VCE English Question Thread

[Hydraulix]

For the prompt (Medea by Euripides)

‘Ordinary people with ordinary emotions, as represented by the Chorus, are caught between sympathy for Medea and horror at her actions.’ Discuss

Is it okay if I take this approach to writing it. Do you guys think I'm not addressing the prompt well or if there are better ways to do it. Is the way that I have seperated my arguments okay?

CONTENTION
There is a constant battle between sympathy and horror for Medea but ultimately when Medea has the cold resolve to kill her innocent children only horror if felt for Medea.

PLAN

Para 1 – They have sympathy for Medea at the start. Fear is present but only slightly as they fear what she may do in act of revenge (especially the Nurse). Creon solidifies this fear when he decides to exile her. The chorus mainly feel sympathy towards her for the way she has been treated.

Para 2 – She names the people that she plans to kill and here the chorus is horrified. The chorus still do not believe she will be able to "steel" her heart so they maintain sympathy for her condition

Para 3 – Why is sympathy never lost… because of her language and the way the characters around her talk about her and treat her (Aegeus is compassionate, .  ( This paragraph is about the language Medea uses to maintain sympathy from the Chorus

Para 4 – Ultimately horror prevails and we have no sympathy for a woman who has murdered and gotten away with it. She is literally and figuratively above the people of Corinth and leaves the city in ruins. She put her emotions above other people’s lives and the Chorus attempt however to soften the blame on Medea by placing it on the unexpected god for making it possible


Thanks so much for taking the time <3

[tim.wells]

Personally I think this is a good set-up, there is a nice progression of feelings for Medea before you ultimately come to a conclusion as to the sentiment of the Chorus.

Just be careful with this question as it is split into two parts: ordinary people; and the balance of sympathy and horror. You have clearly addressed the second component of the question very well. But just be mindful to continually reference 'ordinary people with ordinary emotions' throughout your response.

I think the first way to do this would be to mention why the chorus does represent ordinary people [I would do this in your intro, and then refer back to it throughout the essay].

I also think another way to do this would be to contrast how 'ordinary people' feel these emotions with how royalty/divinity feels these emotions. This will deepen your analysis as you can refer to what separates the ordinary from the divine and how this affects their perception of the world around them.

I haven't studied Medea in depth, but I think you could particularly compare the way Aegeus perceives Medea as compared to the chorus because he is an outsider and has recently come into contact with a quasi-divine being [the Oracle at Delphi].

But just remember that the focus of such comparisons are to strengthen your analysis of how ordinary people are caught between sympathy and horror.

[FallingStar]

Hi,
Can someone please interpret this comments by my teacher please (for a context SAC) and put it in simple forms.

" --Insert name here-- , You have developed a strong conceptual idea, and been consistent in following the potential possibilities that can be gleaned. The structure enables the response to cite a variety of ways in which realities can be 'distorted.'

To really enable yourself to develop and finesse you writing techniques, it is essential you discard unnecessary addition elements in providing an explaination. If you don't construct simple, clear sentences, strong ideas will wither amid the flood of unnecessary surround sentence elements."

Also, are there any tips and to mitigating this issue in terms of revising for the exams?

Thanks guys.

[TheLlama]

Hi,
Can someone please interpret this comments by my teacher please (for a context SAC) and put it in simple forms.

" --Insert name here-- , You have developed a strong conceptual idea, and been consistent in following the potential possibilities that can be gleaned. The structure enables the response to cite a variety of ways in which realities can be 'distorted.'

To really enable yourself to develop and finesse you writing techniques, it is essential you discard unnecessary addition elements in providing an explaination. If you don't construct simple, clear sentences, strong ideas will wither amid the flood of unnecessary surround sentence elements."

Also, are there any tips and to mitigating this issue in terms of revising for the exams?

Thanks guys.

Ah, somewhat ironic. The suggestion for improvement seems to be twofold:

• The first part seems to imply that you've gone into depth when responding to the prompt, that you've seen an opportunity to raise interesting and thoughtful ideas. You've also selected a structure that allows you to consider the prompt / context in multiple ways.
• That your ideas are lacking clarity because you're providing additional, seemingly unrelated points in the same sentence. Without seeing your writing, what this means is speculation. It could be that you're combining two ideas in the same sentence and not developing each. Alternatively, it might be that you're working on developing a particular style that detracts from the essence of meaning, for this reader. Or it could be that your reader feels that you're overloading a sentence with too many phrases.

As for mitigating the issue, it really depends on what your writing actually looks like - in isolation, the feedback is a little generic and could mean many things (including that the giver of the feedback likes to make themselves sound intelligent

[Elizawei]

Hey guys, got a general question (kinda)

In introductions of text responses/context, is it better to directly quote the prompt? Or reword the prompt instead of copying it?

Thanksss

[FallingStar]

Hey guys, got a general question (kinda)

In introductions of text responses/context, is it better to directly quote the prompt? Or reword the prompt instead of copying it?

Thanksss

Just reword the prompt. Make sure you understand what the prompt is actually saying before you do so though. Just use Lauren's technique of distilling the prompt down to a "Basically ______." Then reword the prompt in the intro. The sooner you get to the prompt, the better (as Lauren pointed out if you've been to the lecture).

Also, use the prompt words throughout your context piece, which would make it clear to the examiner that you are addressing the prompt. And use synonyms too, such that your essay does not sound repetitive (a trap I constantly fall into).

[HopefulLawStudent]

Hi,
Can someone please interpret this comments by my teacher please (for a context SAC) and put it in simple forms.

" --Insert name here-- , You have developed a strong conceptual idea, and been consistent in following the potential possibilities that can be gleaned. The structure enables the response to cite a variety of ways in which realities can be 'distorted.'

To really enable yourself to develop and finesse you writing techniques, it is essential you discard unnecessary addition elements in providing an explaination. If you don't construct simple, clear sentences, strong ideas will wither amid the flood of unnecessary surround sentence elements."

Also, are there any tips and to mitigating this issue in terms of revising for the exams?

Thanks guys.

Ah, somewhat ironic. The suggestion for improvement seems to be twofold:

• The first part seems to imply that you've gone into depth when responding to the prompt, that you've seen an opportunity to raise interesting and thoughtful ideas. You've also selected a structure that allows you to consider the prompt / context in multiple ways.
• That your ideas are lacking clarity because you're providing additional, seemingly unrelated points in the same sentence. Without seeing your writing, what this means is speculation. It could be that you're combining two ideas in the same sentence and not developing each. Alternatively, it might be that you're working on developing a particular style that detracts from the essence of meaning, for this reader. Or it could be that your reader feels that you're overloading a sentence with too many phrases.

As for mitigating the issue, it really depends on what your writing actually looks like - in isolation, the feedback is a little generic and could mean many things (including that the giver of the feedback likes to make themselves sound intelligent

I agree with TheLlama. Sounds like your teacher is saying that your ideas are lacking clarity.

This sentence is interesting though:

If you don't construct simple, clear sentences, strong ideas will wither amid the flood of unnecessary surround sentence elements.

Is verbosity a big problem for you? Check sentence length from that SAC (if they go on for like a million lines, you need to cut back).

Bit hard to give advice re:mitigating the issue without knowing exactly what the issue is. Have you talked to your teacher about your SAC? They tend to be pretty good at explaining their comments.

[MightyBeh]

Hey family. I've been entered into some essay writing competition (exhilarating, I know ) but it has a very english style prompt and I don't even know how to approach it. I can count on one hand how many times in the last two years I've had to write from a prompt so any pointers would be super cool. ty

[HasibA]

When re-analysing a film for text response, what features should i be looking for that are normally missed/ forgotten. i.e for Mabo, looking at Perkins' cinematic techniques, camera angles and how they relate to the film is common, but im finding it difficult to find 'other' film related things to go over for it! thanks

[NerdyPi]

Hi guys, so I've been getting contradictory info was teacher(s)/tutor so I'm wondering if AN can clarify these points for me in relation to the English exam...?

-In language analysis, you're not required to comment on /predict the audience's reaction to the persuasion (pretty sure examiners report said this too)

-If doing expository for context, you're only meant to discuss the text in one paragraph

Also, for an expos piece in context, is basing each paragraph (aiming for 4) on an idea related to the prompt and then bringing in 1 relevant example that demonstrates this idea ok??? My teacher said 1 example / paragraph is fine, but my tutor said 2 is needed...
Thanks

[HopefulLawStudent]

Hi guys, so I've been getting contradictory info was teacher(s)/tutor so I'm wondering if AN can clarify these points for me in relation to the English exam...?

-In language analysis, you're not required to comment on /predict the audience's reaction to the persuasion (pretty sure examiners report said this too)

-If doing expository for context, you're only meant to discuss the text in one paragraph

Also, for an expos piece in context, is basing each paragraph (aiming for 4) on an idea related to the prompt and then bringing in 1 relevant example that demonstrates this idea ok??? My teacher said 1 example / paragraph is fine, but my tutor said 2 is needed...
Thanks

Re:LA -- none of my teachers have ever said anything about needing to predict the audience's reaction to the persuasion. Someone else confirm but I think you just assume that the writer is being persuasive and roll with that.

[FallingStar]

Re:LA -- none of my teachers have ever said anything about needing to predict the audience's reaction to the persuasion. Someone else confirm but I think you just assume that the writer is being persuasive and roll with that.

Confirmed. Always assume that the writer is being persuasive, even if you think it's not. In terms of predicting audience's reaction, you are not supposed to do that, but you are instead to write on the intended reaction. This means you are talking about what the writer intended for the audience/readers/viewers/listeners (depending on text type) to react.

[tim.wells]

Hi guys, so I've been getting contradictory info was teacher(s)/tutor so I'm wondering if AN can clarify these points for me in relation to the English exam...?

-In language analysis, you're not required to comment on /predict the audience's reaction to the persuasion (pretty sure examiners report said this too)

-If doing expository for context, you're only meant to discuss the text in one paragraph

Also, for an expos piece in context, is basing each paragraph (aiming for 4) on an idea related to the prompt and then bringing in 1 relevant example that demonstrates this idea ok??? My teacher said 1 example / paragraph is fine, but my tutor said 2 is needed...
Thanks

For an expository piece there is no requirement for you to only discuss the text in one paragraph. If you find doing that helps you keep your ideas and your writing structured then go with that. But personally, I wrote an expository piece and I referred to the text in every paragraph throughout the piece, rather than doing a discrete 'text-based' paragraph. I felt that this allowed me to express my ideas in a more nuanced manner as I could use the text as an example of the idea that I was discussing in a particular paragraph. However, if you are going to opt for this method, you need to know your text inside-out as it is much harder to 'pre-prepare' a response.

I also think that one example per paragraph is perfectly acceptable provided that you discuss it in adequate depth. Personally, I have a preference for discussing fewer examples but really delving into them. This shows the examiner a greater engagement with your context and allows you to really flesh out your ideas and tie them to the prompt.

[rhosemary]

My question is... probably a stupid one. I'm going to ask it regardless.
Am I allowed to write about a text on the English exam that we haven't studied in class? I don't like either of our texts- "This Boy's Life" and "Burial Rites". I can WRITE about them, sure, I've gotten high marks, but I don't have any IDEAS about them other than understanding them academically. I look at the exam prompts and mostly go "yeah, I guess you could say that". It would be boring.
But, two of the texts on the list are some that I've loved before this year: "Wuthering Heights" and "All About Eve". I have literally written about both of these in my spare time for the internet (because I'm a fun person  ) and I have, I think, a thorough understanding of them both. The Examiner's Report for 2015 exams states:
Students should be encouraged to have confidence in their own reading and demonstrate a
personal understanding of their text, rather than relying exclusively on commercially produced
material. All texts are complex works of art with a wealth of opportunity for exploration. There are
no „expected‟ responses to topics, and the highest-scoring pieces were those that were thoughtful
and fresh.
Hard to do that if you aren't interested in the texts. As is probably obvious, I genuinely love literature and I want to do my best in the exam- I think I will almost definitely have more thoughtful and detailed responses to "Heights" or "Eve". So the question is: a) Am I allowed? and b) Do you think it's suicide-by-essay?
Wow, sorry to ramble.

[FallingStar]

My question is... probably a stupid one. I'm going to ask it regardless.
Am I allowed to write about a text on the English exam that we haven't studied in class? I don't like either of our texts- "This Boy's Life" and "Burial Rites". I can WRITE about them, sure, I've gotten high marks, but I don't have any IDEAS about them other than understanding them academically. I look at the exam prompts and mostly go "yeah, I guess you could say that". It would be boring.
But, two of the texts on the list are some that I've loved before this year: "Wuthering Heights" and "All About Eve". I have literally written about both of these in my spare time for the internet (because I'm a fun person  ) and I have, I think, a thorough understanding of them both. The Examiner's Report for 2015 exams states:
Students should be encouraged to have confidence in their own reading and demonstrate a
personal understanding of their text, rather than relying exclusively on commercially produced
material. All texts are complex works of art with a wealth of opportunity for exploration. There are
no „expected‟ responses to topics, and the highest-scoring pieces were those that were thoughtful
and fresh.
Hard to do that if you aren't interested in the texts. As is probably obvious, I genuinely love literature and I want to do my best in the exam- I think I will almost definitely have more thoughtful and detailed responses to "Heights" or "Eve". So the question is: a) Am I allowed? and b) Do you think it's suicide-by-essay?
Wow, sorry to ramble.

This isn't a stupid question. This is a tough one actually.

How ironic is it that I come from a school that literally does the two texts you wanted to do? 
 
Have you done any VCAA style prompts on either All About Eve or Wuthering Heights?

I would like to say though that examiners don't actually know the text that you are doing at school. In fact, they blind mark your exam paper (ie. no VCAA number or any of your details). And it gets marked by two examiners, who don't even teach in your school. They are also marked independently of other student at your school, so it's not like one examiner marks papers for one school.

So theoretically, you can do a text/context outside of you school. In practise, it is usually preferred that you do the text that your school's doing since your teachers are not guaranteed to know the texts in the list that you want to do, or at least know it well. So if you do choose to do a text outside of school, then you may be better off asking for external help. Perhaps get in a study group with others studying the particular text that your're doing.

Whilst you are to demonstrate a personal understanding of the text that you are doing, you can still use study guides as an aid in your studies. And since you are doing a text outside what you school is doing, you may as well use them. A list can be found in Text Response Resources for all your texts.

Focus on either All About Eve or Wuthering Heights but not both. If you choose to do All About Eve, then you could get HopefulLawStudent to mark you essay. However, if you like Wuthering Heights more, than perhaps someone else can mark you essay when you post it in the English Work Submission and Marking thread. But all in all, you will need to get help from a teacher in terms of the text since the submissions thread is a peer marking system, and you may need to take their marking as a grain of salt (not saying it's bad, if you mark other's essays, it can help you too!  And if you essay gets marked, then the student that marked it does help you get used to different styles of marking). Thereby I will ask you to do the following steps:

1. Speak to your teacher about that. If s/he knows either of these texts well and can discern VCAA prompts from these texts, you're in luck. If not, take the next step.
2. Look for another teacher (in your school or outside) that is doing your texts. In the best case, you will find one within your school. If you can't find a teacher, a student who scored highly in the English exam and can teach/tutor such as one of the National Moderators of this forum can be asked too (although the person I linked would be a really good teacher anyway  ).
3. Get into a study group of students who are actually doing the text you pick , and have done it at school.

Although: I would like a second opinion on this as I am not 100% sure about it. So I advise you to take this as a guide.