Topic Ten "tool" summary
In this topic we have analysed the prologue of Jane Gardam's Bilgewater
'to death' (although actually there are other aspects we could have analysed
in addition!) . . .
We have summarised our general understanding of the passage and then
systematically connected aspects of more detailed analysis to that general
interpretative statement, fleshing out that understanding in more an more
detail.
Using the general methodology checksheet, in conjunction with the more
detailed checksheets from earlier in the course, we have looked at aspects
of the passage's lexis, grammar, foregrounded features and context and
cohesion.
By doing this we have seen how our intuitive reading understanding depends
on correlating together features of the text's organisation at different
linguistic levels, and in terms of different modes of analysis.
This has helped us to appreciate the quality of Jane Gardam's writing,
as well as how meanings and effects are created in the passage.
It has also helped us to see how different aspects of analysis need to
be joined together in a complete stylistic analysis of a passage.
Included in the readings for this topic is a published discussion of
the Bilgewater passage we have explored here.
You can get more practice in doing the stylistic analysis of prose fiction
by using the self-assessment mechanism for this part of the course.
This is the end of the Prose section of the
course, you should complete the round up and self assessment before proceding
to the Drama section.
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