exam styled response

[spontaneouscombustion]

Literature veterans (and current literature students), I really need your help...

It is getting close to the exam, but I still have no idea what I'm supposed to do. Of course, I have a vague idea, but our teacher isn't very good at teaching (IF he even turns up to class...) and he never explained what 'close analysis' was. When we get the passages, what are we supposed to do? I mean, what are we supposed to focus on? Do we develop a thematic discussion or analyse the language used by the author? And what essay structure do you usually use? Also, our teacher never talked about techniques used in poems and novels (eg enjambment, iambic pentameter, tone etc) and when I downloaded assessment reports and read the student examples I was like, 'what the?? We were never taught this!'

If possible, can someone please post up an essay they have written, just so I can have a bit of idea what to do? Please? I really am getting frustrated because of our not-so-good teacher and no one in my class really knows what to do either....

 

[simpak]

Yes, I feel your pain.
We have the same problem in my class.
I have one or two, but I'm not sure if they will help you considering I'm sketchy on my own technique.
What texts are you doing?

[spontaneouscombustion]

For the exam I am doing 'Tenant of Wildfell Hall' and John Donne poetry. We also did 'Honor' and 'Stasiland'. But feel free to please post up essays from any text; I just want to see how others approach the task

Thank you mavisgibbons!

[Eriny]

I have an example in the 'notes' section of this site.

Basically, you come up with something you want to say about the whole book/collection of poetry, based on the three passages you are given. The three passages act as a resource to give you evidence for your argument. Pay close attention to the use of language as well as the content of the story you are given.

[StringFever]

Yes, I feel your pain.
We have the same problem in my class.
I have one or two, but I'm not sure if they will help you considering I'm sketchy on my own technique.
What texts are you doing?

Hey Mavis, just wondering what passages you did your analyses on, because it is a beautifully written response.

[olivia]

hi. I was wondering if anyone was doing Hedda Gabler/ Harwood poetry for the exam. and if anyone knew where i could get sample responses for them? thanks

[iamdan08]

It is really important that you stick to the passages given, if you start straying to much from them, it appears that you are simply rewriting a pre-prepared response, and you will not score well.

Discuss things such as the use of language and the images created by the authors choice of words (especially for poetry). I suggest if you are going to mention literary techniques in your poetry analysis don't say something like "Donne uses iambic pentameter" but rather explain why he has used it and what effect it has on the given extract. Does it force the reader to read at a certain pace to create effect and imagery?

As for structure, read a few of the examples to get an idea and then come up with something that suits you. There is no defined structure and as long as what you are writing makes sense and reads well and your ideas are placed logically, there shouldn't be a problem.

[spontaneouscombustion]

Thank you Eriny and iamdan08! 

[simpak]

Yes, I feel your pain.
We have the same problem in my class.
I have one or two, but I'm not sure if they will help you considering I'm sketchy on my own technique.
What texts are you doing?

Hey Mavis, just wondering what passages you did your analyses on, because it is a beautifully written response.

Oh thankyou!  Eeep!  I'll try to remember.
Well, the first one was based on the passages in last year's exam.
And the second...I have no idea.
If I come across the passages in my folder at some point tomorrow, I'll try to let you know.

[StringFever]

Yes, I feel your pain.
We have the same problem in my class.
I have one or two, but I'm not sure if they will help you considering I'm sketchy on my own technique.
What texts are you doing?

Thank you!

Hey Mavis, just wondering what passages you did your analyses on, because it is a beautifully written response.

Oh thankyou!  Eeep!  I'll try to remember.
Well, the first one was based on the passages in last year's exam.
And the second...I have no idea.
If I come across the passages in my folder at some point tomorrow, I'll try to let you know.

[Saraime2003]

My teacher has no idea what she is doing either. Well, i ahve no idea what she is doing. I dont understand Literature and i can't do it. I only did the subject because the teacher said if i was good at English i should try Literature. So i did. And i hate it. I can't do these stupid extracts and im trying to do my final SAC and i can't because the sample she gave us is useless, all over the place. Does anyone have a basic structured approach about what to address?

My SAC is on Chekhov's play, 'Three Sisters'. I'm up to my 3rd Paragraph, trying to talk about Language and Dialogue but i dont have a clue what to write. Please help. .

Aimee

[EvangelionZeta]

http://vcenotes.com/forum/index.php/topic,17643.msg180686.html#msg180686

Sample Argued Reading.  (:

[vexx]

slightly off topic..sorry, but i didn't want to make a new thread!!
since with like every other subject there are study guides (checkpoints, A+ notesbook, ect) is there one of these for literature which helps with developing a response required for the exam? (or also guides with the sacs and stuff as well) containing some sort of guide to the structure required & things not to do/ must have?
if anyone could let me know of one, it'd be quite helpful for next year thanks

edit; i don't know how i missed checkpoints for lit but i just found it. hehe, regardless, what is the best study guide to use? or is checkpoints the only one ><?

[Eriny]

I think there is a checkpoints for literature and it's not too bad if you can find it.

[spontaneouscombustion]

I found checkpoints to be not much help. It just didn't seem very...relevant.