1. How do I write an A* literature Essay?
Lesson Objective:
To practice how to write an essay for literature Using the Secret River.

2. Three Basic Steps
Step 1: Know your content: the poem/novel/drama. Step 2: Know the structure of the essay,: intro, body (PEE) and conclusion. Step 3: Know the amount of time you have.

3. Recap: Essay Structure
Introduction
State what the essay is about
Mention the question you answering
Give the reader a mind map: what will come later in this essay.
Body
PEE paragraphs and connectives: firstly, secondly; Moreover; Furthermore: In addition: On the other hand (used to show a different side)
Conclusion
A brief summary of the entire essay.
Tip: Do not add quotations any new information here!

4. Examples: Types of questions
1. Character
How is character X presented in the text?
Explore the presentation of X in the text.
2. Theme
How does the writer present the theme of love/war/racism etc in the text?
Explore the presentation of justice/identity etc.

5. How do you get an A*? Writing the Essay:
Planning the essay – Identify four or more points that answer your question.
Find evidence that backs up your points. (It is best to have quotations prepared from before the exam)
Make brief notes on explanation and anlaysis of how the quotations back up your point.

6. How do we PEE? PEE- The Point
This is basically your answer(s) to the question – one sentence is enough for this!
PEE- The Evidence
These are the quotations you have from the text or poem. Remember to use quotation marks. Tip: Avoid saying the word quotation in the PEE.
PEE- The Explanation
What goes here? And is this the same as the Point?

7. PEE- The Explanation Do not repeat the point here!
Explain how the whole quote shows you are correct. Also include:
Focus on individual words in the quotation.
Offer more than one interpretation.
Link the point to the whole text.
Show the effect of the point on the reader (this is a personal response).
Evaluate: Why has the author written this? Why is this quotation important or significant?

8. Example: The Secret River
Point: Grenville portrayed William Thornhill’s relationship with God and the Church as not very close and quite unfamiliar.
Evidence: The quotation God was “…As foreign as a fish” to him.
Explanation: Any suggestions?

9. PEE- The Explanation
This quotation illustrates that God was indeed very strange to Thornhill. The fact that the author used a simile, comparing a fish which comes from a different world, has a different kind of life – indicates how very peculiar God was in Thornhill’s life. It is clear to the reader that William may not have been a very religious nor spiritual person. Furthermore, the author used alliteration for “foreign” and “fish” to further accentuate how very unfamilar God was to Thornhill and this phrase appeared at the end of the paragraph. The position of this phrase emphasises its importance and that perhaps Grenville wanted to draw attention to William’s relationship –or lack of relationship with God and the Church. It could be that perhaps due to hardship and poverty that Thornhill lacked a relationship with God or that his upbringing did not have many Church- going moments.

10. Discussion: What do you think of my explanation?
In my explanation… did I cover the following points:
Personal response/Effect on the reader
Zoom into specific words to highlight their effect
Offer more than one interpretation
Evaluate why the author wrote this
Clearly state how the Point and Evidence are related.
Did I REPEAT my point?
Again… did I REPEAT my point?

11. Think- Pair- Share
With the person sitting next to you, take three minutes to discuss three things you learnt from today’s lesson.
Key terms: explanation, evaluation, effect, link, analysis.

12. Homework: Planners out, please!
Re-do your assessment three. I would like a minimum of three PEE paragraphs.
This is due on Sunday.