Module C REPRESENTATION AND TEXT

The RUBRIC says... This module requires students to explore various representations of events, personalities or situations. They evaluate how medium of production, textual form, perspective and choice of language influence meaning. The study develops students’ understanding of the relationships between representation and meaning.

1. Representing People and Politics In this elective, students explore and evaluate various representations of people and politics in their prescribed text and other related texts of their own choosing. They consider the ways in which texts represent individual, shared or competing political perspectives, ideas, events or situations. Students analyse representations of people’s political motivations and actions, as well as the impact political acts may have on individual lives or society more broadly. In their responding and composing, students develop their understanding of how the relationship between various textual forms, media of production and language choices influences and shapes meaning.

What is representation?

Representation and Text Language is a complex tool invented by society.  As any artefact it can have beneficial or detrimental effects.  It can be used and abused. Language can never achieve pure representation. It cannot mean by itself – it is determined by context, intention and collective agreement. People often use language to conceal rather than reveal their real intentions.  All attempts to communicate are subjective and therefore even well intentioned, informative writings can be prone to bias or unconscious distortion of truth.   

Representation and Values All texts are deliberately constructed to convey an agenda and a set of values. This means that every composer has a purpose, which is based on the issues arising from their context and audience. So, through the representation of events, personalities and situations (which utilises form, language and structural devices), the responder is positioned to accept the perspective that the composer has represented as valid/credible. As a consequence, the composer is able to successfully impart their values to the audience.

This means... There is a difference between what a text is about and its message. The Crucible is about the Salem witch trials and McCarthyism but its message is something else. This is where you write your thesis statements. Based around the deliberate positioning of an audience by Miller to accept his perspective on people and politics.

Other words for representation … Interpretations Points-of-view Demonstrations Accounts of Versions Descriptions Depictions Constructions

Various representations of events, personalities or situations.

Similarities to Area of Study This Module is really very much like the AOS in that it requires you to absorb an overall concept (Representation of People and Politics) and apply this to both the core text as well as your related material. Remember that HOW means techniques. This is always true in HSC English. So not only do you need to work out WHAT the message about people and politics is from your texts but also exactly HOW this message is conveyed (representation) through poetic, literary and visual techniques, and WHY this would be a message that the composer would want to convey (purpose/agenda/context).

Markers’ Comments Stronger responses demonstrated a perceptive understanding of how composers use different ways to construct meaning and evoke responses through textual features and details Masterful control of language was evident as these responses developed the thesis through strategic-topic sentences, a confident and informed approach to both texts and clear consideration of the key ideas.

Many stronger responses demonstrated an awareness of the constructedness of texts and how the choice of form and its associated language features connected with the composer’s purpose and context. Judiciously selected textual evidence was used to support the evaluation of the form and its distinctive features.

Weaker responses focused more on an exploration of the prescribed text and text of own choosing through the elective rather than the focus of the module – the act of representation. Weaker responses were largely descriptive and limited in scope. Some understanding of the act of representation through form was evident; however, the treatment of the prescribed text and the text or texts of own choosing was superficial and inconsistent.

TEXT CONSTRUCTION PURPOSE VALUES CONTEXT EVENTS CHARACTER SETTING AUDIENCE CONTEXT THEMES/ISSUES TECHNIQUES/FEATURES STYLE/FORM MEDIUM PURPOSE

Context Audience Composer’s agenda Perspective privileged REPRESENTATTION VALUES Context Audience People and Politics Composer’s agenda Perspective privileged Composer successfully conveys their perspective PURPOSE POSITIONING OF RESPONDER

PURPOSE REPRESENTATION VALUES POSITIONING

OVERALL WAY TO APPROACH WHAT – Thesis Statement re People and Politics HOW – How is it being represented? (Medium, structure, techniques) WHY – Why is it being represented in the manner? What have you understood? (Power of language/form, Agenda, Manipulation, Bias, Values, Context of time/composer)

REMEMBER…. Composers have the power to manipulate a reader, use their authority as author to shape the way we view particular things, based on their agendas as a composer… Political people have the power to manipulate a group/their followers, use their power and authority as leaders to shape the way they are perceived/seen/reputation, based on their political agenda… Therefore regardless of whether we are talking about the module or the elective – representation is at the core of what we are looking at here…

“Invaluably, all representations offer unique insights into the relationships between authority and people, however as all are purposefully and subjectively constructed, context and means of production must be critically analysed. In this postmodern belief, both political people and composer’s of literature must balance the complex relationship between maintaining integrity and asserting their persuasive power to achieve their purpose. Critically, humanity as a collective and all forms of media have intrinsic authority which exposes immense truths about our social and political hierarchies, fear and identity.”