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The structure of a text refers to its shape as a whole. This can mean the order of the plot events in a story, novel or play.

Think about how the structure works in terms of the effects it creates. Ask yourself why the paragraphs are ordered the way they are. Is it important for us to know certain bits of information before we get to the next part of the text?

Look for links from the beginning to the end of a text. For example, is there a repeated image? Or is there a significant change in an attitude, character or setting?

Structural devices

Structural devices include:

• story arc – has a beginning, a middle and an end, usually with a crisis point that is resolved in the end
• flash-back – the main narrative takes place in one time, but there are episodes from the past
• circular narrative – the last line of a piece takes you back to the beginning of it
• dual narrative - gives two sides of a story, alternating between viewpoints