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HLAI
To help you extend the notes on HLAI (High-Level Analysis of Impact), let's build on the existing structure and provide more examples and insights related to literary devices, their effects, and how to approach this task using a three-step strategy.
The Three-Step Approach to Tackling Language Use for Impact Questions
Step 1: Analyse various literary devices
Literary devices are techniques used by writers to create certain effects in their writing. To identify these devices, it’s important to first highlight the device and determine whether it is a metaphor, simile, personification, imagery, etc.
Examples of Literary Devices:
Metaphor: Directly compares two things without using "like" or "as."
Simile: Compares two things using "like" or "as."
Personification: Giving human characteristics to non-human objects or abstract concepts.
Hyperbole: Exaggeration for emphasis or effect.
Example 1:
"The storm roared in anger."
Highlighting: "storm roared"
Device: Metaphor (the storm is compared to something that can roar, like a wild animal).
Explanation: The use of "roared" personifies the storm, giving it an aggressive, loud, and wild characteristic. This sets the tone for a dangerous or violent storm.
Example 2:
"His room was a pigsty."
Highlighting: "room was a pigsty"
Device: Metaphor (the room is compared to a pigsty, a place associated with filth and disorder).
Explanation: This metaphor emphasizes the disorderliness and messiness of the room, stressing the level of neglect.
Step 2: Explain why the writer chose to use a literary device
Once you've identified a literary device, it's important to ask why the writer chose it. What is the effect? What qualities does the writer want to highlight or draw attention to?
Example 1:
"The lion’s teeth were knives."
Device: Metaphor
Reason: The writer compares the lion's teeth to knives because both knives and teeth are sharp and dangerous. The writer is emphasizing how razor-sharp the lion’s teeth are, which makes them seem more threatening and fierce.
Example 2:
"Her heart was a locked door."
Device: Metaphor
Reason: This metaphor suggests that the character’s emotions or feelings are closed off, inaccessible, or difficult to approach, emphasizing her emotional isolation or reluctance to open up to others.
Example 3:
"The road stretched on like a ribbon."
Device: Simile
Reason: The simile compares the road to a ribbon, emphasizing its smoothness, uniformity, and possibly its never-ending nature. It evokes a sense of continuity or a journey that seems to stretch endlessly.
Step 3: Identify what the writer is emphasising with the literary device
The final step involves identifying what the writer is trying to emphasize. What does this comparison or description tell us about the object, person, or situation?
Example 1:
"The storm roared in anger."
- Emphasis: The metaphor emphasizes the storm's intensity and power, making it feel alive, fierce, and destructive. It suggests that the storm is more than just a weather event—it’s almost a living entity that can express anger.
Example 2:
"His room was a pigsty."
- Emphasis: This metaphor highlights the level of mess and chaos in the room. It emphasizes the disorder and untidiness, possibly suggesting the character’s laziness or lack of care.
Example 3:
"Her heart was a locked door."
- Emphasis: The metaphor focuses on the emotional distance or coldness of the character. It suggests that the character is closed off, unable or unwilling to share her emotions with others, creating a sense of emotional isolation.
More Examples for Practice
Example 1:
"The wind howled through the trees like a wolf on the hunt."
Highlighting: "wind howled like a wolf"
Device: Simile (comparing the wind to a wolf)
Explanation: The writer is using a simile to compare the wind’s howl to the eerie and dangerous sound of a wolf’s cry. This adds a feeling of fear, danger, or wildness to the wind.
What is emphasised: The comparison emphasizes the intensity and wildness of the wind, making it seem untamed and threatening.
Example 2:
"Time is a thief."
Highlighting: "Time is a thief"
Device: Metaphor
Explanation: The metaphor compares time to a thief, suggesting that time steals moments, experiences, or opportunities from us, often without us noticing.
What is emphasised: The metaphor emphasizes the fleeting and often unnoticed nature of time, making it seem like something that takes away precious moments in an almost stealthy way.
Pro Tips for Extending Your Analysis
Identify the Emotional Impact: When analyzing a literary device, consider the emotional impact on the reader. For example, metaphors like "her heart was a locked door" evoke feelings of isolation, while similes like "the wind howled like a wolf" create a sense of fear or unease.
Think About the Context: The literary device might have different meanings depending on the context of the story or poem. For instance, a metaphor comparing something to fire could emphasize passion, destruction, or purification, depending on the surrounding imagery.
Use of Imagery: Writers often use literary devices to create vivid imagery. Consider how metaphors and similes paint pictures in the reader's mind and evoke sensory experiences.
Example of Imagery:
"The scent of the roses filled the air, sweet and intoxicating."
Device: Imagery (sight, smell)
What is emphasised: The sensory richness of the roses. The use of “sweet and intoxicating” emphasizes the power of the scent, possibly implying that the roses’ fragrance is overwhelming or emotionally stirring.
By practicing these steps—analyzing, explaining, and emphasizing—you’ll be able to break down any piece of writing with clarity and depth. Use the above examples and strategies to enhance your understanding and analysis of literary devices, and you’ll find it easier to connect with what the writer is trying to convey.