[RetroBwoi_66]

Hi, Im currently working on my PSL, i chose "The Scythe" by Ray Bradbury, my PSL is about how Ray Bradbury has managed to capture the increase of excessive carnage and death in the 20th century in “The Scythe”. I need to know if this is a good choice or should i try sometthing else

[jackwka]

I'm doing Frankenstein by Mary Shelley for my higher PSL. I've read it once and am half way through reading it for a second time. I've noticed nobody else seems to be doing it on here Is it a bad choice? Thanks

[Kirsteneg]

(Original post by jackwka)
I'm doing Frankenstein by Mary Shelley for my higher PSL. I've read it once and am half way through reading it for a second time. I've noticed nobody else seems to be doing it on here Is it a bad choice? Thanks

No no! It's a good choice. If you haven't got york notes for it I'd suggest getting them from amazon- they really help.

[jackwka]

I've used the york notes before, there awesome. Do they do ones specifically for higher? I used them for LOTF at SG except it was a gcse version : /

[Haz23]

(Original post by Kirsteneg)
The important thing is to do something that you're going to enjoy but make sure and check with your teacher that the book is 'meaty' enough. Most people actually do novels and you don't have to do as much analysis in a novel as a poem so it can actually be easier. A good question for a novel can be something like how a major theme is conveyed and developed through a specific character or on a literary technique such as symbolism or setting (To Kill A Mockingbird would be REALLY easy for that). What determines an 'easier' personal study is the topic and question you choose. Make the question as focused as possible so you don't end up going off in a tangent in the essay as that's the most common way of failing the personal study. NEVER DO TWILIGHT!

Remember you can do drama or poetry as well and poetry would be a much easier option if you are good at close analysis. Good poems would be Education for Leisure (Carol Ann Duffy)-how personas psychopathic nature is gradually revealed, Visiting Hour (Norman MacCaig)-topic on how theme isolation is convey through imagery/structure/tone, In The Snack Bar (Edwin Morgan)-same kind of topic as Visiting Hour, Assisi (Norman MacCaig)-same kind of topic as Visiting Hour or something to do with irony , If you're into love poems then there's an unconventional one by Carol Ann Duffy called Valentine which is quite good. Once you've decided tell me what you've chosen and I might have notes for them which I can give you (especially if its one of those poems) if you want them??? (The notes are good by the way as they are sourced from internet, teachers etc.)

That would be a huge help, thank you! I like the look of the first one; 'Education for Leisure'. Duffy is a great writer!

[Kirsteneg]

(Original post by jackwka)
I've used the york notes before, there awesome. Do they do ones specifically for higher? I used them for LOTF at SG except it was a gcse version : /

York Notes Advanced are the more detailed ones. But just york notes do help a lot as well

[Kirsteneg]

(Original post by Haz23)
That would be a huge help, thank you! I like the look of the first one; 'Education for Leisure'. Duffy is a great writer!

If you PM me your email address I can send you the notes tonight or tomorrow at the latest. Do you just want the education for leisure ones or any other thing you're thinking of?

[Jackie0hh]

Vera Brittain ~ Chronichle of Youth, Erich Maria Remarque ~ All Quiet of the Western Front, Ernest Hemingway ~ A Farewell to Arms
Wish me luck ha ha !!

[jackwka]

Ordered my York advanced notes last night. Thanks for the help

[Pedrobear]

(Original post by jackwka)
I'm doing Frankenstein by Mary Shelley for my higher PSL. I've read it once and am half way through reading it for a second time. I've noticed nobody else seems to be doing it on here Is it a bad choice? Thanks

I'd say it's a great choice. I actually used Frankenstein for the critical essay in the Higher English exam this year, and got an A, so there you go. There's tons of good stuff in that book.

[jackwka]

(Original post by Pedrobear)
I'd say it's a great choice. I actually used Frankenstein for the critical essay in the Higher English exam this year, and got an A, so there you go. There's tons of good stuff in that book.

Cool, thanks

[rosie08]

Sorry, I already made a thread before I noticed this one, but I'll ask here too I guess heh.

My little brother is thinking of doing the same SSL as me (Animal Farm).
There are two years between us and we were at the same school.

Does anyone know if this is allowed or not?

Thanks in advance.

[Kirsteneg]

(Original post by rosie08)
Sorry, I already made a thread before I noticed this one, but I'll ask here too I guess heh.

My little brother is thinking of doing the same SSL as me (Animal Farm).
There are two years between us and we were at the same school.

Does anyone know if this is allowed or not?

Thanks in advance.

Yeah it's allowed.

[LuhLah]

ermm the notes aren't really part of the course, right? I already know what I'm going to write about and my question, do you think it'll be fine if I just write down the stuff I know I wanna do? I don't start the course until next week (as I'll be doing it in college)

Urg I dun wanna write down tons of crap about structure, tone or whatever

[Kirsteneg]

(Original post by LuhLah)
ermm the notes aren't really part of the course, right? I already know what I'm going to write about and my question, do you think it'll be fine if I just write down the stuff I know I wanna do? I don't start the course until next week (as I'll be doing it in college)

Urg I dun wanna write down tons of crap about structure, tone or whatever

Depending on what your question is, you might have to write about structure etc. (your meant to shove in some techniques when you analyse your points)

The notes aren't part of the course and you don't get york notes for the book you said you were going to do anyway.


EDIT - Just realised in the virtual common room you said your question was "How does King show the affect of parents inflicting their religion on their children by using characterisation and symbolism?" . This is fine and the techniques you are analysing are characterisation and symbolism so it's good.

[LuhLah]

(Original post by Kirsteneg)
Depending on what your question is, you might have to write about structure etc. (your meant to shove in some techniques when you analyse your points)

The notes aren't part of the course and you don't get york notes for the book you said you were going to do anyway.


EDIT - Just realised in the virtual common room you said your question was "How does King show the affect of parents inflicting their religion on their children by using characterisation and symbolism?" . This is fine and the techniques you are analysing are characterisation and symbolism so it's good.

Ta hen

I said basically all the characterisation/symbolism in the same post that I'll prolly use...do you think I'd need moar?

[Kirsteneg]

(Original post by LuhLah)
Ta hen

I said basically all the characterisation/symbolism in the same post that I'll prolly use...do you think I'd need moar?

The symbolism looks fine but I would say that characterisation is more the aspects of a character so I would say what the way she is bullied and her attitude to the people who bullied her etc. implies about her character then go on to say how that helps develop theme, plot ... whatever.

[LuhLah]

(Original post by Kirsteneg)
The symbolism looks fine but I would say that characterisation is more the aspects of a character so I would say what the way she is bullied and her attitude to the people who bullied her etc. implies about her character then go on to say how that helps develop theme, plot ... whatever.

ah right, thanks soo "also, carrie has splattered with blood at the prom and uses her powers to kill everyone -evidence- this shows how carrie has finally cracked..."

[spacepirate-James]

Im in the same boat...dunno what book to do?

its either between:

Memoirs of a geisha
Fahrenheit 451
Perfume
The Picture of Dorian Gray

Im not brilliant at writing critical essay's so which one would give me the less hassle XD

[Pedrobear]

(Original post by spacepirate-James)
Im in the same boat...dunno what book to do?

its either between:

Memoirs of a geisha
Fahrenheit 451
Perfume
The Picture of Dorian Gray

Im not brilliant at writing critical essay's so which one would give me the less hassle XD

In before ArcadiaHouse.

Seriously though, Dorian Gray is a fantastic book (although with a lot of rambling in it). I'd recommend either that or Fahrenheit 451. Perfume & Memoirs of a Geisha are okay but I can't really see them as great choices for the personal study -- they aren't all that literary in comparison to Wilde and Bradbury (and therefore won't have as many details to analyse and so on).