English Advanced Question Thread

[theblackswan]

Thx for the feedback  I'm so appreciative of  your efforts in assisting us! This is a module B intro. Can someone provide a bit of feedback since it's an unfamiliar area? Thanks!
Q: How is your personal response of Hamlet shaped by the interactions of characters?
The interactions of characters in the eponymous tragedy Hamlet (1600) are manipulated to encourage rumination over our propensity for inaction in the face of tensions between conflicting ideologies. Inspired by the emerging Humanism views where the intellect of men are held in esteem, Shakespeare demands our focus to fall onto how tensions between societal duties and the individual's own sense of directionality conjures psychomachy and ultimately impedes our ability to act. Indeed, this chain reaction becomes most notable in the confrontation between logic and passion. Shakespeare's metatheatrical work provide enriching insights into the universally contemplated notions of deception, honour and the futility of endeavouring against fate. Shakespeare beckons us to join him in asserting our stances in regard to these notions by using his characters as mediums of communication. As a whole, Shakespeare's employment of construction, content and language to fuse the universality of these ideas and project them into the forefront of the play rightfully earns Hamlet its canonical status.

[bridie_2345]

Hi there i'm in desperate need of as to how i would talk about the role of women in king richard iii and looking for richard?
thanks so much!

[elysepopplewell]

Hey,
Just wondering whether it'll be likely if they ask about particularly characters in module A. Like female characters in Richard III/LFR and just the female characters? I don't think I have enough quotes to have more than one paragraph about them!

Also, how do we tackle questions about different interpretations of speeches for Mod B?

Hey justwannawish

They could ask you to talk about female characters specifically in Module A - because the questions are tailored to the text for this module, it is quite possible, even likely. They haven't asked this before for Richard, and they've been doing Richard for many years, so it is possible. I'd be talking about the relationships between the characters and their linguistic portrayal, as well as their place in the plot. Are they pawns, well-sought after, esteemed, undermined?

Could your rephrase your question on speeches? Sorry I didn't study speeches so if you can give me a little more info I'm sure I can help

What is the best method of writing a Module essay? (eg integrated)
I've currently got my essays in paragraphs per text.

If you're dealing with the texts AND themes/ideas in isolation then I think now is a really good time to change that, by making links between themes and ideas even if you are just leaving a text per paragraph. The reason being - the notes from the marking centre each year are asking for a more blended response. So it doesn't have to be dealing with two texts concurrently, but I think addressing the thematic overlaps is important to showing your confidence with the module

[elysepopplewell]

Hi there i'm in desperate need of as to how i would talk about the role of women in king richard iii and looking for richard?
thanks so much!

Hi there!

A few ways you might go about this.

-The role of women as instruments for propelling the plot - how is their place in the plot instrumental to understanding Richard's intentions?
-Linguistically, how are they represented? What kind of imagery do they use to describe Richard (a bore, I believe), and what does this say about their power and perception of Richard?
-Contextually - why were women important?

Hey,
Just wondering whether it'll be likely if they ask about particularly characters in module A. Like female characters in Richard III/LFR and just the female characters? I don't think I have enough quotes to have more than one paragraph about them!

Also, how do we tackle questions about different interpretations of speeches for Mod B?

Ping - incorporating you into this above answer because it might help you

[Shadowfox42]

Hey everyone,
Would I be able to get some tips on how to structure a Module C Essay (Specifically "The Crucible" for People and Politics") as I am still unsure of how to lay it out. Should it be based on how the composer represents a specific idea for both texts, and then repeat? Or should there be some other sort of structure?

Also I read an essay from a HSC workbook (Strong essay, not 20/20 I'm pretty sure), where they explored the political motivations of the composers in the first paragraph for each Text, thus representing mainly an event or situation, and then for the second paragraphs, focused on a comparison of character's representations to explore an idea. My question for that is, is that a good way of attacking the question, or should we aim for something different entirely.

Thank you!

[brooksj2017]

Hey! I have 2 questions about advanced English and I would appreciate any thoughts or answers 
1) For Mod C (People and Politics) could they ask us to use 2 related texts
and
2) Hamlet - if a question involves a specific scene, do you need to discuss that scene in every paragraph, and to what extent?
Hope these questions were clear, thanks so much!

[elysepopplewell]

Hey 
can someone help me with the way I end paragraphs in essays? I always find myself just saying 'hence...' and basically repeating my topic sentence.... anyone have tips on ways you can wrap your paragraphs up better??... or..... how necessary is it to completely repeat your idea at all? I have always been taught to finish off with a very clear link.. but while having a bit of a look at other essays on here, people don't always necessarily bother so much.. they just finish on their last analysis of their quote?
Thanks ppl..
 

If the finishing off of the last piece of analysis attached to the quote is linking in itself, then it's quite fine to leave it this way. You wouldn't leave it as a quote on it's own, but if the lasting piece of analysis is twisted to say, "The motif is the most significant tie throughout the text, bringing the plot from the Elizabethan era to the contemporary time" (as per the essay question requests), then you're rounding it off just fine! If you need that last sentence to say, "The accumulation of imagery throughout the text blah blah blah links the text to the question of the exam..." then that's fine also. It doesn't have to be a sentence on it's own, outside of analysis. In fact sometimes the incorporation with analysis can be most flawless! But there's no single right way to do it.

Hey! I have 2 questions about advanced English and I would appreciate any thoughts or answers 
1) For Mod C (People and Politics) could they ask us to use 2 related texts
and
2) Hamlet - if a question involves a specific scene, do you need to discuss that scene in every paragraph, and to what extent?
Hope these questions were clear, thanks so much!

They could ask you for two related texts - but I don't suspect it likely. There's nothing to say they won't ask for two, three, or four - but I wager it to be unlikely given the patterns of previous exams.

Great question - number two. It depends. You might be able to draw on the themes of that paragraph/quote throughout in a way that means you can fairly seamlessly manage the relation between stimulus and other content. I wouldn't be referencing the paragraph in every part of the essay in a really large way, but I'd be drawing contrasts between that scene and other scenes in order to evaluate the significance and and thematic value it offers. I don't have an example of this on hand, so let me know if it makes sense or not and I can flesh this out more with you if need be

[elysepopplewell]

HEY guys does anyone know what technique/s this may be ?"her constant placement behind her mother"
 Much appreciated Mary

The repetition of the possessive pronoun could be something here?

Hey, I was just wondering, what is the difference between the political and social landscape?
My related text for mod C is about the stolen generation and I'm trying to work out the distinction between these two landscape types.

There can be overlap, and particularly in a situation alike to yours! It is argued by 20th century feminists often that there is no difference: what is personal is political, what is political is personal. The social and political landscape are hard to separate here because one informs the other. So I'd be looking at it like: the political landscape is where the majority of voters sat, the climate of fears...and the social factors refer to individuals and their relationships in society. So it is very different to distinguish them - but you don't need to treat them in isolation, you can recognise the overlap

[elysepopplewell]

Do we need to contextualise out evidence?

Typically, no. There might be benefit to this in particular essays if the point in the text shows a contrast to another point in the text. But don't go into narrative retell!

I was wondering what people do for mod B if they get a theme-specific question. For example, I do Hamlet and corruption is a paragraph in my prepared essay. But if they give a question purely on corruption, should I expand that one paragraph, or try to mould my other paragraphs into other aspects of corruption

It's up to you and how well you feel comfortable with your textual knowledge in an exam. I'd try and adopt the other paragraphs to different types of corruption - moral, political, social, financial. But you can also talk about how these different themes you have prepared contribute to the exploration of corruption, or how they are more prevalent than corruption...whatever it may be.

[jademessih]

Hi,
For AOS my prescribed text is The Tempest and I have a quote in which I want to use but can't find a technique for it.
"Your tale, sir, could cure deafness"
Context wise the character Miranda is listening to Prospero and he keeps asking her if she is listening which she replies "Sir, most heedfully." then again "o good sir I do" then ending with her final reply "Your tale, sir, could cure deafness".
Could I say its a motif? I'm not sure.

Thanks!!

[cxmplete]

hi for module b, speeches, is it okay to write 3 body paragraphs on 3 different speeches?

[sidzeman]

hi for module b, speeches, is it okay to write 3 body paragraphs on 3 different speeches?

Some questions specify "TWO speeches" I'm pretty sure, but otherwise it should be fine. However, its not really recommended because you just wont have the time to write an indepth analysis on all 3 speeches (and indepth of 2 speeches is always preferred to shallow analysis of 3).

[KeelzeyMac]

Hello! I have a quick question on integrated paragraphs- would it benefit to use this scaffold on a Mod C essay as well as a Mod A one? Thanks in advance!

[caitlinlddouglas]

hey I feel stuck with how to answer this question on module C for brave new world  (with related text as brave new world )
"Divide and rule, a sound motto. Unite and lead, a better one" To what extent is this statement evident in the texts you have studied?
Thanks!!

[cpecora]

Okay so, I’ve heard that in terms of ranking, whoever ranks 1st for example; their internal mark will become the highest mark of their cohort externally… But what if their internal mark is higher than the highest HSC exam mark? E.g Say Sarah got 93 internally but the highest HSC exam mark was only 88, does her internal mark get taken down to an 88?