Year 11 ST JAMES COLLEGE Term 3 2013
The Spare Room
Exam Preparation and Draft Name: ______
Instructions:
Write a draft for the essay you will write for your assessment in exam block. Below is an outline of an essay you may find helpful. Complete the paragraphs using your notes from throughout the term and your understanding of the novel as discussed in class.
Example Topic:
Kathryn Lomer has used a variety of narrative techniques to position the audience to feel sympathy towards Akira and the Moffat family? There are four in particular you need to be able to explain and give examples of for your essay in exam week. These are:1. Construction of sympathetic characters
2. Themes
3. Style of writing
4. Structure
Reminder before you start!!!
1. Paragraph Structure – T.E.E.L use this structure in each of your paragraphs
Topic sentence / Tells the topic or the main idea of the paragraphExplanation/elaboration / Develop the topic further, explaining your ideas
Examples / Quotes taken from the text to support your ideas
Linking sentence / Summarises the paragraph, adds a final comment, links the supporting sentences to the overall thesis
2. WRITING TIPS
DO / DON’TUse conjunctions to link your sentences and paragraphs / use first person pronoun “I”. This is not appropriate in analytical essays.
Use third person “he”, “she”, “it” or “the author” … / make your sentences too long – 3 lines is about as long as one sentence should be and that should have some “,” (commas) or joining words in it
Use adjectives and adverbs to make your text more readable, e.g. successful, successfully, effective, effectively, brilliant, brilliantly etc. / Forget to read over your work and check your punctuation, spelling and grammar before handing it in!
SAMPLE ESSAY STRUCTURE
As you write your draft on the next page, shade in each of the dot points to ensure you have followed the required structure.
Introduction
o Briefly introduce the novel
o Outline what you will be analysing in your essay (your thesis), e.g. if the task requires you to consider the invited reading of the novel you will need to say what the reading is.
o Mention how the author has constructed the novel (the techniques used)
o Paragraph 1
o Topic sentence - discuss the first technique
o Explanation of the topic
o Examples from the novel
o Linking sentence that links your analysis to the question
o Paragraph 2
o Topic sentence - discuss the second technique
o Explanation of the topic
o Examples from the novel
o Linking sentence that links your analysis to the question
o Paragraph 3
o Topic sentence - discuss the third technique
o Explanation of the topic
o Examples from the novel
o Linking sentence that links your analysis to the question
o Paragraph 4
o Topic sentence - discuss the first technique
o Explanation of the topic
o Examples from the novel
o Linking sentence that links your analysis to the question
Conclusion
o Summarize your analysis
o Mention your thesis again
o Outline the techniques used by the author
NOTE: You do not have to follow this exact structure – it is only an example to help get you started writing.
The Spare Room Draft Essay
Intro:
The experiences of a young man’s journey to Australia, as an international student, are the focus of the novel called “The Spare Room”. Written by ______and published in ______, this novel allows the reader to gain an understanding of
______
______.
Lomer uses a variety of narrative techniques to achieve this including ______
______
______
Body:
By constructing sympathetic characters throughout the novel, Lomer allows the reader to relate to their experiences and become emotionally involved with the novel. As readers we are positioned to understand and feel for the main protagonist, Akira because of the challenges he is facing. From the opening lines of the book he is presented as a likeable person as he talks about things most of us have experienced before.______
______
Another character we are positioned to understand and feel for is Alex . ______
Furthermore we are positioned to feel sorry for Angie who is…
______
Another narrative technique used by Lomer to position the audience to feel sympathy for Akira and the Moffat family is the use of themes. ______
______
Moreover, the structure of the novel positions the reader to feel sympathetic towards Akira and the Moffat family. ______
Lastly, the style of the novel positions the reader to feel sympathy towards Akira.
______
Conclusion
______