English A: Literature

A narrative technique where the narrator adopts the voice, thoughts and perspective of a character without using speech marks or 'he thought/she said' tags. Creates intimacy between reader and character. Used prominently by Jane Austen and Gustave Flaubert.

A turn or shift in thought, tone, or argument within a poem — most commonly at line 9 of a Petrarchan sonnet. Signals a change in direction, a counter-argument, or an emotional shift.

A theme is a central idea or message explored throughout a work (e.g. loss, identity, power). A motif is a recurring image, symbol or pattern that reinforces themes (e.g. mirrors in a text exploring identity). Motifs serve themes.

Latin for 'into the middle of things' — beginning a narrative at a point of action or crisis rather than at the chronological start. Creates immediate tension, prompts questions, and positions the reader as an active interpreter of events.