English Extension 1 Question Thread

[caninesandy]

Take me advice with a grain of salt because I'm making assumptions here about the romanticism course: I think they are saying that students are relying too much on the common characteristics/styles of the texts, rather than actually probing the ways of thinking. So, the way of thinking isn't "nature" - although that may be a strong stylistic feature of the text. The ways of thinking are actually the motivational drives for the work - what accelerates characters, what joins or discharges relationships, what drives society. All of the above. That's the way of thinking, which is what the module demands. The markers are saying that rather than relying on talking about elements of Romanticism texts, talk about the IDEAS within them, and then how they are displayed through the elements.

Does this make sense?

Thank you
So, using the 'nature' example, instead of just talking about the fact that nature was a feature of Romanticism I should go further to things like why and the impacts on people's lives and how nature influenced their way of thinking or how it became part of it?

[jaya6602]

Hi!
Just a question with after the bomb
If they ask a question about enduring relevance, how would you talk about it without sounding superficial
For example, without saying, we still have nuclear weapons today
Or is that not superficial to begin with
Thank you so much

[nihilism]

Hi, for After the Bomb, what would be an example of a really broad thesis statement?

[elysepopplewell]

Thank you
So, using the 'nature' example, instead of just talking about the fact that nature was a feature of Romanticism I should go further to things like why and the impacts on people's lives and how nature influenced their way of thinking or how it became part of it?

I think both of those end options work - using nature as a motif is a convention - but we have conventions for a reason. Conventions are there to convey something: what is it conveying? A way of thinking

[elysepopplewell]

Hi!
Just a question with after the bomb
If they ask a question about enduring relevance, how would you talk about it without sounding superficial
For example, without saying, we still have nuclear weapons today
Or is that not superficial to begin with
Thank you so much

I'd talk about the time as setting a tone for a new world order...so many schools of thought were born in this time that exist today. Nihilism, rejection of mainstream religion, suspicion of politics, all of those things exist prevalently today, and they were all ways of thinking produced in the ATB era

Hi, for After the Bomb, what would be an example of a really broad thesis statement?

Perhaps something really broad like: "In the ATB period, one's personal agenda could not be separated from their political agenda."

[mbdtHSC]

Hi, anyone have any suggestions for Romanticism related texts that would work well with A Vindication of the Rights of Woman? Or where to start some wide reading?

Thanks

[elysepopplewell]

Hi, anyone have any suggestions for Romanticism related texts that would work well with A Vindication of the Rights of Woman? Or where to start some wide reading?

Thanks

Someone mentioned to me the other day that they used the picture book called "Old Mother Hubbard and her Dog" by Sarah Catherine Martin. I've just found an online copy of it here and they used A Vindication of the Rights of Woman as well

[bsdfjnlkasn]

Hey there,

I wasn't sure where to put this but I was really intrigued by the kitchen debate (both the video and transcript) and was wondering if there were any similar videos that showed capitalism and communism in direct conversation (seeing Nixon and Khrushev as direct embodiments respectively)? An entertaining video that clearly illustrated the dynamic between the two leaders and their views. Hoping to watch something similar soon.

Any recommendations would be appreciated!

[elysepopplewell]

Hey there,

I wasn't sure where to put this but I was really intrigued by the kitchen debate (both the video and transcript) and was wondering if there were any similar videos that showed capitalism and communism in direct conversation (seeing Nixon and Khrushev as direct embodiments respectively)? An entertaining video that clearly illustrated the dynamic between the two leaders and their views. Hoping to watch something similar soon.

Any recommendations would be appreciated!

Ooh, love the Kitchen Debate! I wish I could think of something similar off the top of my head...Here's an article by the NY Times if you haven't already read it. I love the title of it.

When you google "communism vs capitalism debate cold war" The Kitchen Debate comes up, in several resources. Now I realise how funny it is that I can hardly find any resources of Communism Vs Capitalism in direct conversation from the period...it really makes the era seem all the more immature, in a muted stand off with nuclear arms? Hmmm..

There are plenty of current debates though. Debate.org always has some really good, modern day debates, and there's plenty about capitalism and communism and all of them raise really good points that could help with grasping the ideologies of the era!

[bsdfjnlkasn]

Hey Elyse,

I was just wondering how relevant a creative piece on Perm-36 (or any of the camps which remained operational until the Gorbachev era) would be to the ATB module? I'm really interested in the GULAG camps and how their essential premise of productivity stood as a facade for the inhuman realities which lie within them.

This gives a decent summary of what the camps were: http://gulaghistory.org/nps/onlineexhibit/stalin/ but i'm sure you've heard of them

I'm thinking of having a political prisoner as my protagonist as this is probably the best way to cover all the relevant paradigms. Do these starting points seem promising and personal enough to be unique (i.e. something worth basing a creative off)? If so, i'll probably contact you again to run a plot/draft past you 

I'll be happy to hear any of the advice you have to offer 

P.S. Feel free to be critical of this proposal, if there are better/broader ideas that I should consider instead, I will!

[elysepopplewell]

Hey Elyse,

I was just wondering how relevant a creative piece on Perm-36 (or any of the camps which remained operational until the Gorbachev era) would be to the ATB module? I'm really interested in the GULAG camps and how their essential premise of productivity stood as a facade for the inhuman realities which lie within them.

This gives a decent summary of what the camps were: http://gulaghistory.org/nps/onlineexhibit/stalin/ but i'm sure you've heard of them

I'm thinking of having a political prisoner as my protagonist as this is probably the best way to cover all the relevant paradigms. Do these starting points seem promising and personal enough to be unique (i.e. something worth basing a creative off)? If so, i'll probably contact you again to run a plot/draft past you 

I'll be happy to hear any of the advice you have to offer 

P.S. Feel free to be critical of this proposal, if there are better/broader ideas that I should consider instead, I will!

I can't be critical - I love this idea! In ATB - people tend to focus on one or the other: political or personal. It's because most people have a preference - some students love everything political abut the era whereas others love the shift in person ideologies. With this concept, you're using the setting as a sure-fire way to engage with the politics of it all, and then you will use the plot and the character to explore the more personal ways of thinking (which may well be inextricably linked to the politics). So you're ticking lots of boxes!

I think that being quite specific about the camp brings uniqueness - I haven't read any stories of this setting yet!

[bsdfjnlkasn]

I can't be critical - I love this idea! In ATB - people tend to focus on one or the other: political or personal. It's because most people have a preference - some students love everything political abut the era whereas others love the shift in person ideologies.

Amazing, thank you so much for your feedback and support!!
As you can probably tell, I haven't settled for either "side" yet so I guess this piece should keep it open enough for me to enjoy both 

[elysepopplewell]

Amazing, thank you so much for your feedback and support!!
As you can probably tell, I haven't settled for either "side" yet so I guess this piece should keep it open enough for me to enjoy both 

Yes, exploring both sides is critical, ENJOYING both sides is a bonus! Leave no boxes unturned, so don't abandon one for the other. Keep both sides open to exploration and you'll definitely put yourself above the rest! I can't wait to hear more about this

[jeremy.khoupongsy]

Hey,
I was wondering how I should structure my paragraphs for a general essay. Should I use TEEL, or is there another way to structure paragraphs?
Thanks.

[bsdfjnlkasn]

So think of Plath as the bottom of the spectrum here.
It goes like this in my head:
Men in politics who feel superior.
Men in society who are still being affected by politics, but are still above women.
Women who are to serve the men (this is super prevalent in The Applicant).
Plath - here place in the hierarchy is difficult. You could say she is more oppressed than other women because she mentally is oppressed by the stereotypes, whereas other women are complacent (not all - of course - but in general at the time).

HEY 

I know this is a major throw back, but my browsing (lol procrastination) has led me to stumble upon and think about your proposed hierarchy for men and women on the home front. Super cool idea by the way 

I was just curious about the reasons that led you to place men/women with greater political awareness lower than those who were less informed. My take was that, men who felt the consequences of the political turmoil more personally would be perceived as weak and even dissenting. The implied doubt that comes with this obviously poses a threat to the governing powers and the public who (thoughtlessly) follow, making them for the most part unpopular (to put it lightly). Of course, we can see the consequences of these decisions amplified through Plath's experience which is why I see (and agree) with her place in the 'hierarchy'. Was this sort of the line of thought you were conveying?

Even if our thoughts were in two completely places, I'd love to hear your reasons for the order and maybe even thoughts on my interpretation (if you'd call it that haha).

Anyway, thanks for reading and hoping to hear back soon