1. Year of Wonders Reading and Responding
How can I effectively address all of the criteria...?

2. Essay Topics-Understand the Requirements
Discuss
Do You agree?
Debate, explain or question a topic-give evidence, reasons and explantions for and against
Present your own interpretation-give evidence, reasons and explanations for and against

3. Essay Topics
How?
Why?
Explain, describe or outline ways in which the text illustrates the topic by drawing on textual evidence and metalanguage
Explain reasons to support the ideas represented in the topic

4. Essay Structure
Introduction: Main Contention-a clear sentence stating your contention,
Background-the context, an outline of the main points/reasons
Introduce the author
Key words and concepts-use key words, explain main idea/s, definitions
Discuss structures, features and conventions of the text

5. Introduction:Sentence Samples
“Year of Wonders” is a complex exploration of…
Geraldine Brooks warns the reader that…
At the beginning of Year of Wonders, it is established that….
Year of Wonders is a response to…..
Year of Wonders explores….
There are two/three significant messages that Brooks presents in Year of Wonders.
Geraldine Brooks depicts…..

6. Introduction:Sentence Samples
Geraldine Brooks presents…
Brooks’ historical novel Year of Wonders….
Year of Wonders explores themes such as….
Year of Wonders depicts a community….
Year of Wonders presents a message …..
It is accurate to argue that Year of Wonders….
Year of Wonders raises the idea of……

7. Essay Structure Main Body: Paragraphs
A clear topic sentence that responds to the question -the main point presented in the paragraph (one paragraph for each main point) Try to use a key term or phrase from the topic/contention-this will give the paragraph a focus
Explain your idea in relation to the topic
Evidence-Quotes, brief description of key events

8. Paragraphs Interpretation of the evidence
Connecting sentence-link to the next point/paragraph or sum up the key idea of the paragraph

9. Paragraphs:Sample Sentences
In Year of Wonders, symbols are used to….
A complication occurs when…
The reader is presented with…..
Geraldine Brooks’ point of view emerges when…..
Brooks’ point of view is presented by….
Geraldine Brooks draws a parallel to…..when……
As the narrative progresses……

10. Paragraphs-Sample Sentences
Brooks presents …. in a positive light when she…..
Brooks views ……in a negative light when she…
The sequence of events beginning with…and concluding with…..indicates that….
The theme of... is explicitly described/presented through…..

11. Conclusion
Restate the contention-but avoid repetition of exact wording
Summary of main points
Link to the topic and the contention
Do Not introduce new ideas or information

12. Conclusion: Sentence Samples
On the whole…
Overall, it is obvious….
The portrayal of…is….in Year of Wonders
Brooks presents….
Brooks supports…by…….
In some ways Brooks…..
Year of Wonders…
Brooks alerts the reader to….

13. Character Vocabulary
When writing about characters, the following will be helpful:
Accepting-complacent, docile , lenient , submissive
Aggressive-assertive , belligerent , forthright, militant
Charming-agreeable , appealing , courteous , manipulative

14. Characters Cowardly-faint-hearted, fearful, spiritless, timid
Domineering-opinionated, officious, truculent
Ignorant-unaware, uneducated,unenlightened
Intelligent-articulate, astute, perceptive
Merciless-cruel, inhumane, ruthless,unforgiving
Religious-devout, pious,faithful,spiritual
Not all of these words can be used interchangeably

15. Paragraph:Sample sentences for characters
X exploits….
The actions of X indicate….
The responses of X assert…..
We learn that X is….. through…..
X’s reaction highlights……
X’s total support for…..supports the idea that….
X’s disregard for…..causes a ……
X observes…

16. Paragraph:Sample sentences for characters
X supports the view that…….
X is central to the concept……
X is the central character in…who narrates the story

17. Quotes Integrate or incorporate quotes. Examples:
Year of Wonders is set in ‘plague town’ of Eyam in 1666.
Milston bemoans to Anna that, ’these times, they do make monsters of us all’.
Michael says ,’ None of us is a master of himself as we should be in these times’ when explaining to Anna about his anger against Jane Martin.