IB ENGLISH CHRISTMAS READING & WORK

Over the Christmas holiday you should read Angela Carter's The Bloody Chamber. We will be studying in class the following stories:

The Snow Child
The Bloody Chamber
The Tiger's Bride
The Eal-King
The Company of Wolves

In pairs you will give brief presentations on the following stories:

The Courtship of Mr. Lyon
Puss-in-Boots
The Lady of the House of Love
The Werewolf
Wolf-Alice

And you should also read The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald.


Remember that we read literature as students not as consumers.

Therefore as you read you must make notes and annotate the texts studied. You should consider making notes on some or all of the following topics:

• Identify important plot developments
• Note down the structure in the plot
• Comment on the narrative voice - who is speaking? What attitude do they have to main characters, the main events and the narrative perspective?
• What are the main themes in the story?
• Note the setting of the stories and the function of the settings
• Comment on writing techniques and the effect on the reader.

AS LL - STREETCAR OUTCOME QUESTIONS

Blanche becomes a patient in a mental hospital

Mitch's relationship with Blanche is destroyed

Stella gives birth to a baby boy

Stanley and Stella continue their married life together

Stanley escapes the crime of rape


Are these outcomes good or bad?

What reasons do you have for your answer?

Find quotations from the play to support your responses?

AS LL - CHRISTMAS HOMEWORK

DEADLINE

This work should be handed in to me in class on Wednesday 9 January at 1.40.

TASKS

Reading Task - you do not need to hand in any written work for this task but bring your books in. I'd like to see your notes and annotations.

Complete reading Spies by Michael Frayn and make notes on the topics already posted on this blog. Click here for a link to the post.

You must answer one question below and spend no longer than 50 minutes answering the question.
 
We have discussed and planned the first question of the homework so it should not be a too difficult task for you to complete.

Question 1

Imagine a brief dialogue between Eunice and Blanche at the end of Scene Three where Blanche returns to Eunice’s after her conversation with Mitch. Stella has returned to the apartment with Stanley.

Give careful consideration to the language choices, form and style in order to convey a sense of a spontaneous dialogue between Eunice and Blanche. Also give a sense of the voices attitudes and assumptions of Blanche and Eunice.

Question 2

Imagine that as a result of Blanche’s meeting with Mitch in scene 9 a police officer comes to the apartment to see what the problem is. Write a brief dialogue between Blanche and the policeman where Blanche discusses some of the problems she is facing.

Give careful consideration to the language choices, form and style in order to convey a sense of a spontaneous dialogue between Blanche and the police officer. Also give a sense of the voices attitudes and assumptions of Blanche.

A2 LL CUPCAKES QUESTION ON SLUTS I

Read the source material which follows and answer both questions:


Text A is from an article entitled [Sluts I]by [Katherine Whitehorn]

It was first published in [The Observer in 1963].

You are a [an advertising agent and have been commissioned to write an advertisment for a personal assistant]

Using the source material, write the text [of an  advertisment advertising the services for a personal organizer or assitant]

Your audience will consist of [young married women]


You should adapt the source material, using your own words as far as possible. Your text
should be approximately 300 – 400 words in length.

 In your adaptation you should:

• use language appropriately to address purpose and audience

• write accurately and coherently, applying relevant ideas and concepts.

(25  marks)

AND

Question 3

Write a commentary which explains the choices you made when writing your advertisement
commenting on the following:

• how language and form have been used to suit audience and purpose

• how vocabulary and other stylistic features have been used to shape meaning and
achieve particular effects.

You should aim to write about 150 – 250 words in this commentary.

(15 marks)

A2 LL - SOME RESPONSES TO ISSUES RAISED IN DETAILED PLAN INTERVIEWS

First draft essay deadline

Mod 1 - Friday 9 January
Mod 2 - Thursday 8 January
Mod 6 - Tuesday 6 January

Below are a few comments in response to questions that have come up during the 1:1 discussions with students about detailed coursework essay plan.

Your essay must compare 2/3 poems from one poet with 2/3 poems or 2/3 extracts from a short story. You must not compare 3 poems from one poet.

Writing a detailed essay plan before term ends enables you to do the hard work of the essay before the holiday begins. It means you don't need to spend your holiday planning and writing. And you have the opportunity of having your ideas looked over with me. Then all you will need to concentrate on in the holiday is writing up your essay.

Writing a detailed plan takes ABOUT 4 - 8 hours to complete. This will depend on how well you know the texts.

Writing up the essay using a detailed plan will take ABOUT 2 - 4 hours to complete.

Writing a good analytical comparative coursework essay requires you to know the texts you are writing about very well. I suggest you read and re-read them paying close attention to the essay title and the sub-topics you will be comparing in your essay.

Each paragraph must engage with only one sub-topic and only one text. You do not need to compare all poems from one writer with all the poems from another writer.

Some sub-topics are quite complex and may require more than one comparative analytical paragraph.

Write between 2000 - 2500 word essay - excluding quotations. Writing below 2000 words the exam board may think you've not covered the essay topic fully or engaged with the texts in enough detail or depth. This may mean they will not award full marks. Writing over 2500 words the exam board will consider that you are disorganized - but will not penalise you.

Record the details of the research you have undertaken. Make a note of website addresses, titles and authors. For hard copies of books and articles, record titles, authors, publication dates, publishers and places of publication.

There are many comparative essay structures. Below is the one I recommend.

My recommended structure for your essay is as follows:

Introduction

• Define the main topic in the essay title. Identify and introduce the comparative sub-topics that will form the basis of your essay.
• Introduce the texts you will write about in your essay.
• Identify and introduce the main writing techniques that you will comment on in your essay.
• Perhaps comment on the writers you have chosen to write your essay on. 

Paragraph 1

• Write one topic sentence on one sub-topic. Refer to one text only - either one poem or one extract from a short story. Quote and then comment on the quotation. Show how the quote relates to the sub-topic and main topic of the essay. Identify language and literary techniques used in the essay. Then show how the quotation creates an effect on a generalized reader.

Paragraph 2

• Write a topic sentence on the same sub-topic as paragraph 1. Refer to one text only - either one poem or one extract from a short story. Quote and then comment on the quotation. Show how the quote relates to the sub-topic and main topic of the essay. Identify language and literary techniques used in the essay. Then show how the quotation creates an effect on a generalized reader.
• Then make one or two statements that either show similarities or differences between the text referred to in paragraph one.

Continue writing paired analytical comparative paragraphs as above until you have written about all the sub-topics. There may be about 6 - 8 sub-topics.

A2 LL - COURSEWORK DETAILED PLAN - A RESPONSE

Follow up detailed essay plan interviews will take place during the week beginning Monday 15 December

Mod 1 - 9.00 Friday 19 December
Mod 2 - 9.00 Thursday 18 December
Mod 6 - 9.00 Tuesday 16 December


I've been really pleased with the detailed essay plans I've seen during the interviews. And in most cases I've recommended that students that have completed these should go ahead and begin writing the essay. For these students it may be that they will finish their first draft essay in the last week of term.

However I've been disappointed with the amount of essay plans that have been completed. Writing a detailed essay plan usually takes between 4 - 8 hours to produce. Writing a plan is essential in producing a good coursework essay. Without a plan you are restricting your chances of getting a good grade in this unit.

And remember that the coursework is equal to 20% of your whole A Level grade. 

Click here for a link to an earlier post that explains how to write a detailed plan. Click here to see a pair of analytical comparative paragraphs.

There are other resources availaible to you if you need further help:

• Re-read the coursework guide given out at the beginning of the year. This contains a glossary and example paragraphs as well as good advice.
• Buy or borrow from the library a copy of the AQA A2 English Language and Literature A course book, published by Nelson Thornes.  Here is a link.

A2 LL - SOME KEY QUESTIONS IN ASSESSING COURSEWORK ESSAYS

Is the writing simple, concise, clear and accurate?


Does the student understand the essay title and does the essay focus on the essay topic? 


Does the student know and understand the poems and or short story being discussed?


Are the texts being discussed, analysed with reference to the essay topic? 


Is there meaningful, detailed comparisons being made between the two writer's?


Is there a range of language and literary techniques identified and commented on?


Does the student know the meanings of the language and literary terms being used?


Does the essay have a structure?


Is the essay presented appropriately with essay title and name of student?

A2 LL - CUPCAKES - FABULOUSLY FAT QUESTIONS

Read the source material which follows and answer both questions:

Text A is from an article entitled [Fabulously Fat]by [Erin Pizzey]
It was first published in [Cosmopolitan in 1980].

You have been [asked to contribute to a television documentary about weight. You are responsible for the section of the programme which presents the arguments in favour of being fat.]


Using the source material, write the [the beginning of this section, drawing from the whole text.]

Your audience will consist of [people concerned with weight issues]


You should adapt the source material, using your own words as far as possible. Your [text]
should be approximately 300 – 400 words in length.

In your adaptation you should:

• use language appropriately to address purpose and audience

• write accurately and coherently, applying relevant ideas and concepts.

(25 marks)

AND
Question 3

Write a commentary which explains the choices you made when writing your text
commenting on the following:

• how language and form have been used to suit audience and purpose

• how vocabulary and other stylistic features have been used to shape meaning and
achieve particular effects.

You should aim to write about 150 – 250 words in this commentary.

(15 marks)

A2 LL - CUPCAKES - FABULOUSLY FAT QUESTION

Read the source material which follows and answer both questions:

Text A is from an article entitled [Fabulously Fat] by [Erin Pizzey]
It was first published in [Cosmopolitan in 1980].

You are a [member of a feminist group and have been asked to write a flyer intended to discourage women from dieting and to give them confidence in themselves.]

Using the source material, write the text [of the flyer.]

Your audience will consist of [women intending to join a slimming course]
You should adapt the source material, using your own words as far as possible. Your [text]
should be approximately 300 – 400 words in length.

In your adaptation you should:

• use language appropriately to address purpose and audience

• write accurately and coherently, applying relevant ideas and concepts.

(25 marks)

AND

Question 3
Write a commentary which explains the choices you made when writing your text
commenting on the following:

• how language and form have been used to suit audience and purpose

• how vocabulary and other stylistic features have been used to shape meaning and
achieve particular effects.

You should aim to write about 150 – 250 words in this commentary.

(15 marks)

A2 LL - LESSONS 8 DECEMBER - 19 DECEMBER

Below is a table showing some of the lessons for the last week of term.

Mod 1

Monday 15 Dec - Preparation for timed work /  1:1's Cupcakes journals / coursework
Tuesday 16 Dec - Detailed essay plan 1:1's / Example essays follow up / Introductions / Conclusions / word counts / bibliography
Friday 19 Dec - Timed work / Murder mystery

Mod 2

Monday 15 Dec -  Cupcakes - Fabulously Fat
Wednesday 17 Dec - Timed work / Murder mystery
Thursday 18 Dec - Detailed essay plan 1:1's / Example essays follow up / Introductions / Conclusions / word counts / bibliography


Mod 6

Monday 8 Dec - Cupcakes - Fat is Ugly
Tuesday 9 Dec - Detailed essay plan 1:1's and example essays
Friday 12 Dec - Cupcakes - Fabulously Fat continued

Monday 15 Dec - Example essays / Introductions / Conclusions / word counts / bibliography
Tuesday 16 Dec - Detailed essay plan 1:1's  follow up / Example essays / Introductions / Conclusions / word counts / bibliography follow up
Friday 19 Dec - Timed work / Murder mystery

IB ENGLISH - SONNET PRESENTATIONS

Here is the list of students that will do their presentations next week on Friday 12 December

Diana - Michaelangelo - V & VI
Tristan - Frost
Martin - Shelly - Ozymandias
Natasha - Milton

Here is the list of students that will do their presentation on Monday 15 December

Nicolo - Dante - La Vita Nouva
Max - Rilke - 3
Marina - The Windhover

Here is the list of students that will do their presentation on Thursday 18 December

Janira - Michaelangelo - Dante
Sophie - St Vincent Millay - 'What lips my lips have kissed and where and why'
Lorenz - Larkin
Mathieu -

A2 LL DEFINITION OF KEY WORDS IN FAT IS UGLY BY ANGELA CARTER

Women's Lib - a movement directed towards the removal of attitudes and practices that preserve inequalities based upon the assumption that men are superior to women.

aesthetics - is a branch of philosophy dealing with the nature of art, beauty and taste, with the creation and appreciation of beauty.

Dandy - a man unduly concerned with looking stylish and fashionable.

Narcissism - excessive interest in or admiration of oneself and one's physical appearance.

Menarche - the first occurrence of menstruation.

Rubens - Sir Peter Paul. 1577–1640, Flemish painter, regarded as the greatest exponent of the Baroque: appointed (1609) painter to Archduke Albert of Austria, who gave him many commissions, artistic and diplomatic.

Renoir - Pierre Auguste (pjɛr oɡyst). 1841–1919, French painter. One of the initiators of impressionism, he broke away from the movement with his later paintings, esp his many nude studies, which are more formal compositions

Freudian - relating to or influenced by Sigmund Freud and his methods of psychoanalysis, especially with reference to the importance of sexuality in human behavior.

Amenorrhoea - an abnormal absence of menstruation

Moroseness - gloomily or sullenly ill-humoured, as a person or mood.

cadaver - a corpse

passive receptive - passive - not reacting visibly to something that might be expected to produce manifestations of an emotion or feeling. receptive having the quality of receiving, taking in, or admitting.

succubus - a demon in female form, said to have sexual intercourse with men in their sleep.

A2 LL - FAT IS UGLY - RECAST QUSTION

Read the source material which follows and answer both questions:

Text A is from an article entitled [Fat is Ugly]by [Angela Carter]
It was first published in the [New Society].
You are a [journalist]

Using the source material, write a short section [of a biography on Angela Carter]
Your audience will consist of [general members of the public]
You should adapt the source material, using your own words as far as possible. Your [biography]
should be approximately 300 – 400 words in length.

In your adaptation you should:

• use language appropriately to address purpose and audience

• write accurately and coherently, applying relevant ideas and concepts.

(25 marks)

AND

Question 3

Write a commentary which explains the choices you made when writing your text
commenting on the following:

• how language and form have been used to suit audience and purpose

• how vocabulary and other stylistic features have been used to shape meaning and
achieve particular effects.

You should aim to write about 150 – 250 words in this commentary.

(15 marks)

A2 LL - FAT IS UGLY - SOME GUIDE QUESTIONS

What do you think Carter means when she says thatWomen's Lib...helped' her to cope with her [own]...anorexia?

What do you understand as the main concerns for Women's Lib?
What did you find out about the history of the women's movement?
What do you think this idea might suggest about anorexia?

Carter sees anorexia as a 'fashionable' ailment for the seventies. It seems to be even motre common now. Why should this be?

What would you say are the main differences between the way anorexia is presented here and the way we tend to read/hear about it today?

Find the references in the text to physical states and experiences which are specifically feminine.

Why do you think these are linked with anorexia?

What  does the Aeneas reference add to the text, do you think?

A2 LL - CUPCAKES CLUSTER - PERSONAL EXPERIENCE

Below is another cluster of Cupcakes articles we will be working on over the next couple of weeks. We'll identify the key features of Ten Days in the Madhouse and Fat is Ugly from this cluster. I'll post possible recasting questions by Monday 1 December.

Prepare Ten Days in the Madhouse for one of the exam lessons next week. See below.

Personal Experience

Ten Days in the Madhouse The Summer I Left Childhood was White Fat is Ugly Through the Pain Barrier

Ten Days in the Madhouse is quite a long article. We'll probably look at it in two sections.
The first section will be from the opening on page 99 to 'a glass of milk and a soda cracker' on page 102. The second section will be from page 102, 'All the windows in the hall were open', to the end of the article on page 105.

IB ENGLISH - BATTER MY HEART

William Holman Hunt

A2 LL - EXTRA COURSEWORK POEM - Personal Helicon

Personal Helicon

By Seamus Heaney

As a child, they could not keep me from wells
And old pumps with buckets and windlasses.
I loved the dark drop, the trapped sky, the smells
Of waterweed, fungus and dank moss.

One, in a brickyard, with a rotted board top.
I savoured the rich crash when a bucket
Plummeted down at the end of a rope.
So deep you saw no reflection in it.

A shallow one under a dry stone ditch
Fructified like any aquarium.
When you dragged out long roots from the soft mulch
A white face hovered over the bottom.

Others had echoes, gave back your own call
With a clean new music in it. And one
Was scaresome, for there, out of ferns and tall
Foxgloves, a rat slapped across my reflection.

Now, to pry into roots, to finger slime,
To stare, big-eyed Narcissus, into some spring
Is beneath all adult dignity. I rhyme
To see myself, to set the darkness echoing.

A2 LL - EXTRA COURSEWORK POEMS - Acquainted with the Night

Acquainted with the Night


By  Robert Frost  

I have been one acquainted with the night.
I have walked out in rain—and back in rain.
I have outwalked the furthest city light.

I have looked down the saddest city lane.
I have passed by the watchman on his beat
And dropped my eyes, unwilling to explain.

I have stood still and stopped the sound of feet
When far away an interrupted cry
Came over houses from another street,

But not to call me back or say good-bye;
And further still at an unearthly height,
One luminary clock against the sky

Proclaimed the time was neither wrong nor right.
I have been one acquainted with the night.

A2 LL - HOMEWORK 3 WAY COMPARISON BIRDS - SET WEEK BEGINNING 24 NOV DUE WEEK BEGINNING 8 DEC

TASK

Write a three way comparison commentary on the question handed out to you on the linked subject of birds.

We will spend two lessons preparing for the task.

You should spend no longer than 1 hour to write up the commentary at home.

DEADLINE

MOD 2 WED 10 DECEMBER

MOD 1 AND MOD 6 FRIDAY 12 DECEMBER

IB ENGLISH IOP - SONNET PRESENTATIONS

Below is a draft list of the sonnets you have shown an interest in presenting to the rest of the class. However you can see that there are some problems with it. It may be that I did not correct any changes we made in class. Please confirm with me what sonnet you will be presenting.

Thanks

David

Diana - Michaelangelo - V & VI
Tristan - Frost
Martin - Ozymandias
Janira - Michaelangelo - Dante
Sophie - St Vincent Millay - 'What lips my lips have kissed and where and why'
Lorenz - Larkin
Natasha - Milton
Mathieu -
Nicolo - Dante - La Vita Nouva
Max - Rilke - 3
Marina - The Windhover

IB ENGLISH - OTHELLO - ACT 2 SUMMARY,

OTHELLO PLOT SUMMARY Act 2

2, 1: Landing stage in a Cyprus port. Cassio, Iago + Desdemona + Emilia, Othello arrive in 3 separate ships after long sea crossing in middle of violent storm (metaphor for trouble and disorder). Cassio welcomes Desdemona as semi-divine (highly poetic register). Desdemona, worried for Othello’s safety, talks to Iago who makes sexual jokes (veiled insults) about women. His aside (lines 164-173) shows his view of Cassio’s courtesy to Desdemona. Othello arrives, greets Desdemona, suggesting he’s happier now than he will ever be (dramatic irony). Turks now drowned and war over. Iago persuades Roderigo that Desdemona will soon be bored with Othello, that she and Cassio are lovers and that he should provoke Cassio to violence, bringing Cassio’s demotion. Iago’s second soliloquy (lines 277-303) tells us he suspects both Othello and Cassio of adultery with Emilia and describes plot to discredit Cassio and send Othello mad.


In this scene, look at Iago’s lexis and imagery describing sexual activity (lines 215-241). Look also at his soliloquy, which describes his plot and introduces the idea of jealousy.


2, 2: Very short. Othello orders celebration of peace and marriage: 11pm curfew.

2, 3: Unspecified Cyprus place. Othello puts Cassio in charge for evening. Cassio admits to Iago he cannot tolerate alcohol. Iago’s third soliloquy (lines 44-59) spells trouble. Iago gets Cassio drunk, sets up Roderigo to attack him and privately tells Montano that Cassio is alcoholic. Montano advises him to tell Othello. Iago pretends to want to cure Cassio. Cassio attacks Roderigo and Montano. Othello arrives, asks what’s happened, gets no reply and angrily asks Iago for explanation. Iago pretends to defend Cassio, but actually blames him entirely. Othello demotes Cassio. Cassio, feeling unworthy, turns to Iago for advice. Iago tries to persuade him reputation is unimportant and advises him to ask Desdemona’s help. Iago’s fourth soliloquy (lines 326-352) describes how he will poison Othello against Cassio and Desdemona to destroy everyone. His short fifth soliloquy (lines 371-377) tells us he’s going to involve Emilia.


In this scene, look carefully at Iago’s persuasive techniques in blaming Cassio (lines 214-240).

Look at his advice to Cassio on ‘reputation’ (lines 259-269) and compare it to the advice to Roderigo on ‘virtue’ in Act 1 scene 3 (lines 316-329).

Look also at the lexis and imagery in his 4th soliloquy – a mixture of religious, sexual and satanic semantic fields – as well as structuring the rest of the plot.


Key speeches from Act 2

 · 2, 1: 215-241 + 249-261 (prose): Iago persuades Roderigo that Cassio is Desdemona’s lover


· 2, 1: 277-303 (verse): Iago’s 2nd soliloquy – suspects Othello and Cassio


· 2, 3: 163-243 (verse): long interactions between Iago, Othello, Cassio and Montano - Iago explains the fight


· 2, 3: 255-324 (prose): interactions between Iago and Cassio – Cassio fears he is unworthy + Iago advises him to plead with Desdemona


· 2, 3: 326-352 (verse): Iago’s 4th soliloquy – plot to destroy Desdemona


· 2, 3: 359-end of scene (verse): (includes Iago’s 5th soliloquy) Iago senses victory + describes how he’ll manipulate Emilia 


Key extracts

· 2, 1 249-end of scene: Iago constructs the plot

· 2, 3 198-243: Iago’s deceitful nature

· 2, 3 304-352: Iago’s deceitful nature

A2 LL - HOMEWORK SET WEEK BEGINNING 24 NOV DUE WEEK BEGINNING 1 DEC - CUPCAKES QUESTION - THE SOCIAL ASPECTS OF BIRTH CONTEROL

HOMEWORK DUE

MOD 2 WED 3 DECEMBER

MOD 1 AND MOD 6 FRIDAY 5 DECEMBER

TASK

Read the source material which follows and answer both questions:

Text A is from an article entitled [The Social Aspects of Birth Control] by [Emma Goldman]. It was first published in [Mother Earth volume 11, issue 2].

You are a [a feminist activist - male or female.]

Using the source material, write the text [of a speech to persuade adult general members of the public to support and join the campaign for the introduction of birth control.]

You should adapt the source material, using your own words as far as possible. Your talk
should be approximately 300 – 400 words in length.

In your adaptation you should:

• use language appropriately to address purpose and audience

• write accurately and coherently, applying relevant ideas and concepts.

(25 marks)

 AND

Question 3

Write a commentary which explains the choices you made when writing your speech
commenting on the following:


• how language and form have been used to suit audience and purpose

• how vocabulary and other stylistic features have been used to shape meaning and
achieve particular effects.

You should aim to write about 150 – 250 words in this commentary.

(15 marks)

A2 LL TWO PARAGRAPHS

Below are two paragraphs where I have taken the notes referred to in an earlier post and I've written them up as full paragraphs.

Can you identify the different sections of analytical and comparative paragraphs here?



Heaney presents the land as a place of work. The poem Follower is set on Heaney's family farm where he grew up. He describes his father working the land in the opening of the poem where he says

'His eye
Narrowed and angled at the ground,
Mapping the furrow exactly.’

His father's work is emphasized here by the dominance of verbs, such as, 'narrowed', 'angled', and 'mapping'. These pre-modifiers are used to add detail and dynamic action to the scene being described. Readers are drawn in by the energy and detail of the description.

Similarly Frost also presents the land as a place of work. Although in the poem After Apple Picking Frost presents the reader with an image of exhaustion and weariness after an intense period of harvesting apples.

‘My long two-pointed ladder's sticking through a tree
Toward heaven still,’

This farm land is working land and this is emphasised by the use of two pre-modifiers 'long two pronged'. Nouns not verbs dominate this quotation and this conveys a static scene rather than Heaney's verbs that convey action. This is reinforced by the adverb 'still' that communicates stasis and inaction.

Frost also introduces the powerful religious noun ‘heaven’. This alongside apple trees, brings connotations of the Garden of Eden, suggesting perhaps the work of harvesting is holy, spiritual, and good. And may bring to mind Jacob's dream in a heavy sleep of a ladder extending to heaven recorded in Genesis.

The single use of the verb ‘sticking’ is used only to present equipment that has not been put away after the work has been done. This is used to reinforce the idea of tiredness. Readers are lulled by the nouns and the static scene here.

322 - words including quotations

299 - words excluding quotations

A2 LL - DETAILED PLAN

DETAILED ESSAY PLAN

DEADLINE

MOD 1 – FRIDAY 12 DECEMBER

MOD 2 – THURSDAY 18 DECEMBER

MOD 6 - TUESDAY 9 DECEMBER

On the deadline I’ll be conducting 1:1 interviews with every student to check and sign off your detailed plan for the 2500 word coursework essay.

A detailed essay plan will include

 

·         A series of paired bullet points. Each paired bullet point represents an analytical / comparative paragraph

o   Each paired bullet point must contain a key topic that will address a feature of the main essay question – a topic sentence in note form

o   The quotation you are going to use as evidence to support the main topic sentence

o   And two or three notes showing how the quotation can be used to support the topic sentence.

§  Identify language and or literary features

§  Comment on the effect of the feature on readers

·         The second paired bullet point will analyse the same key topic from the second writer you are using for your essay.

·         Make analytical comments as above

·         And then make comparative / contrasting comments with the first text writer

 

I expect to see a detailed plan of more than 4 paired paragraphs and probably no more than 8 paired paragraphs.

Here is an example of a paired paragraph

A paired paragraph – detailed notes

Paragraph 1 – Nature – farm field land managed and used for work – livelihood quote from Follower – Heaney   ‘His eye Narrowed and angled at the ground, Mapping the furrow exactly.’   Third person, personal pronoun ‘His’ is used to emphasise the narrator as an observer / onlooker   Detailed descriptive writing – two pre-modifiers  - ‘Narrowed and angled’ and post-modifier adverb – ‘exactly’ used to emphasise skill and proficiency of father   The noun ‘furrow’ – the land shaped and sculptured for the purpose of work. Technical language

Paragraph 2 – Nature – farm orchard land managed and used for work – livelihood quote from After Apple Picking – Frost   ‘My long two-pointed ladder's sticking through a tree Toward heaven still,’   First person possessive personal pronoun, ‘My’ – indicates ownership   Also detailed descriptive writing as Heaney – two pre-modifiers ‘long two-pointed ladder’   Use of a verb ‘sticking’ denotes action but combined with the adverb ‘still’ this is a static scene where work has finished but equipment not put away   ‘heaven’ – powerful Christian religious lexis, perhaps suggests Garden of Eden, the work of harvesting is holy, spiritual, good. Perhaps suggests death.   Both Frost and Heaney present the land as a place of work, the work is focussed on in detail and use similar techniques

A2 LL - GEORGIA O'KEEFFE - ARTICLE

This is not the easiest article to read. Didion is a sophisticated writer and writes generally quite complex sentence structures, uses low frequency lexis and combines a variety of different writing styles, for example autobiographical and biographical writing. I'm afraid there are a number of articles with similar levels of complexity.

Below is a brief structure of the article to help you identify the main points.

Introduction - autobiographical comments about Didion and her daughter

O'Keeffe and the art world

Her fans and contemporaries

The art establishment

Some biographical details - sketchy from childhood to star watercolours

A2 LL - CUPCAKES - GEORGIA O'KEEFFE QUESTION

Read the source material which follows and answer both questions:

Text A is from an article entitled [Georgia O’ Keeffe] by [Joan Didion]
It was first published in The White Album. 

You are [preparing an exhibition of 20^th century women’s art and have been asked to write an introduction of Georgia O’Keeffe’s life on an exhibition board at the entrance of the exhibition.]

Using the source material, write the [text for the introduction]
Your audience will consist of [general members of the public]
You should adapt the source material, using your own words as far as possible. Your [introduction] should be approximately 300 – 400 words in length.

In your adaptation you should:

• use language appropriately to address purpose and audience

• write accurately and coherently, applying relevant ideas and concepts.

(25 marks)

 

AND

 

Question 3

 

Write a commentary which explains the choices you made when writing your text introduction commenting on the following:

 

• how language and form have been used to suit audience and purpose

• how vocabulary and other stylistic features have been used to shape meaning and achieve particular effects.

You should aim to write about 150 – 250 words in this commentary.

(15 marks)

IB ENGLISH - OTHELLO - IAGO SOLILOQUY AND INTRODUCTION TO ACT 2

TASK 1

In groups read and consider Iago's soliloquy at the end of Act 1.

What is Iago's purpose in this monologue?

How does Iago present Roderigo here?

How does Iago present Cassio?

How does Iago present Othello?

What does this soliloquy thell us about the character of Iago?

Comment on the language features in this speech.

What effect do they have on an audience?

TASK 2

Summarise Act 2 scene 1 pages 29 - 37