Yr 10 Preparing to Write a Literature Essay Learn the tricks and it’ll be as easy as pulling a rabbit out of a hat.

Let’s recap – there are FIVE main elements of a text.  What do you think they are?  Brainstorm PlotSetting CharacterTheme Style

 This is the ‘events’ that occur and the order in which they happen.  When you write an essay, please DO NOT re-tell the plot. Plot (story)

 This is how the story is told.  We examine structure when we look at: 1.Exposition 2.Foreshadowing 3.Rising action 4.Climax 5.Resolution AND Type of conflict used e.g man vs man Plot Structure

 Always consider: Where is the text set?  Country? Culture? Time? Urban/rural?  Influences of changes in setting? Setting

Talk to a partner:  What clues about setting are given in this picture?  Country?  Time period ? Urban/rural?  Texts give the same clues in words. Setting

SettingS

 They are important to study in literature as:  It is through them that we learn things about life.  What is the term used in literature to refer to the central character (hero)?  Protagonist  Who opposes the protagonist?  Antagonist Character

Think of how these aspects combine in a main character in your text appearancepersonality How they changeReaction to problemsactionsHow they speak Behaviour with others What they say Ball throw – pick character – answer

Why is character so important?  Multiple answers, for example:  Characters provide the reader with experiences and lessons that readers haven’t had themselves.  Character reveals theme so the reader learns through them.

We see the of the text through a character’s and we share or her experiences. We understand what happens, how are feeling, what things look,, & feel like through what the tells us about characters.

Theme Through literature the author presents underlying messages and ideas. The reader learns lessons about life and about themselves.

Sometimes a theme can be good advice For example: Don’t act impulsively when making important decisions. Is this theme in your text? Yes = Stand (think of an example) No = sit (think of what ‘advice’ your text gives.)

Sometimes a theme can be a warning For example: Meddling in other people’s affairs often leads to heartache. The boy should marry the girl then …

How to write a theme statement Romeo and Juliet is a story about a boy and girl who come from feuding families, but they fall in love with each other anyway. Ask: What idea is this text REALLY about?

Let’s try to write a theme statement For example: Long term unresolved conflict between families leads to disaster.

Let’s try to write a theme statement The street fight in the first act causes a riot. Tybalt wanting to fight Romeo, leads to his and Mercutio’s deaths. Romeo’s banishment for killing Tybalt leads to two suicides, a murder and a heart attack. Long term unresolved conflict between families leads to ruin.

Let’s try doing that together as a class! Step 1? Step 2? Step 3?

SAYMEANMATTER What does the text say? What does it mean? Why does it matter? Here’s another strategy that will help you: question the text, search for deeper meanings, make connections between the text and your life and Create good points for your essays.

SAYMEANMATTER What happens in the text? What does the text say? Quotes or paraphrase the most important details. What does the author mean? Read “between the lines.” What do the characters’ words or actions make you think? How do you interpret what happens? Why does it matter to you or others? What does the author want you (the reader/viewer) to learn? Why is this important? What do you learn about yourself, relationships or the world from this text? If you are looking for Excellence grades write detailed MATTER responses in your essays.

SAYMEANMATTER “ Then I defy you stars” (Romeo) Romeo says this when... Let’s practice:

SAYMEANMATTER “ Then I defy you stars” (Romeo) Romeo says this when he receives the news that Juliet is dead. Romeo says he is in charge of his own life and it is pre- determined. He feels that fate (the stars) have struck him the cruellest possible blow, and he is going to defy the stars by committing suicide and joining Juliet in death. It raises the question of free will versus fate. Romeo was destined to fall in love and come to a tragic end – could our lives also be mapped out for us? Let’s practice:

Style How a text is written Title Diction Language features (figures of speech) Sentence structure Dialogue Point of view

How to write a literature essay EASY AS …1 … 2… 3

What do you do in a literature essay? You write about a particular aspect of a text to show your knowledge and understanding of it. Q: What’s the first step? A: Choosing your question.

Questions Describe an important character in a text you have studied. Explain why you thought they were an important character. Describe a character that has some good or bad qualities. Explain whether overall you think they are a hero (good) or a villain (evil). Support your answer with evidence from the text. How do we begin? All essays start with an introduction and a tako …

How do we begin? T AKO  T.A.K.O. – Use this acronym to remember to include the necessary information in the introduction: Title (MUST be underlined), Author, Key words from question, Outline of essay’s main points TAKO All essays start with an introduction and a tako …

…but the best essays have a hook and a T.A.K.O. Question: Describe a challenge faced by a main character in the text. Explain how the challenge helped you to understand an idea in the text.

Which paragraph has hook and T.A.K.O. ? Friends are our worst enemies. In Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, Romeo’s friend, Friar Lawrence assists the protaganist to overcome the challenge of being in love with a “loathed enemy”. By examining this challenge, I’ve understood how … OR A challenge faced by main character Juliet in ‘Romeo and Juliet’ by William Shakespeare is being with Romeo because her family would not allow it. This challenge helped me to understand the idea of the strength of love.

Introduction Hook The Hook The opening of an essay is crucial. Grab the reader’s attention with the opening sentence, make them want to continue reading. The hook should let the reader know something about where the essay is going, while piquing his curiosity about how it will get there. Match types of hooks to examples in the handout.

Getting started on the O of TAKO: for a theme question, outline a thematic statement Essay Question Describe at least one idea that you found interesting in the text. Explain why the idea was interesting in the text as a whole. Look at the Lit Essay practice handout. Top half of page, pick a stance, justify it.

Write an introductory paragraph Yay! I’m starting to write my essay. I hope she remembers that English essays are about opinions more than facts. WARNING! 3 SEXY BODIES on the NEXT SLIDE!

Minimum: 3 Body Paragraphs My Essay 1.TAKO Introduction 2.SEXY Body Para (1) 3.SEXY Body Para (2) 4.SEXY Body Para (3) 5. Conclusion

S.E.X.Y ?  S: Statement or Topic Sentence  starts the paragraph, tells the audience what point or idea the paragraph will make.  E: Example, e.g quote, detail from the text  to support your statement  X: e Xplain what the quote means, how it supports the  statement, how it is relevant to the text and/or question.  Y: wh Y this matters to you, what you might learn about  yourself or the world from this text, links that can be made

Form an opinion about your character Lit Essay practice handout. Bottom half of page. What opinion of Romeo does the writer have? Justify (Give reasons for ) why you say that. Lit Essay practice handout. Bottom half of page. What opinion of Romeo does the writer have? Justify (Give reasons for ) why you say that. Romeo’s a moron.

 Describe one or more positive or negative experience(s) that happened to a character or individual in the text. Explain how the writer used the experience(s) to help you understand the character or individual. Write a Body Paragraph Look at the Lit Essay practice handout. Bottom half of page, write a paragraph.

 Read the exemplar essays provided and follow the instructions that accompany them. Analyse Body Paragraphs

 Conclude the essay by writing about why you care about the topic. Why does it matter in your life?  DO NOT INTRODUCE ANY NEW INFORMATION INTO THE CONCLUSION.  Use this sentence as a starter in your conclusion if you are stuck. “An examination of xyz is important because ….(state why you think it is important).” Conclusion

Now it’s your turn. Write an essay using the structure you have been given. Choose one of the questions you have been provided with. Write at least 350 words.