English-context writing

[Wooohoo]

please help me....has anyone got any ideas for an expository essay(encountering conflict-context writing) that i can write abt for the prompt 'the strength of someone is shown during conflict.'
thx

[Coffee]

What text are you studying? What themes are represented? Who or what situations relate to conflict? That's a good place to start. Also check out this thread ~*Context External Examples Guide*~ which lists external examples and evidence which can be used.

[heids]

Try asking as many questions as you can about the prompt, like here are some basic questions to think about:
> is this always true? does conflict sometimes bring out the worst/show up weaknesses?
> why is this the case? what is it about conflict that could show up strengths?
> what sort of strengths? physical, emotional, spiritual, moral, social?
> are the strengths formed by conflict, or are they already present - does conflict show or develop strengths?
> what level does this work on? internal conflict, interpersonal, national?
> why does conflict sometimes show up strengths, and sometimes weaknesses?
> do different types of conflict have different effects on a person?

Now try to come up with more!  Ask as many 'who-what-when-where-why-how-which' questions as you can think of

Then, try to find examples to support your ideas from your own knowledge or Coffee's link above, like examples of where it shows strengths and where it shows weakness.

Let us know how you go or if you need more help

[Wooohoo]

thx yeh that helps........how would u answer the question what is it abt conflict that shows up strengths?
...the text where studying is Life of Galileo.

[nat_1577]

please help me....has anyone got any ideas for an expository essay(encountering conflict-context writing) that i can write abt for the prompt 'the strength of someone is shown during conflict.'
thx

well, first I'd have to know what text you were studying (since your essay is supposed to reflect the themes of your text).

however, if I was writing an essay on that prompt alone, I'd probably have one paragraph focusing on how conflict can strengthen an individual, and speak about why this is - then I'd have paragraphs with contrasting views (about 3 more). Maybe I'd have one speaking about how conflict can weaken an individual and make them lose sense of who they are; one on how they may refuse to allow themselves to be strengthened by the conflict due to them not wanting to be apart of it, and thus ignoring it; one on how it may weaken them as it changes them completely, not by making them weak, but by forcing them to make decisions that they would never have considered prior to the conflict (for example, a soldier being forced to kill during war). Or, you could have two paragraphs supporting the question, and two showing contrasting views.

Typically, when I see an context essay question, I do not completely agree with the question - I always try to have at least one paragraph with a contrasting view, to portray the different sides of the argument.

What's your text? If it's something that I've read, I might be able to give you more specific examples to work with.

[frenchtom]

For a context response, is it ok to philosophise using inclusive pronouns such as "our" or "we"?  For example "no matter how loving our families are, all families go through conflict"

[heids]

For a context response, is it ok to philosophise using inclusive pronouns such as "our" or "we"?  For example "no matter how loving our families are, all families go through conflict"

Because Context isn't guided by rules of formal writing (you can write anything that's reasonable), yes.  Since you're often talking about 'people' or 'mankind' at large in Context, whereas in TR or LA you'd be talking about specific characters or readers, it can get clumsy to keep saying 'when people do X'.  1st person plural, 'when we do X', improves flow.

[frenchtom]

Ok, thank you so much!