Ways of Thinking: After the Bomb!

[fergo]

Hi!

So I'm just starting this topic, and my prescribed texts are "An artist of the Floating World" (novel) "Goodnight and Goodluck" (film) and "Waiting for Gadot" (play).
For my related texts, I am thinking of a novel regarding the Jonestown massacre, and how the threat of atomic bombs turned people towards big religions, but I am unsure what else to do. My teacher was saying a poem (I can't find one that's long enough and that I connect with), a political speech (how would I analyse it?) or a propaganda poster (not very artistic so analysing may be hard).

Any tips on choosing related texts, and thoughts on having two novels? (My prescribed one is pretty short, but the one I'm thinking as a related is more lengthy)

Thanks!!

[elysepopplewell]

Ok thank you! I was wondering if I should include aspects on America in the creative or is it ok to solely base it on the war? Thank you

My advice is that it doesn't have to have American aspects in it - that's not the only way to Band 6 success. The way is to explore ways of thinking from various perspectives (eg, economic, religious, political, etc)

Hey guys!

Been trying to find some Ext 1 ATB past paper questions but only found a few from 2009 - 2015... I was wondering if anyone has any unique and different essay and creative stimulus? I'd appreciate it so much!

Thanks everyone! Keep pushing through!

Hi Michelle,

I don't have any other papers (except 2016 is online), but as you've probably noticed, E1 creatives and essay prescriptions can be very very specific. It's been talked about on the forums by other students that they might ask you to set it around a historical event, or from the perspective of a particular person: whether in your prescribed texts or in historical reality.

Good luck!

[TheFreeMarketeer]

I posted this on the EE1 question thread, but considering this is my elective I'll also post it here.

The story I have composed explores the Cold War angst through the famous 1972 Chess World Championship between Bobby Fischer (America) and Boris Spassky (Russia) and how this was a platform for the continuation of the Cold War and the attempts of one nation out-smarting the other.

I feel however that a lot of markers won't understand it and appreciate it, mainly because it is such a niche aspect of history, let alone the Cold War. I also feel that in order to appreciate this story, there is a need to understand, even briefly, the facts surrounding it whereas I feel the markers might just consider it a fabrication.

It's interesting because Bobby Fischer broke a long line of Soviet dominance in chess and was persuaded into playing by Henry Kissinger, a famous US diplomat. In fact, it's stated that Nixon and Brezhnev would watch the matches in their respective offices. Anyway, I don't really mean to ramble but I like the concept and feel it sheds light on an esoteric way in which the Cold War was fought.

[elysepopplewell]

I posted this on the EE1 question thread, but considering this is my elective I'll also post it here.

The story I have composed explores the Cold War angst through the famous 1972 Chess World Championship between Bobby Fischer (America) and Boris Spassky (Russia) and how this was a platform for the continuation of the Cold War and the attempts of one nation out-smarting the other.

I feel however that a lot of markers won't understand it and appreciate it, mainly because it is such a niche aspect of history, let alone the Cold War. I also feel that in order to appreciate this story, there is a need to understand, even briefly, the facts surrounding it whereas I feel the markers might just consider it a fabrication.

It's interesting because Bobby Fischer broke a long line of Soviet dominance in chess and was persuaded into playing by Henry Kissinger, a famous US diplomat. In fact, it's stated that Nixon and Brezhnev would watch the matches in their respective offices. Anyway, I don't really mean to ramble but I like the concept and feel it sheds light on an esoteric way in which the Cold War was fought.

I've just replied on the other thread but I'll reply here as well for anyone in the future looking through this (future cohorts - hello!). I love this idea, this zoomed in game of chess that is metaphorical, in many ways, for a far broader scheme of historical events. How interesting! Your marker may already know about this, they might google it, or they may take it on fictional value and love everything you've done with it!

[theyam]

Hey guys!

Just wanted to say that this thread is SUPER SUPER HELPFUL! Just reading all this, has given me some sort of additional knowledge and feel of this course, so big thanks to everyones who written stuff on this thread so far! I've sorta asked this in the extension1 thread, but are extension 1 creatives historical based? Also, my prescribed texts are Spy who came in from the Cold, Sylvia Plath and Waiting for Godot. I'd like to start writing some practice responses for my first text but my teacher has never told us how to actually structure extension 1 essays in terms of what you actually say in the essay. I know its really different to the advanced structure but I just can't pinpoint on how. Could anyone help me clarify this please?

Thank you!
From theyam

[elysepopplewell]

Hey guys!

Just wanted to say that this thread is SUPER SUPER HELPFUL! Just reading all this, has given me some sort of additional knowledge and feel of this course, so big thanks to everyones who written stuff on this thread so far! I've sorta asked this in the extension1 thread, but are extension 1 creatives historical based? Also, my prescribed texts are Spy who came in from the Cold, Sylvia Plath and Waiting for Godot. I'd like to start writing some practice responses for my first text but my teacher has never told us how to actually structure extension 1 essays in terms of what you actually say in the essay. I know its really different to the advanced structure but I just can't pinpoint on how. Could anyone help me clarify this please?

Thank you!
From theyam

Hello! Seeing you here has just reminded me I've got to reply to your PM, so I'll do that shortly

There were very few HSC resources on ATAR Notes during my HSC, but one of the ones there was is: https://atarnotes.com/forum/index.php?topic=160266.0
I based my own essay on this structure, which you can see here: https://atarnotes.com/note/exemplar-integrated-essay-after-the-bomb/
I studied all three same texts as you!

But let it be known, my first extension essays started super super simple. Like, one text per paragraph, no real integration of ideas - very separated. I didn't even really write an essay until term one of the following year, I think. I suggest writing small responses, or starting to construct paragraphs about different ideas, but I couldn't do much in the way of putting it all together until I'd studied at least two texts

[theyam]

Hello! Seeing you here has just reminded me I've got to reply to your PM, so I'll do that shortly

There were very few HSC resources on ATAR Notes during my HSC, but one of the ones there was is: https://atarnotes.com/forum/index.php?topic=160266.0
I based my own essay on this structure, which you can see here: https://atarnotes.com/note/exemplar-integrated-essay-after-the-bomb/
I studied all three same texts as you!

But let it be known, my first extension essays started super super simple. Like, one text per paragraph, no real integration of ideas - very separated. I didn't even really write an essay until term one of the following year, I think. I suggest writing small responses, or starting to construct paragraphs about different ideas, but I couldn't do much in the way of putting it all together until I'd studied at least two texts

Thank you for your advice Elyse!

[Lumenoria]

Hey, I was wondering, for the Extension creative, does the story itself HAVE to be set in the designated time period? I'm doing the ATB module, so this would be the Cold War era, but would it be okay if I wrote about a homeless guy reflecting on his life as a Nazi prisoner and kinda criticising the dominance of trivial aspects that capitalism seeks - such as consumerism? (which will be shown by his abject disregard for people walking past the homeless guy consumed by their phones etc) I really have no clue where I'm going with this, like I want to set it in the 1960s if possible since that's kinda the "ideal" period but I'm not quite sure how. Like, I want to incorporate the guy's critique of the individual's possession by the media and such but I know phones weren't that much of a thing back then so idk. Ughh

[elysepopplewell]

Hey, I was wondering, for the Extension creative, does the story itself HAVE to be set in the designated time period? I'm doing the ATB module, so this would be the Cold War era, but would it be okay if I wrote about a homeless guy reflecting on his life as a Nazi prisoner and kinda criticising the dominance of trivial aspects that capitalism seeks - such as consumerism? (which will be shown by his abject disregard for people walking past the homeless guy consumed by their phones etc) I really have no clue where I'm going with this, like I want to set it in the 1960s if possible since that's kinda the "ideal" period but I'm not quite sure how. Like, I want to incorporate the guy's critique of the individual's possession by the media and such but I know phones weren't that much of a thing back then so idk. Ughh

Your idea sounds like it's in the good stages of magic!! When you're trying to pull it all together but you're not tied down to an idea yet. You can absolutely set it in a period out of the specific time, as long as you are still exploring the ways of thinking of the time in a really strong way. The only thing that would stop you from doing this is if your creative question actually specified the time it must be set in!

[theyam]

Hi,

So for my holiday homework I have to write a creative using John F Kennedy's speech: Ich bin ein Berliner (June 26 1963) as my stimulus. The only ideas I've had so far is his speech writer reacting to his speech or a German person embittered by war reacting to such an optimistic speech. Because I'm studying "The Spy who came in from the Cold", I also maybe wanted to integrate the Berlin Wall as some sort of motif of moral ambiguity. And also possibly integrate ways of thinking that are similar to nihilism or absurdism. But other that that I'm quite lost, any ideas or suggestions? Thank you!

From theyam

[elysepopplewell]

Hi,

So for my holiday homework I have to write a creative using John F Kennedy's speech: Ich bin ein Berliner (June 26 1963) as my stimulus. The only ideas I've had so far is his speech writer reacting to his speech or a German person embittered by war reacting to such an optimistic speech. Because I'm studying "The Spy who came in from the Cold", I also maybe wanted to integrate the Berlin Wall as some sort of motif of moral ambiguity. And also possibly integrate ways of thinking that are similar to nihilism or absurdism. But other that that I'm quite lost, any ideas or suggestions? Thank you!

From theyam

Oh this is quite tricky! About the stimulus: what are the requirements? Are you just to use the speech as inspiration or do you have to specifically use the speech in parts of the creative - or it doesn't specify?

If you just have to use it as inspiration, the first thing that comes to mind for me is to write a speech in the reverse - be someone writing a speech from a side other than democracy?

But tell me more about the stimulus and what your ideas are and we can discuss

[theyam]

Oh this is quite tricky! About the stimulus: what are the requirements? Are you just to use the speech as inspiration or do you have to specifically use the speech in parts of the creative - or it doesn't specify?

If you just have to use it as inspiration, the first thing that comes to mind for me is to write a speech in the reverse - be someone writing a speech from a side other than democracy?

But tell me more about the stimulus and what your ideas are and we can discuss

Hi Elyse~

My teacher never really specified. My stimulus is an anti-communist speech that was delivered during the Cold War. Kennedy aimed to demonstrate the US' support for West Germany, 22 months after Soviet-supported East Germany erected the Berlin Wall to prevent mass emigration to the West. It was considered a great morale boost for the West Germans. The speech was also a warning towards Russia, Kennedy once described the embattled city as “the great testing place of Western courage and will” and declared that any attack on West Berlin would be viewed as an attack on the United States.

Here is a link if you're curious: http://www.edb.gov.hk/attachment/en/curriculum-development/kla/pshe/references-and-resources/history/conflict_and_cooperation_source7_eng.pdf

That is a really interesting idea, that idea would have never occurred to me!

So I've sort of deviated from my previous idea. I started searching up some interesting facts and found some really unique ways people tried to escape the East Germany. I found an escapee which used a train to basically blast through the Wall and I thought it'd be interesting to contrast JFK who was really cautiously providing his viewpoint with the escapee using the speech and motivation and deciding to just smashing through the Wall with his train XD.

From theyam

[beeangkah]

Hey!

I'm struggling for ideas for a creative piece.
What we've done so far in class, I feel, is very specific to analysing just Good Night and Good Luck (we've only studied this text at this point in time), and so I don't know any other paradigms/ways of thinking during the period we are studying, apart from the paranoia and fear surrounding McCarthyism, role of media in conveying the truth, etc. etc.
[My other texts are Godot & Ariel]

So now where should I start so I have some idea of what to write about for my creative? How do I ensure that it links to the rubric??

I just feel so lost because the era is so broad... and I also have no idea how to structure an ext essay, which I at least know is very different to adv.

Thank you!

[theyam]

Hey!

I'm struggling for ideas for a creative piece.
What we've done so far in class, I feel, is very specific to analysing just Good Night and Good Luck (we've only studied this text at this point in time), and so I don't know any other paradigms/ways of thinking during the period we are studying, apart from the paranoia and fear surrounding McCarthyism, role of media in conveying the truth, etc. etc.
[My other texts are Godot & Ariel]

So now where should I start so I have some idea of what to write about for my creative? How do I ensure that it links to the rubric??

I just feel so lost because the era is so broad... and I also have no idea how to structure an ext essay, which I at least know is very different to adv.

Thank you!

Can we struggle together XD Trying to do my creative now too, I get your feels~
 theyam

[beeangkah]

Can we struggle together XD Trying to do my creative now too, I get your feels~
 theyam

hahaha it's really bothersome that there's not a lot of resources on ext eng ... and my teacher isn't that helpful... I am in dire need