SCHOOL EXAMINATION FEEDBACK WRITTEN TEXT, LEVEL 2

IN GENERAL: Address the question and how the two parts of the question link together. Address the ‘how’ of the question. Many students who attempted to twist material from previously learnt/studied questions did not do well. Topic sentences and final comments need to reflect the actual essay question, as well as complement each other. Sudden shifts to irrelevant connections or grand generalisations do not make for a convincing essay. If connections are made, they should be relevant and connected back to the text being analysed. Understanding the specific terminology used in the questions is vital. Many students chose to write about ‘language features’ but did not in fact discuss language. Quotations need to be carefully woven into sentences, rather than ‘dumped’ at the beginning of sentences without any introduction or explanation. Do not hint at what your ideas are, Eg, “There are lots of ideas in this text”. State what they are!

THEMES/MAIN IDEAS When identifying a main idea in the text, it is advisable to use more than one word to define or explain it, for example:  Instead of defining the idea as ‘betrayal’, you could write that the idea is ‘the effects of betrayal’.  Instead of defining the idea as ‘racism’, you could write that the idea as ‘the way that racism affects communities’.  Instead of defining the idea as ‘gender inequality’, you could write ‘the negative effects of gender inequality on teenage girls’.

USE OF EVIDENCE To gain a Merit or Excellence, students need to be analysing more than one quote per main body paragraph. It is also advisable to use analysis terminology, for example:  This dialogue shows…  This example of first person narration demonstrates…  This character action illustrates…  This metaphor highlights…  This simile reveals….

1. ANALYSE HOW RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN CHARACTERS OR INDIVIDUALS WERE USED TO ILLUSTRATE ONE OR MORE THEMES IN THE WRITTEN TEXT(S)  Question asks for relationships, not a (one) relationship.  Focus on how the relationship showed a theme, rather than describing the relationship.  ‘How’ could been addressed through analysis or discussion of dialogue, character actions and/or reactions in relation to each other, structure of relationship change or events and incidents involving the relationship.  The word ‘illustrate’ means to explain, to enlighten, to make clear.

2. ANALYSE HOW CONFLICT WAS USED TO REVEAL THE ATTITUDES OF ONE OR MORE CHARACTERS IN THE WRITTEN TEXT(S)  The word ‘conflict’ can mean: a disagreement between two characters (such as an argument, a fight, a struggle) or it can mean a serious incompatibility between two or more opinions, principles, or interests. A character can struggle with an internal conflict (two opposing feelings about something) or an external conflict (a disagreement with another character). It ay also refer to the context where a war or large scale disagreement is occurring.  Must show how the conflict leads to a better understanding of the character and their thoughts and feelings. This may show changes in the attitudes.  ‘How’ could be addressed through dialogue, internal monologue, soliloquies, character action, events, structure of conflict or narrative voice.  The best answers focussed on a conflict which has a very strong impact on the character.

3. ANALYSE HOW LANGUAGE FEATURES WERE USED TO REINFORCE ONE OR MORE IDEAS IN THE WRITTEN TEST(S)  Language features include techniques such as dialogue, first person narration, metaphors, similes, language style (colloquial, etc.).  Character actions, relationships and foreshadowing are not language features.  An idea can be any of the main ideas/themes/messages explored in the text.  This question was answered well, providing actual ‘language features’ were discussed.

4. ANALYSE HOW ONE OR MORE SIGNIFICANT EVENTS WERE USED TO ILLUSTRATE ONE OR MORE THEMES IN THE WRITTEN TEXT(S)  A significant event is an important, specific occurance in the text.  Many students found it hard to stay focussed on one event. This was not an opportunity to retell the story or a whole section of events.  Some students did not specify an event.  The event needed to be described clearly.  The ‘how’ in this question could refer to dialogue, conflict, character action, setting, context, or the change in relationship.

5. ANALYSE HOW SETTING WAS USED TO DEVELOP YOUR UNDERSTANDING OF ONE OR MORE CHARACTERS OR INDIVIDUALS IN THE WRITTEN TEXT(S)  A setting of a text can be the time, the place or the social context.  A setting may be a specific physical place, a time frame, or a political of social situation.  The ‘how’ in this question could refer to specific events, conflict, objects present, or beliefs, ideas or attitudes linked to setting.  If referring to “social setting”, develop the term first, explaining that it is the “attitudes of this time period” or “prevalent culture in this place”. Make sure the setting is described clearly.

6. ANALYSE HOW THE STRUCTURE WAS USED TO MAINTAIN YOUR INTEREST IN THE EXPERIENCES OF THE CHARACTERS IN THE WRITTEN TEXT.  Structural techniques include the use of retrospective narration, the use of flashforwards or flashbacks, the use of epilogues and/or prologues, the rise in tension, climax or resolution.  The word ‘maintain’ means to support or keep in an existing state.  The experiences of the characters means that the question required you to write about more than one character’s experience.  Your question must answer how it was used to maintain your interest. Just referring to the structure is not enough.

7. ANALYSE HOW ONE OR MORE THEMES WERE USED TO COMMENT ON TODAY’S SOCIETY IN THE WRITTEN TEXT(S) This question required you to make some clear links between the ideas in your text and ‘today’s society’. Students needed to clarify what they meant when they referred to ‘today’s society’, as comments tended to become vague and unrepresentative of certain societies. Topic sentences needed to identify the link between the ideas and today’s society. The final comment needed to make a judgement about today’s society. Some students made sweeping generalisations such as “This is not like today’s society as we are not racist now.” which is too vague.

8. ANALYSE HOW SYMBOLISM WAS USED TO SHOW ONE OR MORE IDEAS IN THE WRITTEN TEXT(S)  This essay required you to explain how the writer used symbolism to help you gain a better understanding of one or more idea/theme.  When writing essays on symbolism, it is very important to identify what was used as a symbol, and what it represents.  Symbolism may also refer to deeper symbolic meaning found in the language used.  This question was also a straightforward question that was generally answered very well.  When discussing the theme, it is important to stay focussed on how the symbols developed that, rather than discussing events or character actions.