How should I analyse a book or play?

Prose and drama are great fun to analyse, often because there's so much to choose from! Your analysis will be different depending on whether you are given a short extract, or whether you have to discuss the entire novel or play. With a short extract, you should contextualise the extract by explaining where in the text it is from, in order to show that you understand the importance of that extract in that part of the play or novel. However, when you write an answer discussing the whole text, you should pick important 'moments' from different sections of the text to ensure you have a balance of analysis from the beginning, middle, and end. In both of these types of question, you should show that you understand the 'arc' of the text; in the extract question by saying whereabouts it is from, and in the whole text question by showing that you understand how themes, characters and the plot change and develop. Much like analysing poetry, your paragraph structure should use PCQA (point, context, quote, analysis), so that you're getting the most out of the quote that you're using. Choose quotes that allow you to analyse in greater detail, such as those that use particular similes or motifs that are used throughout the play or novel. Also, if you are discussing a piece of drama, make sure that you show that you understand that it is a different form than prose, for example by mentioning stage directions, or how the playwright uses costume, lighting, music, and staging to emphasise a certain point or mood in the play.