English Advanced Question Thread

[Pidiare]

Hey Pidiare!

You can write paragraphs that are not textually integrated, but they will be thematically integrated. This is still important and possible for you to achieve the best marks. If you think that textual integration is achievable for you then I'd go with that. The worst case scenario is you write about a text per paragraph, and then fail to thematically connect. You will still be able to get marks, but not as many as if you had integrated. For me, thematically integrating was the next step, and then I moved to textually integrating. I know some people will say full textual integration is the only way but I disagree. However, I do 100% acknowledge that the better essays I've read have all been integrated!

Thank you!! If only my teachers were that thorough!! 

[Thebarman]

Hey guys, I'm studying Mrs Dalloway/The Hours for Module A. I'm planning on doing a skeleton outline of an essay centered around the themes of choice and mortality and then shape that to whatever question I may get. Would I be alright to talk about just these two themes? Same for every other module really; I usually go in with 2 main themes per essay. Would 2 themes analysed in depth be enough for most essays?

[Jash16]

Hi i have got an assessment task coming up on Heart of Darkness and Apocalypse Now and with the overall topic on the alien self. However i have no idea what it is can you please help me???

[crp1133]

Hi! I am doing The Crucible for Module C and I have just written an essay for my teacher and her only feedback was that I need to include more conext. If anyone has studied The Crucible, do you have any suggestions as to the important contextual elements I should include?
Thanks!

[bigsweetpotato2000]

Hey! So I did Yeats' poetry for this module, so I was in a similar boat. Obviously: it's too risky to leave any stone unturned. It's really important that we approach the study of each with some consideration of, "I could be asked about this specifically - I better not rob myself by doing a shit job of revising." I knew each poem well, if not really well. I was confident in the themes each dealt with and how they dealt with them - so this could be the same for you. I was also very prepared in the links between each (which ones deal with love, politics, religion, etc), so that I had pairings in my head, but also so that if they specified one text, I immediately knew another that I'd be able to bounce off!

Unfortunately I don't have any short cuts to suggest. It is what it is with this module, unfortunately! But remember, you'll do your best in terms of trials - and then it's only upwards from there for HSC! You'll just keep building and building on your knowledge

Hm I should have the pairings in my head then
Thanks!

Bigsweetpotato Farm

[bigsweetpotato2000]

Hi! I am doing The Crucible for Module C and I have just written an essay for my teacher and her only feedback was that I need to include more conext. If anyone has studied The Crucible, do you have any suggestions as to the important contextual elements I should include?
Thanks!

Context Context Context thats all they want

So I'm also doing the crucible so I might be able to help you out

Our main contexts are obviously:

McCarthy Trials & Salem Witch Trials

From then on, we can pull in the Cold War context, so maybe look at the political context of the Cold War - particularly in the US and maybe the tensions between the Soviet Union and America

Hope that's helpful!

Bigsweetpotato Farm

[elysepopplewell]

Hey guys, I'm studying Mrs Dalloway/The Hours for Module A. I'm planning on doing a skeleton outline of an essay centered around the themes of choice and mortality and then shape that to whatever question I may get. Would I be alright to talk about just these two themes? Same for every other module really; I usually go in with 2 main themes per essay. Would 2 themes analysed in depth be enough for most essays?

Having two main themes to work with is an excellent idea! HOWEVER, you could be examined specifically about another theme that you don't have the details for. Ideally, you'd be able to link these across to the new question, but it won't always work. So, I think you should know your two chosen ones in detail, but you should look to past papers for other themes they've brought up, and at least dot point some notes for them for them, and really carefully consider, "what evidence would I used if this was asked of me?" to test yourself on your knowledge outside of the two main points you're completely ready for!

[elysepopplewell]

Hi i have got an assessment task coming up on Heart of Darkness and Apocalypse Now and with the overall topic on the alien self. However i have no idea what it is can you please help me???

Hey there! I'm sorry that I haven't studied either of these texts. Could you post the essay question and maybe I can assist a little more? And if you can, tell me any ideas you have at the moment, even if you think they're weak, and I can try and strengthen them

Context Context Context thats all they want

So I'm also doing the crucible so I might be able to help you out

Our main contexts are obviously:

McCarthy Trials & Salem Witch Trials

From then on, we can pull in the Cold War context, so maybe look at the political context of the Cold War - particularly in the US and maybe the tensions between the Soviet Union and America

Hope that's helpful!

Bigsweetpotato Farm

Thank you!!!! Love your work!

[limtou]

Hello!
I'm struggling slightly with my thesis statements for Mod C. Should I go for a more general approach, or be specific?
For instance,
General: In “Moving South”, Wright represents the capacity for specific landscapes to directly influence the lives and experiences of individuals.
More specific to the text: In “Moving South”, Wright challenges individuals to embrace change by aligning their experiences with the shifting landscapes. (Does this sentence make sense by the way?)
Just a summary on Moving South, it's a text on Wright "moving to south" of Australia, where she realises that she is no longer attached her youth (northern, warmer regions), and learns to embrace the process of aging.

[mohanedibrahim1]

Hi there Elyse i mean i am kinda desperate on getting feedback on this essay, but however i'm also happy to wait thank you.

[bowiemily]

Hello!
I'm struggling slightly with my thesis statements for Mod C. Should I go for a more general approach, or be specific?
For instance,
General: In “Moving South”, Wright represents the capacity for specific landscapes to directly influence the lives and experiences of individuals.
More specific to the text: In “Moving South”, Wright challenges individuals to embrace change by aligning their experiences with the shifting landscapes. (Does this sentence make sense by the way?)
Just a summary on Moving South, it's a text on Wright "moving to south" of Australia, where she realises that she is no longer attached her youth (northern, warmer regions), and learns to embrace the process of aging.

It depends on whether you're going to be writing this as an integrated or non integrated paragraph. Myself, I would write the more general opening sentences so I could compare how my prescribed and related explored/represented such a concept. Even in a non integrated essay, it would probably work better to have a less specific opening sentence in order to create a point of comparison

[bigsweetpotato2000]

Thank you!!!! Love your work!

Hahha No worries!

[Jess.martinuzzo]

Hey Jess! I won't lie, I read this over about three times because no immediate definitive answer came to my head to help you out! Basically, of the three essay options you've presented, the first two are definitely better than the last. You're saying there's sooo much to talk about and it's leaving you a bit lost. I totally understand. It's overwhelming to select which content you need to sabotage, and which to keep, for the best essay. But, this is a blessed disaster. It's great that you know so much!

As for your paragraph structures. You've got a lot of great ideas. Why not mix a theme with a concept? So one paragraph on a theme, the next on a concept? Or you could approach the paragraphs thematically, but weave one of the concepts (love the one about the power of the composer) into your thesis and throughout your entire response? Obviously you'll need to pick and choose what you leave and take for the essay question thrown your way, but having a solid plan in mind is always great. I wrote an essay on these exact texts and you can download it here if you think it might help! I guess I did mine as one theme, then one concept. So hopefully my essay gives you a vision of how that would look. Please post back if you're still struggling!

Thankyou So much Elyse!!

Would you suggest structuring the response as a 'text by text' essay?

And for the Paragraphs, would it be suitable to do:

Paragraph 1 & 2 - The Power of the Composer - Nature of Power, Corruption to gain influence. etc. (one for each text)

and then say,

Paragraph 3 & 4 - Duplicious Characterisation (Discussing the various roles and how context, values and all that jazz has formed the various roles played by both Richard and Al Pacino)

Also, when talking about characterisation about Richard - I dont want to 'laundry list' the roles for both Richard and Pacino, for example, Richard the Villain, the Wooer, The Caring Uncle, The Devout Christian.....etc Alpacino the Virtuoso, the Director, Audience, Actor, As Richard himself, the celebrity etc..and then analyse them with techniques.
Is there a better way to approach them?  Or is it better to focus on one 'role' for both Richard and Pacino and discuss how context and values of the time has influenced that one particular role/characterisation?
And could you suggest what ones would be most important and/or relevant?

I hope that makes sense.
Thankyou!!!

[limtou]

It depends on whether you're going to be writing this as an integrated or non integrated paragraph. Myself, I would write the more general opening sentences so I could compare how my prescribed and related explored/represented such a concept. Even in a non integrated essay, it would probably work better to have a less specific opening sentence in order to create a point of comparison

Thank you for the advice! I think I'll go with the less specific thesis then, even though I'm going for a non integrated essay

[jamonwindeyer]

Hi there Elyse i mean i am kinda desperate on getting feedback on this essay, but however i'm also happy to wait thank you.

You'll need 40 posts on ATAR Notes to qualify for this essay to be marked - You've had one marked previously for 15, and the current requirement is 25 posts

Friendly heads up, you keep posting your essays even though they don't meet count, I'm deleting them because you can't build your post count just by repeatedly posting essays. You know about the requirement, please make our lives easier and keep from posting your essay until you've reached the post count. Deleting and moving stuff takes time we could spend marking