STREETCAR REVISION - THE ANALYTICAL QUESTION
PREPARING for ELLA 1 (You have, of course, already re-read & revised the 2 books & know them very well!) WITH CLOSE REFERENCE TO ‘A STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE’
REMEMBER: you must complete 2 tasks, one analytical essay on one of the texts you studied for ELLA 1 and one production task on the other text you studied for ELLA 1. You are free to choose which task you do for which text.
READING AND CHOOSING: make sure you read both tasks for both the texts you have studied very carefully before you start. Identify precisely what the tasks require – highlight key words / the key character(s), relationship or theme to be addressed by the task. Choose carefully according to the knowledge and understanding you have of the 2 texts. Do not rush this careful reading of the tasks, take 4 – 5 minutes to THINK.
KEY TIP - TIMING: the production task is worth 45 marks and you should allow 45 - 50 minutes to plan and write it. You should do this task first. The analytical essay is worth less at 30 marks. You need to allow 35 - 40 minutes for this essay. You should plan and write it second.
PLANNING FOR THE ANALYTICAL TASK:
Identify precisely the key elements of the task:
1. Which character / relationship / theme are you being asked to comment upon – highlight / underline key words
2. Note that all the analytical questions use the words HOW does the writer – you must make sure you can comment on the literary, linguistic and dramatic techniques used.
Select relevant material from the text:
1. In your revision make sure you have learned a clear timeline of events – you must be able to find the key passages you need to refer to for evidence very quickly in the exam.
2. Select only 3 key scenes / incidents to refer to in your answer – this will ensure that you write in good depth and detail about the writer’s techniques (rather than a more general description of a character / behaviours across the whole play)
3. Jot down page references for quotations (from both the dialogue and the stage directions), the point they illustrate and language / literature feature used by the writer. i.e. several PEEs. Aim for a good range of different techniques – make sure you have the terminology to identify them precisely.
Write a sequenced plan:
1. A 1 – 2 sentence introduction to focus the answer on the key topic of the question
2. A sequence of paragraphs to explore the character / relationship / theme as directed by the question – it is most straightforward to take a chronological approach.
3. Make sure every paragraph opens with a topic sentence to direct the examiner to the new point you are about to explore / explain. Make sure this new point is explored by close analysis of techniques – lots of quotes plus analytical comment (technique used and the effect)
A01 15 MARKS You need to show you can choose relevant linguistic and literary concepts and terminology to analyse the text.
A02 15 MARKS You need to show in detail that you understand and can analyse the ways in which form (the play form), structure (the organisation of events for effect), and language (used in dialogue and stage directions) are used to create effects / impact.
REVISE THE PRESENTATION OF CHARACTERS, RELATIONSHIPS AND KEY THEMES FOR THE ANALYTICAL ESSAY.
Look back over the past questions for analysis and make sure you could answer them. Write a plan for each in which you identify the key scenes you would analyse to answer the question.
Think about possible new questions: e.g.
· How does Tennessee Williams portray the relationship between Stella and Stanley? OR between Stella and Blanche?
· Explore how Williams has portrayed contrasting women in the play.
· How does Williams present the theme of desire through the play.
· Explore how Williams uses the setting of Elysian Fields in A Streetcar Named Desire.
Analytical Frameworks
Spoken Language features – such as
· Fluency/non-fluency features
· Turn taking
· Adjacency pairs
Language features – such as
· Grammar
· Lexis
· Syntax
· Register
Literary features
· Imagery
· Phonology
· Rhetorical techniques
Dramatic features
· Dramatic irony
· Juxtaposition
· Dramatic motifs
· Stage directions
· Expressionistic techniques
