The Imaginative Landscape How to use the text in your writing

USE OF TEXT The texts are a way in to thought You must be flexible – you need to have two texts prepared but it is better to use one in your answer There needs to be a clear relationship between the answer and the text specified as the focus text The Context Response must not be a Text Response answer

USE OF TEXT It is important that you do more than just re-tell the story of the focus text The starting point must be the ideas, issues and arguments from the focus text, not the plot

You are not expected to include quotes from the focus text USE OF TEXT Just moving the same story/material into another geographic place or another time is not developing the ideas You are not expected to include quotes from the focus text Supplementary material can be useful to stimulate ideas but does not need to be referred to in the response

USE OF TEXT You are provided with a prompt. It is not a topic as in the Text Response question The prompt is the springboard for ideas, but it cannot be ignored while you write your own self-chosen response The relationship between the focus text and the response must be clear and apparent You do not necessarily need to mention the focus text in your actual response

THE PROMPT ‘The inner landscape and its relationship to the outer world is significant in people’s lives.’ (VCAA, 2010)

THE IMAGINATIVE LANDSCAPE This Context is concerned with: The physical landscape A sense of place Humans and their relationship with the natural world The features of the physical landscape - its beauty as well as its harshness Connections with the landscape

THE IMAGINATIVE LANDSCAPE The influences of the physical landscape on: Our internal landscape Our emotional state Our imagination Our memories Our sense of self Our views of the world Our senses

Island – Alistair MacLeod Links to the ‘Imaginative Landscape’ Island – Alistair MacLeod

IDEAS, ISSUES & ARGUMENTS The short stories in Island explore the ways that the landscape represents: Tradition A sense of place Danger Beauty Limitations Freedom

IDEAS, ISSUES & ARGUMENTS A way of life A challenge The past The future Memories

MacLeod uses a variety of techniques to describe life on Cape Breton Island. Some of these include: A first-person narrator who is often unnamed to represent the many people who share similar thoughts, feelings and experiences A strong use of colour to describe the physical features of the landscape Language techniques you can use in your own writing to make your connections clear

MacLeod uses a variety of techniques to describe life on Cape Breton Island. Some of these include: Images that recur through the stories, such as, fishermen, drunks or young men who feel trapped by their environment A sad tone that pervades the stories and often reflects the landscape itself Language techniques you can use in your own writing to make your connections clear

How to write on the Context THE FORMS How to write on the Context Youwill have the option of responding to the Context in one of the following forms: Expository Persuasive Imaginative

EXPOSITORY Expose or explain a detailed view of the Context A discussion of how the Context works, not only in the world of the text, but also in your world Consider different points of view on the Context

Possible forms include: EXPOSITORY Possible forms include: An essay A feature article A news report An interview

PERSUASIVE Responds to the Context by presenting a point of view on it Argues a clear perspective for one side of the issue generated by the text/s The world outside the text informs the response

Possible forms include: PERSUASIVE Possible forms include: An essay A speech An opinion piece An editorial

IMAGINATIVE Can step inside the text and write from the point of view of a character Can remain outside the text and use the language features, structures or conventions of the focus text to explore the Context Can use personal experience as the base from which to explore the ideas in an imaginative way

Appropriate forms include: IMAGINATIVE Appropriate forms include: A short story A scene, interior monologue or section of script An epilogue or a prologue A reflective narrative

ASSESSMENT CRITERIA Prompt – handling of, the connection with, the relevance to Ideas – the quality and development of Expression – control of language, spelling, punctuation & clarity

PROMPTS ‘The place in which we live has an impact on our understanding of the world.’ ‘The physical setting of a place can often reflect the state of our emotions.’ ‘The way we relate to our physical environment can determine the kind of person we become.’