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    November 28, 2010

    ‘The Great Gatsby’ Essay Plan – character essay

    Question -

    Choose a novel or short story which has a character which engaged your sympathy. Show how the author makes this character sympathetic, and why this is important to the theme.

    Structure -

    1. Introduction
    2. First impressions of Gatsby
    3. Gatsby and Daisy
    4. Gatsby and Tom
    5. The climax – Gatsby at the end
    6. Conclusion

    1. Introduction

    The protagonist of ‘The Great Gatsby’ by F Scott Fitzgerald is an example of a character who engages our sympathy because he has romantic ideals, even though he lives in a jaded, cynical world.
    • Brief plot summary
    • Setting – affluent New York, in contrast to the Midwest where Nick is from

    2. First impressions of Gatsby

    Nick’s first impressions of Gatsby and his materialistic life come at the start of the novel. At this point, I didn’t feel sympathetic towards Gatsby but admiration, as he gives the impression of having wealth and charm. The first things Nick hears and sees of Gatsby’s world are the lavish parties at his mansion:

    Every Friday five crates of oranges and lemons arrived from a fruiterer in New York – every Monday these same oranges and lemons left his back door in a pyramid of pulpless halves.

    • He gives lavish parties to people he didn’t really know, his rich neighbours; this might make him seem fake, rather than powerful
    • Gatsby is seen through Nick’s eyes – he is a friend who admires him, and this engages the reader’s sympathy
    • He is a self-made man – changed his name and made a fortune; has links to organised crime through Meyer Wolfsheim

    3. Gatsby and Daisy

    Yet even though he has invented a ‘persona’ for himself, Gatsby is still a romantic, idealistic figure, and his relationship with Daisy is one of the most important in the book. This makes him seem more human and shows that, even though his is a millionaire, he has ordinary feelings. This is shown in the chapter where Nick sees him get ready for his meeting with Daisy:

    Gatsby, in a white flannel suit, silver shirt, and gold-colored tie, hurried in

    • Shows his materialism; likes expensive clothes to impress people
    • Also shows his romanticism – desire to win Daisy back for good
    • Met when he was a young man working as a diver; created his wealthy life in order to win Daisy over
    • He is clearly better than Daisy’s cynical, cheating husband Tom

    4. Gatsby and Tom

    However, the book ends in tragedy, for Gatsby will never be accepted by the ‘old Aristocracy’ of the town. Although the reader might not approve of the ruthless, and possibly criminal way Gatsby got to the top, it is clear that Tom is just as amoral, such as in his exchange with Wilson the mechanic:

    “Hello, Wilson, old man,” said Tom, slapping him jovially on the shoulder. “How’s business?”

    “I can’t complain,” answered Wilson unconvincingly. “When are you going to sell me that car?”

    • Tom is dishonest and bullying, keeping Wilson waiting for the car he is going to sell
    • This contrast shows Gatsby in a better light
    • Symbolism of ‘Ash valley’ – the materialistic, godless world they live in, ruled by people like Tom

    5. The climax – Gatsby at the end

    The outcome of the book is that Daisy stays with Tom and Gatsby dies young. I felt a sense of waste that he died for no reason, and that his dreams were unfulfilled.
    • The climax – Gatsby’s murder: Gatsby was too naïve for the world of cheating and betrayal that he tried to live in
    • Gatsby was finally crushed by the class system – he underestimated Daisy’s devotion to Tom, who came from a wealthy background
    • After his murder his neighbours do not attend his funeral – he has failed to become one of them

    6. Conclusion

    Therefore I would argue that Gatsby is a character who engages the reader’s sympathy, even though he has amassed his money and influence through selfish and immoral business dealings. In some ways, he is too ‘noble’ for the spoilt upper class milieu which he is desperate to be a part of, and this gives the novel its tragic climax.

    November 21, 2010

    ‘Lord Of The Flies’ Essay Plan – symbolism

    Higher English essays about prose (novels or short stories) fall into three main types:

    1. theme
    2. character
    3. structure

    This essay is a based on a slightly unusual question because it asks about symbolism in a novel. It’s a ‘theme’ essay rather than one about character or structure. However, you can still discuss symbolism in any Lord Of The Flies essay.

    Question -

    Choose a novel in which symbolism plays an important role. Show how the author uses this technique over the course of the novel help us understand their characters and develop their theme.

    Structure -

    1. Introduction
    2. The start of the novel / the conch
    3. The choir
    4. The character of Piggy
    5. The beast / the murder of Simon
    6. The death of Piggy
    7. The climax
    8. Conclusion

    1. Introduction

    ‘Lord of the Flies’ by William Golding is an example of a novel in which symbolism plays an important role. Golding uses the island as a microcosm of society, in order to explore the theme of evil. In this essay I will show how symbolism plays an important role in bringing his ideas to life.

    2. The start of the novel / the conch

    Symbolism is first employed at the beginning of the novel when Piggy and Ralph organise the first meeting.

    * The conch – brings meeting to order; symbol of democracy and free speech
    * Ralph and Piggy are initially at the centre of the island’s community; Ralph mocks Piggy, indicating that he does not value his contribution. He will realise, too late, that he needs Piggy’s intelligence

    3. The choir

    The emergence of Jack and the choirboys is highly symbolic and sets the tone for later chapters of the novel.

    * Description of the ‘creature’: continued with the idea of the ‘beast’ later on
    * Religious overtones – black cloaks suggest monks
    * The boys represent the irrational forces of religion, superstition and violence

    4. The character of Piggy

    Piggy represents science and reason in the novel, and this is embodied by his spectacles

    * Piggy is physically unattractive, a ‘know it all’; lower class than the other boys
    * Glasses can light fire in order to allow them to be rescued; however, the fire burns out of control, mirroring the nuclear war which has happened to the rest of the planet
    * Poor eyesight is equivalent to lack of cunning – he is ‘blind’ to the way events will develop; does not see the hunters as a threat until it is too late
    * The shelters symbolize the failure of Ralph and Piggy’s leadership to achieve civilisation – the boys would rather hunt and kill than build.

    5. The beast / the murder of Simon

    As the island descends into tyranny under the rule of Jack and finally murder, the ‘beast’ shows how the situation deteriorates.

    * Ironic connection with the ‘creature’ image to describe the choirboys’ arrival
    * Keeps the boys in fear, needing Jack’s leadership
    * Simon is sceptical but finally he is murdered because he is mistaken for the beast
    * Simon represents individuality and creativity – this cannot be allowed in Jack and Ralph’s violent society, so he is sacrificed
    * Suggestion that he is a ‘Christ-like figure’, who is destroyed by a senseless mob

    6. The death of Piggy

    * Piggy’s death – killed by Roger’s stone; foreshadowed by Roger tormenting younger children with stones earlier on
    * Roger has become Jack’s right-hand-man in the same way that Piggy was to Ralph – yet Roger is only interested in torture
    * Gruesome – Piggy’s brains are splattered, suggesting the end of intellect and science
    * Destruction of the conch – the end of civilisation

    7. The climax

    * Roger tortures Sam and Eric into revealing where Ralph has gone
    * The soldiers show the contrast between an orderly society and a chaotic one
    * Pessimistic ending to the novel –Ralph was unable to achieve a fair and peaceful society. He had neither the knowledge or experience to do this on his own, and his relationship with Piggy was not close enough for him to be able to use Piggy’s intelligence

    8. Conclusion

    I would therefore argue that Golding uses symbols to emphasise the failures of Ralph and Piggy’s leadership and the ascendancy of Jack and Roger. The book’s pessimistic tone contains a message that, without competent leadership, society descends into superstition and violence.

    My comments

    This was my favourite novel out of the ones I studied at school. It’s based on a fascinating premise – is civilization necessary to stop us descending into paranoia and violence? At the heart of the action are the contrasting characters of Piggy, the voice of reason; Ralph, the natural leader; and Jack, the tyrant ready to take over.

    All novels and plays contain symbolism. In ‘Lord Of The Flies’ the symbols are beautifully simple and easy to remember – sinister choirboys; the conch; Piggy’s specs; and finally, when the conch and specs are replaced by stones, fires and spears.

    ‘Lord of the Flies’ Essay Plan – character

    Higher English essays about prose (novels or short stories) fall into three main types:

    1. theme
    2. character
    3. structure

    This is an essay about a ‘main character’.

    Question -

    ‘Choose a novel in which the fate of a main character allows the author to explore his chosen theme.’

    Structure -

    1. Introduction
    2. The climax
    3. The choir
    4. The beast / the murder of Simon
    5. The death of Piggy
    6. Conclusion

    1. Introduction

    ‘Lord of the Flies’ by William Golding is an example of a novel in which the fate of Ralph allows the author to explore his chosen theme, of civilisation and savagery. By the end of the novel, Ralph is one of the last survivors who hasn’t turned into a killer as part of Jack’s ‘tribe’. In this essay I will show how the author sets the scene and creates a turning point, with the deaths of Simon and Piggy.

    2. The climax

    At the end of the novel, Ralph is pursued by the boys to the beach, where he meets the perplexed group of soldiers who have just landed. He is asked:
    “We saw your smoke. And you don’t know how many of you there are?”
    “No, sir”
    • dramatic way to end the novel – the soldiers show the contrast between an orderly society and a chaotic one
    • smoke symbolises the hunters fire; and the fire Ralph and Piggy tried to keep alive
    • pessimistic ending to the novel –Ralph was unable to achieve a fair and peaceful society.
    • Ralph had neither the knowledge or experience to do this on his own, and his relationship with Piggy was not close enough for him to be able to use Piggy’s intelligence
    • Without civilisation’s rules, savagery triumphs

    3. The choir

    Ralph’s fate is foreshadowed by the arrival of the choir in the first chapter of the novel:
    ‘Within the diamond haze of the beach something dark was fumbling along.’

    • Ralph and Piggy called the meeting after blowing in the conch
    • interrupts the meeting with his arrival, along with the rest of the choir. This foreshadows the novel’s tragic ending
    • suggests that Ralph’s rule on the island will come to an end
    • Description of the ‘creature’: continued with the idea of the ‘beast’ later on
    • Religious overtones – black cloaks suggest monks
    • The boys represent the irrational forces of religion, superstition and violence

    4. The beast / the murder of Simon

    Ralph becomes like a hunted animal at the end of the novel, in the same way that Simon becomes a ‘beast’ when he is murdered by the hunters –
    ‘A thing was crawling out of the forest. It came darkly, uncertainly. The shrill screaming that rose before the beast was like a pain.’
    • Reminds the reader of the ‘creature’ image which describes the choirboys’ arrival
    • Simon is sceptical but finally he is murdered because he is mistaken for the beast
    • Simon represents individuality and creativity – this cannot be allowed in Jack and Roger’s violent society, so he is sacrificed
    • Suggestion that he is a ‘Christ-like figure’, who is destroyed by a senseless mob
    • the island descends into tyranny under the rule of Jack and finally murder, the ‘beast’ shows how the situation deteriorates.

    5. The death of Piggy

    Ralph’s fate is also determined by the death of Piggy:
    ‘The rock struck Piggy a glancing blow from chin to knee; the conch exploded into a thousand white fragments and ceased to exist’
    • Piggy’s death – killed by Roger’s stone; foreshadowed by Roger tormenting younger children with stones earlier on
    • Gruesome – Piggy’s brains are splattered, suggesting the end of intellect and science
    • Destruction of the conch – the end of civilisation
    • Roger has become Jack’s right-hand-man in the same way that Piggy was to Ralph – yet Roger is only interested in torture

    6. Conclusion

    I would therefore argue that Golding uses symbols to emphasise the failures of Ralph and Piggy’s leadership and the ascendancy of Jack and Roger. The book’s pessimistic tone contains a message that, without competent leadership, society descends into superstition and violence.

    ‘Dulce Et Decorum Est’ Essay Plan – poem which creates an atmosphere of despair

    Question -

    Choose a poem which creates an atmosphere of despair about human existence and show how the author conveys this to the reader.

    Structure -

    1. Introduction
    2. The first stanza
    3. Before the gas attack
    4. The gas attack
    5. The final stanza
    6. The climax of the poem / the message
    7. Conclusion -

    1. Introduction

    * A poem which creates an atmosphere of despair is ‘Dulce et Decorum est’ by Wilfred Owen.
    * Set in the trenches of World War One.
    * Explain title: ‘It is sweet and fitting to die for one’s country’
    * The poet describes a terrible scene from war then builds up to this slogan at the end, showing that it is a lie.

    2. The first stanza

    From the start of the poem, Owen creates a bleak image for the reader:
    Bent double, like old beggars under sacks

    * Knock-kneed, coughing like hags we cursed through sludge
    * -‘old beggars’ / ‘like hags’: similes show that the young men are now like the opposite of soldiers – sick, old, weak, emphasised by ‘bent double’ and the idea of ‘sacks’ instead of uniforms
    * Instead of ‘marched’ or even ‘retreated’ the soldiers ‘cursed’, suggesting this is a depressing and somewhat pointless activity
    * Sound effects: the alliteration of ‘coughing’ and ‘cursed’ suggest harshness, along with the onomatopoeia words ‘coughing’ and ‘sludge’ to describe the conditions they are marching through

    3. Before the gas attack

    The poet creates an effective contrast between the first and second stanzas in order to heighten the horror of the gas attack.

    * The men’s slow progress is emphasized at the start
    * The ‘haunting flares’ continues with the idea of ‘hags’ and ‘cursed’, suggesting that the soldiers have been afflicted by black magic
    * ‘asleep’ suggests that this scene has a dream-like quality
    * This prepares reader for ‘gas-shells dropping softly’ – as though they are harmless and part of this quiet scene

    4. The gas attack

    The poet shows the panic of the soldiers at the start of the second stanza by using reported speech.

    * ‘Gas! Gas! Quick, boys! – An ecstasy of fumbling’
    * Contrast with eerie quiet of first stanza
    * Shows how death can strike when people least expect it
    * Describes dying man in some detail – ‘in my dreams’
    * Word choice of ‘fumbling’, ‘stumbling’, ‘floundering’ and ‘drowning’ show how the men suffer
    * ‘misty panes’ and simile of drowning in a green sea – a dream-like image
    * Even though the man’s death takes some time, the others are powerless to help him; shows horror of this scene

    5. The final stanza

    These ideas are continued in the final stanza as the poet prepares the reader for his statement about war at the end of the poem.

    * Brings in reader – ‘If … you too’, ‘My friend’
    * Supernatural overtones again – ‘white eyes writhing in his face’ – showing how the soldier has lost control over his own body
    * ‘devil’s sick of sin’ – showing even demons must be horrified by the experience of war
    * Sound effects:
    * Come gargling from the froth-corrupted lungs,
    * Obscene as cancer, bitter as the cud
    * The repeated hard ‘c’ shows harshness
    * Onomatopoeia of ‘gargling’ – makes vivid for reader
    * Word choice of ‘cud’ – a gruesome image for the sores on the man’s tongue, as if it is something to chew on
    * Idea of cattle – creatures which are slaughtered
    * Continued with the idea of ‘innocent tongues

    6. The climax of the poem / the message

    At the climax of the poem, Owen gives a chilling message to the reader.

    * Describes soldier’s retreat and the gas attack
    * They are ‘children’ desperate for ‘glory’ unprepared for the nightmarish horror of the trenches
    * Brings the reader to the Latin quote at the end

    7. Conclusion -

    Wilfred Owen chooses a scene from war and brings it to life for the reader. He uses a variety of techniques in order to create a dream-like atmosphere, including sound effects and imagery. This shows us the horror that soldier’s experienced during the war and helps convince the reader that propaganda for the war was based on lies. I would therefore argue that ‘Dulce et Decorum est’ is a poem which creates an atmosphere of despair about human existence, within the context of war.

    November 13, 2010

    ‘Death Of A Salesman’ Essay – a play with a tragic theme

    One of the most common Drama texts for Higher, ‘Death of a Salesman’ essays will nearly always mention the restaurant scene and the confrontation between Willy and Biff. This essay could be written in 45-minutes for a Higher exam. I’ve chosen a fairly straightforward question.

    Question -

    Choose a play which involves a tragic theme and show how the dramatist makes the play a moving experience for the audience. You may refer to structure, characterisation, key scene(s) or any other appropriate feature.

    Structure -

    1. Introduction – the theme of failure
    2. Character of Willy Loman
    3. Willy and Biff’s relationship
    4. The restaurant scene
    5. Use of flashbacks
    6. The outcome of the restaurant scene – a tragic ending
    7. Conclusion

    ‘Death of a Salesman’ by Arthur Miller has often been described as a modern tragedy. In this essay I will show how the playwright makes the downfall of the hapless Willy Loman a moving experience for the audience, and allows him to explore the theme of failure.

    Loman is an aging salesman at the end of his career. His first line of the play, ‘It’s alright. I came back’ is addressed to his long-suffering wife, Linda, who has always supported him despite his faults. He is too old to be driving the long distances from New York and in danger of crashing his car. The play focuses on the last days of his life and his dysfunctional relationships with Linda and his sons.

    Willy has always believed in his son Biff, thinking of him as a great sportsman and a success in life. However, the truth is that Biff is unable to keep a job or have a happy relationship with a woman. Will’s boss tells him he is no longer useful due to his age and health. At the same time, Biff fails to get a loan from his old boss and instead, steals his fountain pen and runs away. This shows that, like his father, Biff is a failure in American society.

    The restaurant scene is where the problems of Willy’s life and relationships come to a head. At the start of the scene Biff and Happy are drinking and trying to ‘pick up’ two women. Biff has come to a crisis where he feels that he and Willy have never told the truth to one another. When Willy arrives, Biff tries to have a serious conversation with him:

    Biff: Who ever said it, Pop? Who ever said I was a salesman?
    Willy: Well, you were!

    Biff is adamant that he was a shipping clerk rather than a salesman. However, Biff and Willy do not have the honest discussion that he wants. The father says ‘I haven’t got a story left in my head.’ Willy has spent his life trying to charm people and be ‘well liked’ so stories are important to who he is. This reminds the audience of the previous scene when Willy met his boss. He told the story of the old salesman who inspired him. However, in the play Willy is shown to be dishonest and self-deluded.

    The tragedy of this situation is emphasized by the author’s use of flashbacks. As Biff begins to talk to Willy, voices from the past come from off stage. Soon, Willy’s memories take over and he relives a scene from his past. He is caught in a hotel room with a woman by Biff, who has travelled up to tell his father about why he flunked maths and was unable to graduate. This shows the audience how Biff lost respect for his father and become a failure in life. It also reveals Willy’s guilt and growing struggle with reality.

    The consequences of the restaurant scene are that father and son have a confrontation, followed by Willy’s suicide. Biff admits that after he stole the fountain pen, he realized he did not want to live a city life and would be happier working on a farm. He tells his father ‘you were so busy filling my head with hot air …’. This suggests that Biff is prepared to reject his father’s values, of city living, money and ‘being liked’ in order to find some happiness when his father never did. Despite the confrontation, Biff tries to get his father to go to bed: instead Willy slips out and crashes his car. This shows that like Linda, he loves his father despite his faults and it emphasizes the tragedy of the ending. There is a note of optimism about Biff – he wants to live a fulfilling life, so he doesn’t think of himself as a failure.

    In these ways, ‘Death of a Salesman’ is the story of an ordinary man who is unable to live up to his own fantasies, and whose relationships finally break down. The playwright uses characterization, flashbacks and the climax in order to make this a moving experience for the audience.

    ‘Death Of A Salesman’ Essay Plan – a key scene in a play

    A plan for a 45 minute essay for the Higher exam should fit comfortably on one side of an A4 sheet if its typed, or both sides if it’s handwritten. I’ve chosen a fairly typical drama question. This plan features topic sentences and bullet points. You should probably include at least three longer quotes in your plan, and make sure you have memorized these before the exam.

    Question -

    Choose a play in which one scene or moment determines the fate of a main character. Explain fully why you think this is the key moment in the character’s fortunes. In your answer you must refer closely to the text and to at least two of: key scene, characterization, climax, dialogue, or any other appropriate feature.

    Structure -

    1. Introduction
    2. Before the restaurant scene
    3. The characters of Biff and Happy
    4. Biff’s relationship with Willy
    5. Flashbacks – when Biff finds out about Willy’s affair
    6. The outcome of the restaurant scene
    7. Conclusion

    1. Introduction

    A scene of a play which made a strong impression on me was the scene from ‘Death of a Salesman’ by Arthur Miller when Willy Loman meets his sons Biff and Happy in the restaurant. In this essay I will show why I think this is the key moment in the character’s fortunes and how it allows the author to discuss the theme of failure.

    2. Before the restaurant scene

    In this scene, Willy’s problems come to a head.

    - The start of the play: the first line of the play is ‘It’s OK. I came back.’
    - His age and health are declining
    - He asked his boss, Howard, for a different position so that he did non have to travel – the boss let him go instead. Willy’s response was to tell a ‘story’
    - He has ‘no stories left’ in his head – he can no longer fool himself or the people around him
    - He refused a job offer from his neighbour Charley out of pride
    - He has always wanted to be a ‘winner’ in life but now he feels like a ‘loser’ – this is one of the main themes of the play

    3. The characters of Biff and Happy

    At the start of the scene, we are reminded of the characters of Biff and Happy.

    - They are drinking and trying to ‘pick up’ some women
    - Willy always thought Biff would be a great sportsman and sees his son as a success
    - Biff failed to get the loan from his old boss, Oliver, for a sports goods company and stole a fountain pen instead
    - Biff has realized that his whole life has been a lie, and tells Happy he wants to tell Willy the truth
    - Biff has had to cope with his feelings of failure

    4. Biff’s relationship with Willy

    This scene shows Biff trying to have an honest relationship with Willy.

    - Biff is adamant he was a ‘shipping clerk’ instead of a ‘salesman’
    - Willy has met Biff’s school friend, Bernard, who was not athletic but has turned out to be a success. Bernard tells Willy about how Biff had flunked maths, and Willy lied to Bernard about Biff’s success
    - the theme of failure – Willy refuses to accept Biff hasn’t become a salesman like him, and hasn’t achieved any success in life

    5. Flashbacks – when Biff finds out about Willy’s affair

    This scene features flashbacks which tell us the truth about Willy.

    - Biff catches Willy cheating on Linda with a woman: the audience sees him in a hotel room
    - Shows the audience why Willy and Bif’s relationship deteriorated, as well as Willy’s declining mental state

    6. The outcome of the restaurant scene

    The importance of this scene is that …

    - Biff has tried to confront Willy with the reality of their lives
    - We have learned that Willy is a liar and a cheat
    - Willy returns home and begins planting grass seeds in his back yard, showing he is deluded
    - Willy decides to commit suicide, to give his family money
    - Willy can’t face his own feelings of failure, or the fact Biff hasn’t been a success; and he can’t accept the idea that Biff could find happiness without money or status in society

    7. Conclusion

    In this way, I would argue that this key scene in ‘Death Of A Salesman’ allows Miller to prepare the audience for the tragic end of Willy Loman. His use of characterisation, structure and flashbacks bring out the pathos of the situation and allow him to explore the theme of failure through the relationship of Willy and Biff.

    November 6, 2010

    ‘Assisi’ Essay – a poem which left a powerful impression

    The following is a confident Standard Grade essay which covers most of the poem’s important points.

    Question -

    Choose a poem which left a powerful impression on you. Show how the poet uses techniques to create a memorable experience for the reader.

    Structure -

    1. Introduction
    2. Summary
    3. First impressions of the dwarf
    4. Juxtaposition – of the dwarf, and the church
    5. Sarcasm – ‘he had the advantage of not being dead yet’
    6. Irony – description of the tourists
    7. The poem’s structure
    8. Conclusion

    “Assisi” by Norman McCaig is a thought provoking poem which leaves the reader with a powerful impression of both a person and a place. McCaig uses several techniques which contribute to the reader’s opinion of the person and the place.

    A disabled beggar sits slumped outside the beautiful church of St Francis in Assisi which is located in Italy. The priest and those tourists who are so admiring of Giotto’s frescoes ignore him. But for the poet, it is not the beautiful art and architecture which creates a vivid memory of his visit to Assisi, but the disabled man.

    McCaig instantly illustrates to the reader the beggar’s “abnormality”. He then goes on later in the poem to describe this poor man’s disabilities in more depth. Due to the use of themes and various techniques the reader is left with a powerful impression of the beggar:

    Slumped like a half-filled sack

    This simile which is used at an early stage in the poem is very effective as it creates a vivid image of the dwarf in the readers mind and implies that this beggar is shapeless and almost lifeless. The reader is also immediately made aware of the beggars restricting posture. Also in the opening line, the disabled man is referred to as a “dwarf”, a term which in any context is derogatory, demeans the man, and creates the idea that he is “not normal”. This leaves the reader with a very powerful impression due to McCaig’s word choice. The vivid imagery used by the poet suggests ugliness associated with his particular disability.

    Norman McCaig uses juxtaposition several times throughout this poem to highlight the abnormality of this poor human. The beggar is noticeably situated outside this extraordinary three tiered church which also adds to the created impression of this helpless beggar:

    outside the three tiers of churches built
    in honour of St Francis

    McCaig’s specific choice of words helps the reader to create a picture of this deformed man. The poet uses brutal language to create a prevailing impression of this man. McCaig’s use of words such as; slump and half filled sack inform the reader that the beggar can not even sit upright because of the deformation of his body. Due to the way in which the poet describes the beggar we immediately feel sympathetic toward this man.

    McCaig also states at the end of the first paragraph that the beggar has an advantage of “not being dead yet”. This is a prime example of McCaig’s sarcasm as he thinks that the beggar may be better off dead as he does not have much to live for. This leaves the reader to ponder the dwarf’s poor quality of life when he suggests that he the dwarf has the advantage over St Francis “of not being dead yet”. The poet’s purpose of this opening paragraph is to set up various contrasts, mainly the contrast of ugliness and beauty when the beggar is outside this magnificent church.

    The poet also compares these tourists to chickens as he believes they are brain dead and self centred which also creates a vigorous impression. These ignorant tourists are chasing after this priest however they are ignoring this poor dwarf who is begging outside the church which honours St Francis.

    A rush of tourists, clucking contentedly, fluttered after him as he scattered the grain if the Word.

    McCaig also shows irony here as these tourists are chasing this priest who is preaching about St Francis himself, who helped the poor and unfortunate, however these tourists and the priest himself is overlook this unfortunate human outside the church. This deprived man is also isolated from society as he is sitting alone whilst these more fortunate beggars are in a large group. McCaig also chooses these specific words to remind the reader that St Francis is famous for talking to birds however it is the tourist who are listening to the priest like birds in this particular situation.

    It was they who had passed the ruined temple outside

    This metaphor emphasises the ignorance and hypocrisy toward this disabled man. The reference to “ruined temple” is to draw our attention to the fact that in Christian religious belief, the body is seen as the place where the human spirit or soul is held. This makes the reader wonder if this “ruined temple” had soul. A temple is also a place were you are supposed to go to pay your respects however this ill-fated beggar is receiving no respect and is just being ignored.

    The poet decided to structure this poem unusually; however this adds to the readers understanding of the setting and also the impression of this unfortunate dwarf. Norman McCaig starts each verse with reference to a character or a group of people. McCaig deliberately opens each verse with mention to a character or group of people as he is highlighting the lack of contact with the beggar. Notably the poem also opens and ends with the beggar. This is to make sure that the reader is continuously focused on this particular individual. Norman McCaig also uses brutal language at the start of this story however it gets less brutal as the poem progresses. This is also done on purpose as the poet started of the poem on a brutal tone. Also the poem ends with the words “to St Francis” to remind the reader of the irony that the beggar is situated outside this spiritual church but is still being ignored by the tourists.

    The poet’s use of metaphor, simile, word choice, structure and other techniques is very effective in creating a negative image of disability for the majority of the poem, and then with one contrasting detail, we can appreciate McCaig’s anger at the hypocrisy of the church. This poem leaves the reader with a powerful impression of this deformed mistreated beggar being ignored by the tourists who are ironically visiting a church in honour of St Francis.

    My Comment

    Norman MacCaig was an English teacher who used to write poems. He would smoke while he wrote, and once said that few of his poems had ever taken longer than two fags to write.

    There are points in this essay when the writer needed to check his work -

    these tourists are chasing this priest

    This sounds very clumsy. Also look out for the number of times he uses ‘Norman McCaig’ in the essay. Call him ‘Norman MacCaig’ (note that it’s ‘Mac’ not ‘Mc’) once in the introduction, then ‘the poet’, ‘the writer’ or just ‘MacCaig’ thereafter.

    October 31, 2010

    ‘The Crucible’ Essay Plan – an exciting scene

    This is a common play for Higher English. Arthur Miller’s classic allegory for the McCarthy era features two memorable characters in Abigail and John Proctor. An essay will often focus on their relationship. Although Proctor is the moral centre of the play, Abigail’s ruthless ambition makes her as much an anti-hero as a victim.

    This plan gives you a topic sentence with a technique for the start of each paragraph.

    Question -

    Choose an exciting scene from a play you have studied. Describe the events leading up to this scene and what makes this scene important to the play as a whole.

    Introduction

    The scene where Proctor has his dramatic confrontation with Abigail in the courtroom is vital to Arthur Miller’s play ‘The Crucible.’ In this essay I will discuss the place of this scene in the plot and why I find it the most exciting in the play.

    The character of John Proctor

    Proctor’s fiery temperament is established early on in the play.
    - the affair with Abigail
    - Quote: ‘I have a sense for heat and you are no wintry man’
    - Proctor represents the truth within the play
    - He is an outsider – he built the church so he has respect within the community but he breaks the rules by having an affair with Abigail; and it is Abigail who he must face in court.

    The theme of hypocrisy

    The courtroom scene is where the theme of hypocrisy becomes most apparent to the audience.
    - ‘The Crucible’ title – as if the people of the town are trapped and under pressure
    - The ‘heat’ under the crucible is the repressed energy of girls like Abigail
    - Heat imagery is used throughout the play – Proctor’s passion and the threat of ‘hell fire’
    - The metaphor for the McCarthy era in America

    The turning point

    The tension is heightened before the courtroom scene with the arrest of Elizabeth. Proctor admonishes her accusers and shows himself to be an honourable man. He speaks the truth plainly while the other villagers lie out of self-interest:

    I’ll tell you what’s walking Salem – vengeance is walking Salem … common vengeance writes the law

    - He stands in contrast to the other characters and convinces Mary to testify.
    - Yet in the courtroom scene, the townsfolk are manipulated by Abigail.

    The key scene

    The courtroom scene is the most exciting in the play because of the drama between Abigail and Proctor. He is finally wiling to admit the affair and reveal himself as a hypocrite, yet this does not save him. Abigail’s reaction to the accusation is clever:

    If I must answer that I will leave and I will not come back again.

    The town people are reluctant to lose their show trial. Abigail realises that she can continue with the deception. In this way, she is part of the town’s values. The audience feels a sense of injustice at the hypocrisy on display.

    The climax

    At the end of the play, Proctor is executed along with the others but he refuses to confess. His name is more important than his life. This left me with a feeling of optimism despite the tragic conclusion. It showed that the truth can survive even when people die.

    Conclusion

    Although Proctor is a hypocrite at the start of the play, he shows himself to be a force of truth; firstly by his eloquent defence of Elizabeth, then by refusing to compromise at the end.

    ‘The Crucible’ Essay – Introducing John Proctor

    Question -

    Choose a drama in which a character makes a strong impression early on in the action. Explain how their character becomes important to the theme of the play as a whole.

    The character of John Proctor is established early on in Arthur Miller’s play ‘The Crucible’. Later on, the scene where he has his dramatic confrontation with Abigail in the courtroom is vital to the theme of hypocrisy. In this essay I will show how our first impressions of Proctor are confirmed over the course of the plot.

    Proctor is a down-to-earth, forthright farmer. His ‘fiery’ temperament is established from entrance in Act one. Abigail’s friends leave the room as they are intimidated by him but when they are alone, she talks about the affair they had:

    ‘I have a sense for heat and you are no wintry man’

    This both introduces the symbolism of heat and fire in the play, and gives a strong impression of his character. Heat imagery is used throughout the play to explore the nature of hypocrisy. A ‘Crucible’ suggests that the accused people of the town are trapped and under pressure, like a crucible on a fire. Proctor’s passionate nature makes him seek the truth but also causes his downfall.

    When the audience first sees Proctor he has failed as a husband by having the affair; he is talking to Abigail rather than Elizabeth. But he turns Abigail away, and his devotion to Elizabeth is vital to the story. When the audience first sees him, Abigail describes her as a ‘snivelling woman’ and even Proctor says her justice ‘would freeze beer’ when they are talking about his affair. But later in the play, we learn her love for Proctor is stronger than her desire to tell the truth – she lies about the affair with Abigail to protect his reputation, causing their case to collapse. However, his belief that she would be honest even if it ruined his reputation shows his strong feelings towards her and faith in her.

    In the first description of Proctor, he is a ‘sinner’ in his own eyes. He is an outsider – he built the church so he has respect within the community but he broke the rules by having an affair with Abigail. He doesn’t know the Ten Commandments and is criticised for failing to go to church. However, when he defends Elizabeth during her arrest, he says he will ‘fall like an ocean upon that court’. This is an allusion to the book of Exodus where the sea falls on the Pharaoh’s army. This suggests he is truly religious, in contrast to men like Parris who are conducting the witch trials for their own benefit.

    In the courtroom scene, Proctor’s desire for truth becomes his downfall as the court is manipulated by Abigail. He is finally wiling to admit the affair and reveal himself as a hypocrite, yet this does not save him. Abigail’s reaction to the accusation is clever:

    If I must answer that I will leave and I will not come back again.

    The town people are reluctant to lose their show trial. Abigail realises that she can continue with the deception. In this way, she is part of the town’s values. The audience feels a sense of injustice at the hypocrisy on display. In the first scene, Abigail is sceptical about the church because of what Proctor has told her, but by the end of the play, she has become the centre of the witch trial.

    At the end of the play, Proctor is executed along with the others but he refuses to confess. His name is more important than his life. This leaves the audience with a feeling of optimism despite the tragic conclusion. It shows that the truth can survive even when people die. In this way, our impression of him at the start of the play, as someone with integrity who has lost his way, is borne out by the tragic ending.

    My Comment

    Another ‘Crucible’ essay with a different emphasis. The way an author introduces a character is always important to a play or novel, and can set the tone for what happens later in the action. Note that you don’t have to talk about the way Proctor is introduced for the entire essay.

    English teachers may quibble that I don’t mention a technique in the topic sentences of each paragraph. This could be fixed by inserting a technique word in the first sentence of each paragraph – for example, for ‘In the courtroom scene …’ work in the word conflict. This would make the topic sentence something like: ‘The playwright’s use of conflict comes to the fore in the courtroom scene.’

    October 20, 2010

    Higher English close reading – quick guide

    In the close reading section of the higher exam paper, you will be given a piece of writing you will not have seen before and asked to answer a set of questions.

    (U) Understanding Questions

    Typical U questions ask you to find out a piece of information from a particular paragraph or line. It may ask you to interpret what the author has said; suggest why they had said it or put it into your own words.

    Context

    Decide on the meaning of in terrorem by the words before it:

    Early one morning the sub-inspector at a police station the other end of the town rang me up on the phone and said that an elephant was ravaging the bazaar. Would I please come and do something about it? I did not know what I could do, but I wanted to see what was happening and I got on to a pony and started out. I took my rifle, an old .44 Winchester and much too small to kill an elephant, but I thought the noise might be useful in terrorem.

    The narrator is going to kill the elephant but his gun is too small. If the noise might be useful ‘in terrorem’ means ‘to scare’.

    Link

    Show how the underlined sentence acts as a link between paragraph 1 and paragraph 2.

    George Orwell said that sport was ‘war minus the shooting’ – presumably before shooting became an Olympic event. Orwell’s famous phrase captures well the passion and hatred that animates the great football rivalries – Rangers and Celtic, Barcelona and Real Madrid, Liverpool and Manchester United. Remove the hostility between these rivals and the sporting contest is diminished.

    For this reason, Spurs fans were not only justified but duty-bound to give Sol Campbell a torrid reception on his return to White Hart Lane in enemy colours. Supporters held up balloons and posters bearing the word ‘Judas’, booed Campbell’s every touch, and pelted Arsenal’s team bus with beer cans and bottles.

    ‘Enemy colours’ refers to paragraph one, which is about people treating sports like a ‘war’. ‘torrid reception’ refers to paragraph two, which is about Sol Campbell returning to White Hart Lane.  The phrase ‘For this reason’ shows that the second paragraph will continue the subject of the first, about fanatical football supporters.

    (A) Analysis Questions

    A questions ask you about the author’s style or techniques, including:

    • Word choice
    • Figures of speech – imagery or sound
    • Sentence Structure

    Word Choice

    Quote words from the text and explain their connotations; show how they might affect the reader.

    The tone of a passage comes from the emotion created by the words. If a paragraph contains the words ‘sunny’, ‘beach’ and ‘laughter’ it will probably have a happy tone. Try entering these words on a Google search and you may get:

    From Sunny Beach, it is a forty-minute cruise by boat to the deserted bay beach of Robinson Crusoe and his Man Friday. The two castaways can be found there, welcoming. Games are held on land and in the water throughout the day, with a free show for children and adults. Expect plenty of laughter and ice-cream.

    Explain how the word choice creates the tone of this passage:

    Sunny Beach was a place where fun and laughter felt out of place. We felt as if we had turned up too early for the party – or too late. For half a year the intended function of Sunny Beach is temporarily out of use.

    The expressions ‘out of place’, ‘too late’ and ‘out of use’ are associated with failure and age, and create a tone of bitterness or sadness.

    Other possible tones:

    ironic – when the writer means the opposite of what they say

    tongue-in-cheek – when irony is used for humour

    satirical – when a writer uses irony and sometimes humour to attack or ridicule something

    argumentative – when the writer is making a serious point

    flippant – when the writer is dismissive or disrespectful of a subject or thing

    effusive – enthusiastic or excited

    Sentence structure

    Show how the author’s use of punctuation; parenthesis; long and short sentences; and list / repetition / climax enable them to get a point across.

    To answer a sentence structure question, explain what the author’s choice of structure emphasises, suggests or implies.

    Comment on the following sentence structure:

    ‘He doesn’t know what to do. He looks around. He’s been seen!’

    The writer uses repetition of the word ‘He’ at the start of each sentence.

    Each sentence is short as it describes the person’s thoughts and actions. This suggests the person is worried and thinking quickly.

    Sentence types

    A sentence can be simple: ‘The boy kicks a ball’

    Or complex: ‘The boy kicks the ball, runs across the pitch, passes, trips, gets back up, charges forward, intercepts, dummies … scores!’

    …this example contains a list…

    A complex sentence often contains a list, repetition or a climax: ‘I came, I saw, I conquered’.

    A sentence may be incomplete: ‘That damn boy!’

    Or contain a parenthesis: ‘The boy (Sid, I think) kicks the ball’ – this adds extra information.

    Or use inversion: ‘The ball was kicked by the boy’.

    You can gain marks by describing how the punctuation works: this sentence has been split up into two halves using a colon.

    Imagery

    An image can be a simile, a metaphor or personification. In each case, something is being compared to something else.

    ‘He was a tiger in battle’

    ‘It was as cold as a polar bear’s nose’

    When answering questions about imagery:

    a)     See / feel: what picture does the image create in your mind?

    b)     Good / bad: Show the associations of the image:

    Is it kind or unkind to compare someone to a tiger? Or both?

    Is the writer trying to make you admire something, feel pity towards it, hate it, fear it, laugh at it?

    Explain how the following image is effective:

    ‘The dwarf with his hands on backwards

    Sat slumped like a half-filler sack’

    The writer uses a metaphor to describe the dwarf’s hands: ‘hands on backwards’. This suggests the dwarf is deformed and makes me feel pity towards him.

    Or …

    A simile is used to describe how the dwarf is sitting: ‘like a half-filled sack’. This shows he could not sit properly.

    And …

    It also suggests he felt sad. The associations of a ‘half-filled sack’ are of something missing, because a sack which is not full might have had something taken from it.

    Sound

    The two common sound effects used by writers are:

    Onomatopoeia: pop, bang, crash etc

    Alliteration: the best buy in beer.

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