Scottish Advanced Higher English Syllabus

What is 'catharsis' in Aristotelian tragic theory?

The purging or purification of the audience's emotions - particularly pity and fear - achieved through witnessing the tragic action, leaving them emotionally cleansed or balanced.

Define the dramatic 'unities' as described by classical/neoclassical theory.

The three unities: unity of action (a single main plot), unity of time (events within roughly 24 hours), and unity of place (a single location). Derived from interpretations of Aristotle's Poetics.

What is the difference between 'tone' and 'mood' in a text?

Tone is the writer's or speaker's attitude toward the subject or audience (e.g. ironic, reverent). Mood is the emotional atmosphere the text creates in the reader (e.g. foreboding, joyful).

Define 'register' in linguistic terms.

Register is the level of formality and the variety of language appropriate to a particular context, audience or purpose - ranging from frozen/formal to casual/intimate, shaped by word choice, syntax and tone.

What is 'syntax' and why is sentence structure analysed in close reading?

Syntax is the arrangement of words and phrases into sentences. Analysing it (e.g. short vs. periodic sentences, inversion, listing, parenthesis) reveals pacing, emphasis, control and emotional effect.

Distinguish a 'periodic sentence' from a 'loose (cumulative) sentence'.

A periodic sentence withholds its main clause until the end, building suspense; a loose sentence states the main idea first then adds modifying detail, creating a relaxed, conversational flow.

Define 'anaphora' and give its rhetorical effect.

Anaphora is the repetition of the same word(s) at the beginning of successive clauses or lines. It creates emphasis, rhythm, momentum and emotional intensity (e.g. Churchill's 'We shall fight...').

What is 'sibilance', and how does it differ from 'alliteration' and 'assonance'?

Sibilance repeats 's'/soft 'sh' sounds (a hissing effect). Alliteration repeats initial consonant sounds across words; assonance repeats internal vowel sounds. All are forms of sound patterning.

Define 'onomatopoeia' with examples.

Words whose sound imitates their meaning, e.g. 'buzz', 'crash', 'murmur', 'sizzle'. Used to make description vivid and immersive by reproducing the sound being described.

What is 'pathetic fallacy' and how does it differ from 'personification'?

Pathetic fallacy attributes human emotions to nature or weather to reflect mood (e.g. a storm mirroring turmoil). Personification more broadly gives human qualities to any non-human thing or abstract idea.

Define 'motif' and distinguish it from 'theme'.

A motif is a recurring image, symbol, word or idea that develops or reinforces a text's concerns. A theme is the underlying central idea or message the text explores; motifs help build themes.

What is 'symbolism' in literature?

The use of an object, character, colour or action to represent a larger abstract idea or meaning beyond its literal sense (e.g. a green light symbolising aspiration and unattainable desire).

Define 'bildungsroman' as a prose fiction genre.

A 'novel of formation' tracing the psychological and moral growth of a protagonist from youth to maturity, focusing on their education, experiences and development of identity.

What is a 'frame narrative'?

A story within a story, in which a primary (frame) narrative introduces and surrounds one or more embedded narratives - e.g. a character recounting a tale, which becomes the inner story.

Define 'foreshadowing' and 'flashback (analepsis)' as structural devices.

Foreshadowing plants hints of events to come, building anticipation. Flashback (analepsis) interrupts chronology to depict an earlier event, providing background or motivation. Its opposite is prolepsis (flash-forward).

What is the purpose of 'comparative analysis' in Advanced Higher literary study?

To examine two or more texts side by side, identifying similarities and differences in theme, technique, form, context and effect, and to construct an evaluative argument about how each handles a shared concern.

Name three valid bases of comparison when comparing two literary texts.

Shared theme or central concern; comparable technique, form or genre; and contrasting authorial purpose, perspective or context. Comparison should be analytical (how/why they differ) rather than merely listing parallels.

In the Advanced Higher dissertation, what is the recommended approach to comparing texts rather than 'text 1 then text 2'?

An integrated, point-by-point (thematic) structure - each paragraph develops a comparative idea drawing on both texts together - rather than a 'block' structure handling each text separately, which weakens comparison.

What is 'contextual interpretation' and what types of context can illuminate a text?

Reading a text in light of factors surrounding its creation and reception. Contexts include historical, social, biographical, political, literary/generic, philosophical and cultural - all of which can deepen interpretation.

Distinguish 'context of production' from 'context of reception'.

Context of production concerns circumstances of the text's writing (author's life, era, contemporary events). Context of reception concerns how audiences across different times and cultures have read and interpreted it.

What is a 'critical source' (secondary source) and how should it be used in an essay?

A critic's published interpretation or scholarship about a text. It should be used to support, challenge or develop your own argument - quoted briefly, attributed, and engaged with critically, not merely reproduced.

What is the difference between a 'primary source' and a 'secondary source' in literary research?

A primary source is the literary text itself (the novel, poem, play). A secondary source is critical or scholarly writing about that text - reviews, essays, books and articles offering interpretation or analysis.

Why must quotations and ideas from critical sources be referenced, and what risk does failure pose?

To credit the original author, allow verification, and demonstrate scholarship. Failure constitutes plagiarism, which carries academic penalties and undermines the integrity of the argument.

What is the recommended structure of a sustained critical essay (e.g. dissertation)?

Introduction (thesis, texts, line of argument), a logically sequenced body of analytical paragraphs each advancing the argument with evidence, and a conclusion that synthesises findings and answers the question. Each paragraph: point, evidence, analysis, link.

What does the 'PEEL/PEA' paragraph structure stand for in critical essay writing?

Point (topic sentence/argument), Evidence (quotation or textual reference), Explanation/Analysis (how the evidence supports the point, analysing technique and effect), and Link (back to thesis or on to the next idea).

Define a strong 'thesis statement' for a critical essay.

A clear, arguable central claim that answers the question, states the essay's line of argument, and gives a sense of direction - not a statement of fact or a description, but a position to be sustained with evidence.

What are the key stages of the 'drafting and editing' (writing) process?

Planning/brainstorming, drafting, revising (reworking content, structure and argument), editing (refining style, word choice, cohesion) and proofreading (correcting grammar, spelling and punctuation). It is recursive, not strictly linear.

Distinguish 'revising', 'editing' and 'proofreading'.

Revising addresses big-picture content, argument and structure. Editing refines sentences, style, clarity and flow. Proofreading is the final surface check for spelling, grammar and punctuation errors.

In the writing portfolio, what distinguishes 'creative/imaginative' writing from 'discursive' writing?

Creative writing (prose fiction, poetry, drama, reflective/personal essay) aims to engage emotionally and aesthetically. Discursive writing (persuasive, argumentative, report) presents ideas, evidence and a reasoned line of thought on an issue.

What is 'reflective writing' and what feature distinguishes it from purely descriptive writing?

Reflective writing explores personal experience while analysing its significance - examining thoughts, feelings, insights and what was learned. Unlike pure description, it interprets and evaluates the experience, conveying self-awareness.

What is a key process step in conducting 'independent literary research' for the dissertation?

Selecting and narrowing a focused topic and question, reading the primary text(s) closely, gathering and evaluating relevant critical sources, taking organised referenced notes, forming an argument, then planning and drafting the essay.