VCE English Question Thread

[Uch.95+]

Could you please help me improve on my introduction? Any contrsutive criticism would be much appreciated!! Thank you

Alfred Hitchcock’s 1954 film, ‘Rear Window’ endorses how easy it is to be deceived by appearances. Given that the entirety of the film is observed from the limited perspective of protagonist, L.B. Jefferies, the audience becomes privy to only a fraction of the lives of a number of characters at the apartment complex at Greenwich Village. On the surface, the audience is presented with Jefferies’ perceptions, judgements and assumptions of characters based on his own personal prejudices and beliefs. However, by the conclusion of the film, a broader picture of the complexity of people’s lives is presented and such we learn how easy it is to be deceived by appearances.

[clarke54321]

Could you please help me improve on my introduction? Any contrsutive criticism would be much appreciated!! Thank you

Alfred Hitchcock’s 1954 film, ‘Rear Window’ endorsesbit of an odd word choice. Perhaps demonstrates/depicts how easy it is to be deceived by appearances. Given that the entirety of the film is observed from the limited perspective of protagonist, L.B. Jefferies, the audience becomes privy to only a fraction of the lives of a a little crowded with the preposition, 'of.' number of characters at the apartment complex at Greenwich Village where is your argument? This is more analysis.. On the surface, the audience is presented with Jefferies’ perceptions, judgements and assumptions of characters based on his own personal prejudices and beliefs <--endeavour to make these points more specific.. However, by the conclusion of the film, a broader picture of the complexity of people’s lives be specific is presented and such we learn how easy it is to be deceived by appearances.

Hello!

Although you write with a lovely expression and nice, coherent sentences, I found it difficult to pinpoint your main arguments. Why is it so easy to be deceived by appearances (your ultimate contention)? You need to answer this question with 3-4 arguments, which ought to be signposted in the introduction.

Please feel free to ask any further questions

[Uch.95+]

Hello!

Although you write with a lovely expression and nice, coherent sentences, I found it difficult to pinpoint your main arguments. Why is it so easy to be deceived by appearances (your ultimate contention)? You need to answer this question with 3-4 arguments, which ought to be signposted in the introduction.

Please feel free to ask any further questions

Thankyou, i will work on this further and i may post again! Thanks again!

[msminzy]

Where can I find rear window essay prompts to practise with?
I'Ve done all the ones school gave us and want to do more, but am having trouble finding them.
thaaankss

[clarke54321]

Where can I find rear window essay prompts to practise with?
I'Ve done all the ones school gave us and want to do more, but am having trouble finding them.
thaaankss

Hello msminzy!

Firstly, welcome to the AN forums 

Given that 2018 is the first year that 'Rear Window' has been included in the VCE English study design, finding prompts is likely to be a difficult endeavour. Aside from the prompts that your teacher has provided you with, and the ones that you may find in a relevant study guide, I'd encourage you to create your own prompts! While this may sound laborious or mundane, it is a surprisingly stimulating task that will pay off in the long run.

A really effective way that you can construct prompts is by looking at VCAA's summary of your particular text. On this page, you can find it for 'Rear Window.'
Try and pick out certain elements of this description, and link them to an appropriate theme. For example, the line, frustrated and bored in the summer heat, he begins watching his neighbours across the courtyard. Boredom turns to suspicion when he believes that one of his neighbours has been murdered, implies that the most dreary of circumstances can lead to the most enlightening of revelations. Although I have not read this text, I assume that such a thematic idea would be quite prominent.

Who knows, by embarking on an activity like this, you may be able to foresee VCAA's direction with the next 'Rear Window' essay prompts 

[snowisawesome]

What are some examples of metalanguage?

[clarke54321]

What are some examples of metalanguage?

By definition, 'meta' = creative work referring to itself. Hence, this all depends on the context of that particular creative work. For example, in a film, metalanguage may includes things like the film's score, a long shot, or the lighting. In a play, you'd consider elements such as stage directions, characterisation, or dialogue.

Basically, metalanguage is a zoomed out articulation of a creative work's functioning.

[MissSmiley]

Hi everyone!

Could I just ask with text response essays and comparative essays, does your very first sentence of your introduction have to start answering the prompt? Or can it be like a general sentence that summaries the whole plot, its themes, character motivations, etc? (that perhaps might not relate to the prompt?)

Some teachers are saying get into starting the essay straight away (first sentence still covers the plot, themes, etc, but it has to relate to the prompt), and other teachers are saying it's ok to start your intro with a broad, overarching sentence.

Which one's the best? (Though I kinda think answering the prompt in your very first sentence will leave a good impression , but still wanted to hear some of your thoughts!)

Thanks guys!

[clarke54321]

Hi everyone!

Could I just ask with text response essays and comparative essays, does your very first sentence of your introduction have to start answering the prompt? Or can it be like a general sentence that summaries the whole plot, its themes, character motivations, etc? (that perhaps might not relate to the prompt?)

Some teachers are saying get into starting the essay straight away (first sentence still covers the plot, themes, etc, but it has to relate to the prompt), and other teachers are saying it's ok to start your intro with a broad, overarching sentence.

Which one's the best? (Though I kinda think answering the prompt in your very first sentence will leave a good impression , but still wanted to hear some of your thoughts!)

Thanks guys!

Hello MissSmiley

The way you choose to start an essay in VCE English is entirely personal preference. For me, I found that an early contextualisation of the text's/texts' main concerns was the best way to begin. It established a natural pathway to my ultimate contention. Just ensure that these main concerns relate to the prompt in some manner. Eg. If you are given a prompt about the power of familial love, you don't want to begin your essay by reeling off ideas about isolation. To better illustrate this approach, I'll post one of my previous comparative essays on my English guide!

But just to be clear, any introduction structure has its merit, so long as it makes for plausible and coherent content. 

[Yertle the Turtle]

Hi everyone!

Could I just ask with text response essays and comparative essays, does your very first sentence of your introduction have to start answering the prompt? Or can it be like a general sentence that summaries the whole plot, its themes, character motivations, etc? (that perhaps might not relate to the prompt?)

Some teachers are saying get into starting the essay straight away (first sentence still covers the plot, themes, etc, but it has to relate to the prompt), and other teachers are saying it's ok to start your intro with a broad, overarching sentence.

Which one's the best? (Though I kinda think answering the prompt in your very first sentence will leave a good impression , but still wanted to hear some of your thoughts!)

Thanks guys!

In general I tend to make an opening statement that shows the text and it's main themes. This can then lead in easily into the point of the prompt. Very early on discuss the overarching picture of the text, and then bring the focus in tight onto the theme of the prompt. That's just my method, it doesn't work for everyone.

[Sine]

Hi everyone!

Could I just ask with text response essays and comparative essays, does your very first sentence of your introduction have to start answering the prompt? Or can it be like a general sentence that summaries the whole plot, its themes, character motivations, etc? (that perhaps might not relate to the prompt?)

Some teachers are saying get into starting the essay straight away (first sentence still covers the plot, themes, etc, but it has to relate to the prompt), and other teachers are saying it's ok to start your intro with a broad, overarching sentence.

Which one's the best? (Though I kinda think answering the prompt in your very first sentence will leave a good impression , but still wanted to hear some of your thoughts!)

Thanks guys!

As clarke4321 has already said it won't matter too much in the grand scheme of things for the essay - I personally preffered to have a broad introductory statement which often alluded to the historical context of the text, however still relevant to the prompt and then I was able to link that towards a sentence which directly relates to the prompt.

[MissSmiley]

Thanks so much clarke54321, Marvin K.Mooney and Sine !!
You've helped heaps

Yes!! How awesome if clarke54321 posted one of her comparative essays!! Yes please!!

Can't wait to read it!!! 

Thanks a lot guys!

[madhu04]

Hey guys,

I am EAL student.
I am currently studying Invictus and soon have a creative writing SAC on it. 


I was wondering if I can get some thorough feedback on a creative piece I did.  It's a letter from Brenda to Jason. 

20/6/1994                                                                                                                    From: Brenda

Dear Jason,

Good evening Jason! Thank you for protecting our Madiba in the rugby match today, you did a great job. I sometimes get agitated as he is carless and doesn’t worry about himself at all. I don’t understand why he is so obsessed with rugby and the Springbok’s? Can you believe he literally left his meeting with the minster of environment to watch the news footage of the rugby coaching clinic? He is just unbelievable! He is trying to reconcile the white and the black, which of course already sounds ridiculous and on top of that he is utilising Springboks to achieve this, even if he is aware that it symbolises apartheid and segregation to us. During the years of apartheid, the white dominated  us! Snatched our rights to be humans and treated us like dogs. And that apartheid flag! Ugh! They are a disgrace, I feel furious when I see it, it must be removed from the constitution as soon as possible! Don’t you think so as well?

So many Africans still live in immense poverty and that unprivileged shanty towns! Trust me, if the Afrikaners see the living conditions of people who live in shanty towns, they will be glad that they don’t live over there. That ‘s exactly why, I wish Mandel focuses on these aspects rather than that irrelevant idea of reconciliation and forgiveness. Moreover, you know what really confuses me? Madiba’s whole idea of “forgiveness”, “reconciliation” and what not! Does he not remember the past, his past! He was part of the ANC, he was convicted of treason and as you also know he protested regarding the pass book law imposed by the white! He did all this, and he wanted revenge on them for treating us in a impartial manner. But now, when I tell him about the problems we are facing in regards with the food, jobs and much more that is all result of the apartheid regime, so that he stops interrupting affairs of state to placate the white minority; he told me that that is a “human calculation to address these issues! I was furious at him Jason, all this he is doing now, will not change anything! I hope he also realizes that soon, soon before he increases his risk of losing his presidency. 

With regards,
Brenda

[emmawatsonlover990]

Hi,

How do you write a really good Introduction for an essay?

[emmawatsonlover990]

How do you write a contention in an essay that isn't an opinion essay or an language analysis?