In a nutshell: A literary extract (a piece of prose fiction) builds a world and a feeling through craft — narrative voice, detail, imagery — so how it's told matters as much as what happens.
In fiction, how it's told is the whole thing.
“The house waited. It had waited a long time, and it had learned to be patient with the living.”
Nothing has ‘happened’ — but you already feel unease. A house that ‘waits’? The narrative voice and imagery create the mood before any plot. Analyse the craft, not just the story.
What to look for
Narrative voice / point of view
Who tells it, and how — first person, or a narrator who knows things — shapes everything.
Selected detail
The chosen details build character and setting; a messy desk tells you about a person.
Imagery and figurative language
Metaphor, simile and vivid images create mood and meaning.
Atmosphere and tension
The writing builds a feeling — dread, warmth, unease — through its choices.
The key move: Ask ‘how does the WAY it's told create character and mood?’ A literary extract works through narrative craft — voice, detail, imagery — not just events.
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Why it matters in the exam: A literary (fiction) extract can appear in Paper 1. A strong answer analyses the narrative craft — voice, imagery, selected detail — and the mood or character it builds, not just the plot.
Analyse how the opening of this short story reveals the character's feelings.
Model answer plan
See the mark-by-mark plan — for / against / judgement, with marking guidance — in study mode.
Watch out: Don't just retell the plot. The marks come from the craft — voice, imagery, chosen detail — and the character or mood it builds.