- You should have already created your own list of key quotes for this text, using your previous essays and the points for different essay questions. You also have key quotes in your tables. However, I have attached a file here which contains some important and useful quotes. You may want to add the ‘Bollocks to the rules’ quote. Remember that the quotes that you find you are using in your essays repeatedly and that can be used to answer several different essay types, should be the ones that you use as key quotes. Learn them off by heart- and make sure you know the techniques that are used in them and how to analyse them!
- Sample essays are on the blog and you should already have at least two in your notes.
Example Question
Choose a novel with an important message. Describe what that message is and how it is explored throughout the text.
Basic Essay Structure:
Intro, at least 3 PCQEL or PCQECQEL or a mixture of both paragraphs, then conclusion.
Intro- summarise the text, mention the key themes and answer the essay question- using key words from essay question. i.e. for this question you would give a summary of LOTF and then outline the important message and explain 3 or 4 ways it is shown in the text ( these will become your points).
MB1- Make a Point ( one of the ones from your into) as to how the important message is shown.
Then, explain what is happening in the novel when your quote occurs (Context)- try to state who, what and where.
Then, give your Quote. Your Quote must evidence the point you have made at the start of this paragraph!
Explain how your quote proves your point by analysing the language/symbolism/language techniques used with it.
Finally, explain how this analysis answers/Links back to the essay question.
MB2 and 3: Repeat above at least another 2 times for different points
Conclusion- summarise your main points in answer to the essay question and give personal evaluation- what did you learn/what did you realise?
PCQEL
P = Point. Make a point in answer to your essay question. This is your topic sentence it should tell the reader what you are going to discuss in the paragraph. It must always link to the essay question as it needs to be a point that answers it.
i.e. The important message of the cruelty of mankind is shown through the character of Ralph. At the beginning of the novel, Ralph appears almost free from cruelty as he is determined to keep order and civilisation on the island, despite the other boys, especially Jack, disregarding the rules and wishing to hunt and kill instead.
C- Context. Introduce your quote. Tell the reader what is happening when your quote occurs.
i.e. When describing the difference in desires between Jack and Ralph at the beginning of the novel, Golding states:
Q- Quote. Pick a quote that proves your point and allows you to show off your analysis skills.
i.e.
'There was the brilliant world of hunting, tactics, fierce exhilaration, skill; and there was the world of longing and baffled commonsense.”
E- Explain how your quote proves your point. Analyse any language techniques used in your quote.
i.e. Word-choice of 'brilliant' shows how exciting hunting seemed to the boys, but the word' fierce' has connotations of violence and hints at a darker side to their 'fun'. In contrast the word 'longing' shows that Ralph deeply wants to return to civilisation , to be rescued. This is furthered by the phrase 'baffled commonsense' which shows how bewildered Ralph is with the behaviour of the others and how 'commonsense', his civilised ideas, are very much a part of him that he can not do without.
L- Link your analysis back to the essay question.
This clearly shows the important message of the cruelty of mankind as Ralph, at this point, seems free from cruelty in comparision to the other boys.
Then repeat for another point. Use a linking word to join you paragraphs together.
i.e.
However, as with all of mankind, there is a cruelty in Ralph. The important message of the cruelty of mankind is shown when Ralph briefly descends into savagery with the others. When the boys kill their first pig, Ralph joins in and is swept away in the excitement of it all to the extent that he begins to have savage thoughts like the rest of the boys. Golding writes:
'Ralph too was fighting to get near, to get a handful of that brown, vulnerable flesh. The desire to squeeze and hurt was over-mastering.” The description of the boy they are attacking as 'brown, vulnerable flesh' makes him into an object and makes it clear that at this point Ralph does not see him as a human but memerly something weak to be attacked, The word-choice of 'over-mastering' has connotations of something taking over, being in complete control and this shows us that the desire to hurt, to be savage had taken over Ralph and he could not control it. This clearly shows the important message of the cruelty of mankind as it shows that everyone, even Ralph, has cruelty inside of them.
And repeat again for at least one further point.
The conclude.
Other notes on structure
Try to put your points in chronological order or in climatic order i.e. if you are dealing with savagery- make sure that your last point shows the boys at their most savage!
Answering the Question
Read the question carefully and underline the key words and what you have to do.
Choose a novel with an important message. Describe what that message is and how it is explored throughout the text.
Make sure that your points and links always link to the essay question. Use PCQEL. Use key words in your points and links : i.e. important message. Use a phrase which asnwers the question i..e. 'The important message of the cruelty of mankind (this describes what the message is) is explored when... ( this makes sure you are making about how it is explored).' And in your link you could say 'The important message of the cruelty of mankind is clearly explored through...'
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