How do I approach an unseen extract?

When it comes to unseen extracts it is important to consider a wide range of elements that contribute to the overall message being conveyed such as, the structure, the narrative perspective, the setting, the dialogue/voices, the language/imagery implemented, and any rhetorical features within the extract. For structure, you should explore whether there has been a shift at any point. This could be a shift in the tone or even the power dynamic, but it is crucial to make comparisons between the beginning of the extract and the end of the extract in order to explore whether there is a change present that impacts the way in which the extract is received. In relation to the narrative perspective you could determine and argue whether it is a biased perspective, or whether the narrator is known to the reader and this can influence your answer as we as readers relate to narrative voices as we hear the story through their perspective. For the setting you should make yourself aware of any context given to you about the extract, and from that you can use your own historical knowledge to decipher whether there is an event linking to this text, e.g. in Elizabeth Gaskell's 'Mary Barton', the economic depression and industrial revolution in Manchester in the 1830's/40's links to the worker's struggles, thus evidencing their protest of their low wages. By analysing the dialogues and voices present within an extract you may discover that a writer has used a particular character to work as a 'mouthpiece' in conveying their own social criticism, such as J.B.Priestley's character of the Inspector who comments on the lesson that must be taught to the Birling's and British society to prevent 'fire and blood and anguish'. The language and images created by the writer within an extract can allow you to form an argument around the author's intentions and the impact that these might have upon a reader. In addition to this, you could touch on alternative interpretations of the imagery/language to ensure you are hitting all of the assessment objectives. Lastly, by searching for rhetorical features within an extract you can identify moments of power, oppression, superiority or any themes that link to the genre you are studying, enabling you to thoroughly analyse the language and link this to the affect on an audience/reader in relation to your argument as a whole about the extract.