ESSAY WRITING

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ESSAY WRITING

• INTERMEDIATE 2 / HIGHER

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FIRSTLY, PICK THE RIGHT QUESTION

• Each question will ask you to do TWO things
• Choose a suitable text for the question.
• Carry out the task the question asks you to do.
  (Usually two parts to the question)

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How to Pick
1. My text is totally unsuitable. I could not do this question.
2. My text is not really suitable. I would do this question only if all the others were impossible.
3. My text would do, but it is not the most obvious or natural choice.
4. My text fits this question fairly well
5. My text is a perfect match.
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• Choose a film in which a particular sequence is
  crucial to your understanding of an important
  theme. By referring to the sequence and to the
  text as a whole, show why you consider the
  sequence to be so important to your understanding
  of the theme.
• 2. Choose a film which presents a life-affirming
  story. By referring to key elements of the text,
  show how the story has such an effect.
• 3. Choose a film in which intense feeling have
  tragic consequences. Show to what extent the
  film makers presentation of these feelings and
  their consequences is successful in engaging you
  with the text.
• 4. Choose a film in which a complex character is
  revealed. Show how the film or programme makers
  reveal the complexity and discuss to what extent
  this aspect of the character contributes to your
  response to the text.

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• The single most common fault in the critical
  essay is failure to focus on the question asked.

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The second part of the question will set your
task.

• Choose a film in which a particular sequence
  is crucial to your understanding of an important
  theme.
• By referring to the sequence and to the text
  as a whole, show why you consider the sequence
  to be so important to your understanding of the
  theme.

What does this (Opening Sequence)
tell you about this? (the narrative)
What are the themes and HOW does the opening
sequence help you to understand them?
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Highlight the key words use them and answer
them!

• Choose a film in which a particular sequence
  is crucial to your understanding of an important
  theme.
• By referring to the sequence and to the text
  as a whole, show why you consider the sequence
  to be so important to your understanding of the
  theme.

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What are you being asked to do?

1. Refer to the opening sequence by describing it in
   detail.
2. Explain how the opening sequence is crucial to
   the text as a whole.
3. Show how the opening sequence is crucial to your
   understanding of the central themes of the movie.

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You must also refer to APPROPRIATE LITERARY
TECHNIQUES.

• Answers to questions on film and TV drama should
  address relevantly the central concern(s)/theme(s)
  of the text(s) and be supported by reference to
  appropriate techniques of film such as key
  sequences, characterisation, conflict, structure,
  plot, dialogue, editing/montage,
  sound/soundtrack, aspects of mise-en-sene (such
  as lighting, colour, use of camera, costume,
  props ) mood, setting, casting, exploitation of
  genre ..

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Planning an essay about opening sequence/text as
a whole
Elements of Opening Sequence Relevance to Text as a Whole Themes Explored

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How to Write an Introduction

1. Identify the Text and Author
2. Use words from the beginning of the question and
   explain why the chosen text is suitable for the
   question.
3. Include a sentence or two summarising the text
   (but no more than a sentence or two!)
4. Refer to the words that set the task in the
   second sentence of the question.
5. Give an brief idea on how the rest of the essay
   is going to develop in order to fulfil this task.

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e.g.

• In the film, Hunger directed by Steve McQueen,
  the opening sequence is crucial in developing the
  idea that some social and political beliefs are
  worth fighting for. Hunger, set primarily
  within Belfasts Maze Prison, provides a
  harrowing look at the conflict between Northern
  Irish Republicans and the British Loyalists
  during The Troubles and in particular, during
  the 1984 hunger strikes which were lead by IRA
  activist, Bobby Sands. The opening sequence of
  this film allows the reader to understand the
  brewing social and political unrest festering in
  Northern Ireland at that time and also appreciate
  the extremes that people will go to, to fight
  for, and defend their cause.

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Again What are you being asked to do?

• Refer to the opening sequence by describing it in
  detail.
• Explain how the opening sequence is crucial to
  the text as a whole.
• Show how the opening sequence is crucial to your
  understanding of the central themes of the movie.

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• 1. Begins with diegetic noise (banging) which is
  slowly revealed as angry