Background information／story time Flashback to the middle of Year Eleven. I had been doing fairly well in English at the time, and was consistently managing 17-19s out of 20 for my essays, though I was yet to full mark a single assessment. One day, however, we had a new English teacher come in to grade our most recent outcome- and I received my first C-.
Not to be melodramatic or anything, but I was devastated- and confused. My points were pretty logical, the vocabulary sophisticated, the characters, themes and language thoroughly analysed. Why then, had I been given such a harsh mark?
It was only after some extensive research and self-reflection that I realised my problem- I simply wasn’t following the VCE method. Writing well, I discovered, wasn’t enough. I had to write accurately, in the right way, about the right things to get my marks.
I then proceeded to do two things:
1) I created formulas for essay-writing. I picked up the exact words and phrases my English teacher was using in class and incorporated them into my own writing. I dissected model essays and mirrored them closely. And I managed to full-mark every single essay for the rest of the year.
2) I decided to drop English and pick up Literature in Year Twelve instead. Jumping into Literature 3/4 without having done the 1/2 and without any other English subjects as a ‘backup’ for my primary four… I was advised against it. But I realised that, even though I had proved to myself I was capable of following the ‘English formula’ all the way, it didn’t offer me the freedom I wanted. I assume this is why many of you chose Literature as well- for the freedom, the intellectual stimulation, the originality of ideas, the depth and richness of content… And while all those stand true, I came to find that the VCE method was integral to succeeding in VCE Literature as well.
Perhaps this is why it’s so hard to do well in Literature- it forces the poets and creatives and romantics to sacrifice beautiful prose for sharp, criteria-specific points. But it also shows no mercy for those reliant on the same formulas as English to see them through the final exam- not without that indefinable writing ‘oomph’ that separates the 30s and the 40s.
And so, in short, here are the tricks and tips that will allow you to find that precarious, glorious middle ground- the same tricks that ultimately got me from a low C in English to a raw 50 in Literature: Analyse other people’s work. Before the school year had even started, I printed out over 30 pages worth of model essays from past VCE examination reports and the ATAR Notes thread to not only read but analyse. Analysis is the key word here- you’re not just glancing at an essay and going ‘wow, this is so well-written!’. You’re examining how these students are starting their essays- with a quote? with contextualisation? with an idea?, what words/adjectives/techniques are coming up often, how often quotes are being embedded and at what length, how much emphasis is given to the author’s intentions… Annotate these essays. Highlight them. Steal phrases from them. Harvest words. Find a few styles that you’re comfortable with and that are similar to your own and aim to develop your work in that direction.
Read your texts actively. What matters is not necessarily the number of times you read a book, but what you take away from it each time. I read my texts four times in total throughout the year, and I would always do so with the goal in mind- that is, to find either evidence to include in my essays, or plausible interpretations. I would take note of specific symbols and significant moments that were not from the ‘typical key scenes’. This gives the impression that you know your text inside out and will also help you develop original, insightful points. Also, try to keep a highlighter, pen and a few sticky notes handy when you’re reading- take note of anything you find interesting/baffling/might want to go to back to.
Keep thinking outside the classroom. In terms of actual study hours, I didn’t do any more for Literature than my other subjects. What I did do, however, was frequently keep my texts at the back of my mind. The philosophical side of Literature is extremely applicable to everyday life. I found myself constantly linking different scenarios, conversations or even random musings to whatever novel or play we had been studying. My best ideas came not from sitting at a desk, but halfway during dinner (this was admittedly quite annoying for my parents), in the car, before falling asleep- and I always made sure to jot these ideas down somewhere for later development.
Debate and discuss. Don’t be afraid to share your thoughts and opinions with the class as it’ll likely benefit both you and your classmates. If you’re feeling a little shy, however, find a lit study buddy to talk to. I had a friend who I’d frequently message (sometimes on a daily basis) whenever I had an idea and she’d either challenge it or build another idea on top of it- by the end of it, we’d have a much more complex interpretation as a whole.
Go to different teachers for feedback. Literature is simply too subjective a subject to rely on one teacher’s feedback alone. Always try to get a second pair of eyes- preferably a tutor, another Lit teacher at your school, or experienced assessor- to read through your essays, whether it be your practice responses or mock exams. For me, my teacher had a very dense, elaborate style of writing, so she never called me out on my equally dense essays. However, another teacher quickly pointed out that my sentences were far too long, and it was compromising my clarity of expression. Note that it’s particularly important to take note of suggestions if they’re coming up more than once from separate examiners.
Develop a relevant vocabulary. Blindly aiming to ‘improve your vocabulary’ within the short space of a year can prove a little unrealistic. It’s a common mistake to pick up random 15 letter words that sound impressive and attempt to shove it in a sentence for the sake of it. Yet, the result is usually an awkwardly-phrased sentence that impedes, rather than enhances meaning. Instead, try to build a list of words that are closely related to the concepts of your texts. For example, when studying Rhinoceros by Ionesco, I had a whole bank of synonyms for the noun ‘rhinoceros’- pachyderms, quadrupeds, perissodactyl etc. It was easy to use these words frequently and accurately throughout my essays. Other words like ‘eponymous’ and ‘titular’ also featured regularly in my essays on Heart of Darkness. The ‘eponymous darkness’ makes for a pretty neat intro, and is something you can use regardless of the topic.
Set up an essay blackmarket (not literally). As I’ve already mentioned, it’s absolutely crucial that you read other people’s writing. Not only will it inform your own interpretations, but it’ll do also do wonders for your writing. Try to set up a system with your classmates so that you email out every practice essay you do, and even offer feedback to one another. As you’ll all be doing the same texts, this can prove extremely advantageous and can strengthen your cohort as a whole.
Research. The political and historical context of your texts, the author’s views and background, symbols and religious connotations… you’re expected to know all these things before you start writing your essay. It’s absolutely crucial that you consider and clearly show in your introduction, conclusion and sparingly throughout the body paragraphs, how the time/place your text was set in has contributed to its message.
Don’t overdo it. Literature isn’t one of those subjects where you can cram intensely for a few days and expect to see a dramatic change in results. In fact, I’ve found that the SACs which I spent more time preparing for didn’t go half as well as I hoped. I think this is due to the fact that Literature relies on originality of thinking and sharp writing- regurgitated ideas and over-preparation will cause your writing to go stale when it actually counts. Instead, make sure that you have a comprehensive understanding of your texts and learn to trust yourself to perform well on the spot.
Be specific. This turned out to be what was keeping me from scoring full marks on most of my SACs. Never underestimate the importance of mentioning stage direction, stagecraft (for plays), narrative framework, poetic techniques in your essay. I always neglected these or would only refer to them in really loose terms as I was concerned it’d make my writing look too ‘stiff’. Ultimately, however, it’s impossible to get a perfect score without clear, explicit references to the above at least three-four times throughout. For my final exam, I even dedicated an entire paragraph of my close analysis on Rhinoceros to purely stagecraft and its significance, and another on the effects of humour- both worked quite effectively.
Remember that the final exam is what counts. Do not allow yourself to be discouraged by a bad SAC mark as it’s quite insignificant in the larger picture. I was ranked second or third in a class of five, yet contrary to what I believed, this didn't impact my final study score at all. VCE is as much a psychological battle as it is an academic one, so it’s absolutely crucial that you don't give up along the way.
Control your expression. Remember at the end of the day that before anything else, you’re a student- not a poet (at least not in the VCE exam room). Your Lit exam also isn’t the time and place for super flowery, experimental styles and purple prose. Many students doing Lit are phenomenal writers, but you have to bear in mind that your aim is to effectively convey your ideas and convince the examiner that you know what you’re doing- not necessarily to make them cry with the beauty of your words. My go-to strategy is to reduce sentence length whenever possible (without it sounding too choppy) and always express complex ideas in simple terms. Don’t let a brilliant idea be lost in a haze of seemingly endless sentences and redundant language. Often, you’ll find that simplicity can make a thought sound much more profound- it adds a certain conviction to it, and it’ll make your contention stand out.
I could actually go on for quite a while, but I think this should be enough for now. If you have any other questions, please feel free to contact me.
I’m also offering private tutoring starting from January 2018, so shoot me an email if you’re interested! ([email protected]) Literature is certainly not an easy subject, but I promise you that it’s a rewarding one. Try not to focus too much on the end product, and simply try to do what you can with what’s in front of you.
Best of luck to everyone for next year!
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