Poetry · Short Stories · Treasure Island · Swiss Family Robinson — themes, devices & model answers
| Device | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Simile | compares using "like" or "as" | "Her smile was like the sun." |
| Metaphor | direct comparison, no "like/as" | "Life is a journey." |
| Personification | gives human qualities to non-human things | "The wind whispered." |
| Alliteration | repeated first sounds | "The soft sea swelled." |
| Onomatopoeia | words that sound like their meaning | hiss, buzz, crash |
| Rhyme | same ending sounds | cat / hat |
| Rhythm | the beat or pattern of sounds | strong-weak-strong-weak |
| Imagery | words that create a picture in your mind | "golden sand" |
Point + Evidence + Effect: "The poet uses a simile — 'like the sun' — to show how warm and bright her smile was." (1 mark for naming device + 1 mark for explaining the effect.)
① Exposition (introduce characters & setting) → ② Rising action (events build) → ③ Climax (the turning point) → ④ Falling action → ⑤ Resolution (the ending).
The moral is the lesson the story teaches. To find it, ask: "What does the character learn, or what happened because of their actions?" A good answer states the lesson clearly: "The story teaches that greed leads to trouble, because the greedy fisherman lost everything he had gained."
A young boy named Jim Hawkins finds a map leading to buried pirate treasure. He joins a voyage to the island aboard the ship Hispaniola. The one-legged cook Long John Silver is secretly a pirate who plans to steal the treasure. Jim shows courage and cleverness, and in the end the treasure is recovered.
Brave, honest young hero. Grows from a boy into a resourceful leader.
Cunning one-legged pirate. Charming but treacherous — a complex villain.
Honest adults who organise the treasure voyage.
A family — father, mother and their sons — is shipwrecked on an uncharted island. Using the supplies they rescue from the wreck, their intelligence and teamwork, they build a home, farm the land, tame animals and survive for years. The story celebrates resourcefulness, family unity and the wonder of nature.
The family turns obstacles into opportunities using nature.
They succeed by working together and encouraging one another.
They use the island's gifts wisely instead of destroying them.
The conflict is human vs. nature — the family must battle storms, wild animals, hunger and fear. The moral is that hard work, courage and working as a family can overcome almost any hardship.
Model: "Alliteration — the repeated 's' sound."
Model: "The poet uses alliteration (repeating the 's' sound) to make the line sound sizzling and hot, which helps the reader feel the heat of the sand."
Model: "Jim showed courage when he sneaked onto the pirates' boat and cut it loose, even though he was afraid. This shows he put the safety of his friends first and acted bravely despite the danger."
Model: "The moral is that greed brings unhappiness. The man lost everything because he always wanted more and never felt thankful for what he had."
Model: "They value family unity and teamwork. They survive because they share tasks, support each other and never give up, even when facing dangers on the island."
Read a poem and underline every device you find.
Match 8 short story titles to their themes and morals.
Match characters to their descriptions across both novels.
10 questions on plot, characters and themes.
10 questions on survival, themes and morals.
Mixed 20-mark test with marking scheme.