Is it necessary to discuss linguistic devices in a text response essay?

[werdna]

Do we need to look out for linguistic/language/literary devices in texts and include these in a text response essay? Or would it be too much of a Literature/English Language kind of approach?

[lexitu]

Good question. I'm going to say it's not necessary for a 'perfect essay' but in most cases it would enhance your essay to look at this. The way the author structures their text is after all crucial in how it is conveyed to the audience and your task is to analyse how the text constructs meaning, conveys ideas and values, and is open to a range of interpretations. In many cases a piece that doesn't consider the literary aspects of a text is missing the full implications of the topic and how a text confronts the audience.

[chrisjb]

what do you mean by linguistic/language/literary devices?

[werdna]

Thanks lexitu!

chrisjb, by linguistic/language features, I'm talking about things like sentence structure, vocabulary choice, emotive language, tone, mood etc etc.

I take back the reference to literary techniques, as I just remembered this includes the motifs, symbols, themes, metaphors etc etc in a text, and these are ESSENTIAL to an essay.

So yeah, what my question is, do you need to discuss the linguistic features or style of writing above?

[burbs]

Probably moreso in Shakespeare where it shows character traits etc. (especially Richard).

[lexitu]

I think things such as "sentence structure, vocabulary choice, emotive language" might be pushing it in most cases but tone and mood and symbols and so on are usually quite significant - especially in plays but even in the standard text. Sometimes you realise how thoughtful the author has been and how intricately worked the text is only after close analysis of it - why I love English

[werdna]

Could you explain what I could discuss about 'tone' and 'mood'? We haven't really touched on these in class.

[lexitu]

So, sometimes a certain mood complements what is being talked about or discussed. For example, the mood (and tone) may suddenly become urgent telling us that what is being talked about is discomforting, significant, etc. or foreshadowing of what's to come. Sometimes dialogues consist of characters exchanging short sentences (stichomythia) and instills panic and can herald an important event. Anything out of the ordinary can be a signal. Tone is pretty similar I suppose...

Sorry, that answer sucked. But does it help a bit?

[LOVEPHYSICS]

I wouldn't say it is needed. But if you are capable of it, I don't see why you shouldn't either. You wouldn't get penalised for it, and there's a chance that it could impress the examiner(assuming that it's right), so logically, if you can, do it, but with moderation.

[EvangelionZeta]

What Lexitu is saying is correct.  The examiners' criteria for the 9-10 range specifically mentions that you should demonstrate an awareness of the construction of the text - that is, an understanding of how the author has specifically crafted the tone, dialogue, staging, language etc. to elicit a certain response in the audience.  From memory, I have bits of this in the essays I posted in the Work Directory, so that's a model if you want to go with one (text response saved me on the exam - that was where I got two 10s, so take it from my experience). 

[uhmmaybe]

Could you explain what I could discuss about 'tone' and 'mood'? We haven't really touched on these in class.

In a nutshell, tone is the 'voice' of the essay. Most of the time it's discussed with emotive words.

[lynt.br]

I would only bring up sentence structure, vocabulary choice and emotive language if they are significant, otherwise avoid writing a second language analysis.

I would recommend every essay address how the author uses language and structure to construct meaning. By this I mean how does the author deliberately use language, literary devices or structure to add to the meaning of the text.

As an example, in my studied text, certain chapters had a clearly different structure from others in order to add to the complexity and mystery of the story. These chapters acted like pieces of a jigsaw puzzle which the narrative style chapters attempted to put together. I made sure in every essay I wrote I would make some comment on the language and structure employed by the author and referencing this type of structure was a good way to satisfy that requirement.