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Critical Essay

Critical Essay. Today’s plan. What are central concerns and line of thought? Common problems Ways to plan your essay Linking your paragraphs Look at style issues. Marker’s language. You need to know about your texts central concerns

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Critical Essay

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  1. Critical Essay

  2. Today’s plan • What are central concerns and line of thought? • Common problems • Ways to plan your essay • Linking your paragraphs • Look at style issues

  3. Marker’s language • You need to know about your texts central concerns • These could be themes such as love, revenge, family life, appreciation of beauty etc. In pairs pick two texts we have studied and note down what the central concerns are.

  4. Marker’s language 2 • Your line of thought • You can’t cover every element of the text in 45 mins so you need a particular line of thought (sometimes called ‘argument’ or ‘topic’). • For example if you were writing on the character of Romeo • Romeo is immature • He is immature therefore makes rash decisions • These rash decisions cause him to pursue Juliet • This causes friction within the families • This causes violence in the play and the eventual death of the lovers

  5. Read the extract from the Revelation essay • Consider these points • Does each point logically follow the last one? • Are statements backed up with evidence? • Are points linked rather than listed? • Does the paragraph develop in the way the topic sentences leads you to expect?

  6. Organising your notes • Take a fresh page and write your quotations under headings • So for ‘Submarine Demon’ you might have a page with CHARACTER as your heading then some quotations on the Demon’s character. Then a separate page for SETTING, THEMES etc.

  7. Problem 1 • I tend to wander off topic • Solution • Reread words of question • Ask yourself, ‘How does this relate to my question?’ • Reread your introduction – everything you mention there should be developed in your essay

  8. Problem 2 • I don’t put my points about the text in the right order. • Solution • Planning!! • Note down the points you want to say then number them! • Or use a spider diagram and number your points!

  9. Problem 3 • I ramble on! • Solution • Long paragraphs show the candidate is not looking back to the question. • Don’t retell the plot!

  10. How to plan your essay? • Here’s a couple of ways... • Take the question... • Choose from a play a scene in which tension builds to a climax. Explain how the dramatist creates and develops this tension, and discuss the extent to which the scene has thematic as well as dramatic significance.

  11. Quotation Love/ hate How does it build tension? What important themes come out? R and J 3.1 Analysis How is it dramatic/ consequences? Quotation

  12. Task Complete the spider diagram! Imagine you only have to write two paragraphs No mucking about No talking with anyone else Head down Get it done 10 mins http://www.online-stopwatch.com/

  13. Homework • For Friday • Chose a poem that deals with a childhood experience. Discuss to what extent the poet’s description of the experience leads you to a clear understanding of the poet’s theme.

  14. Linking your paragraphs

  15. You can do linking sentences in close reading – so you can do these!! • Marker’s love a paragraphs that are linked • A linking sentence refers back to what you said in your last para and links forwards to what is coming in the next para • In addition to his immaturity, Romeo is also an impetuous character who rarely thinks his actions through. • What was the previous para on? • What is the next para on?

  16. LINKING EXPRESSIONS Using these expressions will help you to fluently move on from one point to the next in your essay. They should be used at the start of new sentences. BUT USE DIFFERNET ONES!!

  17. Task • Write linking sentences for the following • Sub Demon – previous para on Demon’s enthusiasm, next para on his loneliness.

  18. Avoid the following words and phrases • Good • I think • Great effect • Bad • As well • I am going to • A lot • Boring • This shows • Quotation • Quote • Brilliant

  19. Alternatives to ‘this shows’ Implies Foregrounds Illustrates Expounds Stresses Signifies Expresses Demonstrates • Conveys • Suggests • Highlights • Reveals • Portrays • Infers • Underlines • Establishes You can add to this list by using a thesaurus

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