[cheesoid]

Ok, many of you are making posts as to how you should structure your essays and how you should tackle poetry. I will try to explain how you should go about this is a meaningful matter.


Structure

Make sure you have a good introduction, middle and conclusion. If going into a new idea, take a new paragraph so the examiner knows that you are doing so. Also, using sophisticated language will not necessarily get you anywhere here if it is in the wrong context. If in doubt, use a different word.

When looking at your prose, please do make sure you have mind maps or spider diagrams already written out. These will allow you to make sure you have all the themes in one place, allowing for easy access when jotted down on a piece of paper that your exam person can give you. (Normally you will have to ask for it)

Always remember your Language skills and do not let bad grammar come between yourself and your potential A/A*. To be actually studying English Literature, you should hold basic Language skills anyways. Examiners will be searching for this fall back and will not award marks for this. Be clear and consise.

Poetry

Really exact same as above. Mind maps and spider diagrams with comparisons and contrasting views, so you will not get confused on the day. Also separate ones for themes, Language, really anything that you feel sticks out from the poem, jot it down.


Lastly, take your time. Do not rush for Heaven's sake, that's just stupid. Sit down, draw out your mind maps etc and don't stress out, it'll be fine

[crushdtinbox]

Thank you - this is very helpful.

My biggest problem is structuring my essays, I tend to ramble for 3 pages.
Never tried mind maps for English revision before, might give it a go.

[cheesoid]

Bump! as I see 5 million other threads asking this question once again!

[NeedPapers]

Originally Posted by cheesoid

Ok, many of you are making posts as to how you should structure your essays and how you should tackle poetry. I will try to explain how you should go about this is a meaningful matter.


Structure

Make sure you have a good introduction, middle and conclusion. If going into a new idea, take a new paragraph so the examiner knows that you are doing so. Also, using sophisticated language will not necessarily get you anywhere here if it is in the wrong context. If in doubt, use a different word.

When looking at your prose, please do make sure you have mind maps or spider diagrams already written out. These will allow you to make sure you have all the themes in one place, allowing for easy access when jotted down on a piece of paper that your exam person can give you. (Normally you will have to ask for it)

Always remember your Language skills and do not let bad grammar come between yourself and your potential A/A*. To be actually studying English Literature, you should hold basic Language skills anyways. Examiners will be searching for this fall back and will not award marks for this. Be clear and consise.

Poetry

Really exact same as above. Mind maps and spider diagrams with comparisons and contrasting views, so you will not get confused on the day. Also separate ones for themes, Language, really anything that you feel sticks out from the poem, jot it down.


Lastly, take your time. Do not rush for Heaven's sake, that's just stupid. Sit down, draw out your mind maps etc and don't stress out, it'll be fine

Thanks. Just a question. Just say a question on Nature comes..How would you answer it? Would you imbed the theme with your normal writing? e.g. Nature is shown in language/structure/feelings etc....

Also, 4 poems is hard to write about, how would you split your time up? write 2 detailed and 2 less detailed?

Thanks

[TheNamelessGrace]

Thank you, I posted a new thread about structure the other day :P Oh, let me ask: HOW do you compare the poems? I mean, I've been told by my teacher that I should be 'intertwining' comparisons (that is giving two quotes from different poems at the same time and analysing them at the same time!) so that it looks and sounds more sophisticated and will guarantee me an A*, but she's being really wishy-washy on the details, and her examples are really crappy.

So, if you can help on that, thank you very much

[crushdtinbox]

Originally Posted by cheesoid

When looking at your prose, please do make sure you have mind maps or spider diagrams already written out.

If you don't mind me asking, what exactly should I be doing the mind maps on? Just themes and characters?

[cheesoid]

Originally Posted by NeedPapers

Thanks. Just a question. Just say a question on Nature comes..How would you answer it? Would you imbed the theme with your normal writing? e.g. Nature is shown in language/structure/feelings etc....

Also, 4 poems is hard to write about, how would you split your time up? write 2 detailed and 2 less detailed?

Thanks

Nature can be reflected within language - through alliteration etc. Alliteration and water for example can have a ripple effect, or if it is raining, it can envision raindrops. Also, short sentences and the poem is on snow - can reflect snowflakes falling. Pathetic fallacy is a big contender in nature - of course, the language has a massive impact on the weather.

Nature can be shown in many different ways as well through verbs, adjectives, similes, metaphors, through characters personalities etc.

It may be hard to write about 4 poems, but do split your time equally. If you recreate spider diagrams and mind maps with all your themes etc for your selected poems that you want to do, then time should not necessarily be a factor.

[cheesoid]

Originally Posted by TheNamelessGrace

Thank you, I posted a new thread about structure the other day :P Oh, let me ask: HOW do you compare the poems? I mean, I've been told by my teacher that I should be 'intertwining' comparisons (that is giving two quotes from different poems at the same time and analysing them at the same time!) so that it looks and sounds more sophisticated and will guarantee me an A*, but she's being really wishy-washy on the details, and her examples are really crappy.

So, if you can help on that, thank you very much

To compare poems you really should look closely at them. You don't necessarily need quotes from each to symbolise this, you can tell by the language used. I understand what your teacher means, but to put it in the best way of explaining in lay mans terms is

Say for example I use two poems about nature;

'The sunshine was splitting through the trees as if it was light coming from the heavens....'

and;

'The snow was falling monumentally from the sky, falling. Falling, falling.'

So i've used nature to symbolise possible religious connotations, differences that the dispositions are of course completely opposite, the first quote is a happy one, also it could symbolise a wedding. The second more gloomy and sad. Possibly referring to a funeral etc.

I hope this example helps a little....

[cheesoid]

Originally Posted by crushdtinbox

If you don't mind me asking, what exactly should I be doing the mind maps on? Just themes and characters?

Really it should be

*Themes
*Characters
*Various forms of language - e.g. alliteration, onomatopoeia, similes, metaphors - thinks like that
*Anything else you may feel that is important, if the lines are staggered, short sentences, pathetic fallacy etc