English critical essay's...

[Sarka]

Ok, I am writing a critical essay in English, if you don't know what I'm on about it's one of those essay's your write about a novel or poem with lots of quotes and junk.

 

Well, we did one on Holes which was simple enough, it was about the change in character about the main character. We stated how he was before, then what he was after. e.g. rich then poor. Now we're doing one on a poem called Death of a Naturalist. I really have no idea what to do.

 

I have a funky little spider diagram, and the first thing is "establish the setting". At the starts it goes on about a boy who is at this murky, horrid little place but as he is young and innocent he likes it. Ok, so I know that and I have a quote or two to show why this is, but I have no idea how to put them together. In my other ones about Holes it was just:

Stanley used to be poor, you can see this when his falt is described:

 

"Quoteidy quote"

 

This shows that blah blah blah.

 

However, this is changed when he inhertis one million dollars:

 

"Quote!"

 

This shows that blah.

I just copied that thing and altered it for all my diferent quotes and got an A (equivalent). But I don't understand this one, it' just explain with a quote. I don't get how it works. I can't explain it properly, polease help if yo can, I have to get it in for Tuseday.

[Ashley]

You unsure how the TEE system works? Is that what you're saying.

 

Terminology - "Bob is an evil person"

Example - This is evident by him saying "Amy you're an ugly bitch."

Evaluation - This shows that Bob is evil.

 

Thats just a rough one. Heres a real example from a rough draft of my Media coursework:

 

"As Williams (1984) suggested the idea that women express sexual desire through the monster, such as in films like ‘King Kong’ and ‘Nosferatu’, and this is evident in ‘Buffy the Vampire Slayer’ right from the beginning when Buffy develops a crush for the vampire character Angel, who she later lost her virginity to. She later repeats this with the character Spike, who she has a rather illicit sexual relationship with. This reinforces the idea that Buffy, and women, are like vampires, sexually deviant and less than men. Within the episode the cinematography suggests that the characters of Buffy and Spike are similar, from the dingy lighting used on both of them and repeated shots of them lying down as if they were dead (which during the show they had both been). During the episode they are also both dressed in black and red."

 

T- Sexual desire through monsters

E- Buffy humping Angel

E- Buffy, and thus woman, is sexually deviant.

 

If you're saying something else I way didn't get it.

[Sarka]

You unsure how the TEE system works? Is that what you're saying.

 

Terminology - "Bob is an evil person"

Example - This is evident by him saying "Amy you're an ugly bitch."

Evaluation - This shows that Bob is evil.

 

Thats just a rough one. Heres a real example from a rough draft of my Media coursework:

 

"As Williams (1984) suggested the idea that women express sexual desire through the monster, such as in films like ‘King Kong’ and ‘Nosferatu’, and this is evident in ‘Buffy the Vampire Slayer’ right from the beginning when Buffy develops a crush for the vampire character Angel, who she later lost her virginity to. She later repeats this with the character Spike, who she has a rather illicit sexual relationship with. This reinforces the idea that Buffy, and women, are like vampires, sexually deviant and less than men. Within the episode the cinematography suggests that the characters of Buffy and Spike are similar, from the dingy lighting used on both of them and repeated shots of them lying down as if they were dead (which during the show they had both been). During the episode they are also both dressed in black and red."

 

T- Sexual desire through monsters

E- Buffy humping Angel

E- Buffy, and thus woman, is sexually deviant.

 

If you're saying something else I way didn't get it.

 

I kinda knew that I think... maybe but it really helps. Thanks! I think it was just when he explained out first one he said about having to do that, then find what changed and doing that again. And now I'm confused, but that clears it up alot. Thanks

[Charlie]

I use the same system as Ashley, but we call it "PEA" (Point, evidence and analysis).

 

Introduction - rewrite the question.

Plot Paragraph - 50 words, don't need it if it's a poem

1

a) Make Point

b) Evidence (quote)

c) Analysis

2

a)

b)

c)

3

a)

b)

c)

4

a)

b)

c)

 

Conclusion - answer the question

 

-----

 

My essay on "The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie"...

 

A novel in which the fate of a main character is important in conveying the writer's theme is “The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie” by Muriel Spark. The theme of betrayal is effectively portrayed through Sandy Stranger's betrayal of Miss Jean Brodie. Miss Jean Brodie believes that she has been betrayed, but the traitor, Sandy, says, “it's only possible to betray where loyalty is due.”

 

“The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie” is set in an all-girls school in Edinburgh during the nine-teen thirties. Jean Brodie is an unorthodox primary school teacher who instead of teaching the standard curriculum, tells he class of her private life and opinions particular to herself.

 

Miss Jean Brodie thinks that no one would ever betray her, she didn't think she had anything to be betrayed about “As for impropriety, it would never be to impulsed to me except by some gross distortion on the part of a traitor. I do not think ever to be betrayed.” This shows you that Jean Brodie thought she would never be betrayed as she, in her opinion, had done nothing wrong to the children. She was bringing them up under her eyes, therefore, God's eyes. Her set were the “crème de la crème.”

 

The fact that Jean Brodie was betrayed was made apparent at the very beginning of the novel thanks to Muriel Spark's superb use of chronology. Jenny Gray tells the rest of “The Brodie Set” that Miss Brodie, on her death bed thought that she “was betrayed by one of her own girls.” Jean Brodie dies at the end of the novel not knowing which one betrayed her and got her sacked.

 

You can tell that Sandy wants to betray Miss Jean Brodie from a very early age. She shows interest in joining the Brownies, in which Jean Brodie's eyes is a “Rival Fascisti.” However, as a teenager, she defies Jean Brodie's wishes of Rose Stanley sleeping with Teddy Lloyd, the one armed art teacher, by having sex with him herself. The fact that Miss Brodie didn't want to sleep with him because he was married with children and was a Catholic provoked Sandy to take action and “for the best part of five weeks of the summer they had a love affair in the empty house.”

 

The final decision for Sandy to betray Miss Brodie was when she found out it was Miss Brodie who sent Joyce Emily to Spain to fight for Franco, despite her own anti-fascism beliefs. The simile “Miss Brodie, indifferent to criticism as a crag” is proved true when she responds by saying “Hitler was rather naughty.” This proved to Sandy that Jean Brodie would never change her own ideas, they were just like the crag, set in stone.

 

“The time came for her to betray Miss Brodie.” Sandy could not let Miss Brodie carry on taking over the minds of young children, like she did to Sandy and the rest of the Brodie set. She didn't care what she stopped Miss Brodie with, as long as she was stopped for good.

 

“Why did she get the push?” said Rose. “Was it sex?”

“No, politics.”

“I didn't know she bothered about politics.”

“It was only a side line,” Sandy said, “but it served as a excuse.”

Miss Brodie is the only one in the novel who does not understand the meaning of betrayal. Sandy used the excuse that Miss Brodie was teaching fascism to children to get her fired. This obviously isn't a betrayal as Sandy said “It's only possible to betray where loyalty is due.”

 

Jean Brodie only suspects it was Sandy who “betrayed” her right at the end of the novel. When she learnt that Sandy had converted to Catholicism she said “What a waste. That is not the sort of dedication I meant. Do you think she has done this to annoy me? I begin to wonder if it was not Sandy who betrayed me.”

 

Sandy did not betray Miss Jean Brodie. “It's only possible to betray where loyalty is due” and Jean Brodie deserved no loyalty from her set, the “crème de la crème.” Muriel Spark expertly shows the theme of betrayal through Sandy Stranger and Jean Brodie. Jean Brodie misjudged Sandy, her favourite, which ultimately led to her betrayal.

 

--------

 

Remember:

1) The examiner does not know the novel/poem/play.

2) Analyse every quote you use.

3) Quote!

4) 500-800 words is good enough for Standard Grade (which is what you're doing?).

 

I wrote my essay in 45 minutes, which is the time we have in the final exam for Higher. 2 essays in an hour and a half and we're not allowed to take the book in with us

[Fields]

I use the same system as Ashley, but we call it

1) The examiner does not know the novel/poem/play.

They probably don't, but you have to assume they do! Don't waste your time describing the plot etc.

[Sarka]

I use the same system as Ashley, but we call it "PEA" (Point, evidence and analysis).

 

Introduction - rewrite the question.

Plot Paragraph - 50 words, don't need it if it's a poem

1

a) Make Point

b) Evidence (quote)

c) Analysis

2

a)

b)

c)

3

a)

b)

c)

4

a)

b)

c)

 

Conclusion - answer the question

 

-----

 

My essay on "The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie"...

 

--- sorry, won't make the topic look massive by quoting alot ---

 

--------

 

Remember:

1) The examiner does not know the novel/poem/play.

2) Analyse every quote you use.

3) Quote!

4) 500-800 words is good enough for Standard Grade (which is what you're doing?).

 

I wrote my essay in 45 minutes, which is the time we have in the final exam for Higher. 2 essays in an hour and a half and we're not allowed to take the book in with us

 

Thanks so much! Really helps to see it written out like that But how the hell are you ment to do 2 in an hour and a half without the book. I mean, how do you find quotes without the book?!

[Ashley]

You memorise them is how. Hence why I never did English Lit after GCSE.

 

And personally I call it "Point quote comment" cause that was how I first heard it but my teacher told us it was commonly called TEE. Same thing anyway.

[Sarka]

You memorise them is how. Hence why I never did English Lit after GCSE.

 

We have to do it in S5 (uuuh, the year before 6th forum for you England-er's) which mean I have another two and a half years of it left. At least I can drop history sooner Although, memorising a poem wouldn't be to hard, having to memorise alot of good quotes from a novel would be hard imo.

 

And personally I call it "Point quote comment" cause that was how I first heard it but my teacher told us it was commonly called TEE. Same thing anyway.

 

I did this in Modern Studies (Media Studies I think to your guys) but we called it PEA, dunno why. I suck at remembering things.

[|Laguna|]

Gosh, I was always tought to PEE in exams. Point, example, explanation.

 

So many different variations... all meaning basically the same thing.

[Charlie]

But how the hell are you ment to do 2 in an hour and a half without the book. I mean, how do you find quotes without the book?!

 

I'm lucky, I did Standard Grade a year early (1 year course) and did Int 2 in 4th year so I've had some practice at it. The essay should only be about 4 main paragraphs so you can fit it in in the time you have, you should learn your plot paragraph and make it so it's suitable for virtually any question - you don't even know which question you're writing the essay on. There's 3 to choose from for the novel/poem/play.

 

We're studying Miss Jean Brodie and Hamlet, we'll do some poetry later on. You can't do 2 novels or 2 plays. Poetry should be a back up incase none of the questions can fit your book.

 

Last year I stuck loads of quotes around my computer monitor to help learn them, I'll probably do the same this year

[Fields]

A Level English Lit was hell. Two exams at A2, no books allowed in either. One was 3 hours of WW1 literature, the other was 2 hours on Keats and Jonson's Volpone. But I got full UMS marks on them both

[Sarka]

I'm lucky, I did Standard Grade a year early (1 year course) and did Int 2 in 4th year so I've had some practice at it. The essay should only be about 4 main paragraphs so you can fit it in in the time you have, you should learn your plot paragraph and make it so it's suitable for virtually any question - you don't even know which question you're writing the essay on. There's 3 to choose from for the novel/poem/play.

 

We're studying Miss Jean Brodie and Hamlet, we'll do some poetry later on. You can't do 2 novels or 2 plays. Poetry should be a back up incase none of the questions can fit your book.

 

Last year I stuck loads of quotes around my computer monitor to help learn them, I'll probably do the same this year

 

Damn you must be good at English, altjhough my teacher said that if we had more resourcxes he'd get me to do SG's this year, Int 2 next year to get me used to Highers, stupid small crappy school! fieldsofanfieldroad, you must be good aswell. Hopfully I can get inot the hang of this Critical Essay thing, once I get the hang of anything I can usually do it.

[shaq365]

Funny how a thread about English has the title "English critical essay's" - see me.

[Fields]

fieldsofanfieldroad, you must be good aswell.

Damn right I am!

 

Funny how a thread about English has the title "English critical essay's" - see me.

I was going to mention that but I always get mercilessly flamed when I go into pedantic mode.

[Sarka]

Funny how a thread about English has the title "English critical essay's" - see me.

 

Uhhh.... well I meant as in English Essays pwn me, so it owns me. And if you own something it would be Bob's dog, Bill's Umbrella. Since the essay owns me I thought it would be the most appropirate title, you need to read between the lines.

 

that was well covered.

[bob]

I only have one tip. English Lit is rubbish. Don't do it.

[Charlie]

I only have one tip. English Lit is rubbish. Don't do it.

 

We only do "English" up in Scotland. It's a mixture of everything. In higher we have NABs (tests before the final exam that you have to pass in order to do the exam) Close Reading (did that today), Textual Analysis (passed) and a Personal Study (passed), you choose a book and study it yourself, you then have an hour and a quarter to write an essay on it, you can take in 2 pages of notes AND the book.

 

The final exam is 2 essays in 1hr30. Then a close reading in 1hr.

[bob]

We only do "English" up in Scotland. It's a mixture of everything. In higher we have NABs (tests before the final exam that you have to pass in order to do the exam) Close Reading (did that today), Textual Analysis (passed) and a Personal Study (passed), you choose a book and study it yourself, you then have an hour and a quarter to write an essay on it, you can take in 2 pages of notes AND the book.

 

The final exam is 2 essays in 1hr30. Then a close reading in 1hr.

 

 

Ok then, dont do that either.

[Jon]

Ok then, dont do that either.

 

You have no choice but to to do it, in SG anyway. I did LOTR for my personal study, managed about 30 odd pages in the exam.

[Charlie]

Ok then, dont do that either.

 

We have to do it until the end of 5th year

 

JonSt, how did you manage to write 30 pages in an hour?

[Sarka]

We have to do it until the end of 5th year

 

JonSt, how did you manage to write 30 pages in an hour?

 

30 pages? Wow, I can only do about 2 or 3 in an hour. Boy am I screwed.