Extent of out-of-passage allusions?

[t35t]

Hi,

I am doing Emma for the exam.
I am aware that one criteria is more or less the identification of where the passage takes place in the wider context of the novel. However, my question is then, if I receive 3 passages, and in passage one I see a strongly resonant theme about... say affirmations of marriage or a pitiable portrayal of spinsterhood, and then in passage two and three, there appears to be an entirely different, yet loosely related link- would the fact that the theme of marriage etc only appearing in one passage give me enough license to discuss the whole theme? It seems highly isolated and unrelated- and I would be limited to quotes only from passage 1 as passage 2 and 3 might be a bit too indirect.

So, to reiterate, if a theme really only appears in one passage but is not the focus of the other two passages, may i still comment and even discuss that theme despite not showing much of a link? I understand that no matter where you are in the book, the passages should link- but i talk from the perspective of having perhaps already exhausted those avenues and finding yourself struggling to find any further direct links between the three passages.

[charmanderp]

Yes. Individual passage analysis is just as much a part of the assessment criteria as finding links between the passages.

Take my own essay structure. The first three paragaphs would be an analysis of one of the passages, the second lot of three an analysis of another passage and the final two/three an analysis of the remaining passage. Sort of like three essays in one, all the while drawing comparison between the passages but also arguing how features of a single passage resonate for the wider text.

[Lolly]

Lit teachers are a confused bunch. :p I've heard conflicting opinions about nearly every aspect of essay writing, including whether we have to analyse all of the passages. I've also heard various views about formal introductions or conclusions, (I'm boycotting these) whether you have to follow a formulaic structure, whether you have to stick to just analysing characters and plot, or extend your interpretation to a more universal, philosophical appraisal. In the end, I guess it's up to you. I'm *aiming* to cover all the passages, with a few obligatory tangents to put the excerpts into the bigger picture. It sounds like that's what you're doing as well Good luck!

[charmanderp]

I do think it's really important you analyse all three passages. For example in one of my exam essays I wrote about 4 paragraphs on each of two of the passages and about half a paragraph on one of them and got 31/40 and then analysed all three equally in my other and scored a 39/40. Probably more indicative of the differing frames of mind I was in for each essay but yeah, balance and structure is important.

Lozmatron, boycotting introductions and conclusions is a wonderful idea, I did it myself Just make sure you get it right. I think just analysing characters and plot is suicide though. Don't take my word for it but it is really important that you put the passages into the context of the greater text and offer an argument as to how they represent the author's philosophical/literary intentions for the play/novel/poem/short story.

[Lolly]

Hmm, I shall keep that in mind. I think my teacher is more concerned about me making links into the wider text, but I’m going to have make sure I cover all three passages.  Regarding character and plot, I guess he's trying to keep me grounded because I run the risk sometimes of getting lost in abstraction.

How did you revise? (This is a shout out to anyone, by the way) I got a good idea today and maybe it could help somebody else. I needed to organise my ideas better within my essays so they progress in a more linear fashion. For Hamlet my interpretation is based on the conflict of antitheses, like : “appearance/reality” “will/fate” “to be/not to be”. So what I’ve done is cut out little squares of paper and labelled them with these concepts, and then arranged them in tiers. Eg: “duplicity/unity” is quite a broad theme which could set up the foundation of my essay, so that’s on the first level.  The second level takes this idea into account and runs with it -  “appearance/reality” is also based on duplicity.  And so everything builds toward the penultimate idea on the top tier which ties everything together.  At least that’s the way I see it. I’m really sure where to put “to be/not to be” though, because that’s the broadest question in the play, so it could go at the beginning, or at the very end.

Here’s hoping this will help me

I’m also writing out my interpretations and topic sentences and sticking them up on my wall and the toilet door. I will also hopefully put them on recordings for my ipod.  For anyone who does music or has an auditory memory- do this, it works really well! I’ve winged a few text responses just by listening to quotes linked to my ideas the night and morning before a SAC. (...Don’t do this though...cramming is a bad thing )  I guess the more sensory channels you use, the more likely it is you will retain information.
What’s your reading of Hamlet like?

Edit: practise exam is tomorrow, wish me luck

[charmanderp]

I basically just read my texts over and over and spilled my ideas out onto blank A4 sheets of paper, plus wrote the occasional practice essay. The key is really knowing your text like the back of your hand.

[Lolly]

Hahah, or I could do that

[charmanderp]

What you're doing there sounds really great too though; building a conceptual, complex understanding of the text! It's all about that framework of ideas of the author (or playwright in this case) and then getting into the exam and looking for examples from the passages to demonstrate your knowledge of those ideas to the examiner. It's not quite 'rote-learning' but once you've written a few practice essays you'll find yourself writing the same stuff over and over again and being more detailed each time.

[Lolly]

Yes, I definitely found that in the practice exam I got a lot more flow happening... the planning and practice definitely helps! However  I'm not quite there yet - I really need to work on time. It probably took me an hour and fifteen to do six paragraphs on my first essay and I only got about two thirds of the way through my second. That said, it's an improvement from my other timed essays! If I'm going to survive the exam I must be ruthless with time curfew.
Also they forgot to give us paper to write on until somebody pointed it out the end of reading time lololol.

On a side note, this was my family's conversation at dinner time:

Dad: To be or not to be...isn't that from Romeo and Juliet?
Me: Er, no...
Mum: Isn't that the speech when he's holding the skull?
Me: No?
Brother: Doesn't he drink out of the skull?
Me: *facepalm*
Brother: Isn't that the play about a Scotsman who gets his head cut off?
Me: NONONO THAT'S MACBETH YOU'VE ALL GOT IT TOTALLY WRONG! :DDDDDDD

I love my family. <3