As you know, the National 5 exam is split into two papers- RUAE and Critical Reading.
The Critical Reading paper has two sections- Scottish text (that’s your MacCaig poetry!) and Critical Essay.
The Critical essay section consists of unseen essay questions.
You will have to choose one of the essay questions from the correct genre section and write an essay- with no notes and no text- on a text that you have studied in class.
You will study a minimum of 2 texts so that you have more choice as to which questions to answer.
So what do you have to do?
- Know your texts through and through
- Create a quote bank for different essay types and memorise your quotes accurately
- Know how to analyse your quotes in detail
- Practice writing different essay types so that you can answer any question that comes up
- Be confident in your essay structure!
CONTEXT
Dilys Rose was born in Glasgow in 1954 and took a degree at Edinburgh University.
She has held three Creative Writing Fellowships: at Castlemilk Libraries (1991-3); at Mid/East Lothian Libraries (1995-8); and, since 2001, at Edinburgh University.
She is the author of four collections of short stories: ‘Our Lady of the Pickpockets’ (1989); ‘Red Tides’ (1993); ‘War Dolls’ (1998); and ‘Lord of Illusions’ (2005). Her ‘Selected Stories’ was published in 2005. She has also published four collections of poetry: ‘Madame Doubtfire's Dilemma’ (1989); ‘Lure’ (2003); ‘When I Wear My Leopard Hat’ (1997); and ‘Bodywork’ (2007).
She has also been involved in collaboration with musicians and visual artists, most recently with composer Stephen Deazley on Fatal Attraction.
Her first novel, ‘The Pest Maiden’, was published in 1999. Her more recent work includes ‘Twinset’ (2008), a collaboration with Karen Knight, and illustrated by Laurie Hastings and Polly Thelwall; ‘Pelmanism’ (2014); and ‘Unspeakable’ (2017), a historical novel exploring the real-life case of a Scottish student who was hanged for blasphemy.
Dilys Rose lives in Edinburgh.
Interview with the author
Edinburgh-based poet and prose writer Dilys Rose is renowned for her masterly short stories.
Her characters often engage us with their wry humorous voices, only to tell tales of not-so-quiet desperation. Some stories are, however, more serious in their situations, sometimes brutal. Often, her tales are of real relationships- the domestic- the inward/ often introverted conflicts of a real life person.
Let’s read an interview with her to learn more about her, why she writes and what she writes about:
Is voice particularly important in your stories?
Voice is often the first decision I make about how to approach writing a story. I don’t usually know very much about what’s going to happen, but until I know the voice I want to use, nothing’s going to happen. There’s a period of waiting, before that presents itself – in terms of a phrase or a sentence – which stays. Often the first sentence of a story stays and the rest will be rewritten.
How do you go about inhabiting the voices of so many different people? Does it require a refined sense of empathy?
From very early on in my writing of fiction – and also in poetry – I was interested in adopting persona as a way of switching my perspective on the world. Early on, I found it quite liberating to have a speaker other than myself, to have another world to use, another palette, or vocabulary, with which to work. In many cases it’s a first-person narrative, though not always (the third person is equally important to me). Nowadays, I find the third-person allows more possibilities.
So you enjoy stepping back – like zooming out, in a filmic sense – and seeing a character from afar?
I think there are times when that makes sense, and you’re able to do it in a third-person narration, but not in first person. You’re trapped within this character’s head, unless you switch to another point of view, which of course you can do in a story, as well.
What attracts you to the short form, as a writer?
‘Something glimpsed from the corner of the eye, in passing,’ was how V S Pritchett described it. It can explore a whole life in a small amount of time; it can take you from birth to death. But most important is the variety of forms the story can take. You can afford to take risks. You can afford to try out all sorts of things that might not work in the long form, but can work in a short, concentrated burst; something that could put too many demands on the reader in the novel but in a short story – a good short story – a reader with go with you.
Who are your influences, both when you started to write, and latterly?
It’s difficult to know, because I’m probably influenced by everything I read, both good and bad. If I were to list all the short story writers I admire, we’d be here all day. But I very much like Chekhov, and Gogol. They seem to get at the heart of human experience. They’re more concerned about the feeling of life of their characters than of plot. I’m not particularly interested in plot, as such, though I am interested in narrative. Another writer I’ve always admired is Flannery O’Connor. Very different in style to Chekhov or Gogol, but unforgettable. I think that’s what I like about short story writers. Their stamp is on every piece of their work. There’s a Flannery O’Connor, there’s a Chekhov world, and these worlds are their own. I don’t want to write like them – I want to write as myself – but that’s something you have to do as a writer; find your own way of approaching the world through fiction.
The Title
‘All the Little Loved Ones’
‘All’- suggests every as if the story is universal- applies to all people in that situation.
‘Little loved ones’. WC of ‘little’ and ‘ones’ connotes children, youth, the vulnerable and thus along with ‘loved’ hints that this will be a story about a parent’s love towards their children.
General Notes
The Story is a perfect example of the short story genre:
One main character – the unnamed wife- symbolic of the archetypal wife- outwardly content and happy, but inwardly discontent.
One main setting – the wife’s mind, it’s a psychological drama, an internal monologue
One main theme – faithfulness/infidelity (closely tied to marriage, relationships, betrayal, identity, love, isolation, secrets, female role…)
One major twist – you do not realise she is seeing someone else until the end of the story
Key Technique One: Naming/symbolism of character/use or archetypes
lThis is because they represent everyone in this kind of situation
lThe characters are archetypes
lAn archetype is the original pattern or mould from which all other copies are made
lAn archetypical person- is a person who represents all others in the given context.
lThe ‘All’ in the title also refers to this idea- that the characters involved are archetypes and representative of all.
‘Do you still love me?
What are you thinking?’
Shows the husband is insecure and needs reassurance. Hints that he has noticed the distance in their relationship.
The lack of speech marks around the questions serve the purpose of showing that these questions go around and around in her head as she attempts to answer them- and practices her replies. They show the blurring between the outer world and inner world- the questions belong to both husband and wife.
The wife puts a number of lists into her story. In your notes, you should have quotes for the following lists- all good for analysis in your essays:
1.What he wants her to do (para 3)
2.Domestic tasks (para 4)
3.The support they gave their friends (14)
4.What their neighbours get up to (18)
5.What happens on Saturdays (19)
These lists all represent how predictable, boring and repetitive she feels her life has become. They emphasise the variety of mundane things she has to do and the extent to how tedious her day-to-day existence is.
These lists ‘hide’ the important list which forms part of the twist:
In comparision to the previous, this list is full of action- ‘watch/shaking/tossing/lapping’ and positive colour ‘cherry blossom’, ‘green’- it is almost sensual in its descriptions of nature- rain/wind- as if symbolising the emotions felt- pathetic fallacy?
Once the wife admits that there is a third person in her story we as readers are forced to ‘rewind the tape’ and then we realise that he was there all along.
There are many previous quotes that imply a third person/an affair (of the heart at least!). Here are a few:
Key Technique One: Naming/symbolism of character/use or archetypes
You may have noticed that the wife, the husband and the man in the park are given no names
lThis is because they represent everyone in this kind of situation
lThe characters are archetypes
lAn archetype is the original pattern or mould from which all other copies are made
lAn archetypical person- is a person who represents all others in the given context.
lThe ‘All’ in the title also refers to this idea- that the characters involved are archetypes and representative of all.
Key Technique 2- Narrative voice/Narrative style
The story is told in first person narrative from the point of view of the wife. Therefore the Narrative Voice we hear bleongs to this character.
The story is told through the wife's internal dialogue as she is thinking and speaking to herself.
The story is a dramatic monologue – a story told in one voice where the character reveals something about themselves, normally negative. At first we believe her story, but later we begin to question it. She is not a reliable narrator.
The story is mainly told in present tense – this gives the story immediacy, it’s as if events are happening and unfolding as we read.
The Narrative style makes us question the wife's motives. We wonder:
Why does she tell us her story?
Is it to justify her actions to us because she believes her actions are justifiable?
Is it to justify her actions to herself because she feels guilty?
Is it to think over her options because she doesn’t know what to do?
Is it to present herself as a victim? A’la Poor me!
Is it to present herself as a hero? i.e. I’ll be brave and stay even though it’s a living hell.
Key Technique 3: Repetition of Questions
‘Do you still love me?
What are you thinking?’
Shows the husband is insecure and needs reassurance. Hints that he has noticed the distance in their relationship.
The lack of speech marks around the questions serve the purpose of showing that these questions go around and around in her head as she attempts to answer them- and practices her replies. They show the blurring between the outer world and inner world- the questions belong to both husband and wife.
Key Technique 4: Listing
The wife puts a number of lists into her story. In your notes, you should have quotes for the following lists- all good for analysis in your essays:
1.What he wants her to do (para 3)
2.Domestic tasks (para 4)
3.The support they gave their friends (14)
4.What their neighbours get up to (18)
5.What happens on Saturdays (19)
These lists all represent how predictable, boring and repetitive she feels her life has become. They emphasise the variety of mundane things she has to do and the extent to how tedious her day-to-day existence is.
These lists ‘hide’ the important list which forms part of the twist:
‘We visit the park – even in the rain, to watch the wind shaking the trees and tossing cherry blossoms on to the grass, the joggers and the dog walkers lapping the flat green part – to be near each other.’
In comparision to the previous, this list is full of action- ‘watch/shaking/tossing/lapping’ and positive colour ‘cherry blossom’, ‘green’- it is almost sensual in its descriptions of nature- rain/wind- as if symbolising the emotions felt- pathetic fallacy?
The wife puts the admission, the real reason why she goes to the park, at the end of the list. Why?
Key Technique 5: Narrative style- The Twist
Once the wife admits that there is a third person in her story we as readers are forced to ‘rewind the tape’ and then we realise that he was there all along.
There are many previous quotes that imply a third person/an affair (of the heart at least!). Here are a few:
“I’m approaching a precipice. Each day I’m drawn nearer to the edge.” (line 34)
“I am feeling it, the flush, the rush of blood, the sensation of, yes, swooning. It comes in waves. Does it show? (line 37)
“evasive mumble” (line 42)
The reader begins to wonder how long they have been together.
They have a routine: “We ask … We meet …. We stand … We visit” The repetition of “we” suggests an established togetherness- at least in the speaker’s mind.
It changes our sympathy away from the wife and towards the husband.
However, at the moment it seems innocent but she is tempted, hence the metaphor of the “precipice”.
Key Technique 6: Structure- An Effective Ending
The ending supplies us with no real or certain answers. Instead are left wondering-
Will the wife and the man in the park’s relationship become serious? Will they have an affair? Will she split from her husband?
Will she resist the temptation, stay faithful to her husband? Will they sort things out?
Rose deliberately leaves the ending open – this forces the reader to come to their own conclusions rather than be told by the storyteller. It forces us into the position of the wife: we are forced to try to decide what we think the wife should do- what the morally correct thing to do in this situation is.
Key Technique 6: Structure- An Effective Ending
The ending supplies us with no real or certain answers. Instead are left wondering-
Will the wife and the man in the park’s relationship become serious? Will they have an affair? Will she split from her husband?
Will she resist the temptation, stay faithful to her husband? Will they sort things out?
Rose deliberately leaves the ending open – this forces the reader to come to their own conclusions rather than be told by the storyteller. It forces us into the position of the wife: we are forced to try to decide what we think the wife should do- what the morally correct thing to do in this situation is.
Are there clues as to what the outcome may be?
Well... yes... but even they are open to interpretation!
'Tree' – 'rock' – 'fall' – 'all'
The mother is making an allusion to a famous lullaby. By alluding to it is she suggesting the ending?
Can you recall the lullaby and write it down?
Rock-a-bye, baby In the treetop When the wind blows The cradle will rock When the bough breaks The cradle will fall And down will come baby Cradle and all
What is the above lullaby about?
What could it symbolise in our story?
Key Technique 7: Symbolism
1. Blood- symbolic of her feelings towards her children- ambivalence!
KEY QUOTE: “Blood of our blood, flesh of our flesh etc, delivered into our hands in the usual way, a slithering mess of blood and slime and wonder, another tiny miracle.”
+ Word choice “miracle” makes the children seem special
- Word choice “etc” “in the usual way” and “another” makes the children seem ordinary- mundane- and almost suggest that she does not believe her own words- or is apathetic to them.
+ “Blood of our blood” suggests a strong bond between her and the children
- “slithering mess of blood” suggests that this blood relationship has “messed up” her life. ‘Slithering’ suggests something devious, almost sinister.
The differing interpretations here suggest her ambivalence (two contrasting attitudes) towards her children and situation – can link this to the idea of a ‘swing’
2. Swing- symbolic of her inner conflict regarding her situation- ambivalence again!
KEY QUOTE: “Pushing a swing, watching a little one arcing away and rushing back to your hands, it’s natural to talk to another parent.”
Just as a swing moves away when you push it and comes back again, so too the wife is ambivalent about whether she should bring her marriage and kids close to her or push them away.
3. Daffodil- symbolic of conflicting thoughts about her marriage
KEY QUOTE: “a daffodil, still bright in its fluted centre but crisp and brown at the edges”
Just as the early signs of dying in a daffodil are its brown edges, so too the wife’s marriage is beginning to decay. However, the daffodil is “still bright in its fluted centre” suggesting that there is still the possibility of life/brightness in the marriage.
4. Table- symbolic of husband's effort
KEY QUOTE: “Coat after coat of asphyxiating varnish was applied. It looks good now, better than before. But was the effect worth the effort?”
Just as the husband put a lot of work into the table, trying to make it look better, so he has put a lot of effort into the marriage- trying to fix things.
However, the rhetorical question and WC of ‘asphyxiating’ suggest that the husband’s effort is wasted and is actually making things worse as the wife feels stifled and choked.
KEY QUOTE: “his favourite shirt – washed-out blue with pearly buttons – last year’s Christmas present from me”
The fact that the shirt is his ‘favourite’ suggests that he cares for her, he chooses to wear/obviously values a gift from her- again this shows that he is putting effort into/still values the relationship.
Just as the colour from the shirt has been washed out, blue- representing dreams?, so too the love in their marriage has faded out over the years. The relationship is not as ‘fresh’ or as good as it used to be.
However, the expression “pearly buttons” suggests that just as pearls are rare and treasured, there are still little pieces of the relationship that she sees as valuable.
6. Food/meals/the curry- symbolic of conflicting thoughts about her marriage
KEY QUOTES: “A bad meal can be worse than no meal at all.” ‘The stomach too has longings for more than simply to be filled.’ etc.
The wife’s descriptions of food/meals with her husband represents the problems in her marriage/her feelings. It “dampens the spirits” suggests that the problems are draining her. ‘A bad meal…’ suggests that she may be better off with nothing and could represent her dilemma – if the marriage is ‘bad’ would she be better off if she left? The ‘stomach’ quote has sexual connotations- but could also represent the marriage- it fulfils its purpose but she want something more!
Yet the curry she describes is “an excellent meal” suggesting again that there is hope for this marriage. The effort that her husband puts in shows how important the relationship is to him.
7. The Precipice- symbolic of her decision/reality of her conflict
KEY QUOTE: “I’m approaching a precipice. Each day I’m drawn nearer to the edge. I look only at the view. I avoid looking at the drop but I know what’s there.”
Just as a precipice is a very dangerous place to be the wife knows that she is coming close to a point where she will threaten the safety of her marriage and children. She is getting close to having to make a decision.
8. The Tree (as a cushion)- symbolic of her decision/reality of her conflict
“Millions have stood on the ledge, and tested their balance, their common sense, strength of will, they have reckoned up the cost, in mess and misery, have wondered whether below the netless drop a large tree with spread branches awaits to cushion their fall.”
Just as a large tree with spread branches awaits to cushion the fall of someone who walks over a ledge or precipice, so too the wife wonders if there is a “cushion” for her if she takes ‘the leap’ and leaves her husband – perhaps the other man. The tree, of course, could also symbolise the ‘family tree’- perhaps she is wondering if she will still have the support of her family- the love of her children.
Key Technique 8: Structure: Circular Structure- coming full circle
Note how the story begins with the title “All the little loved ones” and finishes with the same words. It’s a full circle suggesting that the wife’s dilemma goes round and round in the same way, and forcing us to go round in circles, rereading the story and trying to decide what the wife should do.
It also suggests/reminds us that the main reason for her staying faithful/with her husband is the children:
Perhaps this is Dilys Roses’ overall point?
Essay Writing
Essay questions at Nat 5 generally fall into the following categories:
1. Character essays-
2. Setting essays-
3. Theme essays-
4. Effective ending/intro essays
5. Narrative voice/style
6. Symbolism
7. Turning point/significant moment
Essay writing help-
'Facinating Character' essay
Essay questions at Nat 5 generally fall into the following categories:
1. Character essays-
- Fascinating interesting character/character that you feel changing emotions for
- Heroic/flawed character
- Conflict between character
- Character communicating a theme
2. Setting essays-
- Setting communicating a theme
- Interesting/important setting
3. Theme essays-
- Specific themes- love/loss/betrayal
- how an important theme/message is explored
4. Effective ending/intro essays
5. Narrative voice/style
6. Symbolism
7. Turning point/significant moment
Essay writing help-
'Facinating Character' essay
How do we structure an essay?
- Introduction
- ¾ main body paragraphs
- Conclusion
Sample Essay Question
Choose a novel or a short story in which the author creates a fascinating character. By referring to appropriate techniques, show how the author has created this character and why you found him/her so fascinating.
Introduction:
Introduction:
- Name of author and text
- Brief summary
- Mention the themes
- Answer the essay question
- State relevance- i.e. why it is important to learn.
Example:
‘All the little loved ones’ by Dilys Rose is a short story written in the genre of a psychological drama. Often, Dilys Rose writes tales of real relationships- the domestic- the inward/ often introverted conflicts of a real life person and this is very true of this story which deals with the very real and relevant themes of infidelity, love and marriage. The plot details the internal conflict of a married woman as she describes the relationship between her and her husband. We learn of the feelings of isolation between her, her children, and her husband, as she deals with her feelings towards another man and tries to decide what to do. The unnamed wife is a fascinating character due to this internal conflict, and the contrasting emotions that she creates in us as we learn more about her story and situation. We feel sorry for her at parts, anger towards her at others and, almost all at once, both understand and feel confused by her thoughts and ideas. The writer creates this interest and these powerful emotions through her use of imagery, sentence structure, contrast, and narrative technique. The story is very relevant today as it covers emotions that we will either all experience ourselves or know or see in others. It allows us to understand the complexities of relationships and make our own judgements as to how it is best to deal with these.
Good things to do in an intro to make your essay stand out:
- Begin with a quote that explains something about the author/story/main message or theme.
- Begin with a statement that is relevant to everyone and connects to the story.
- Begin by explaining the main theme and why it is important/personal evaluation.
For example on an essay on the theme of love and how it is explored, you could write:
James E Faust once wrote that ‘the depth of the love of parents for their children cannot be measured. It is like no other relationship. It exceeds concern for life itself…is continuous and transcends heartbreak and disappointment.’ This is indeed true when describing the love of the unnamed wife and mother in Dilys Rose’s poignant short story ‘All The Little Loved Ones’…
or
It is often said that ‘love makes the world goes round’, but what happens when you fall out of love, or when you fall in love with the wrong person? And what if that happens when you are already married with children? The complexities of this most important emotion are explored in Dilys Rose’s…
However, the ending of your intro needs to answer the essay question and summarise your main points- so this will need to change depending on your essay question. A marker should be able to clearly tell which question you are answering and the points you are going to make, simply from your intro.
Main Body
After your intro, you need at least 4 x PCQEL paragraphs or at least 3 of a mixture of PCQEL or PCQECQEL paragraphs.
P= Point- Make a point in answer to the essay question. Use key words to make sure you are doing this.
C=Context- explain the context of your quote- who is involved/talking, what are they talking about, when, what is happening in the story when your quote occurs?
Q= Provide a quote that backs up/proves your point
E=Explanation ( Analysis and Personal engagement)- Explanation of how your quote proves your point- analyse the techniques used in your quote to back up your point i.e. Word-choice of ‘...' You MUST analyse the language to do this.
L= Link - Link back to the essay question i.e. Clearly, this shows that...A closing statement linking your analysis back to the essay question.
After your intro, you need at least 4 x PCQEL paragraphs or at least 3 of a mixture of PCQEL or PCQECQEL paragraphs.
P= Point- Make a point in answer to the essay question. Use key words to make sure you are doing this.
C=Context- explain the context of your quote- who is involved/talking, what are they talking about, when, what is happening in the story when your quote occurs?
Q= Provide a quote that backs up/proves your point
E=Explanation ( Analysis and Personal engagement)- Explanation of how your quote proves your point- analyse the techniques used in your quote to back up your point i.e. Word-choice of ‘...' You MUST analyse the language to do this.
L= Link - Link back to the essay question i.e. Clearly, this shows that...A closing statement linking your analysis back to the essay question.
Use your essay plan and example essays for guidance.
Conclusion
Add personal evaluation- state relevance
You can use your quote- or a reflective statement here as well
A rhetorical question can sometimes be nice i.e. – i.e. 'what would you do?'
i.e. In conclusion, the narrator of 'All the Little Loved Ones' by Dilys Rose is a fascinating character as she provokes strong and conflicting emotions in the reader...
Through this we learn about the complexities of relationships and...
Points for other essays:
1. Character essays-
Fascinating interesting character/character that you feel changing emotions for:
Wife.
Para 1- we feel sympathy.
2- this changes to confusion as her reactions don’t seem to make sense.
3- At the twist, our emotions change to anger as we learn the truth about her situation.
4- We are left with missed emotions- torn between understanding the complexity of her situation, anger/frustration at the damage that could be caused and pity.
Heroic/flawed character
Wife- main flaw of dishonesty- with herself/us as readers and her husband.
Para 1- leads us to believe she is the victim at the start. We are sympathetic and blame her husband. 2- Her extreme reactions and inability to say she loves her husband make us begin to question her honesty- we realise that there is something that she is not telling us.
3- Twist reveals the truth and we realise that she has been dishonest with us as to the real reason behind her actions/emotions.
4- Even at the end, we see her still making excuses, as if her inability to be honest causes her, and us, to go round in circles (note circular structure) and replay the entire story.
1. Character essays-
Fascinating interesting character/character that you feel changing emotions for:
Wife.
Para 1- we feel sympathy.
2- this changes to confusion as her reactions don’t seem to make sense.
3- At the twist, our emotions change to anger as we learn the truth about her situation.
4- We are left with missed emotions- torn between understanding the complexity of her situation, anger/frustration at the damage that could be caused and pity.
Heroic/flawed character
Wife- main flaw of dishonesty- with herself/us as readers and her husband.
Para 1- leads us to believe she is the victim at the start. We are sympathetic and blame her husband. 2- Her extreme reactions and inability to say she loves her husband make us begin to question her honesty- we realise that there is something that she is not telling us.
3- Twist reveals the truth and we realise that she has been dishonest with us as to the real reason behind her actions/emotions.
4- Even at the end, we see her still making excuses, as if her inability to be honest causes her, and us, to go round in circles (note circular structure) and replay the entire story.
Conflict/conflict between characters
Internal conflict-
Wife.
Para 1- Conflict first shown through inability to answer husband’s questions- guilt/negative descriptions of her own reactions.
2- Symbolism shows negative and positive/conflicting emotions towards the marriage itself.
3- At the twist, we learn the truth about why she is internal conflict.
4- Conflict is not resolved in the end; instead we are left sharing the wife’s internal conflict.
Conflict between wife and husband-
Para 1- conflict shown through long list of chores and lack of communication at start. However, we are lead to believe the wife is the victim at the start. We blame her husband.
2- Her extreme reactions and inability to say she loves her husband make us begin to question her honesty- we become confused as to the real reason for the conflict.
3- Twist reveals the real reasons behind the conflict and intensifies it for us. We now feel sympathy for the husband as we know that he does not know this (dramatic irony).
4- Even at the end, the conflict is still not resolved. We are left, like the wife, to go round in circles (note circular structure) and replay the entire story, trying to decide how the conflict should end.
Character communicating a theme
Choose a main theme and decide the message that it is communicating i.e the complexity of relationships.
Then follow plan for either inner conflict, flawed character or fascinating character arguing that the theme is explored through the wife i.e. our changing emotions towards the wife explore the theme or the wife's dishonesty explores the theme or the wife's internal conflict explores the theme...
2. Setting essays-
Setting communicating a theme. Chosen theme- betrayal.
Setting description of the marital house explores the theme of betrayal as it allows us to see how exhausted and busy the wife is. It appears as if the husband is betraying the marriage by leaving her to deal with his alone. 2. Furthermore, setting description of the woman’s mind- this is the main setting as the story is a psychological drama- hints at betrayal as we see the wife is unable to respond to the situation correctly. Is she betraying herself or her husband or both by her inability to communicate and cope with her situation? 3. The description of the setting of the park, at the twist of the story, explores the theme of betrayal as we realise the intensity of the feelings the wife has of another man. Finally, at the very end of the story, descriptions of the setting of the wife’s mind again explore betrayal by highlighting the complexities involved with it. We question what is the real betrayal, and the continuous nature of the confusion that comes along with it.
Interesting/important setting- As above, arguing that setting is important as it conveys the main theme chosen (ie. Betrayal).
3. Theme essays-
Specific themes- love
Theme of love is instantly explored in the opening lines through the wife’s obvious love for her ‘kids’. We understand that this love underpins the wife’s everyday existence but also adds to her internal conflict. 2- This theme is further explored through the wife’s inability to communicate properly with her husband/say that she loves him. 3- Eventually the twist explores the theme of love by revealing to us the true reason for the wife’s loss of love for her husband- her developing feelings for another man. 4- At the end of the story, we continue to explore the theme of love through the wife’s continuing conflict which forces us to consider the complexities of love and try to decide what is best to do in such a difficult situation.
Loss- (loss of love/identity).
1- At the beginning of the story, loss is explored as we see the wife struggling through a loss of identity and a loss of communication with her husband. 2- Loss is further explored through a loss of love when we see the wife unable to tell her husband that she still loves him. 3- Our twist explores loss through the revelation that love for the husband is due to developing feelings for the other man. 4- Finally, at the end we are left considering the theme of loss as we see the confusion and pain that loss of love and/or fear of losing those we love can create.
Betrayal- already covered in setting essay plan.
how an important theme/message is explored-
choose a theme essay plan and consider the message being conveyed about that theme i.e. the complex nature of love.
4. Effective ending/intro essays
Longer structure please i.e. intro then 3x PCQECQEL paras.
Effective ending:
1- Ending is effective due to the circular structure which forces us to rewind back to the beginning of the story and re-consider the story. 2- Ending is also effective through its use of imagery: the imagery of rocking/lack of balance used in the ending reminds us of the symbolism of the swing and causes us to reinterpret our first understanding. 3-Finally, further imagery in the conclusion reinforces the fragile nature of the wife’s situation and the complex emotions she has felt throughout our story. Mention of ‘standing on a ledge’ allows us to fully understand the symbolism of the ‘precipice’ mentioned earlier in the text.
Effective intro:
1- Same as conclusion but in reverse. 2- Introduces the lack of communication between wife and husband through use of questioning and the wife’s inability to answer. 3- Introduces characterisation of the wife through the key technique of listing, which prepares us for and contrasts with the twist at the end.
Same format at fascinating character essay.
Setting description of the marital house explores the theme of betrayal as it allows us to see how exhausted and busy the wife is. It appears as if the husband is betraying the marriage by leaving her to deal with his alone. 2. Furthermore, setting description of the woman’s mind- this is the main setting as the story is a psychological drama- hints at betrayal as we see the wife is unable to respond to the situation correctly. Is she betraying herself or her husband or both by her inability to communicate and cope with her situation? 3. The description of the setting of the park, at the twist of the story, explores the theme of betrayal as we realise the intensity of the feelings the wife has of another man. Finally, at the very end of the story, descriptions of the setting of the wife’s mind again explore betrayal by highlighting the complexities involved with it. We question what is the real betrayal, and the continuous nature of the confusion that comes along with it.
Interesting/important setting- As above, arguing that setting is important as it conveys the main theme chosen (ie. Betrayal).
3. Theme essays-
Specific themes- love
Theme of love is instantly explored in the opening lines through the wife’s obvious love for her ‘kids’. We understand that this love underpins the wife’s everyday existence but also adds to her internal conflict. 2- This theme is further explored through the wife’s inability to communicate properly with her husband/say that she loves him. 3- Eventually the twist explores the theme of love by revealing to us the true reason for the wife’s loss of love for her husband- her developing feelings for another man. 4- At the end of the story, we continue to explore the theme of love through the wife’s continuing conflict which forces us to consider the complexities of love and try to decide what is best to do in such a difficult situation.
Loss- (loss of love/identity).
1- At the beginning of the story, loss is explored as we see the wife struggling through a loss of identity and a loss of communication with her husband. 2- Loss is further explored through a loss of love when we see the wife unable to tell her husband that she still loves him. 3- Our twist explores loss through the revelation that love for the husband is due to developing feelings for the other man. 4- Finally, at the end we are left considering the theme of loss as we see the confusion and pain that loss of love and/or fear of losing those we love can create.
Betrayal- already covered in setting essay plan.
how an important theme/message is explored-
choose a theme essay plan and consider the message being conveyed about that theme i.e. the complex nature of love.
4. Effective ending/intro essays
Longer structure please i.e. intro then 3x PCQECQEL paras.
Effective ending:
1- Ending is effective due to the circular structure which forces us to rewind back to the beginning of the story and re-consider the story. 2- Ending is also effective through its use of imagery: the imagery of rocking/lack of balance used in the ending reminds us of the symbolism of the swing and causes us to reinterpret our first understanding. 3-Finally, further imagery in the conclusion reinforces the fragile nature of the wife’s situation and the complex emotions she has felt throughout our story. Mention of ‘standing on a ledge’ allows us to fully understand the symbolism of the ‘precipice’ mentioned earlier in the text.
Effective intro:
1- Same as conclusion but in reverse. 2- Introduces the lack of communication between wife and husband through use of questioning and the wife’s inability to answer. 3- Introduces characterisation of the wife through the key technique of listing, which prepares us for and contrasts with the twist at the end.
5. Turning point/moment of significance
- Show situation before twist- sympathy for wife. (1-2 paras)
- Explain turning point/twist
- Prove what the twist changes- after twist and realization (1-2 paras)
Ms Bellamy would you ever be able to post the practise group critical essay's on here, if you have them? Thanks.
ReplyDeleteHardly anyone handed their work in- so I am afraid I only have fragments of the essay, otherwise I would have done this! Blame your classmates! You should , however, have your notes from the presentations to guide you. Good luck!
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