Higher Critical Essay – Prelim Support Notes

Assessment Requirements Write 2 critical essays from different genres Drama, Prose, Poetry, or Media 25 marks each Do not write 2 essays on the same genre!

Purpose A critical essay is designed to test your ability to respond thoughtfully to a literacy text. The examiner looks for three things: To know you have understood the writer’s purpose (U) If you can comment effectively on the writer’s use of literary techniques (A) Genuine personal response to text (E)

Important tips Do not re-tell the story. Do not use the word ‘quote’. Do not write ‘in this essay’. Do not use comma splice (comma instead of full stop). Don’t use the word ‘get’! Or the word ‘shows’! Make sure that you ANSWER THE QUESTION!

The Question There are two parts to the question -the first identifies the focus of your answer and the second tell you exactly what you are to do. Part 1- Choose a play which explores the idea of loyalty. Part 2- Discuss how the dramatist explores the idea through character and/or incident.

The question Answers to questions on drama should address relevantly the central concern(s)/theme(s) of the text and be supported by reference to appropriate dramatic techniques such as: conflict, characterisation, key scene(s), dialogue, climax, exposition, dénouement, structure, plot, setting, aspects of staging (such as lighting, music, stage set, stage directions . . .), soliloquy, monologue . . .

Structure Introduction Main body Conclusion

The Introduction Introduction – a useful structure to use when writing an introduction is TAGLS. T – text/title A – author/poet G – genre L – link to task + key points of essay S - Summary of what the text is trying to do – LINK TO THEME P.S Remember to use the wording of the question in the opening line.

How it Should Be This is how the introduction should have been written: “A Hanging” by George Orwell is a provocative essay within which the writer attempts to persuade the reader of the immorality of capital punishment through his use of style. Orwell gives a poignant and emotive description of a hanging he witnessed in the 1920’s Burma while working in the police and the effect this horrific event had on his opinion of Capital Punishment. Orwell effectively portrays to the reader how this particular hanging holds an epiphanic moment for the writer where he is struck with the sudden realisation of the dehumanisation of the inmates, the casual indifference and inhumanity of the executors as well as the severity of taking a human life. Title Author Genre Link To Question Personal Response/summary of essay Summary of Hanging’ short 1-2 sentences

Introduction example “A Hanging” by George Orwell is a provocative essay within which the writer uses vivid description to demonstrate his abhorrence of capital punishment. Orwell gives a poignant and emotive description of a hanging he witnessed in the 1920’s Burma while working in the police and the effect this horrific event had on his opinion of Capital Punishment. His description of the morbid setting, dehumanisation of inmates and sudden realisation of the immorality of ending a human life effectively portrays his point of view.

Main Body of Essay Following on from that, you should continue to develop your response. REMEMBER STRUCTURE – for each point you make, you should have: Topic sentence – what is this particular paragraph going to be about? Remember the wording of the original question Context: Introduce the quotation. Evidence – how can you support the point you have made? Explanation – analysis - HOW does the writer reveal theme? Techniques and effects Comment – evaluation – how has the theme/ character / conflict / setting etc been introduced / developed? Relate to task !!!

Analysis Do not use ‘this shows’ Try substituting the latter for the following: This reveals This displays This indicates This demonstrates This highlights This conveys This deploys This implies This illustrates This proves This presents This explains

Linking Paragraphs Paragraphs should be linked together. Some useful transitional words and phrases that can be deployed include; In addition Furthermore Therefore Rarely As a result Occasionally Nevertheless Often Moreover Commenting on

Quotations Quotations should flow into your sentence or become part of it via the use of a comma for example: The author reveals sympathy towards Lennie by using a direct comparison with a ‘child’. OR Repetition of the title, Before you were Mine’ reveals that the child thinks that what she says goes, which indicates her selfishness.

Quotations Quotations that do not flow into your sentence should be introduced using a colon. E.g. There is a strong contrast between the girl in the photo and the mother she turned out to be. As a teenager she is seen as a rebel: ‘Your ma stands at the close with a hiding for the late one.’ The poet seems to admire this in her mother...

Evaluation Say what you thought about the text Do not review it or give it a recommendation Use personal reflection/ response to comment upon how well you feel the writer has conveyed or explored a particular theme or viewpoint. The key point in making an evaluation is to justify what you are saying by reference to the text.

Conclusion Re-introduce topic/ refer back to the question Sum up your opinion of the text or what you have learned in a personal reflective comment without using ‘I’. In conclusion, Tolkien effectively uses the characters of Frodo and Gollum to explore the themes of good and evil throughout ‘The Lord of the Rings’, highlighting that neither one, nor the other, is totally ‘good’ or ‘evil’. This is accomplished through his effective use of word choice and imagery which emphasises the differences between the two characters physical appearance, personality and motivation.

Performance Criteria Content Structure Expression Technical accuracy