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Advanced Higher English - Getting full marks

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Reply 20
Original post by Quick-use
Oh my god, I loved it! That last bit on Williams's view was in-genius!

If you don't mind (and have time) could you give me notes on the other ones? :colondollar: Or even a few at least? That would be so helpful! Thank you :grouphugs:


Aw, thank you very much :colondollar: They're very basic, but I really hope I can help you/

And sure, is there any in particular? I'll do the purity/castration for you but anything else, I'll do it. Typing them out is helping them get locked into my brain, so just tell me which ones you'd like! :cute:
Reply 21
Original post by bikinikill
Aw, thank you very much :colondollar: They're very basic, but I really hope I can help you/

And sure, is there any in particular? I'll do the purity/castration for you but anything else, I'll do it. Typing them out is helping them get locked into my brain, so just tell me which ones you'd like! :cute:


Anyting and everything please. :fluffy: Notes on everything you have in that sense. :biggrin: I guess my essays usually focus on: fantasy + reality, desire, decay of time. That's it... :lol: Not at all as comprehensive as yours!
All the themes, techniques, views everything! :biggrin: I struggle with Sweet Bird and Streetcar - I'm a fail lol.
(edited 11 years ago)
Reply 22
I struggle heavily with Sweet Bird in account of thematic concerns and things to say (points, views etc). Moreover, I can't seem to find many techniques in there either!
Reply 23
CASTRATION IN 'SWEET BIRD OF YOUTH'

Castration is a central theme in the play. We hear of a black man being castrated before the play begins...

Scotty: 'They picked out a n*gger at random and castrated the b*stard to show they mean business about white women's protection.'

When Boss Finley is addressing this issue at his political rally, he makes the statement, 'I can't and will not accept, tolerate, condone this threat of a blood pollution.'

It becomes obvious here that, despite his denial, that it is quite obvious that racist Finley gave his cronies the go ahead to castrate the black man to serve as a warning to all others who may try and 'contaminate' the pure white women of the south.

CASTRATION OF HEAVENLY

Heavenly contracts a venereal disease through sexual relations with gigolo, Chance. In order to rid herself of such a disease, she had to undergo a hushed up hysterectomy, much to the embarrassment of Boss.

Boss: My daughter's no whore, but she had a whore's operation.

'Papa, I'm sorry my operation brought this embarrassment on you [...] I felt worse than embarrassed when I found out Dr George Scudder's knife had cut the youth out of my body, made me an old childless woman. Dry, cold, empty, like an old woman.

Princess' comment on Heavenly's hysterectomy:

'[you] put such rot in her body she had to be gutted and hung on a butcher's hook like a chicken dressed for Sunday.'

Tom Junior on Heavenly's hysterectomy:

'she didn't know about the diseases of whore...she had to be cleaned and cured...spayed like a dawg'

Heavenly jokes that 'the embalmers must've done a good job' on her, this suggesting that although she may look like a living, breathing young girl, inside she is essentially dead, her hysterectomy has taken the youth, purity, innocence and enjoyment out of her life.

CASTRATION OF CHANCE

Chance is threatened with castration throughout the play, but his refusal to leave means he ends up getting what he is promised with throughout:

Tom Junior threatens Chance after discussing what he did to his sister (the 'cleaned and cured...spayed like a dawg' speech')

'If you're still here after this rally, you're gonna get the knife too.'

However, Chance accepts his castration, he puts up no fight. Although the play takes place on Easter, Chance is by no means a Christ figure. His refusal to flee is simply a redemptive act fit to be carried out on the anniversary of a far greater passion. At the end of the play, Chance turns to the audience to say,

'I don't ask for your pity...just for your recognition of me in you, and the enemy, time in us all.'

Although Chance is physically castrated, time has also castrated him- it ends his youth, it ends his livelihood, it leaves him with nothing to show for his life as up until now, he has relied solely on his looks. In this sense, Princess cannot turn back the clock either, so she also has been castrated in a sense.

CASTRATION OF BOSS FINLEY:

Boss Finley is never physically castrated, but he is in a sense. We're told by Tom Junior that Miss Lucy, Boss' mistress, has publicly ridiculed him,

'She says you're too old for a lover...'Boss Finley' she wrote, 'is too old to cut the mustard.''

Boss is castrated by this public ridicule that Miss Lucy has thrust upon him. His sense of sexual pride takes a beating and he is publicly emasculated, he is made the laughing stock of St. Cloud, which for such a serious, straight-laced politician is incredibly harrowing and embarrassing.

Hope this helps!

EDIT: Also, a good quote for Heavenly's is made by the Heckler: 'did she put on black in mourning for her appendix?' The Heckler is distinctive in this play as the only voice of conscience. He alone protests the hypocrisy and shame of all those around him. Although he does not wish to hurt Heavenly, he does highlight the hypocrisy of Boss' crusades for purity, when even his own daughter is tainted.
(edited 11 years ago)
Reply 24
Thank you, thank you a thousand times over! Again, this bit was amazing:
Original post by bikinikill
Although Chance is physically castrated, time has also castrated him- it ends his youth, it ends his livelihood, it leaves him with nothing to show for his life as up until now, he has relied solely on his looks. In this sense, Princess cannot turn back the clock either, so she also has been castrated in a sense.



I'll be adding all of this and any more you add on for my notes tomorrow for the exam! Thank you so very much :biggrin:
Reply 25
Original post by Quick-use
Thank you, thank you a thousand times over! Again, this bit was amazing:


I'll be adding all of this and any more you add on for my notes tomorrow for the exam! Thank you so very much :biggrin:


You're welcome, it's no bother :biggrin: Just noticing that some of my sentences are a bit clumsy, but as long as they get it into our heads, who cares :lol:

I see you said that you're a bit unsure about Sweet Bird, which is okay I think. It's a much shorter text, so there's much less to write about. However, I've got some analysis/quotes for the likes of...
Motifs/Symbols (stage set up/props, drug abuse)
Stage Directions (such as descriptions which ultimately could support all different kinds of themes)
Destruction of Heavenly's Sexual Innocence
Time as Enemy for Chance
Heavenly as a commodity

I don't know how relevant they are, and some of the notes on them aren't very big, but I know them just in case they can help me with further prove any point I try to argue.
Reply 26
Good luck tomorrow everyone! :smile:

Anyone else doing Othello and Antony & Cleopatra? Our class studied Chaucer as well but I don't think anyone is planning on using it in the exam :smile:
Original post by christielovesyou
I'm also kind of stuck on how to get really good marks in the essays... :s-smilie: I studied Donne and Keats, but I'm ignoring Keats because apparently it's very easy for Keats essays to become "samey", so you're less likely to get good marks, whereas with Donne there's more scope for debate. We think it's going to be an open-ended question, as they've told you what poems to write about for the past three years, and I'm hoping we'll get a question either on Donne's treatment or women (because I've got quotes from critics about that) or his sincerity.

One thing I'm never sure about is whether it's okay to say "I think" etc. - we were crucified at Higher if we used "I" because its unsophisticated, so I automatically stay away from it. I'm now confused about how to express my opinions in an eloquent way!

Is anyone else doing textual analysis?


Hey Christie, I'm doing TA too! So nervous about tomorrow - I can't wait for English to be done with forever!

Also, anyone doing Austen? Ideas on what the question might be? I'm thinking social hierarchy.
Reply 28
Original post by J'adoreMaCachette
Hey Christie, I'm doing TA too! So nervous about tomorrow - I can't wait for English to be done with forever!

Also, anyone doing Austen? Ideas on what the question might be? I'm thinking social hierarchy.


I studied Austen at the start of the year, but I've not revised her at all. Got literally no help with the texts, so I'm just sticking to Williams! Best of luck though, hope you do well! :smile:
Reply 29
Original post by ErinMc
Good luck tomorrow everyone! :smile:

Anyone else doing Othello and Antony & Cleopatra? Our class studied Chaucer as well but I don't think anyone is planning on using it in the exam :smile:


Chaucher? Oh my God :gasp: I honestly can't believe people actually study that, and even write an essay on it in the exam
Reply 30
Original post by bikinikill
You're welcome, it's no bother :biggrin: Just noticing that some of my sentences are a bit clumsy, but as long as they get it into our heads, who cares :lol:

I see you said that you're a bit unsure about Sweet Bird, which is okay I think. It's a much shorter text, so there's much less to write about. However, I've got some analysis/quotes for the likes of...
Motifs/Symbols (stage set up/props, drug abuse)
Stage Directions (such as descriptions which ultimately could support all different kinds of themes)
Destruction of Heavenly's Sexual Innocence
Time as Enemy for Chance
Heavenly as a commodity

I don't know how relevant they are, and some of the notes on them aren't very big, but I know them just in case they can help me with further prove any point I try to argue.



The techniques I have for Sweet Bird are: motif of birds, motif of the music 'Lament' and to a lesser extent, the 'Evening', symbolic names like 'Chance', 'Heavenly', 'Princess/Alexandra', 'Aunt Nonnie'. Also, the significance of the bar scene with all the former friends. Also, the significance of the 'Heckler'. That's all I have...:biggrin:

Are you going to be typing out the other notes? :fluffy:
Original post by ErinMc
Good luck tomorrow everyone! :smile:

Anyone else doing Othello and Antony & Cleopatra? Our class studied Chaucer as well but I don't think anyone is planning on using it in the exam :smile:


I am! Or at least, I studied it... Gonna do Austen instead, I can't ever remember the structure for Shakey quotes! Think it'll be on the tragic hero though. Good luck! P.S. I will die if the question is on duty and desire or the great oppositions because I wrote an A essay on a similar question but have now not revised Shakespeare for a fortnight. Generally prefer Austen. Anyway...

Original post by bikinikill
I studied Austen at the start of the year, but I've not revised her at all. Got literally no help with the texts, so I'm just sticking to Williams! Best of luck though, hope you do well! :smile:


You too!
Reply 32
Original post by Quick-use
The techniques I have for Sweet Bird are: motif of birds, motif of the music 'Lament' and to a lesser extent, the 'Evening', symbolic names like 'Chance', 'Heavenly', 'Princess/Alexandra', 'Aunt Nonnie'. Also, the significance of the bar scene with all the former friends. Also, the significance of the 'Heckler'. That's all I have...:biggrin:

Are you going to be typing out the other notes? :fluffy:


Okay, here's some symbolism for you, I've just found this and I think I'm right in what I'm saying, but it really just depends if you can/how you'll use it. This is said to Heavenly by Boss, when they're discussing what she'll be wearing at the rally

'You're going to be wearing stainless white of a virgin....a corsage of lilies [on her shoulder]'

'Stainless white of a virgin'> Pretty obvious, Boss is obsessed with sexual purity and wants to present his daughter as this beacon of Christian perfection.
'Corsage of lillies'> Lillies represent purity and beauty. HOWEVER, lilies also represent death (links to idea of sex=destruction/relationship between sex and death) and fertility (Blanche is now infertile due to her hysterectomy).

In Sweet Bird scene 1, the set is near bare. It's very minimalist, but contains a large double bed. The bed dominates the stage, the bed in this case will represent sex. The bed dominates the stage in the same way that sex will dominate the play. The stage layout makes it obvious to the audience that sex will be a dominant theme throughout the play.

Boss Finley's house, stage directions, ACT 2 SCENE 1
The furniture 'painted bone white'
'single white collumn'
'men wearing white'

The stage directions instruct that the tableu should be 'as strict as a canvas of Georgie O'Keefes'. The specific guidelines for the pale colours act as a backdrop for the sinister business of Boss Finley. His obsession with purity is reflected in his home, his 'white only' policy evident in the setting alone.#

Motif of drugs:

Aunt Nonnie: Why do you live on nothing but wild dreams...you took something out off your pocket and washed it down with liquor.'

Chance: I took a wild dream and washed it down with another wild dream.

The only way Chance can enjoy his life now is by losing himself in the comfort that drugs bring. Drugs supply him with the feeling of immortality, their little 'wild dreams' of his that, at least for a while, turn reality into something he can cope with.

More drug/substance abuse references:

Princess waking up in a drug induced stupor, no idea where she is or who chance is shows just how deeply rooted she is into her drug habit. Drugs, along with the act of lovemaking, help her forget the embarrassment of her premiere, they allow her mind to rest, if only for a while.

They both also casually talk about hashish that Princess has procured, 'It's hashish, Moroccan, the finest.'
Reply 33
Original post by bikinikill
Okay, here's some symbolism for you, I've just found this and I think I'm right in what I'm saying, but it really just depends if you can/how you'll use it. This is said to Heavenly by Boss, when they're discussing what she'll be wearing at the rally

'You're going to be wearing stainless white of a virgin....a corsage of lilies [on her shoulder]'

'Stainless white of a virgin'> Pretty obvious, Boss is obsessed with sexual purity and wants to present his daughter as this beacon of Christian perfection.
'Corsage of lillies'> Lillies represent purity and beauty. HOWEVER, lilies also represent death (links to idea of sex=destruction/relationship between sex and death) and fertility (Blanche is now infertile due to her hysterectomy).

In Sweet Bird scene 1, the set is near bare. It's very minimalist, but contains a large double bed. The bed dominates the stage, the bed in this case will represent sex. The bed dominates the stage in the same way that sex will dominate the play. The stage layout makes it obvious to the audience that sex will be a dominant theme throughout the play.

Boss Finley's house, stage directions, ACT 2 SCENE 1
The furniture 'painted bone white'
'single white collumn'
'men wearing white'

The stage directions instruct that the tableu should be 'as strict as a canvas of Georgie O'Keefes'. The specific guidelines for the pale colours act as a backdrop for the sinister business of Boss Finley. His obsession with purity is reflected in his home, his 'white only' policy evident in the setting alone.#

Motif of drugs:

Aunt Nonnie: Why do you live on nothing but wild dreams...you took something out off your pocket and washed it down with liquor.'

Chance: I took a wild dream and washed it down with another wild dream.

The only way Chance can enjoy his life now is by losing himself in the comfort that drugs bring. Drugs supply him with the feeling of immortality, their little 'wild dreams' of his that, at least for a while, turn reality into something he can cope with.

More drug/substance abuse references:

Princess waking up in a drug induced stupor, no idea where she is or who chance is shows just how deeply rooted she is into her drug habit. Drugs, along with the act of lovemaking, help her forget the embarrassment of her premiere, they allow her mind to rest, if only for a while.

They both also casually talk about hashish that Princess has procured, 'It's hashish, Moroccan, the finest.'


I'm taking these ones down! We've never discussed this in class!
Reply 34
Original post by Quick-use
I'm taking these ones down! We've never discussed this in class!


Yeah it's the same here, I barely discussed half of my notes in class! Some of it is from notes given to me by a teacher, but most if just me reading into it myself, trying to extract some kind of meaning, relevance from the little details. They may not be brilliant for basing an entire paragraph on, but they're good for extra evidence.
Reply 35
Original post by bikinikill
Yeah it's the same here, I barely discussed half of my notes in class! Some of it is from notes given to me by a teacher, but most if just me reading into it myself, trying to extract some kind of meaning, relevance from the little details. They may not be brilliant for basing an entire paragraph on, but they're good for extra evidence.


I see, thank you! :biggrin:

How many quotations do you...have? I'm worried I may end up simply quoting things like "Varsouviana polka" etc...
Reply 36
Original post by Quick-use
I see, thank you! :biggrin:

How many quotations do you...have? I'm worried I may end up simply quoting things like "Varsouviana polka" etc...


I'm not sure exactly how many to be honest with you, a lot of the quotes I have memorised apply to more than one theme. I'd say maybe about 40 quotes, or something around that, but some are just a few words long. Remember, you don't necessarily need quotes for every paragraph, close reference to the text is enough.
Reply 37
Original post by bikinikill
I'm not sure exactly how many to be honest with you, a lot of the quotes I have memorised apply to more than one theme. I'd say maybe about 40 quotes, or something around that, but some are just a few words long. Remember, you don't necessarily need quotes for every paragraph, close reference to the text is enough.


That makes me feel a little better! :yep:
We're doing John Donne and I've memorised around 60-70 quotes, do you think that'll be enough? I've got quite a lot on most themes but I'm terrified something like the infamous 'Renaissance learning' question will come up - as in, something obscure that I don't have anything on. I also don't have any quotes from critics, are they important?

I'm majorly stressed about tomorrow, need at least a B to meet my conditional and ideally looking for an A, but I'm so tense. :frown:
Original post by -chiquitita
We're doing John Donne and I've memorised around 60-70 quotes, do you think that'll be enough? I've got quite a lot on most themes but I'm terrified something like the infamous 'Renaissance learning' question will come up - as in, something obscure that I don't have anything on. I also don't have any quotes from critics, are they important?

I'm majorly stressed about tomorrow, need at least a B to meet my conditional and ideally looking for an A, but I'm so tense. :frown:


Finally I meet someone else doing Donne! (lol, doing Donne. Tomorrow we'll have done Donne...done...)

I've got 71 Donne quotes (not that I've memorised them yet...woops), you'll be fine with that amount. I only seem to use 10/11 per essay anyway! :tongue:

I doubt it'll be Renaissance learning, because that came up in 2009. Also, for the past three years, they've specified what poems you need to write about so it's most likely going to be something open-ended. My teacher reckons it could be something about his treatment of women or his sincerity. I hope it is because I actually have opinions and good quotes and critical knowledge about those things! :smile: However, if A Nocturnal Upon St. Lucy's Day comes up for two years in a row (which I doubt it will), I'm absolutely screwed because I didn't bother revising that one. Nor did I revise Show Me Dear Christ Thy Spouse, because I think it's a stupid pointless poem to be on the prescription and it doesn't link into any argument I could make, ever. :rolleyes:

I don't think knowing critics really matters, I'm just adding some in so I've got a stronger basis for my argument. The critical literature isn't widely available, my teacher only got it because he's subscribed to a site which you can get it from, so most people won't have access to it. I wouldn't worry! :biggrin:

EDIT: Oooooh, just noticed you're a St Modans-er and doing the Baccalaureate! I probably met you at the conference for it last year. And your teachers are moderating my project. And we know the same people. Small world. :biggrin:
(edited 11 years ago)

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