Yr 10 Preparing to Write a Literature Essay Learn the tricks
and itll be as easy as pulling a rabbit out of a hat.
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Lets recap there are FIVE main elements of a text. What do you
think they are? Brainstorm PlotSetting CharacterTheme Style
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This is the events that occur and the order in which they
happen. When you write an essay, please DO NOT re-tell the plot.
Plot (story)
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This is how the story is told. We examine structure when we
look at: 1.Exposition 2.Foreshadowing 3.Rising action 4.Climax
5.Resolution AND Type of conflict used e.g man vs man Plot
Structure
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Always consider: Where is the text set? Country? Culture? Time?
Urban/rural? Influences of changes in setting? Setting
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Talk to a partner: What clues about setting are given in this
picture? Country? Time period ? Urban/rural? Texts give the same
clues in words. Setting
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SettingS
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They are important to study in literature as: It is through
them that we learn things about life. What is the term used in
literature to refer to the central character (hero)? Protagonist
Who opposes the protagonist? Antagonist Character
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Think of how these aspects combine in a main character in your
text appearancepersonality How they changeReaction to
problemsactionsHow they speak Behaviour with others What they say
Ball throw pick character answer
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Why is character so important? Multiple answers, for example:
Characters provide the reader with experiences and lessons that
readers havent had themselves. Character reveals theme so the
reader learns through them.
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We see the of the text through a characters and we share or her
experiences. We understand what happens, how are feeling, what
things look,, & feel like through what the tells us about
characters.
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Theme Through literature the author presents underlying
messages and ideas. The reader learns lessons about life and about
themselves.
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Sometimes a theme can be good advice For example: Dont act
impulsively when making important decisions. Is this theme in your
text? Yes = Stand (think of an example) No = sit (think of what
advice your text gives.)
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Sometimes a theme can be a warning For example: Meddling in
other peoples affairs often leads to heartache. The boy should
marry the girl then
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How to write a theme statement Romeo and Juliet is a story
about a boy and girl who come from feuding families, but they fall
in love with each other anyway. Ask: What idea is this text REALLY
about?
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Lets try to write a theme statement For example: Long term
unresolved conflict between families leads to disaster.
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Lets try to write a theme statement The street fight in the
first act causes a riot. Tybalt wanting to fight Romeo, leads to
his and Mercutios deaths. Romeos banishment for killing Tybalt
leads to two suicides, a murder and a heart attack. Long term
unresolved conflict between families leads to ruin.
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Lets try doing that together as a class! Step 1? Step 2? Step
3?
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SAYMEANMATTER What does the text say? What does it mean? Why
does it matter? Heres another strategy that will help you: question
the text, search for deeper meanings, make connections between the
text and your life and Create good points for your essays.
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SAYMEANMATTER What happens in the text? What does the text say?
Quotes or paraphrase the most important details. What does the
author mean? Read between the lines. What do the characters words
or actions make you think? How do you interpret what happens? Why
does it matter to you or others? What does the author want you (the
reader/viewer) to learn? Why is this important? What do you learn
about yourself, relationships or the world from this text? If you
are looking for Excellence grades write detailed MATTER responses
in your essays.
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SAYMEANMATTER Then I defy you stars (Romeo) Romeo says this
when... Lets practice:
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SAYMEANMATTER Then I defy you stars (Romeo) Romeo says this
when he receives the news that Juliet is dead. Romeo says he is in
charge of his own life and it is pre- determined. He feels that
fate (the stars) have struck him the cruellest possible blow, and
he is going to defy the stars by committing suicide and joining
Juliet in death. It raises the question of free will versus fate.
Romeo was destined to fall in love and come to a tragic end could
our lives also be mapped out for us? Lets practice:
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Style How a text is written Title Diction Language features
(figures of speech) Sentence structure Dialogue Point of view
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How to write a literature essay EASY AS 1 2 3
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What do you do in a literature essay? You write about a
particular aspect of a text to show your knowledge and
understanding of it. Q: Whats the first step? A: Choosing your
question.
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Questions Describe an important character in a text you have
studied. Explain why you thought they were an important character.
Describe a character that has some good or bad qualities. Explain
whether overall you think they are a hero (good) or a villain
(evil). Support your answer with evidence from the text. How do we
begin? All essays start with an introduction and a tako
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How do we begin? T AKO T.A.K.O. Use this acronym to remember to
include the necessary information in the introduction: Title (MUST
be underlined), Author, Key words from question, Outline of essays
main points TAKO All essays start with an introduction and a
tako
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but the best essays have a hook and a T.A.K.O. Question:
Describe a challenge faced by a main character in the text. Explain
how the challenge helped you to understand an idea in the
text.
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Which paragraph has hook and T.A.K.O. ? Friends are our worst
enemies. In Shakespeares Romeo and Juliet, Romeos friend, Friar
Lawrence assists the protaganist to overcome the challenge of being
in love with a loathed enemy. By examining this challenge, Ive
understood how OR A challenge faced by main character Juliet in
Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare is being with Romeo because
her family would not allow it. This challenge helped me to
understand the idea of the strength of love.
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Introduction Hook The Hook The opening of an essay is crucial.
Grab the readers attention with the opening sentence, make them
want to continue reading. The hook should let the reader know
something about where the essay is going, while piquing his
curiosity about how it will get there. Match types of hooks to
examples in the handout.
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Getting started on the O of TAKO: for a theme question, outline
a thematic statement Essay Question Describe at least one idea that
you found interesting in the text. Explain why the idea was
interesting in the text as a whole. Look at the Lit Essay practice
handout. Top half of page, pick a stance, justify it.
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Write an introductory paragraph Yay! Im starting to write my
essay. I hope she remembers that English essays are about opinions
more than facts. WARNING! 3 SEXY BODIES on the NEXT SLIDE!
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Minimum: 3 Body Paragraphs My Essay 1.TAKO Introduction 2.SEXY
Body Para (1) 3.SEXY Body Para (2) 4.SEXY Body Para (3) 5.
Conclusion
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S.E.X.Y ? S: Statement or Topic Sentence starts the paragraph,
tells the audience what point or idea the paragraph will make. E:
Example, e.g quote, detail from the text to support your statement
X: e Xplain what the quote means, how it supports the statement,
how it is relevant to the text and/or question. Y: wh Y this
matters to you, what you might learn about yourself or the world
from this text, links that can be made
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Form an opinion about your character Lit Essay practice
handout. Bottom half of page. What opinion of Romeo does the writer
have? Justify (Give reasons for ) why you say that. Lit Essay
practice handout. Bottom half of page. What opinion of Romeo does
the writer have? Justify (Give reasons for ) why you say that.
Romeos a moron.
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Describe one or more positive or negative experience(s) that
happened to a character or individual in the text. Explain how the
writer used the experience(s) to help you understand the character
or individual. Write a Body Paragraph Look at the Lit Essay
practice handout. Bottom half of page, write a paragraph.
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Read the exemplar essays provided and follow the instructions
that accompany them. Analyse Body Paragraphs
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Conclude the essay by writing about why you care about the
topic. Why does it matter in your life? DO NOT INTRODUCE ANY NEW
INFORMATION INTO THE CONCLUSION. Use this sentence as a starter in
your conclusion if you are stuck. An examination of xyz is
important because .(state why you think it is important).
Conclusion
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Now its your turn. Write an essay using the structure you have
been given. Choose one of the questions you have been provided
with. Write at least 350 words.