, S. & Scarry, J. The writer’s workplace: Building college writing skills, 9th Edition. New
York: Wadsworth Publishing, 2010.

Wright, Austin, editor. Victorian Literature: Modern Essays in Criticism. Oxford University Press,
1968.

CXC A15/U2/17 23
 PRESCRIBED TEXTS – UNIT 1
The list of prescribed texts for the 2018–2022 examinations.

Module 1: Drama: Shakespeare – Comedies and Histories.

Shakespeare: Comedies and Histories

1. The Taming of the Shrew

2. Richard II

Module 2: Poetry: British, American and Postcolonial.

1. British

Wilfred Owen Selected Poems

2. American

Rita Dove Mother Love

3. Postcolonial

Seamus Heaney Selected Poems

Module 3: Prose Fiction: Caribbean, British, American and Postcolonial.

Students must select one text from (1) AND one text from EITHER (2), (3) OR (4).

1. Caribbean

(a) Paulette Ramsay Aunt Jen

(b) V.S. Naipaul A House for Mr Biswas

2. British

Jane Austen Pride and Prejudice

3. American

E.L. Doctorow Ragtime

4. Postcolonial

Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie Purple Hibiscus

CXC A15/U2/17 24
 PRESCRIBED TEXTS – UNIT 2
The list of prescribed texts for the 2018–2022 examinations.

Module 1: Drama: Shakespeare – Tragedies, Romances and Modern Drama

Students MUST select one text from (1) and one text from (2).

1. Shakespeare: Tragedies and Romances

(a) Antony and Cleopatra

(b) Cymbeline

2. Modern Drama

(a) Lorraine Hansberry A Raisin in the Sun

(b) Dennis Scott An Echo in the Bone

Module 2: Poetry: Caribbean

− Caribbean

(a) Lorna Goodison Selected Poems

(b) Mark McWatt The Language of Eldorado

Module 3: Prose Fiction: British, American and Postcolonial

1. British

Charles Dickens Hard Times

2. American

Octavia Butler Parable of the Sower

3. Postcolonial

Bessie Head Maru

CXC A15/U2/17 25
 OUTLINE OF ASSESSMENT
Each Unit of the syllabus will be assessed separately. The assessment comprises two components, one
external and one internal. Candidates must complete the School-Based Assessment for the first Unit
for which they register. Candidates may carry forward their School-Based Assessment score to the
second Unit. Such candidates are not required to complete the School-Based Assessment component
for the second Unit.

The scheme of assessment for each Unit is the same. Candidates’ performance on each Unit is
reported as an overall grade and a grade on each Module of the Unit.

EXTERNAL ASSESSMENT (79%)

Written Papers 5 hours

Paper 01
(2 hours) A Multiple-choice paper with questions 21%
on all three Modules. Candidates are
required to answer all 45 questions on
Paper 01.

Paper 02 An extended-essay paper in three 58%

(3 hours) sections, with questions on all three
Modules. Candidates must answer
three questions, one from each section.

SCHOOL-BASED ASSESSMENT (21%)

Paper 031

The School-Based Assessment for each Unit is as follows:

1. Candidates’ interpretation of some aspects of a prescribed play or poem, or an extract from

prose fiction.

OR

2. A critical response to a review of a prescribed play or poem or prose extract.

OR

3. A review of a live performance or a film adaptation of a prescribed text.

OR

4. A review of a prescribed text.

CXC A15/U2/17 26
Paper 032

Private candidates are required to write Paper 032, an alternative to the School-Based Assessment
paper.

Candidates must write a critical appreciation of an excerpt from a play, a poem and a prose extract.

MODERATION OF SCHOOL-BASED ASSESSMENT

All School-Based Assessment Record Sheets and sample of assignments must be submitted to CXC®
by 31 May of the year of the examination. A sample of assignments will be requested by CXC® for
moderation purposes. These samples will be re-assessed by CXC® Examiners who moderate the
School-Based Assessment. Teachers’ marks may be adjusted as a result of moderation. The Examiners’
comments will be sent to schools.

Copies of the students’ assignments that are not submitted must be retained by the school until three
months after publication by CXC® of the examination results.

ASSESSMENT DETAILS

External Assessment by Written Papers (79% of Total Assessment)

Paper 01 (2 hours, 21% of Total Assessment)

1. Composition of the Paper

This paper consists of 45 compulsory multiple-choice questions based on THREE unseen

extracts, ONE from each literary genre. There will be 15 questions on each unseen extract.

2. Award of Marks

Marks will be awarded for knowledge, understanding, and application of knowledge.

3. Mark Allocation

Each question is worth 1 mark.

This paper is worth 45 marks and contributes 21 per cent to the total assessment.

Paper 02 (3 hours, 58% of Total Assessment)

1. Composition of the Paper

This is an extended essay paper in three sections, each section representing one of the three
Modules of the Unit. Candidates must answer three questions, one from each section.

CXC A15/U2/17 27
 Unit 1

Section A (Drama) will comprise two questions, ONE on each of the prescribed texts.
Candidates must answer ONE question.

Section B (Poetry) will comprise two questions on the three prescribed poets. Candidates must
answer ONE question with reference to one of the prescribed poets.

Section C (Prose Fiction) will comprise two questions of which candidates must answer ONE.
Candidates must answer one question with reference to two of the prescribed texts.
Candidates must use ONE Caribbean text AND EITHER ONE British, OR ONE American, OR ONE
Postcolonial text.

Unit 2

Section A (Drama) will comprise two questions of which candidates must answer ONE.
Candidates must use ONE of the prescribed works of Shakespeare AND ONE of the prescribed
works of Modern Drama.

Section B (Poetry) will comprise two questions, one on each of the prescribed poets.
Candidates must answer ONE question.

Section C (Prose Fiction) will comprise two questions. Candidates must answer ONE question
with reference to ONE of the three prescribed texts.

2. Award of Marks

Marks will be awarded for knowledge and understanding, application of knowledge, and
organisation of information.

3. Mark Allocation

Each section is worth 40 marks. This paper contributes 58 per cent to the total assessment.

SCHOOL-BASED ASSESSMENT (21% of Total Assessment)

School-Based Assessment is an integral part of the students’ assessment of the course of study
covered by this syllabus. It is intended to assist the students in acquiring certain knowledge, skills and
attitudes that are associated with the subject. The activities for the School-Based Assessment are
linked to the syllabus and should form part of the learning activities to enable the students to achieve
the objectives of the syllabus.

During the course of study for the subject, students obtain marks for the competence they develop
and demonstrate in undertaking their School-Based Assessment assignments. These marks contribute
to the final marks and grades that are awarded to the students for their performance in the
examination.

The guidelines provided in this syllabus for selecting appropriate tasks are intended to assist teachers
and students in selecting assignments that are valid for the purpose of School-Based Assessment. The
guidelines provided for the assessment of these assignments are also intended to assist teachers in
awarding marks that are reliable estimates of the achievements of students in the School-Based

CXC A15/U2/17 28
Assessment component of the course. In order to ensure that the scores awarded are in line with the
CXC® standards, the Council undertakes the moderation of a sample of the School-Based Assessments
marked by each teacher.

School-Based Assessment provides an opportunity to individualise a part of the curriculum to meet

the needs of the student. Given that teachers and students collaborate to select the SBA project
(based on the guidelines listed on pages 29–30), it facilitates feedback to the students at various stages
of the process. This helps to build the self-confidence of the students as they proceed with their
studies. School-Based Assessment also facilitates the development of the critical skills and abilities
emphasised by this CAPE® subject and enhances the validity of the examination on which the students’
performance is reported. School-Based Assessment, therefore, makes a significant and unique
contribution to both the development of the relevant skills and the testing and rewarding of the
students.

The School-Based Assessments must be undertaken EITHER as an individual OR as a small group

assignment. All assignments must be submitted electronically. Teachers will mark this assignment
according to the guidelines and School-Based Assessment criteria set out in the syllabus.

The School-Based Assessment comprises one of the following:

EITHER

1. Students’ interpretation of some aspect of a prescribed play, poem, or an extract from prose
fiction. This may be in the form of one of the following:

(a) *a reinterpretation;

(b) **a response in dramatic, poetic, or prose form;

(c) a model, a cartoon strip, or a painting; and,

(d) a videotape or an audiotape.

Students must provide a commentary of how his/her interpretation of the prescribed text is
reinforced by his/her artistic choices. This commentary must include close reference to the
prescribed text as well as:

(a) an explanation of and justification for his/her choices; and,

(b) an evaluation of the effects of his/her choice.

Length of commentary should be 1,500 words. Teachers should note that it is the detailed
commentary that is marked, not the reinterpretation or other creative pieces.

* A "reinterpretation" is a new way of reading the original text which might involve shifting time and/or
context, so that it can be seen how the story might carry new dimensions if it is set in modern times.
Romeo and Juliet might be reinterpreted as about Mexican gangs or Julius Caesar might refer to
Caribbean political parties. Any kind of a re-contextualisation or any shifting in the lenses from which
the original story is viewed, is a “reinterpretation”. This is typical of many dramatic productions.

**A "response" might be: what has this story triggered in me to create something else, or it could be
something that emerges from that original story. How might I extend the original story? What new
creative work does it inspire in me? It might also include how my personal circumstances (as in reader
response theory) inform the way I receive these texts.

CXC A15/U2/17 29
OR

2. A review of a prescribed play, collection of poems or work of prose fiction.

This should include:

(a) biographical data and summary of text; and,

(b) an evaluation of the author’s choices and presentation of material.

Length of the review should be 1,500 words.

OR

A critical response to a creditable review of a prescribed play, poem or prose extract. Students
must include the original or actual review article together with their response.
This should include:

(a) a summary of the reviewer’s argument; and,

(b) an evaluation of the effectiveness of the argument.

Length of critical response should be 1,500 words.

OR

3. A review of a live performance or a film adaptation of a prescribed text.

This should include:

(a) a concise description of the performance; and,

(b) an evaluation of the effectiveness of the performance.

Length of review should be 1,500 words.

Wherever a candidate exceeds the maximum length for the assignment in any Unit by more than 10
per cent, the teacher must impose a penalty of 10 per cent of the score that the candidate achieves
on this assignment.

MARK SCHEME FOR SCHOOL-BASED ASSESSMENT

A maximum of 45 marks will be awarded for the School-Based Assessment, according to the criteria
on pages 31-32. This contributes 21% to the total assessment.

CXC A15/U2/17 30
 CRITERIA MARKS
Knowledge and Understanding (see page 2) 15
Candidate shows an excellent knowledge and understanding of the features and
characteristics of the genre, the context of and critical responses to the set text. 14 -15

Candidate shows a very good knowledge and understanding of the features and
characteristics of the genre, the context of and critical responses to the set text. 12 -13

Candidate shows a good knowledge and understanding of the features and characteristics
of the genre, the context of and critical responses to the set text. 10 - 11

Candidate shows a satisfactory knowledge and understanding of the features and

characteristics of the genre, the context of and critical responses to the set text. 8-9

Candidate shows acceptable knowledge and understanding of the features and

characteristics of the genre, the context of and critical responses to the set text. 6-7

Candidate shows a limited knowledge and understanding of the features and characteristics
of the genre, the context of and critical responses to the set text. 4-5

Candidate shows a very limited or no knowledge and understanding of the features and
characteristics of the genre, the context of and critical responses to the set text. 0-3

Application of Knowledge (see page 3) 20

Candidate applies knowledge relevantly and accurately to the question; analyses,
synthesises, and evaluates issues in a highly effective manner and demonstrates an excellent 19 - 20
informed personal response to the set text.

Candidate applies knowledge relevantly and accurately to the question; analyses,

synthesises, and evaluates issues in a very effective manner and demonstrates a very good 16 - 18
informed personal response to the set text.

Candidate applies knowledge relevantly and accurately to the question; analyses,

synthesises, and evaluates issues in an effective manner and demonstrates a good informed 13 - 15
personal response to the set text.

Candidate applies knowledge relevantly and accurately to the question; analyses,

synthesises, and evaluates issues in a satisfactory manner and demonstrates a satisfactory 10 -12
informed personal response to the set text.

Candidate applies knowledge relevantly and accurately to the question; analyses,

synthesises, and evaluates issues in an acceptable manner and demonstrates an acceptable 7-9
informed personal response to the set text.

Candidate applies knowledge with limited relevance and accuracy to the question; analyses,
synthesises, and evaluates issues in a weak manner and demonstrates an uninformed 4-6
personal response to the set text.

Candidate shows little or no knowledge of the set text and little or no skill in analysing,
synthesing, and evaluating information necessary to handling the question. 0-3

CXC A15/U2/17 31
 CRITERIA MARKS
Organisation of Information (see page 3) 10
Candidate organises information coherently and effectively and communicates ideas with
excellent use of syntax, grammar and language. 9 - 10

Candidate organises information coherently and effectively and communicates ideas with
good use of syntax, grammar and language. 7-8

Candidate organises information with some coherence and effectiveness and communicates
ideas with satisfactory use of syntax, grammar and language. 5-6

Candidate organises information with acceptable coherence and effectiveness and

communicates ideas with barely acceptable use of syntax, grammar and language. 3-4

Candidate shows very limited or no ability in organising and communicating information.

0-2

The total marks awarded to each candidate will be divided by three to arrive at the module mark.

 REGULATIONS FOR PRIVATE CANDIDATES

UNIT 1 and UNIT 2

Private candidates will be required to write Papers 01, 02 and 032. Paper 032 takes the form of a
written examination (2½ hours duration). Paper 032 will test the same skills as the School-Based
Assessment. Paper 032 is an extended essay paper consisting of three questions, one on each of the
Modules. Candidates must write a critical appreciation of an excerpt from a play, a poem and a prose
extract

 REGULATIONS FOR RESIT CANDIDATES

Resit candidates must complete Papers 01 and 02 of the examination for the year for which they re-
register. Resit candidates may elect not to repeat the School-Based Assessment component of the
examination provided they resit the examination no later than two years following the first attempt.
Candidates may elect to carry forward their School-Based Assessment score on more than one
occasion during the two years following the first sitting of the examination.

Resit candidates must be entered through a school, a recognised educational institution, or the Local
Registrar’s Office.

CXC A15/U2/17 32
 ASSESSMENT GRID
The Assessment Grid for each Unit contains marks assigned to papers and to Modules, and percentage
contributions of each paper to total scores.

Module 1 Module 2 Module 3 Total (%)

Drama Poetry Prose Fiction
External Assessment
Paper 01 15 15 15 45 (21%)
(Multiple Choice)
(2 hours)

Paper 02
(Essay) 40 40 40 120 (58%)
(3 hours)

School-Based
Assessment,
Paper 031 15 15 15 45 (21%)
OR
the Alternative, Paper 032
(2 hours 30 minutes)

Total 70 70 70 210 (100)

CXC A15/U2/17 33
 GLOSSARY OF LITERARY CONCEPTS OFTEN USED IN THE CAPE®
LITERATURES IN ENGLISH EXAMINATION

WORD/TERM DEFINITION/MEANING

Dramatic significance This refers to the elements of drama, acting in unity to effect the
purpose of the play. If something is dramatically significant it may
serve to advance the plot, develop a character, heighten the
conflict, create audience expectancy and create irony.

Features and Characteristics These are the features and uses that together create, the entity
of the genre known as drama, poetry or prose fiction. For example, setting is a
feature common to all three, but it can be characterised
differently in each. In drama setting may depend on a stage
direction, in poetry it may be captured in one line, while in prose
fiction, setting may be described at great length.

Figurative devices Any use of language where the intended meaning differs from the
actual literal meaning of the words themselves in order to achieve
some special meaning or effect is described as figurative use of
language. Perhaps the two most common figurative devices are
the simile and the metaphor. There are many techniques which
can rightly be called figurative language, including hyperbole,
personification, onomatopoeia, verbal irony, and oxymoron.
Figures of speech are figurative devices.

Form Although sometimes interchangeable with the word “structure”,

there are slight differences. Form refers to the visible
arrangement of the text in terms of its organisation and/or
genre/sub-genre. More specifically, it relates to the way in which
a writer/poet/dramatist manipulates the elements of the genre
for a particular effect and to convey meaning. As such, form
entails aspects of style, language, symbolism and imagery.

Genre A type or category of literature or film marked by certain shared

features. The three broadest categories of genre include poetry,
drama, and prose fiction. These general genres are often
subdivided into more specific genres and subgenres. For instance,
precise examples of genres might include murder mysteries,
romances, sonnets, lyric poetry, epics, tragedies and comedies.

Intertextuality This is where echoes and threads of other texts are heard and
seen within a given text. For example, Hansberry’s A Raisin in the
Sun by its very title resonates with the hopes and aspirations
alluded to in Langston Hughes’ poem of the same name.
Intertexuality is evident in elements of repetition, annotation,
quotation, allusion, parody and revision.

CXC A15/U2/17 34
WORD/TERM DEFINITION/MEANING

Juxtaposition The arrangement of two or more ideas, characters, actions,

settings, phrases, or words side-by-side or in similar narrative
moments for the purpose of comparison, contrasts, rhetorical
effect, suspense, or character development.

Literary devices Literary devices refer to specific aspects of literature, in the sense
of their universal function as an art form that expresses ideas
through language, which we can recognise, identify, interpret
and/or analyse. Literary devices collectively comprise the art
form’s components; the means by which authors create meaning
through language, and by which readers gain understanding of
and appreciation for their works. Both literary elements and
literary techniques can rightly be called literary devices. Literary
elements refer to particular identifiable characteristics of a whole
text. For example, every story has a theme, a setting, a conflict,
and every story is written from a particular point-of-view. In order
to be discussed legitimately as part of a textual analysis, literary
elements must be specifically identified for that particular
text. Literary techniques refer to any specific, deliberate
constructions or choices of language which an author uses to
convey meaning in a particular way. An author’s use of a literary
technique usually occurs with a single word or phrase, or a
particular group of words or phrases, at one single point in a text.
Unlike literary elements, literary techniques are not necessarily
present in every text; they represent deliberate, conscious
choices by individual authors.

Narrative strategies/techniques A narrative is a collection of events that tell a story, which may be
true or not, placed in a particular order and recounted through
either telling or writing. Narrative strategies/techniques are the
means by which the story is told. A narrative has a sequence in
which the events are told. Most novels and short stories are
placed into the categories of first-person and third-person
narratives, which are based on who is telling the story and from
what perspective. Point of view is an example of a narrative
strategy/ technique.

Spectacle A display that is large, lavish, unusual, and striking, usually

employed as much for its own effect as for its role in a work. For
example, the appearance of the witches in Macbeth and the
arrival of Banquo’s ghost at the feast are examples of spectacle.
Spectacle often occurs in drama, but can also be found in the
novel.

Structure Although used interchangeably with the word “form”, there are
slight differences. Structure refers to more than what is
immediately visible in terms of the arrangement of a text. It is the
frame of a work. It focuses on the internal development and
relationships between the different parts/elements of a text. It

CXC A15/U2/17 35