Relating Identity & Belonging essays to the text?

[JaneDoe]

In preparation for the English exam I've been reading over all my essays and I believe context writing is my weakness. One of the issues my teacher mentioned was my ability to relate my context essays (Identity & Belonging) to the text (Growing Up Asian in Australia). I really struggle with this. I know you relate the ideas explored in the text but I don't know how to go about this other than writing as one of the characters.

Any insight on how to ensure a piece of writing relates to the text would be appreciated. I know expository pieces make it easier to relate to the text but I tend to write imaginative pieces so advice more specific to that would be great.

Thanks in advance. 

[nisha]

In preparation for the English exam I've been reading over all my essays and I believe context writing is my weakness. One of the issues my teacher mentioned was my ability to relate my context essays (Identity & Belonging) to the text (Growing Up Asian in Australia). I really struggle with this. I know you relate the ideas explored in the text but I don't know how to go about this other than writing as one of the characters.

Any insight on how to ensure a piece of writing relates to the text would be appreciated. I know expository pieces make it easier to relate to the text but I tend to write imaginative pieces so advice more specific to that would be great.

Thanks in advance. 

HAHA. Yay! I have a kindred spirit. I only write imaginative, so this is what I do:
-Pick two/three themes from the text: Identity Crisis through defining moment, parents problem through clash of perspectives.....
-Use quotes! Best and easiest way to incorporate the text.
-Use similar writing style-take the Water Buffalo's writing style and do your own version-of relating animal to human's problems.
-Steal characters (the most fun! and direct...imo) from the texts and write a piece on their life/identity/belonging problems
-Disagree with the prompt and write flowery goodness that draws parallels to certain symbols in the texts.

[JaneDoe]

Thanks for your response. You definitely brought up some helpful ideas I'll apply to my future writing.

Just some questions:

-Pick two/three themes from the text: Identity Crisis through defining moment, parents problem through clash of perspectives.....

So basically, you would write an imaginative story about one of these themes? Do you find it easier through writing about personal experiences?

-Use quotes! Best and easiest way to incorporate the text.

I'm curious as to how to incorporate quotes from the text in an imaginative essay. Could you give me an example?

Also, I find my writing in this style gets quite lengthy because I get in the zone and write and then proceed to freak out because I've filled a page and haven't even got to the actual story yet. Any tips on how to stay to the point?

[nisha]

Thanks for your response. You definitely brought up some helpful ideas I'll apply to my future writing.

Just some questions:

-Pick two/three themes from the text: Identity Crisis through defining moment, parents problem through clash of perspectives.....

So basically, you would write an imaginative story about one of these themes? Do you find it easier through writing about personal experiences?

-Use quotes! Best and easiest way to incorporate the text.

I'm curious as to how to incorporate quotes from the text in an imaginative essay. Could you give me an example?

Also, I find my writing in this style gets quite lengthy because I get in the zone and write and then proceed to freak out because I've filled a page and haven't even got to the actual story yet. Any tips on how to stay to the point?

Always write from personal experience when you can. It makes the piece sound authentically, different.

Okay, i opened my GUAIA book just for you. Now, once you have read the book (i would recommend reading the ENTIRE BOOK rather than the specific stories...it helps with a wider analysis if the context). Now from the story, Sticks and stones and such-like, Sunil says: "wishing we were somewhere else [or]...someone else". Now, if I make up a story (this is rough as I cbbs refining):::

She gazed in amazement at the creamy-white of their skin, the softness of their pink scarfs and the etiquette in which they conducted themselves. They would never look my way, no, I was not good enough for their popularity. It was as if the school had a caste system in which the studious individuals were conditioned to receive inferior attention than those of whom would light up the sky. They would toss their golden curls about, as it swayed in the wind, laying claim to all those other manes who dared to unravel from their ponytails. I found myself wondering if I could one day colour my skin the hues of snowy white, to finally be seen amongst my other peers. I craved to be talked about by others, to be admired by those of my own caste. I found myself constantly wishing, not for the highest marks, but wishing to be someone else.

-I hope that makes sense....
Always remember that imaginative HAS A POINT. And that is, we have a story to tell, and there is moral behind that. Start the imaginative piece right in the action, and work towards your point of view. Agree/Disagree (to an extent) and aim to tell your point of view throughout on the prompt, using your texts to do so.
My imaginative pieces generally are around the 1000 word mark, but I always just tell myself , "get to the point, get to the point" and I show my point through my characters. Flowery language and describing (unless it supports your piece) is unnecessary, and you are wasting your time. Add the niceties to make your piece flow, but it still must have the nuts and bolts of English. Otherwise you will be deviating into a "literature effect" and from my experience, teachers are impressed by it, but you are not providing them with what they need to mark you highly for English.

[sahil26]

Always write from personal experience when you can. It makes the piece sound authentically, different.

Murderer? O.o

[nisha]

Always write from personal experience when you can. It makes the piece sound authentically, different.

Murderer? O.o

Huh? No, if you look at the top of my piece, I used the ideas from The White Tiger by Aravind Adiga

EDIT: LOL. Nice save below.

[sahil26]

haha easy...
it was a joke not an accusation

[JaneDoe]

She gazed in amazement at the creamy-white of their skin, the softness of their pink scarfs and the etiquette in which they conducted themselves. They would never look my way, no, I was not good enough for their popularity. It was as if the school had a caste system in which the studious individuals were conditioned to receive inferior attention than those of whom would light up the sky. They would toss their golden curls about, as it swayed in the wind, laying claim to all those other manes who dared to unravel from their ponytails. I found myself wondering if I could one day colour my skin the hues of snowy white, to finally be seen amongst my other peers. I craved to be talked about by others, to be admired by those of my own caste. I found myself constantly wishing, not for the highest marks, but wishing to be someone else.

That was unrefined? I'm just going to give up now. 

I'm just going to blame my school for falsely making me believe I had a chance.
Sahil26 can confirm this our school has low standards of marking. Haha.

Anyways, thanks for your help Nisha despite me feeling inferior currently your advice was great. I hope to one day reach your level of greatness. xD

[nisha]

Yes, it is unrefined because I made no mention of the specific "identity crisis/belonging difficulties" by the character. I just explained her feelings, but didn't go into any greater depth into WHY (and thats something you must do) she is feeling like this. Eg: She is embarrassed by her culture and the clothes she wears to school propel teasing from others because its "traditional"-bad example but I hope you get the idea.

Level of greatness? Pfft! Its just fluff. Examiners are slightly more harsh with imaginative writing because it is more subtle (e.g. you cannot state your contention-it is implied) and thus imaginative pieces that are to the point are best. My writing is not at all great (I have great difficulty writing text response and language analysis' because they are so cut-and-dry and require no story to tell). If you want to improve though, read more books around your context - I read "The Unpolished Gem" by Alice Pung to gain a greater insight into how she felt as a young child growing up, and her personal difficulties throughout.

No problem. If you ever want help with this kind of writing (pm me) or post your stories up. I realise there aren't that many creative stories here, but I'm hoping to change that.

[sahil26]

That was unrefined? I'm just going to give up now. 

I'm just going to blame my school for falsely making me believe I had a chance.
Sahil16 can confirm this our school has low standards of marking. Haha.

Please.... i love hp.
Also, "its just fluff" so take it easy on yourself
Also, identify yourself.. the fact that you go to my school creeps me out (not really, makes me curious) .

[JaneDoe]

No problem. If you ever want help with this kind of writing (pm me) or post your stories up. I realise there aren't that many creative stories here, but I'm hoping to change that.

Thanks for the offer. I'll definitely take that up if I ever get up the confidence to show my writing to people other than my English teacher.

Please.... i love hp.
Also, "its just fluff" so take it easy on yourself
Also, identify yourself.. the fact that you go to my school creeps me out (not really, makes me curious) .

No one loves HP. No one. Not even our principal.
Creepy is what I aim for thus I shall not identify myself. One must always have an element of mystery about themself.
P.S. It's seriously not that hard to figure out.

[Jenny_2108]

Yes, it is unrefined because I made no mention of the specific "identity crisis/belonging difficulties" by the character. I just explained her feelings, but didn't go into any greater depth into WHY (and thats something you must do) she is feeling like this. Eg: She is embarrassed by her culture and the clothes she wears to school propel teasing from others because its "traditional"-bad example but I hope you get the idea.

Level of greatness? Pfft! Its just fluff. Examiners are slightly more harsh with imaginative writing because it is more subtle (e.g. you cannot state your contention-it is implied) and thus imaginative pieces that are to the point are best. My writing is not at all great (I have great difficulty writing text response and language analysis' because they are so cut-and-dry and require no story to tell). If you want to improve though, read more books around your context - I read "The Unpolished Gem" by Alice Pung to gain a greater insight into how she felt as a young child growing up, and her personal difficulties throughout.

No problem. If you ever want help with this kind of writing (pm me) or post your stories up. I realise there aren't that many creative stories here, but I'm hoping to change that.

Hey Nisha, should we write 1st or 3rd person in the imaginative piece?

[nisha]

Yes, it is unrefined because I made no mention of the specific "identity crisis/belonging difficulties" by the character. I just explained her feelings, but didn't go into any greater depth into WHY (and thats something you must do) she is feeling like this. Eg: She is embarrassed by her culture and the clothes she wears to school propel teasing from others because its "traditional"-bad example but I hope you get the idea.

Level of greatness? Pfft! Its just fluff. Examiners are slightly more harsh with imaginative writing because it is more subtle (e.g. you cannot state your contention-it is implied) and thus imaginative pieces that are to the point are best. My writing is not at all great (I have great difficulty writing text response and language analysis' because they are so cut-and-dry and require no story to tell). If you want to improve though, read more books around your context - I read "The Unpolished Gem" by Alice Pung to gain a greater insight into how she felt as a young child growing up, and her personal difficulties throughout.

No problem. If you ever want help with this kind of writing (pm me) or post your stories up. I realise there aren't that many creative stories here, but I'm hoping to change that.

Hey Nisha, should we write 1st or 3rd person in the imaginative piece?

When its creative, you have to have the persona of a storyteller-mould your characters, almost, from clay. In doing this, you can choose 1st/3rd person, whatever you like really. 3rd creates a certain distance between the characters and the reader and you can use this to your advantage -as you can show through the character's actions and subtle nuances- or you could pick 1st which allows the audience to an insight into the authors ideas. I personally prefer 1st, because it is easier...but 3rd gives the effect that you are a brilliant writer. As a rule of thumb though (that i use) whenever I have more than one character interacting with each other, I create multiple perspectives through 3rd.
Eg:
She felt this
He felt that
She felt this
He felt that

--in alternating paragraphs.
tl;dr: do whatever you like:)

[Jenny_2108]

^ so how do we show the examiners our contention? Via the conversations between characters or the narrator's thoughts?

[nisha]

You form an opinion yes, and you SHOW YOUR OPINION through your characters and how they develop throughout your piece.
e.g.: 'Families stifle who we are.'
-> My opinion: is that families DON'T stifle who we are, that they support and help us through he period of time where we are developing as individuals.
->>> I would write a series of letters between two girls (one that has a supportive family and one that doesn't) and highlight through their conversations how families can help and individual when growing up, and how an individual can deteriorate when they don't have that assistance.
Think (metaphorically), how to straighten a tree. You have to put a stick alongside the tree, tie it to it to help it grow straight.