1. ‘Hieroglyphics’ – Essay

2. The writing of a 7 year-old child with significant dyslexia

3. ESSAY TASK:
Use the notes you have taken on the story to write an essay using the following question:
   
Choose a novel or a short story in which there is a character that you feel sorry for.
Explain what the story is about and show what makes you feel sympathetic towards the character.

4. Writing a critical essay
General advice
INTRODUCTION
Refer to key words of first part of the question + name of text and author
Brief outline of the main concerns of the story (about one sentence)
Reference to the key words of the second part of the question and techniques to be discussed

5. BODY OF THE ESSAY
Your aim in the main section of your essay should be to make a series of POINTS that will help you to answer your question.
Every POINT that you make should contribute to answering your question (in this case, how the author makes us feel sympathy for Mary).
Use approximately six key points to answer your question, taking a new paragraph for each one.

6. IN EACH PARAGRAPH:
Use a clear topic sentence to introduce the POINT that you are making at each stage of your argument. (You should give some CONTEXT to establish its place in the story i.e. beginning / middle / end)
Now quote / paraphrase some EVIDENCE to back up your point
COMMENT - ANALYSE / EVALUATE that evidence. (For this essay, you should be showing in this section HOW the writer uses specific techniques to convey meaning and create sympathy for Mary.)

7. Include LINKING WORDS / PHRASES between paragraphs to signpost that you are developing an argument.
Remember to use key question words throughout the response and relate to the task throughout.

8. CONCLUSION Use a concluding word / phrase
Sum up your argument using key words from the question

9. Specific advice for this question:
Choose a novel or a short story in which there is a character that you feel sorry for.
Explain what the story is about and show what makes you feel sympathetic towards the character.
Identify the key words in the question

10. Specific advice for this question:
Choose a novel or a short story in which there is a character that you feel sorry for.
Explain what the story is about and show what makes you feel sympathetic towards the character.
Identify the key words in the question – this has been done for you.
Note these down.
You are going to use these words to help you to plan your essay.

11. Specific advice for this question:
You are going to make approximately six points in your essay.
Think carefully about the story and brainstorm six reasons why you might feel sympathy for Mary. (You can work with a partner to do this)
3) Compose a topic sentence for each of these points.
Remember – each paragraph needs to start with a topic sentence to introduce the subject of the paragraph.
Find evidence (quotes or close reference to the story) to back up each of these points.
Remember you also need to analyse how and evaluate how well this evidence makes us feel sympathy for Mary.

12. Remember: You need to use key question words throughout your essay and
include linking words / phrases to signpost that you are developing an argument.

13. If you’re really stuck, here is a sample paragraph plan for the essay:
Intro - Name of text and writer, brief outline of the main concerns of the story (about one sentence), reference to the key words of the question
1) We are made aware that Mary is dyslexic - effect this has on her
2) Unsupportive mother
3) Way teachers treat Mary and fail to meet her needs
4) Bullying by Mr Kelly
Treatment by other pupils
Significance of the ending - Mary is able to take pride in her work in class despite the difficulties she has encountered.
Conclusion - Use a concluding word/phrase, sum up your argument using key words from the question

14. ‘Hieroglyphics’ – Anne Donovan Essay 2
Question: Choose a novel or a short story which has an effective ending. Explain briefly what the story is about and go on to show how the writer makes the ending particularly effective.
Follow the same planning process as for the previous essay

15. Introduction
Author establishes Mary’s dyslexia - by establishing the character’s struggles in a persuasive way at start we appreciate her struggle at the end
Ending shows that she is both intelligent and creative when she discovers that she can communicate in other ways.
Story establishes that Mary is often isolated from others in primary (sent to help younger ones) and secondary (teachers allow her to fall behind and pupils exclude her)
ending shows Mary reach the realisation that she is really not that different from her peers
throughout the story there is a great deal of conflict between the character of Mr Kelly and Mary.
Thus, it is significant that the ending shows Mary being able to take pride in her work in his class.
Conclusion