Remember diet

Writing an essay on the novel

Due to the length of a novel it is possible to see characters and themes develop and emerge from the text over the course of several hundred pages. Any number of settings, characters, complications, issues, subplots and twists may be added to highlight central ideas in the novel. A novel is crafted so that every element works together to present and support the writer’s ideas in an interesting and appropriate way. It is important that your study and critical response of the novel is very thorough and detailed.

Answers to questions on the novel should address relevantly the central concerns/ theme(s) of the text and be supported by reference to appropriate techniques of prose fiction such as: characterisation, setting, key incident(s), narrative technique, symbolism, structure, climax, plot, atmosphere, dialogue, imagery…

Sample Essay Questions:

1. Analyse how the presentation of conflict helped develop your understanding of an important issue.
Note: “Conflict” could include internal conflict as well as conflict between characters, groups or ideas.
2. Analyse how actions OR dialogue helped you to understand ONE main character / individual.
3. Analyse how the author’s presentation of ONE important section / part changed your opinion about a character / individual OR issue.
4. Analyse how contrast helped the author communicate an important message or idea. Note: “Contrast” could include contrast between characters or settings; or contrast between different sections / parts in terms of style, mood, tone, pace, etc.

Caffeine and Study

Teenagers are drinking more soft drinks and coffee than they did a decade ago, but it is important to consider the impact of caffeine on your health, behaviour and learning.

Experts say that caffeine can disrupt your sleep cycles and cause you to become nervous and irritable if consumed in large doses.

So watch how many lattes and energy drinks you down in those last minute study sessions!

Cute Clip

Year 11 Exam Details

The NCEA Level One English exam will be held on November 18 (next Tuesday morning!) and here are some reminders about what to prepare for.

If you are in 101 you will be sitting the following standards:

1.2 Produce formal writing

This achievement standard requires drafting, re-working and presenting, within a set time, a piece of formal writing that expresses ideas, information and/or opinions, is organised using an appropriate format and structure, and uses acceptable spelling, punctuation, and grammar. In the examination you will be required to produce formal/transactional writing in the form of a letter to the editor.

1.3 Read, study, and show understanding of extended written text(s)

This achievement standard involves a previous reading and study of an extended text and writing a response that shows understanding of ideas and techniques. You have to write on the novel you have studied. You must write your essay in the correct answer booklet for your chosen text, so use the 1.3 booklet for this standard.

1.4 Read, study and show understanding of short written texts

This achievement standard involves a previous reading and study of at least two short written texts (short stories or poetry) and writing a response that shows understanding of ideas and techniques.
You must write your essay in the correct answer booklet for your chosen text, so use the 1.4 booklet for this standard.

1.5 View/listen to, study and show understanding of visual or oral text(s)

This achievement standard involves a previous reading and study of at least one visual text (film) and writing a response that demonstrates understanding of ideas and techniques.
You must write your essay in the correct answer booklet for your chosen text, so use the 1.5 booklet for this standard.

1.6 Read and show understanding of unfamiliar texts

This achievement standard requires reading a range of short texts or extracts, that have not been previously studied, and writing a response to questions that test understanding of ideas, style and language use. You will be examined on at least one of the following text types: written or visual language. Examples that may be used from each text type include:

• written text, either creative (for example, a poem or paragraphs from a novel) or formal writing (for example, a magazine article or non-fiction text)
• static visual text (for example storyboard, static image, print media, advertisement, web page, cartoon)

Students in 102 will sit all the standards above except 1.2 Formal Writing.

Cadbury Gorilla Ad – The Bonnie Tyler Version

Analysis in Level 2 essays

The greatest barrier to achievement at Level 2 remains the depth of analysis required. Simplistic analysis  such as “if the writer did not use these techniques the film wouldn’t be as effective”, “if the ending was different, it wouldn’t be the same story”, “the beginning helped to start the story” and “the ending helped to close everything off” isn’t enough. These sort of simplistic comments do not meet the requirements of a level 2 standard. When writing an essay at Level 2 you need to analyse how particular elements contributed to the texts you studied as a whole, and how and why particular effects were created. You need to move away from summarising, describing, or just explaining what happened in your texts.

The primary purpose of an essay on a literary text is to provide an interpretation of that text. In so doing, an essay needs to move beyond a description of characters and events to an analysis of the different elements of the text.

This analysis should bear in mind that the world that is presented in the text may well be fundamentally different from the world in which you live. Therefore, in analysing the characters and events of a text, you will need to take an “imaginative leap” into the moral and social framework of that text, imagining how such characters and events would be judged from within that framework. Have a look at the extended text assessment schedule from 2007 to understand what you must do:

Achievement	Achievement with Merit	Achievement with Excellence
Some specific evidence / details linked to text. Covers the topic but without perception or insight. Evidence of analysis: shows engagement with the text at a reader level, and discusses various elements of the text with supporting reference and some detail.	Covers the topic fully and with detail from the text. Quotation and detail are used to reinforce points. Uses appropriate terminology with accuracy and fluency. Shows appreciation of and some insight into theme and / or structure, author’s craft and purpose, as well as the specifics of the topic. Presents some inferences based on personal understanding. Some maturity of thinking and expression. Presents convincing analysis that offers conclusions and draws inferences about the author’s purpose and reader’s positioning, and possibly goes beyond the text in doing this.	As for Achievement with Merit, plus Presents insightful analysis. Offers conclusions and draws inferences about the author’s purpose. Presents own position as a reader of the text. Clearly able to analyse author’s craft / ideas. Shows integrated insight and, if appropriate, reference beyond the text.

‘No Achievement’ aspects may include:

• rote-learned responses
• disproportionate plot summary
• lacks sufficient reference to text details / specifics
• insufficiently linked to the topic
• does not adequately address the topic
• short (less than 250 words)
• simplistic.

Judgement Statement

Achievement	Achievement with Merit	Achievement with Excellence
Analyse specified aspect(s) of extended written text(s), using supporting evidence.	Analyse specified aspect(s) of extended written text(s) convincingly, using supporting evidence.	Analyse specified aspect(s) of extended written text(s) convincingly and with insight, using supporting evidence.
A	M	E

What makes for a good essay at Level 2?

What makes for a good answer?

• Answers that show an understanding of the question

You will need to interpret the question; that is, work out what is required to answer the question. No question can be answered satisfactorily until you have worked out what the real question is.

• Answers that answer the question

You need to answer the question directly; that is, to construct a focused, coherent argument that systematically addresses each of the issues in the question and advances in logical steps.

• Answers that show originality and independence

The answers that impress markers most are not those that slavishly reproduce what you have learnt in class, but those which show an ability to arrive independently at ways of addressing the issues in the question, through making use of your knowledge of the text, your wider reading, and your reasoning power.

• Answers that are presented correctly

No matter how good an answer is in terms of its substance, it is never likely to impress to its full extent so long as it contains errors of grammar, spelling, and punctuation, is presented with faulty layout, ignores the conventions of the genre, or is poorly handwritten. The more accurately your essay is presented, the fewer impediments there will be to the marker’s ability to see what you have been trying to say.

Brothers in The Kite Runner

Baba would buy us each three identical kites and spools of glass string. If I changed my mind and asked for a bigger and fancier kite, Baba would buy it for me – but then he’d buy it for Hassan too. Sometimes I wished he wouldn’t do that. Wished he’d let me be the favourite.

Amir and Hassan grew up together, inseparable. However, Amir was sometimes cruel to Hassan, eventually betraying him when he looked on as Hassan was raped. Hassan had proven himself over and over again to Amir, defending him against bullies, encouraging him when he felt down and also fitting the role of servant. Hassan put up with Amir’s occasional cruel taunts and superior attitude. When he watched Hassan’s rape, Amir could only compare Hassan’s look to that of a sacrificial lamb.

Even though Amir was forgiven by Hassan he was never able to redeem himself with his brother and friend. He did that through his heroic rescue of Hassan’s son, Sohrab.

10 People Who Saved Jews During World War 2

We know about Oskar Schindler but during World War Two, many individuals from many countries risked their lives to save various minorities, especially Jews, from the horrors of the Holocaust. Go here to see a list that commemorates 10 of them. All these individuals were made ‘Righteous Among the Nations’ by the Israeli government in honour of what they had done.

One man that you may not have heard of is Frank Foley. Frank Foley was a British secret service agent estimated to have saved 10,000 Jews from the Holocaust. In his role as passport control officer he helped thousands of Jews escape from Nazi Germany. At the 1961 trial of former ranking Nazi Adolf Eichmann, he was described as a “Scarlet Pimpernel” for the way he risked his own life to save Jews threatened with death by the Nazis. Despite having no diplomatic immunity and being liable to arrest at any time, Foley would bend the rules when stamping passports and issuing visas, to allow Jews to escape “legally” to Britain or Palestine, which was then controlled by the British. Sometimes he went further, going into internment camps to get Jews out, hiding them in his home, and helping them get forged passports. He died in 1958.