[lekky]

(Original post by Narna396)
Hi, I was wondering if anyone had been given any information about how to structure their essays? Like a generic plan that can be applied to whatever genres come up. I'm finding it difficult to remember to include all of the assessment objectives and still make my writing sound natural rather than rigid. Thanks for any help x

Hi! This is down on my 'plan' to do this week so I'll post once I've done it My teacher says you shouldn't have a generic plan but I find them really helpful. I guess it's really important though just to remember the assessment objects, I have them drilled into my brain now, and summarised

-- understanding/the way you write the essays - I take this to mean things like vocabulary and whether you write well as well

-- Form/Structure/Language

-- Compare/contrasting between different texts

-- Context

Remember that they're all completely equal in terms of weighting!

[lekky]

(Original post by billet-doux)
Yes, I'm doing the literature of love. There's just no real way of revising for this exam so I don't know what to do!

Basically this is what I am doing to revise


1) Making notes on all the wider reading texts I am doing. In my notes I make brief notes on
- form
-structure
- language and imagery
- context
- characters (that are relevant to love themes)
- quotes (that I will try to memorise)
- themes of love

2) I am then making brain storms of my main themes of love. These are
- marriage
- meetings
- partings
- filial (parent/family)
- romance
- illicit
- unrequired
- god (very very briefly normally for context; we've been told god won't be a theme)

In the brainstorms I think about 3-4 texts of different genres that deal with that theme that I could talk about if that theme comes up. I'm about

3) Then go through all my wider reading texts and summarise the main points so that they fit onto a notecard per text

4) then lots and lots of PRACTICE QUESTIONS!!

I've basically finished point 1 and done a bit of point 2 now... yeah kind of behind


EDIT: *********, should I add friendship to my themes of love???

[d123]

(Original post by lekky)
Hey! I did this for my coursework on love and so I'm struggling to get out of the mindset of thinking about it in relation to madness (Blanche's) and think about it more in themes of love. Do you mind having a look at the themes that I've written?

The main themes that I'm relating my texts to are
1) Meetings
2) Partings
3) Marriage
4) Romantic
5) Illicit
6) Filial (Parent/family)
7) unrequited
8) God --- I know the board told us that it won't be a question about religious love, so I just kind of make a brief reference to it, normally in relation to context.

Illicit love – Blanche’s husband was homosexual, unable to be open about this due to contemporary society. Her reaction to discovering that he his homosexual, “You disgust me” would be typical of the time period. This leads to his suicide, which starts the decline of her mental health.

– Stanley rapes Blanche after her promiscuous past has been revealed (develop)

Romantic love – between Stella and Stanley (develop)

Filial love – between Stella and Blanche. Despite Blanche’s controlling behaviour, Stella enjoys Blanche’s company and tries to make her happy. Ultimately, Stella cannot believe Blanche’s story of Stanley raping her. (develop)

As you can see I'm kind of failing. I know it's a great text but because I did the theme of mental illness in it for my coursework that;s completely blocking me branching out more. I know the text verywell though which is a plus?

Do you think romantic love between BLanche and Mitch? It's not really romantic though, she is totally using him and knows it (stage directions when she rolls her eyes and says 'do you want to sleep with me tonight.. oh you can't understand him.. what a shame')

Sorry for hyperness, was tired so downed 2 cans of red bull.. they give you wings you know!

Those are really good ones. Another important one is sexual attraction and the importance of sex and beauty. Blanche keeps hiding her failing looks - she doesn't like light, and doesn't see Mitch in the daylight. She lies about how old she is and seems to make a lot of references to her looks. Stanley is another example of physical attraction - Blanche says about him that 'the only thing you can do with a man like that is go to bed with him'.

The position of women also comes out a bit - in the relationship between Stella and Stanley and between Mitch and Blanche - when he finds out about her past he says she's not good enough to take home to his mother - basically, she's good enough to sleep with but not to marry.

Your point on filial love is really good. I think Stella and Blanche have a very interesting relationship. Blanche constantly belittles Stella, calling her her little sister and acting like she isn't able to make her own decisions, always asking Stella to do things for her.

Romantic love between Stella and Stanley - even after the arguments she still goes back to him. I think she really does love him, in spite of everything.

Hope this helps!

[unknownpleasures]

I have nothing for unrequited love. Can anyone point me towards something I can get hold of quickly?

[lekky]

(Original post by d123)
Those are really good ones. Another important one is sexual attraction and the importance of sex and beauty. Blanche keeps hiding her failing looks - she doesn't like light, and doesn't see Mitch in the daylight. She lies about how old she is and seems to make a lot of references to her looks. Stanley is another example of physical attraction - Blanche says about him that 'the only thing you can do with a man like that is go to bed with him'.

The position of women also comes out a bit - in the relationship between Stella and Stanley and between Mitch and Blanche - when he finds out about her past he says she's not good enough to take home to his mother - basically, she's good enough to sleep with but not to marry.

Your point on filial love is really good. I think Stella and Blanche have a very interesting relationship. Blanche constantly belittles Stella, calling her her little sister and acting like she isn't able to make her own decisions, always asking Stella to do things for her.

Romantic love between Stella and Stanley - even after the arguments she still goes back to him. I think she really does love him, in spite of everything.

Hope this helps!

Thank you thats great! Just saw that you're off to Glasgow too? Awesome, hopefully see you there

[lekky]

(Original post by unknownpleasures)
I have nothing for unrequited love. Can anyone point me towards something I can get hold of quickly?

Which genre are you wanting? prose/drama/poem?

[unknownpleasures]

(Original post by lekky)
Which genre are you wanting? prose/drama/poem?

Anything!

[d123]

(Original post by lekky)
Thank you thats great! Just saw that you're off to Glasgow too? Awesome, hopefully see you there

Yep, so long as I get the grades! I can't wait, it's such an amazing uni and city!

[d123]

(Original post by unknownpleasures)
I have nothing for unrequited love. Can anyone point me towards something I can get hold of quickly?

My ones for unrequited love are :

Poetry: Chaucer, The Miller's Tale (Absolon and Alison)
Drama: Tennessee Williams, Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (Maggie and Brick, and to a lesser extent Big Mama and Big Daddy)
Prose: Jane Austen, Pride and Prejudice (almost everyone at some point, but Mr Collins and Lizzy is a good example)

I've got others, but that's one example from each genre.

[lekky]

(Original post by unknownpleasures)
Anything!

Ok!

Prose:

Pride and Prejudice - Elizabeth initially rejects Mr Darcy
Jane Eyre - Jane rejects St John Rivers
The Collector (by John Fowles) - Miranda does not love the narrator so he rapes her (basically)

Drama:

Doll's House - Nora discovers she does not love Torvald, their relationship not strong although Torvald maintains he loves her, and leaves
Hamlet - when under his "antic disposition" Hamlet insults Ophelia, implies he never loved her, leads Ophelia to suicide

Poem:

Wendy cope's Strugnell's Sonnets VI
Thomas Hardy To Lizbie Brown

Hope that helps!

[lekky]

(Original post by d123)
My ones for unrequited love are :

Poetry: Chaucer, The Miller's Tale (Absolon and Alison)
Drama: Tennessee Williams, Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (Maggie and Brick, and to a lesser extent Big Mama and Big Daddy)
Prose: Jane Austen, Pride and Prejudice (almost everyone at some point, but Mr Collins and Lizzy is a good example)
I've got others, but that's one example from each genre.

But Mr Collin's does not love Lizzy either??

[lekky]

Anyone done Hamlet? Please tell me someone has done Hamlet.

[d123]

(Original post by lekky)
But Mr Collin's does not love Lizzy either??

He thinks he does though, until he moves on to Charlotte. He certainly likes her, whereas she's pretty much repulsed by him. You could also use Wickham and Lizzy (she likes him, at least until she finds out the truth about him and Darcy, but he gets married to her sister) I think.

Maybe a better example would be Boldwood and Bathsheba in Far from the Madding Crowd.

[unknownpleasures]

(Original post by lekky)
.

(Original post by d123)
.

Rep coming to both of you in the next few days! Not that it's worth much but you know

[lekky]

(Original post by d123)
He thinks he does though, until he moves on to Charlotte. He certainly likes her, whereas she's pretty much repulsed by him. You could also use Wickham and Lizzy (she likes him, at least until she finds out the truth about him and Darcy, but he gets married to her sister) I think.

Maybe a better example would be Boldwood and Bathsheba in Far from the Madding Crowd.

Fair enough!

Also I refuse to study Hardy prose. Poems? Yes, I love his poetry. I hate this prose. We did the mayor of casterbridge at GCSE... ohmygodkillmenow. Partly what I love about this syllabus, so much freedom to do the texts I LIKE!

[d123]

(Original post by lekky)
Fair enough!

Also I refuse to study Hardy prose. Poems? Yes, I love his poetry. I hate this prose. We did the mayor of casterbridge at GCSE... ohmygodkillmenow. Partly what I love about this syllabus, so much freedom to do the texts I LIKE!

Haha, everyone I know says that He's my favourite author! I'm in a minority though I think, most people I've spoken to find him too depressing, which to be honest is probably why I like him. I'm not a fan of books with happy endings!

[d123]

(Original post by unknownpleasures)
Rep coming to both of you in the next few days! Not that it's worth much but you know

Thank you

[lekky]

(Original post by d123)
Haha, everyone I know says that He's my favourite author! I'm in a minority though I think, most people I've spoken to find him too depressing, which to be honest is probably why I like him. I'm not a fan of books with happy endings!

You must have a melancholy disposition!

[eatcakee]

Could anyone me with making meaningful analysis about form and structure on drama? I'm really struggling with drama atm....

[beautifulbubble]

(Original post by lekky)
Anyone done Hamlet? Please tell me someone has done Hamlet.

Yes!