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625837110-Writer-s-Effect-Notes

Writer's Effect refers to the impact an author's language has on readers, influencing their intellect, imagination, emotions, aesthetics, and physical sensations. The document discusses the importance of understanding literal and contextual meanings, as well as connotation and denotation, with examples illustrating implicit and explicit meanings. It provides guidance on analyzing language choices, focusing on elements like adjectives, adverbs, figurative language, and various literary techniques to convey the writer's effect.

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Amber Farhan
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9 views

625837110-Writer-s-Effect-Notes

Writer's Effect refers to the impact an author's language has on readers, influencing their intellect, imagination, emotions, aesthetics, and physical sensations. The document discusses the importance of understanding literal and contextual meanings, as well as connotation and denotation, with examples illustrating implicit and explicit meanings. It provides guidance on analyzing language choices, focusing on elements like adjectives, adverbs, figurative language, and various literary techniques to convey the writer's effect.

Uploaded by

Amber Farhan
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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UNIT 4 WRITER’S EFFECT

Writer’s Effect is the effect on the reader created by an author’s words. This effect could
be to stimulate our senses or convey a scene, idea or emotion. Often you will not only
have to explain the meaning of the words used in a particular text, but also explain how
they would suggest a particular idea, emotion, feeling, or aspect of character.

• Intellectually – by conveying ideas / impressions / suggestions to the reader

• Imaginatively – by conveying sensory impressions to the reader, especially visual and


auditory effects

• Emotionally – by creating feelings within the reader, e.g. excitement, fear, pity, anger,
suspense (e.g. a character’s trauma may well lead to a reader’s excitement and
suspense, i.e. an adrenaline-fuelled thrill ride for the reader at the character’s expense.)

• Aesthetically – by appealing to the reader’s sense of what is beautiful

• Physically –particular words or phrases may help to generate the moments of high
intensity which make this possible

Literal Meaning and Contextual Meaning:

Literal meaning is the actual meaning of the word whereas context means the details
around the word or phrase that help to determine its meaning.

Connotation and Denotation


The act of reading between the lines leads to an understanding of connotation and
denotation.
• Denotation refers to the direct meaning or the dictionary meaning of the given text/
word. It is also called the explicit meaning.
• Connotation refers to the indirect/ implied meaning of the given text. It is also called the
implicit meaning.

Examples of Implicit and Explicit meanings:

Consider the following extract from the story – “The ant and the grasshopper”

The grasshopper laughed at the ant and said, “ Stop your silly work and have fun with me!”.
“No”, said the ant, “I am gathering food for winter. You must do that too.”

“Haha, right now, I have plenty to eat. Why should I worry now?” laughed the grasshopper.
Based on the information, we know that the grasshopper laughed at the ant as it is clearly
mentioned in the text. So that is explicit information.

“Haha, right now, I have plenty to eat. Why should I worry now?” From these lines we can
infer that the grasshopper is lazy. Even though it isn’t mentioned in the text, readers can
conclude about the grasshopper’s character. So this is implicit information.

How to approach the question?

This question asks you to analyse the writer’s language choices. You need to select words which
create images and write PEA paragraphs about them (Point, Evidence, Analyse).

1. Read the question.

2. Draw a box/circle around the relevant paragraph for question 2(a) and 2(b)

3. Underline words and phrases you will use – annotate each for any senses, emotions,
atmosphere and IMAGE they create. Make sure they are relevant to the question.

Points to look for in a passage to write the writer’s effect:

1. Adjectives: Adjectives like harsh excruciating etc are used to create specific picture in readers
mind. You should explain why is that word used? What is the effect conveyed.

2. Adverbs: Adverbs like “carefully’ ‘quietly’etc are added to add more details to an action.
You should explain why is it added and what detail do they provide in the passage.
3. Figurative Language

 Alliteration: Alliterations are also used in the passage by the writer. They are repetitions
of sounds at the beginning of words eg. Cruel Catherine. They are used to add stress.
Explain why is it used and what stress do they give to the meaning.

 Simile: comparisons using as or like. Explain the simile.

 Onomatopoeia: Sounds similar to the described object what it is Why is the sound
important? Explain to give meaning and sense to it.

 Personification: Making an object like person or animal is personification. Explain the


effect of using personification and the effect it creates in the passage.

 Metaphor: Image created by referring something is a metaphor eg. Camel is the ship of
the desert. Explain why is it relevant and what is it compared to.

4. Colour: Colours like red,blue, yellow create images and can affect atmosphere of the
passage. You should explain what it is and why is it used.

5.Contrast: Contrast is used effectively in passages to show differences. eg. beauty and the
beast. Innocent criminal etc. Explain the effective use of those contrasts and how they affect
the mood and meaning of the passages.

6.Exclamations: Exclamations express shock, horror, anger,etc.They are used to portray


emotions and show how a character reacts or is feeling. You should detail their emotions.

7.Humour:Making a situation funny. Explain how the writer used humour to make the situation
funny.

8.Imagery: Shock, horror, anger etc. portrayed using a variety of sensory details. You should
explain how character reacts or feels.
9. Juxtaposition: Positioning of two words , phrases, or ideas next to or near is juxtaposition

Eg Clever Carol and Stupid Stephan. Explain why the author used it and how effective it is.

10. Negative diction :words that are negative. Cruel,evil,dark etc. explain how those words
convey negative meaning.

11. Positive diction: Words like happy, joy, etc. Explain how the positive diction add positive
feelings to the passage and character.

12.Sentence length: Long sentences or short sentences. Explain how the length of the sentence
created meaning to the passage or character.

13. Verbs: Explain in detail the effective use of verbs in conveying meaning.

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