Topic One (1.1): Introduction to Prose and Prose Forms

 Introduction

In this topic, you will read about two key types of text which are written in the prose form: novels and short stories. You will consider some of the basic elements that comprise these texts and familiarise yourself with the devices to look out for, and terminology to use, when analysing a prose text.

Read and Make Notes

• Remember that the introduction to Mastering English Literature, from pages xxxv to xxxii, gives you an overview of the key study skills needed for English Literature, including how to take effective notes, (which will be a key feature of this course), basic essay writing skills and revision tips, in case you wish to review them.
• Read Chapter One, ‘Stories’, on pages 3 to 8, in Mastering English Literature and make brief notes on the key points.

Tasks

• The following website discusses some of the different types of prose and their conventions:

READ – Prose (Literary Devices) Links to an external site.

• In English Literature, we are concerned with literary prose, including novels and short stories, both of which fall int the category of fiction. These two forms have much in common, but there are some key features of each that you should be aware of. The following websites give an overview:

READ – What is a Short Story? (Cliffs Notes) Links to an external site.

READ – What is a Novel? (ThoughtCo) Links to an external site.

READ – How Do You Analyse a Novel? (Cliffs Notes) Links to an external site.

• This following document provides a checklist of the seven key elements to consider when analysing any prose text. This is another helpful item to print out and keep in your folder.

PRINT OUT & READ – The Basic Elements of Prose Texts Download PRINT OUT & READ – The Basic Elements of Prose Texts

• The next document gives you an overview of key literary terminology you can use when analysing prose texts. We will be exploring some of these concepts more fully later on in this module.

PRINT OUT & READ – Useful Literary Terminology for Analysing Prose Texts Download PRINT OUT & READ – Useful Literary Terminology for Analysing Prose Texts

Terminology

Make sure you understand any new literary terminology covered in this topic. You may like to make flashcards of key terms now, to help you with revision later on.