Book Anatomy · The Princess and the Goblin
The Princess and the Goblin: Prose style
17 lenses on prose style for The Princess and the Goblin by George MacDonald. Count lenses are exact for our text. AI lenses are our reading and cite only quotes that passed a word for word check.
Jump to: H1 H2 H3 H4 H5 H6 H7 H8 H9 H10 H11 H12 H13 H14 H15 H16 H17
H1. Readability score per chapter. Count
Flesch reading ease for the whole book is about 76 (higher is easier; 60 to 70 is plain English).
Reading ease per chapter, chapter by chapter
H2. Vocabulary range. Count
4,013 different words. On average 46 in every 100 words are new within a 500 word stretch. 1,839 words appear only once.
H3. Signature words: what this author uses far more than others. Count
princess, grandmother, mountain, goblins, thread. See the full lens on the book page.
H4. Adverb and adjective rates. Count
About 7.61 words ending in 'ly' and 4.94 likely adjectives per 1,000 words. (rough estimate from word lists)
'ly' words per 1,000, chapter by chapter
H5. Share of weak verbs such as "was" and "had". Count
'Was', 'were', 'had', 'is' and 'are' make up 3.3% of all words.
H6. Passive voice rate. Count
About 3.7% of sentences use a passive form such as 'was taken'. (rough estimate from word lists)
H7. Variety of sentence openings. Count
The five most common first words start 32% of sentences: i, the, but, it, she.
| First word | Sentences |
|---|---|
| i | 258 |
| the | 235 |
| but | 201 |
| it | 123 |
| she | 111 |
| he | 106 |
| you | 91 |
| and | 82 |
| they | 74 |
| then | 67 |
H8. Rhythm: how much sentence length varies. Count
Sentence length varies by 0.71 of its mean on average (higher means a more varied rhythm).
Variation per chapter, chapter by chapter
H9. Similes and metaphors: how many, and of what kind. Both
102 likely similes ('like a', 'as ... as'): 1.99 per 1,000 words. (rough estimate from word lists)
Ch 1, para 3: The princess was a sweet little creature, and at the time my story begins was about eight years old, I think, but she got older very fast. Her …
Ch 1, para 5: Now in these subterranean caverns lived a strange race of beings, called by some gnomes, by some kobolds, by some goblins. There was a legend current in the …
Ch 2, para 6: She ran for some distance, turned several times, and then began to be afraid. Very soon she was sure that she had lost the way back. Rooms everywhere, …
Ch 2, para 7: She did not cry long, however, for she was as brave as could be expected of a princess of her age. After a good cry, she got up, …
Ch 2, para 7: She did not cry long, however, for she was as brave as could be expected of a princess of her age. After a good cry, she got up, …
Ch 2, para 7: She did not cry long, however, for she was as brave as could be expected of a princess of her age. After a good cry, she got up, …
Abundant similes comparing goblin features and magical objects to familiar things: feet like split ends, creatures with cat bodies and horse legs, grandmother's hair like a cataract, thread like spider-web. Few metaphors; mostly direct comparison.
Chapters: Ch 8, Ch 14, Ch 15
Just imagine! the ends of her feet were split up into five or six thin pieces! (Ch 8, para 37)
It was like a cat, with legs as long as a horse's, Irene said, but its body no bigger and its legs no thicker than those of a cat (Ch 14, para 7)
Her grandmother was dressed in the loveliest pale blue velvet, over which her hair, no longer white, but of a rich golden colour, streamed like a cataract (Ch 15, para 7)
H10. Senses used: sight, sound, smell, touch, taste. Both
Share of sense words. sight 59%, sound 27%, touch 11%, taste 3%, smell 1%. (rough estimate from word lists)
| Sense | Words |
|---|---|
| sight | 494 |
| sound | 223 |
| touch | 89 |
| taste | 25 |
| smell | 6 |
Sight dominates: descriptions of faces, light, darkness, the invisible thread seen only by believers. Sound: goblin hammers, rhyming songs, thunder. Touch: hand wounds, magical bathing. Smell and taste barely used.
Chapters: Ch 1, Ch 11, Ch 14, Ch 20, Ch 27, Ch 31
Her face was fair and pretty, with eyes like two bits of night sky, each with a star dissolved in the blue. (Ch 1, para 3)
But a great silver globe was hanging in the air; and as she gazed at the lovely thing, her courage revived (Ch 14, para 9)
I thought so, Curdie! I was sure it wasn't a dream. I was sure my grandmother had been to see you. Don't you smell the roses? It was my grandmother healed your leg, and sent you to help me. (Ch 28, para 36)
H11. Repetition, lists of three and other patterns. Both
25 lists of three in the pattern 'a, b and c': 0.49 per 1,000 words. (rough estimate from word lists)
Lists of three appear in goblin plans and Curdie's rhyming songs. Repetition of key phrases: 'great-great-grandmother', 'the thread', 'believe'. Patterns of three-part journeys and three encounters with danger.
Chapters: Ch 9, Ch 19, Ch 21, Ch 27
Ring! dod! bang! Go the hammers' clang! Hit and turn and bore! Whizz and puff and roar! (Ch 6, para 27)
If you do, It will disclose A horrid set Of sprouting toes. (Ch 19, para 38)
One, two, Hit and hew! Three, four, Blast and bore! (Ch 27, para 10)
H12. Old words that may trip modern readers. Count
Old forms that may trip a modern reader: whence, ere, hither, thither, betwixt.
| Word | Times |
|---|---|
| whence | 6 |
| ere | 3 |
| hither | 2 |
| thither | 2 |
| betwixt | 1 |
H13. Showing against telling, with examples. AI
MacDonald shows goblin nature through Curdie's discovery of their soft feet and split toes rather than telling readers they are weak. Shows Irene's growth through her actions dismissing Lootie and taking charge, not through summary.
Chapters: Ch 7, Ch 8, Ch 24, Ch 27
Just imagine! the ends of her feet were split up into five or six thin pieces! (Ch 8, para 37)
he saw to his astonishment that what he had sung in ignorance, to annoy the queen, was actually true: she had six horrible toes. (Ch 21, para 54)
I do not think my papa would wish me to have a nurse who spoke to me as Lootie does. If she thinks I tell lies, she had better either say so to my papa, or go away. (Ch 24, para 22)
H14. How much description comes before action. Both
Description is woven into action throughout. Chapter 3 shows the grandmother through Irene's discovery rather than prior description. Chapter 9 describes the goblin palace as Curdie enters it. Little static description blocks.
Chapters: Ch 3, Ch 9, Ch 14, Ch 21
What do you think she saw? A very old lady who sat spinning. (Ch 3, para 2)
He was at the entrance of a magnificent cavern, of an oval shape, once probably a huge natural reservoir of water, now the great palace hall of the goblins. (Ch 9, para 6)
H15. Filter words such as "saw", "felt", "heard". Count
Filter words ('saw', 'felt', 'heard' and so on): 6.03 per 1,000 words.
| Word | Times |
|---|---|
| thought | 82 |
| saw | 77 |
| heard | 59 |
| knew | 35 |
| seemed | 21 |
| felt | 21 |
| watched | 10 |
| wondered | 4 |
H16. Shifts in tone. AI
Tone shifts from fairy-tale wonder in early chapters to gothic danger in the goblin invasion, then to triumph and humour in Curdie's rhyming mockery. Ends with gentle resolution and promise of more.
Chapters: Ch 1, Ch 18, Ch 19, Ch 27, Ch 32
If you do, It will disclose A horrid set Of sprouting toes. (Ch 19, para 38)
One, two, Hit and hew! Three, four, Blast and bore! (Ch 27, para 10)
H17. How the comedy works. AI
Comedy arises from Curdie's rhyming insults to the goblin queen, which annoy her and reveal her secret toes. Gentle humour in Irene's exploration and the grandmother's patient teaching. No slapstick.
Chapters: Ch 19, Ch 22, Ch 24
If you do, It will disclose A horrid set Of sprouting toes. (Ch 19, para 38)
Where 'tis all a hole, sir, Never can be holes: Why should their shoes have soles, sir, When they've got no souls? (Ch 27, para 13)
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