Tips for improving your essays on ‘ A View From the Bridge’

1. Plan your essay based on different points which relate to the essay question.

2. Structure your paragraphs using a POINT to start, following by EVIDENCE (often a quotation), followed by an EXPLORATIION / ANALYSIS of this evidence in light of the essay question.

3. Write more about the characteristics and staging features of Miller’s play and stagecraft. Eg. Mention details such as the dramatic impact of props, stage directions and motifs.

4. You don’t have to agree with the essay statement but you do need to answer in specific reference to this statement.

5. Write about the play as a play. Some useful phrases:

- It is made apparent to the audience that …

- Miller presents a community in which …

- Miller portrays a working-class setting in which immigrants yearn for the American Dream.

- Miller uses the conventions of Greek Tragedy onto a poor immigrant community in the USA.

- Further dramatic tension is created when …

- Eddie intends his words to …. however they actually reveal to the audience how …

- The audience is made aware of the significance of names and naming when …

- The telephone box is a dramatic device used to …

- To an audience, Eddie is both frustratingly stubborn and honourable. We see this collusion of

characteristics when …

- Eddie embodies the tragic protagonist when …

- Miller evokes a sense of tragedy when …

- The link between names and honour is important dramatically since …

General essay phrases

This could mean…This implies that …From this I can infer thatThis suggests that…….This reveals…..A sense of ….. is created by…….However…

The playwright conveys a sense of/atmosphere of……In this respect …One could argue that………however……….It appears as though…Similarly…

It could be argued that………Miller/Steinbeck declaring his belief /fear/hope in……Miller/Steinbeck was concerned to show /demonstrate………..Due to ………