Close Textual Analysis | English Literature

AO2, literary analysis, is the driving force behind an English Literature essay. It depends upon a close consideration of writers’ choices of language and imagery, as well as an evaluation of wider literary techniques.

One common flaw in learners’ writing is asserting meaning without due analysis and exploration of the supporting text. The top band of AO2 in the assessment criteria refers to the need for ‘perceptive, sophisticated analysis’. Some teachers may call it:

Unpacking quotations
Digging deeper into the language
Zooming in
Writing a lot about a little
Close language analysis
Focused analysis
Word analysis
Exploring meaning

In this section, we are going to focus on close language analysis and suggest one way of practising these skills.

It is important that you are able to expand upon your ideas and analyse language and its effects closely. Here is a template to use:

Choose the word or phrase
Explain the literal meaning
Explain the connotations or implicit meanings (there may be more than one!)
Link back to the question, other poem or theme
Identify the techniques being used
Explain the effect on the reader

Band	AO1 Articulate informed, personal and creative responses to literary texts, using associated concepts and terminology, and coherent, accuratewritten expression 10 marks	AO2 Analyse ways in which meanings are shaped in literary texts 10 marks
5	9-10 marks sophisticated, creative and individual response to poem/extract; ideas are thoughtful and response is fully engaged and relevant confident, perceptive application of literary concepts and terminology effectively organised; demonstrates flair; high levelsof technical accuracy and adopts a clear academic style and register	9-10 marks perceptive, sophisticated analysis and evaluation of writer’s use of language and poetic techniques to create meaning confident and apt textual support confident discussion of implicit meaning
4	7-8 marks clearly informed, engaged and well-structured response with clear knowledge of the poem/extract; sound and apt application of literary concepts and terminology expression is accurate and clear; response is organised and shows some evidence of an academic style and register	7-8 marks sound, accurate analysis and evaluation of writer’s use of language and poetic techniques to create meaning secure, apt textual support sound, secure grasp of implicit meaning
3	5-6 marks clearly engages with poem/extract; and response is mostly relevant some sensible use of key concepts and generally accurate use and application of terminology reasonably coherent response; generally clearly organised; expression generally accurate and clear, though there may be some lapse s	5-6 marks purposeful, detailed and mostly relevant analysis of writer’s use of language and poetic techniques to create meaning generally clear and accurate textual support grasps some implicit meanings
2	3-4 marks attempts to engage with poem/extract; and structure response, though may not always be relevant to the question; response may be restricted to a literal reading some, though may not always be relevant, use of terminology expression may feature some inaccuracies	3-4 marks makes some valid points about use of writer’s use of language and poetic techniques to create meaning supports points by somappropriate reference to poems/extract shows some grasp of implicit meaning
1	1-2 marks superficial approach to poem/extract; that may show only partial/simple understanding some grasp of basic terminology, though this maybe uneven errors in expression and lapses in clarity	1-2 marks identifies basic language and stylistic features discussion tends to benarrative/descriptive in nature offers some support in the form of quotations or references to poem/extract which
0	9-10 marks 0 marks: Response not credit worthy or not attempted.

Band

AO1

Articulate informed, personal and creative responses to literary texts, using associated concepts and terminology, and coherent, accuratewritten expression

10 marks

AO2

Analyse ways in which meanings are shaped in literary texts

10 marks

5

9-10 marks

sophisticated, creative and individual response to poem/extract; ideas are thoughtful and response is fully engaged and relevant
confident, perceptive application of literary concepts and terminology
effectively organised; demonstrates flair; high levelsof technical accuracy and adopts a clear academic style and register

9-10 marks

perceptive, sophisticated analysis and evaluation of writer’s use of language and poetic techniques to create meaning
confident and apt textual support
confident discussion of implicit meaning

4

7-8 marks

clearly informed, engaged and well-structured response with clear knowledge of the poem/extract;
sound and apt application of literary concepts and terminology
expression is accurate and clear; response is organised and shows some evidence of an academic style and register

7-8 marks

sound, accurate analysis and evaluation of writer’s use of language and poetic techniques to create meaning
secure, apt textual support
sound, secure grasp of implicit meaning

3

5-6 marks

clearly engages with poem/extract; and response is mostly relevant
some sensible use of key concepts and generally accurate use and application of terminology
reasonably coherent response; generally clearly organised; expression generally accurate and clear, though there may be some lapse

5-6 marks

purposeful, detailed and mostly relevant analysis of writer’s use of language and poetic techniques to create meaning
generally clear and accurate textual support
grasps some implicit meanings

2

3-4 marks

attempts to engage with poem/extract; and structure response, though may not always be relevant to the question; response may be restricted to a literal reading
some, though may not always be relevant, use of terminology
expression may feature some inaccuracies

3-4 marks

makes some valid points about use of writer’s use of language and poetic techniques to create meaning
supports points by somappropriate reference to poems/extract
shows some grasp of implicit meaning

1

1-2 marks

superficial approach to poem/extract; that may show only partial/simple understanding
some grasp of basic terminology, though this maybe uneven
errors in expression and lapses in clarity

1-2 marks

identifies basic language and stylistic features
discussion tends to benarrative/descriptive in nature
offers some support in the form of quotations or references to poem/extract which

0

9-10 marks

0 marks: Response not credit worthy or not attempted.

The following activity uses the short answer question from the EDUQAS A Level Literature SAMs on Keats:
‘Re-read ‘La Belle Dame Sans Merci’ on page 184. Explore Keats’ use of imagery in this poem.’

We have selected the first piece of imagery for you. Complete the grid below with your own comments on the imagery of ‘lily on thy brow’ from stanza 3. Put in as many ideas as you can.

Once you have written your own ideas, click on the eyes to reveal some suggestions.

		Suggested comments
1	Word or phrase	‘lily on thy brow’
2	Literal meanings	A lily is often a pale flower. A brow is the forehead.
3	Connotations or implicit meanings	Lily – fragile, beautiful, pale, pallor, sickness, death, funerals, over-powering, cloying fragrance, natural, fleshy in texture, sexual connotations with shape, yonic, feminine Brow – intelligence, consciousness, links to sign health
4	Link to question and to other parts of the poem	Imagery used to show the impression she has upon him Imagery is used to show link between sickness and death and beauty Links to ‘fading rose’, ‘fragrant zone’, ‘death pale’ and ‘sedge is withered’
5	Techniques	Metaphor, euphemism
6	Effect on the reader	The beauty is tempting but also fast disappearing. It provides a warning to the knight-at-arms that the reader recognises but he may not. Signals the beginning of the theme of death or sickness linked with beauty. Creates an image of delicacy, beauty, impending disease and death.

Read the following paragraph that uses the ideas from the previous task. Click on the highlights in the paragraph to reveal comments from the examiner.

Keats uses imagery to emphasise that the effect La Belle Dame has on those who admire her is destructive but also beautiful, as she is. There are a number of connotations of ‘lily on thy brow’, such as the feminine beauty of the flower contrasted with its symbolic value as a flower of sickness and death. As a sensual flower, ‘lily’ connotes a delicate beauty in its appearance but also a strong, overpowering scent. This links to the character of the Dame as she attracts men with her beauty, only to enthral and destroy them with her power. Furthermore, the funereal associations of the lily signal to the reader that the knight’s life may be at risk. Finally, its pale colour, strong scent and voluptuous appearance introduce ambiguity with the suggestion of both the appearance of innocence but threat of sickness, reflecting the contradictory nature of La Belle Dame.

This is developed in the ‘fading rose’ which ‘fast withereth’…

Now use the grid below to complete the same task with a different quotation from the poem. You can choose one that has been suggested already in section 4 of the previous grid, or select one of your own.

1	Word or phrase
2	Literal meanings
3	Connotations or implicit meanings
4	Link to question and to other parts of the poem
5	Techniques
6	Effect on the reader

Now try and write your own paragraph using your ideas from the grid which you have just completed.

The work we have completed here is based on the shorter answer questions where AO1 and AO2 are the focus. However, close textual analysis is needed in all aspects of the course. You can use the same skills when approaching longer responses, incorporating links to AO3, AO4 and AO5.

The printable grids are available in the teaching pack.