Analysis of Fiction Essay

Exam Paper - Analysis of Fiction

Choosing the Right Question There are always four questions to choose from. They can be summarised as: A question about Narrative key aspect A question about Representation key aspect A question about Audience key aspect A question about Institution key aspect

Choosing the Right Question Please Note: Although it is usually the case, they may not come in that order. Each question requires you to write about the named key aspect and two others

Choosing the Right Question You will choose the AUDIENCE question You will integrate (add in) your knowledge of how they use NARRATIVE and REPRESENTATION

Audience Question Audience question will basically always be about : how the film makers use different features to target different audience sections. How different audience sections would respond to different features of the text. However, this may be worded in many different ways: Look at the following exam questions about audience and identify this basic idea in each.

Audience Question 2013 Audiences consist of a wide range of groups and individuals with different characteristics and desires, and who respond to media texts in different ways. With reference to a media text you have studied analyse how a range of audiences might respond. In your answer you must integrate your analysis of Audience with at least two other key aspects.

Audience Question 2013 Audiences consist of a wide range of groups and individuals with different characteristics and desires, and who respond to media texts in different ways. With reference to a media text you have studied analyse how a range of audiences might respond. In your answer you must integrate your analysis of Audience with at least two other key aspects.

Audience Question 2012 Audience study involves the consideration of target audience, mode of address, preferred reading and differential decoding. Apply at least two of these concepts to a media text you have studied and analyse how they affect or are affected by at least two other aspects. In your answer you should integrate analysis of Audience with at least two other key aspects.

Audience Question 2012 Audience study involves the consideration of target audience, mode of address, preferred reading and differential decoding. Apply at least two of these concepts to a media text you have studied and analyse how they affect or are affected by at least two other aspects. In your answer you should integrate analysis of Audience with at least two other key aspects.

Audience Question 2011 In order to recover the investment which is involved in making a media product, it is necessary to include material which aims to appeal to a range of different audiences. With close reference to a media text you have studied, analyse which elements were included to target different audiences. In your answer you must analyse Audience and at least two other key aspects.

Audience Question 2011 In order to recover the investment which is involved in making a media product, it is necessary to include material which aims to appeal to a range of different audiences. With close reference to a media text you have studied, analyse which elements were included to target different audiences. In your answer you must analyse Audience and at least two other key aspects.

Audience Question 2010 Audience sections read, view or listen to media texts with different needs and/or expectations. Analyse how different needs and/or expectations might influence the ways in which sections of the audience respond to one media text you have studied. In your answer refer to at least two other key aspects to suggest possible reasons for these different decodings.

Audience Question 2010 Audience sections read, view or listen to media texts with different needs and/or expectations. Analyse how different needs and/or expectations might influence the ways in which sections of the audience respond to one media text you have studied. In your answer refer to at least two other key aspects to suggest possible reasons for these different decodings.

Marking System 40 marks are available You will be marked separately for each of the 3 key aspects you write about. Then a formula is used to work out the range of possible marks. Then the marker will decide on a mark from the range available to them.

They will consider such things as: The sophistication of your language/expression How well you have integrated the key aspects If you have used knowledge of key aspects (Language/Institution) other than the 3 required. (Narrative, Representation, Audience)

Marking System (Cont) – click to link to the Extended Marking Scale For each of the key aspects your response will be assessed as: Full Convincing Clear Adequate Narrow Fail Inadequate Poor

Marking System Cont - Examples Pupil A Narrative – Full Representation – Full Audience - Full Full Answer = Woohoo!!! The range of marks for you is then 38-40!!! Pupil B Narrative – Clear Representation – Convincing Audience - Clear Convincing Answer Kinda Woohoo!!! The range of marks for you is then 28-29!!! Pupil C Narrative – Poor Representation – Poor Audience - Poor Poor Answer Boohoo!!! The range of marks for you is then 0-9

What do you think the range of marks might be for: Pupil D Narrative – Convincing Representation – Clear Audience – Narrow Fail = ?????? 0-19

What do you think the range of marks might be for: Pupil E Narrative – Narrow Fail Representation – Full Audience – Full = ?????? 20-23

Lessons For Us! I must write really well about all 3 key aspects and not neglect any of them Following the very detailed plan that Mr. McGlynn has painstakingly put together will help me to do so!!!

Essay Plan In order to recover the investment which is involved in making a media product, it is necessary to include material which aims to appeal to a range of different audiences. With close reference to a media text you have studied, analyse which elements were included to target different audiences. In your answer you must analyse Audience and at least two other key aspects.

...analyse which elements were included to target different audiences. Todorov/Classical structure Closed structure Symbolic Code (Binary Opposites) Referential Code Enigmatic Code Representation of Ideologies Representation of People Comedy Genre Features Road Trip Genre Features Mainstream/American Independent/intellectual Male Female Young/teenage Older audience Homosexuals Comedy genre fans Road Trip genre fans Etc. Etc.

Essay Structure Introduction 1st Section Main body 2nd Section Conclusion 1st Section 2nd Section

Introduction – Start with T.A.R.T.S Title Author Reference to Question Task Overview Summary of Plot/themes (Very brief)

Exemplar Introduction “Little Miss Sunshine” written by Michael Arndt and directed by Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris is a media text that includes elements to target different audiences. Film makers target both a mainstream and independent film audience using the key aspects of narrative and representation; the narrative structure and the use of narrative enigmas would appeal to a mainstream audience and the fact that they challenge dominant ideologies through their representations would appeal to an independent film audience. The film makers also target other specific audience sections such as older, younger, male and female audiences. In addition they include conventions of comedy and road trip to appeal to fans of those genre.

Essay Main Body Ideology of Success Ideology of Family Section 2 Todorov/Classical structure Closed structure Binary Opposites Reference to Nietzsche Reference to Big Brother Reference to Proust Enigmatic Code Representation of Mothers Representation of Fathers Representation of Homosexuals Representation of Teenagers Comedy Genre Features Road Trip Genre Features Ideology of Success Ideology of Family

2 Important points before we start You have an opportunity to really perfect this essay which is worth a huge 40 marks! 2. So does everyone else – so they expect a lot from you... ...and so do I!