Here are some prompts for each literary function, literary element, and literary stylistic devices. These can be used to analyse or create, aks students to use these in different cultural contexts and connect to your students’ personal contexts.

  • Literary Function 
  • Foreshadowing – Identify a passage in the text that hints at or suggests something that will happen later in the story. How does the author use foreshadowing to create suspense or build tension? 
  • Irony – Find an example of irony in the text. What is the discrepancy between what is expected and what actually happens? How does the author use irony to reveal character, create humor, or make a comment on society? 
  • Imagery – Analyze a descriptive passage in the text that appeals to one or more of the five senses. How does the author use imagery to create mood, convey meaning, or evoke emotion? 
  • Symbolism – Identify a recurring object, image, or motif in the text that represents something else. What does the symbol represent, and how does it add to the meaning or themes of the work? 
  • Theme – Identify a central idea or message that the author is conveying through the text. How is the theme developed throughout the work, and what does it reveal about the author’s worldview or beliefs? 
  • Literary Element 
  • Characterization – Analyze a character in the text. How is the character developed through their actions, dialogue, and interactions with other characters? What motivates the character, and how does their development contribute to the meaning of the work? 
  • Plot – Analyze the structure of the work. How does the plot unfold, and how does it create tension or conflict? What is the resolution of the plot, and how does it contribute to the meaning or themes of the work? 
  • Setting – Analyze the setting of the work. How does the author use the setting to create mood, convey meaning, or reflect the characters’ experiences? 
  • Point of view – Analyze the point of view from which the story is told. How does the author’s choice of point of view affect the reader’s understanding of the story or characters? 
  • Style – Analyze the author’s style of writing. What literary devices does the author use to create meaning or effect, and how do these devices contribute to the overall style of the work? 
  • Literary Stylistic Device