Following on from the essay, here are notes which I have made on how to craft clear, substantial sentences for English Literature essays.
Checklist
of writing point sentences:
Introduction of quote in light of question; Purpose
is to set in context of play background. Which character and which part of the
play you are engaging with.
§
What just happened?
§
What will happen after the moment?
Example:
In the opening scene of the play, Tom asserts himself to be the “narrator of
the the play”.
Quotation, from the text; should support the question.
Analysis of the quote. Here, you have to engage with
its meaning and literary devices used. Effect on audience; thinking how they will respond at the time when the
play was released, and a modern-day audience.
Reference to a critic, which might be
appropriate only if it helps to answer the question, followed by your response
to it. Here, you should also refer to the quotation again.
Context, in terms of wider issues and themes;
Examples are political, historical and social issues
Revisit the question; a summary statement at the end
of the question.
This can be evidenced in the candidate’s essays in many different
ways, of which some of the most common ones are:
(i)
by appropriate use of critical
or academic opinions
(ii)
by discussing how a specific
type of reader or audience might respond, such as a Marxist reader
(iii)
by comparing possible responses from the
writer’s actual audience to those of, say, a modern audience
(iv)
by critical analysis of different possible
meanings to specific words or phrases.
Candidates should give a
brief context when answering a passage option (b) question. It is important
that candidates summarise briefly the textual context to any given passage
before they begin their indepth critical analysis. This approach will enable
them to consider the passage as part of the wider text and also to explain the
significance of the passage in terms of the development of the key concerns in
the text. This also will enable the candidate to link the individual points
made in the close analysis of the detail of the passage to such ideas as the
development of the plot, the methods of characterisation and any recurring
themes or symbols. It is also a good way of revealing knowledge and
understanding of the wider text.
Example from Glass Menagerie:
‘Prisoners of their pasts.’
In the light
of this description, discuss some of the ways Williams presents characters in The Glass Menagerie.
Steps to planning:
1.
Highlighting key phrases from the qs. Look for phrases which look for:
·
Theme
·
Stagecraft techniques.
·
Quoted material should also be
analysed, as they enable thinking of interpretations.(You can use it as a
starting point for your own interpretation. )
Eg “prisoners…”
·
Someone who feels trapped
·
Someone who feels guilty
·
Someone who has committed a
crime.
“past’
·
Memories
Putting both together: The characters are
trapped and restricted by their own memories, and so experience negative
emotions with regards to their past.
You can use this to think eg about
characters.
2.
Looking at the main question.
1. “In the light…” It is instructing you to engage with what
“prisoners…” actually means.
“some of the ways”= William’s methods. (At this stage, remember to look at list of dramatic stage techniques
Example
of a good structure paragraph:
In the opening scene, “Amanda’s voice becomes audible through the portieres”, which occurs simultaneously with the “Legend on screen: ‘Ou sont les neiges?”. This sentence is quoted from “The Ballad of
Dead Ladies”, which is by the medieval French poet Francois Villon and translates as “Where
are the snows of yesteryear?” This is a lighting device which bears the image on a section of wall
between the front room and the dining room areas. Snow carries connotations of
fragile, fleeting beauty, connecting with Amanda’s romantic vision of the past.
Bert Cardullo in The
blue Rose of St Louis: Laura, Romanticism and The Glass Menagerie(Italics
for one book)states that “Villon uses snow here as a symbol of worldly life’s
evanescence […] its inevitably lost innocence or tarnished purity.”(Only
put in one quote and analyse the critical view) This suggests
that Amanda is attempting to recreate the glories of her past, which
carries the pathos of lost innocence because she later seemingly becomes
self-centered in attempting to maintain such vain memories. The image
is projected just as the audience hears Amanda for the first time, prompting
the audience to associate a tone of yearning for the past with Amanda. Thus Williams could be suggesting
that Amanda cannot free herself from her past, which makes her, by some
interpretations, a prisoner.
Pointers for writing extracts (11th
September 2020):
In summary:
For analysing extracts(method):
1. Question
2. Context
3. Look at extract chronologically and identify quotes
4. Connect quotes to themes and narrative methods.
PPoints specific to Shakespeare extracts:
Writing
longer extracts for general is more appropriate, but write a more focused
analysis n the extract.
“In
this extract from Richard II….” Writing more immediately
Connotations
is more to do with meaning of words, and intonations is more for voice and
tone.
Dramatic
function
Does
Shakespeare tries to create moments of tension and dramatic irony before some
characters come in, and how do these change after some other characters ever?
How
do other characters build up or weaken suspense for the audience to see and
hear?
Do
not work with costume and lighting for shakespeare, as thot is not mentioned
and it is wasting time
Be
careful not to have too much crossing outs, as it makes the essay muddled for
the examiner. Plan ahead to ensure this does not happen.
Think
of Shakespeare as the writer and how he seeks to presents his characters…
Eg
Shakespeare uses personification…
In
other places, Shakespeare presents Richard as…..
Shakespeare
places Richard and the Queen together on stage(how he places the characters
together on stage)
How
does Shakespeare manipulate the course of the dialogue?
Characters
come secondary to his intentions; leading with Shakespeare’s actions and his
intent first, and also his stagecraft first before going on about characters
and analysing their words, in second half of the paragraph
Use literal evidence to
shape your argument, taking key words out from them and inserting them in your
point statements; do not focus too much on them,
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