Close Reading Round-up

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.

Understanding (U) Questions

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.

Analysis (A) Questions

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

1. Word choice
2. Figures of speech – imagery or sound
3. 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.

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!’

1. The writer uses repetition of the word ‘He’ at the start of each sentence.
2. Each sentence is short as it describes the person’s thoughts and actions. This suggests the person is worried and thinking quickly.

Types of sentences

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:

1. What picture does the image create in your mind?
2. Does the writer think the thing being described is good or bad?
   

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.


Words to describe tone

You will almost certainly be asked to identify a writer's tone in an expression from the passage. At least half the time, the answer is 'ironic'.

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

Sound

The two common sound effects used by writers are:

Onomatopoeia: pop, bang, crash etc

Alliteration: the best buy in beer.

Revision

Think you understand? Try:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/scotland/education/bitesize/higher/english/index.shtml

for some useful interactive quizzes th

How To Revise For An English Exam

The Standard Grade, Intermediate and Higher exams are coming up, and the Easter holidays are about to start. Fun fun fun! As a tutor I get quite a lot of calls in this period. Some pupils and parents want a bit of extra help just to make sure they get an English pass, and some are genuinely struggling.

English tutors

You will probably find that most tutors are too busy to take on new pupils at the moment, but you can also check at your local schools and colleges for supported study, especially during the Easter holidays.

Revise for close reading

Some say you can't revise for English, but this isn't true. Make sure you own a copy of the past papers for the exam you are about to take. You will cover most of them in class, but it's worth doing any which are left over. If you have missed any marks, go back and check the answers to find out what you did wrong.

If you've run out of past papers to do, invest in a book. Waterstones and Borders both have some good books including 'Close Reading' by Mary Firth and 'Higher English Revision Notes' by Larry Flanaghan.

Revise for your Standard Grade writing paper

If you're sitting Standard Grade, take a look at the past papers. The most common exam essays will ask you to write one of the following -

• a short story
• an essay on an important issue, such as abortion or capital punishment
• an essay on your favourite hobby or sport, or an ambition you have
• a special memory, including a holiday

The first two options are the hardest. Short stories need to have a twist at the end and are marked very strictly. For the essay on an important issue, you can't be sure that they will ask you a question on capital punishment. You might be asked an unusual essay question such as, is the internet harmful for young people? It's not easy to come up with an essay idea and write it in 1 hour 15 minutes, so it's better to write about yourself and your personal experiences.

The last two types of essay are easier. You can practice writing an essay on a personal experience, a sport or a hobby. When you have written a few examples, show them to your class teacher or email them to me and I can let you know what I think. I'm always nosey about what people are planning to write for their English exam.

Revise for your Higher or Intermediate essay paper

Go over the questions for previous years and see what they have asked. By now you will have completed a couple of essays in class. Now see if you can use your notes and quotes to answer a different exam question. If you have written an essay about the character of Romeo, try writing a question about the theme of love and violence, or an essay about a key scene.

Again, email me and I can give you some advice on the essay you're planning to write in your exam.

Revise online

Visit the Scottish Qualifications Authority site to download past papers:

http://www.sqa.org.uk

BBC Bitesize will give you practice questions and answers with detailed help and advice:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/scotland/education/bitesize/standard/

http://www.bbc.co.uk/scotland/learning/bitesize/higher/

National Qualifications online has many free resources for exams:

http://www.ltscotland.org.uk/nq/

Look for a tutor at:

http://www.aplustutors.co.uk/

Standard Grade English - An Introduction

Standard Grade is due to be replaced in the next couple of years, but this page gives a basic overview of how it is at present.

Standard Grade English is an exam sat by the great majority of Scottish school pupils in S4, when they are around 15 years old. Most pupils study Standard Grade courses over two years.

Some schools offer Intermediate exams instead - this is a level between Standard Grade and the more demanding Higher level. Some schools also run the Standard Grade exams in S3, when pupils are around 14 years old.

The final grade

The pupil is awarded a final grade of between 1 to 7, with 1 being the highest. They levels are divided into Credit (1 and 2), General (3 and 4) and Foundation (5 and 6), with Credit being the most difficult. Grade 7 is for pupils who fail to make the Foundation level.

The Standard Grade Folio

Pupils complete a folio of work which is given a grade by their teacher. It is completed over two years and contains essays and creative writing. This is sent in to the Scottish Qualifications Authority around March, before they sit their exam. The folio counts for one third of their final grade.

The Standard Grade exam

All pupils sit the same writing paper. They are given a choice of essays to write over a time limit. These can be short stories, personal or opinion essays. These are graded from 1 to 7, with 1 being the highest.

Pupils sit different reading papers, depending on their abilities. More able pupils sit the Credit and the General paper. Less able pupils sit the General and the Foundation paper.

When Is It Acceptable To Wear A Niqab? Essay

If you've just happened on this blog - this is an example of a high school essay for a Standard Grade folio or the final exam. It's not necessarily my opinion and I didn't write it. OK, disclaimer over.

Question -

Discuss a controversial issue. Explain the arguments surrounding the issue and give your own opinion.

In the UK there is a growing trend for Muslim woman to wear the traditional niqab. Many people feel that it has become a symbol of separation. Some people even feel intimidated by it because of it’s relationship with terrorism. I think people should be able to express whatever religion they please in whatever way they want. In this essay I will consider the potential problems for woman wearing the niqab in Britain.

Unlike the hajib (literally “covering up” in Arabic), which covers the head and chest of a woman, the niqab (meaning, “full veil”) almost covers the whole body leaving only a small slot for the eyes. Some western people are startled by the niqab and are attentive to it which is ironic as it’s purpose is to detract attention. In a democracy, people have the right to dress the way they like; despite this, women wearing the niqab are still vulnerable to verbal or even physical abuse. This is the case because many ignorant westerners think that fundamentalist religions all support terrorism.

An argument to oppose the wearing of the niqab in Britain is that, western women may be harassed for not wearing it in Muslim countries. Even native women are forced to cover up. This is a reminder of the continued oppression of women in the middle-east. However in the UK all people, men and women alike, have the right to wear what they want without being oppressed by the rest of the population.

The wearing of the niqab made the national news in recent years, when government minister, Jack Straw publicly stated that he would prefer Muslim women not to wear veils that cover their face. He sparked controversy when he asked women in his Blackburn constituency to uncover their face when visiting his surgery. Some women were insulted, some understood his concerns. This shows that there are a variety of opinions among the Muslim community.

There are certain situations where the niqab should definitely not be allowed, such as walking into a bank. Would a garment such as the niqab be thought of as appropriate? It is illegal to cover your face inside a bank; on the other hand, the woman may feel offended if asked to remove her niqab. It is against human rights not to allow someone to express their religion: however if they were allowed into a bank all sorts of robbers would claim to be Muslims for an excuse to not be seen.

Trying to get a job could be difficult too, as there may be a lack of communication between the woman and her colleague! Also if a teacher were a niqab-wearing Muslim, teaching would be very difficult. The ability to socialise with other teachers and staff would also be impaired.

An argument to approve the wearing of the niqab is that The Koran - Islam’s holy book, treated as the literal word of God - tells Muslims, to dress modestly. For women, that has been interpreted as covering everything except their face, hands and feet when in the presence of men they are not related or married to. Another reason is that some women gain respect from their families and community by ‘choosing’ to wear the garment. Women who genuinely want to wear the niqab may feel that it provides modesty and protects them from staring eyes. This point may be taken very offensively by British men. It reduces them to nothing but animals, unable to control themselves in the presence of a beautiful woman.

To conclude, it is apparent that in the UK the niqab is a symbol of separation. Many frown upon it and are even frightened with it’s association with fundamentalism. Should the niqab be illegal? Personally I think the niqab can only be allowed in certain situations, even although Britain is a free country. My opinion is this because it seems to only cause problems within communities; I also think the situation will only get worse with time. At the end of the day, people have rights but they need to exercise common sense.

My Comment

A fourth year essay for Standard Grade. The writer sets out his opinions clearly and structures the essay in a way that makes sense.

Holes Essay

Question -

What factors cause Stanley Yelnats to change in the novel 'Holes'?

In the novel ‘Holes’, by Louis Sachar, Stanley Yelnats is wrongfully accused of stealing baseball sneakers. His family believe they are unlucky with a family curse. Stanley is sent to Camp Green Lake juvenile detention facility, to improve his character. This was something of a relief to Stanley as he had no friends at home and was bullied at school. At the camp conditions are torturous. He endures searing heat and lack of water while having to dig a hole five feet deep and five feet across everyday. He puts up with the harsh treatment but manages to keep his cool. He displays bravery and strength of character towards the boys and the cruel “staff”. Due to this, he ends up getting stronger emotionally and physically; in this essay I will describe the events which make him change.

At the beginning of the novel Stanley is bullied by Derrick Dunne, who is half his size. Even his teachers make nasty comments without even realising it. His father is a failed inventor and Stanley’s great grand father had his fortune stolen from him and then Stanley is accused of stealing shoes when he didn’t. So the Yelnats family curse may not be as farfetched as we initially thought.

Stanley is sent to Camp Green Lake. He suffers from blistered fingers, unbearable heat and significant lack of water. At first Stanley thinks there is a lake surrounded by luscious greenery but his expectations are crushed when he arrives in a dry and hot environment; hell on earth. No lake, and definitely no green. This shows how naïve Stanley is at the beginning of the story.

However, everything changes when Stanley arrives at the camp. Initially Stanley is threatened by the other boys who are violent towards him, especially Armpit, who is meant to guide Stanley around the camp but threw him to the ground when he failed to refer to him as Armpit. Mr Sir, the head of the “councilors”, said he wouldn’t even waste a bullet on him. When Stanley start his first hole he is weak. His “soft fleshy hands” can’t cope with the pressure of the shovel. He begins to think that his shovel is defective, then he realises that he is defective. Then he realises that he is defective. When he finishes his first hole he knows that it is nothing to be proud of but is proud none the less.

Later on in the book the other boys show that they respect Stanley by giving him the nickname “Caveman”. Further on, in chapter 12, Stanley shows that he is not afraid of Mr Pendnaski by mocking him in front of the rest of the boys. Later Stanley finds a gold lipstick tube which, instead of giving it to the warden and getting a day off from digging, he gives to X-ray. By doing this he gains further respect from the boys, X-ray being the most respected of the group. As well as that Stanley shows that he can be can excellent friend by teaching Zero- the quietest of the group- how to read and write.

By the 45th hole, Stanley is stronger both mentally and physically. His body is now coping with the work. He no longer suffers from blistered fingers or lack of water. Now that his best friend Zero has run away, Stanley feels responsible as Zero was digging part of his hole. He isn’t worried Zero is dead, but that he is alive; crawling through the desert, dying of thirst. Stanley again shows his growing confidence by stealing Mr. Sir’s water truck to go in search of his lost friend. Although he drives the truck into a hole and the canteen is empty, Stanley still goes off in search of his friend.

By the end of the novel Stanley is a ‘hero’. He finds Zero and carries his up a mountain, fulfilling the wish of Zero’s great-great-great grandmother, Madame Zeorni. The boys survive on antique spiced peaches and onions. This shows how he has changed from being timid and passive to being someone people can look up to.

I enjoyed the book very much. It was interesting how fate and coincidence were used in the book: for example, Zero turning out to be Hector Zeroni and how the onions helped the boys to be immune to the killer desert lizards. Stanley’s family curse was lifted; he changed from being a weak boy, bullied and defective, to a brave hero; also making a life-long friend in Zero.

My Comment

Written by the same fourth-year pupil who wrote about his holiday. This is a Critical Essay based on a character question. It would be worth a credit grade or a pass for Intermediate 1.

Holiday Essay For Standard Grade

“Good morning, this is your captain speaking.”

I was sitting on the plane ready to go to Toronto with my mum. We’ve been on lots of good holidays but Canada was definitely the most memorable. We planned to see the CN Tower (the tallest building in the world), Niagra Falls and the Air Canada Centre.

Our flight was at lunch time, I prefer travelling at night but that was all that was available. The flight was seven and a half hours: the longest flight I’ve been on in my life. It was really boring. Well, at least we got a free bottle of water.

When we arrived at the hotel I looked out the window to see what kind of view we had; being night time I couldn’t see a thing. The following morning I looked out the window and there in front of the hotel was the CN tower! For breakfast, we went to Yong St, which happens to be longest street in the world. After a breakfast of bagels and coffee, we walked around the city to see where things were and how close they were to our hotel, which was pretty central. We also had a subway close to our front door.

A couple of days in to the holiday we went to see the CN Tower. I was very exited about it. I was especially looking forward to seeing the glass floor; I was even more excited about standing on it! Going up in the elevator took 60 seconds exactly. The ground dropped away beneath us.

We rose up higher than the birds flying in between the buildings. When we got to the main level, I was amazed at how far I could see. There was another level below the main one which had the glass floor. When I stood on it at first I felt a little dizzy when I looked down. The people walking around at the bottom were like tiny dots moving slowly across a piece of paper. After a few minutes I was confident with walking over the glass floor, four hundred and fifty meters above the ground. So we had seen the bar, the restaurant and the glass floor. We were about to go back down when we found that we could go even higher. There was only one lift to carry us to the peak of the building in operation; there were at least a hundred people waiting to get on. It took us twenty minutes to get to the lift but when we did, it was worth the wait. From the top we could see at least twice as far; yet even with binoculars, I still couldn’t see the end of Yong St. Since there was so many people still waiting, we could only go up for ten minutes but even then I enjoyed it.

The next day we went to Niagara falls. We took the bus from the cities main bus terminal and it took us a couple of hours to get there. When we got there the sight was breathtaking. The waves crashed off the rocks at the bottom and the sound was deafening. There was a series of tunnels behind the falls which we went through first. We were only a few meters away from the falling water. We were so close to it that we could even feel the spray.

After the tunnel we went on the Maid Of the Mist which sailed right into the mist of the falls. It was almost impossible to see: I could barely see people who were only five feet away from me. After all that we went for dinner in the town of Niagara. It was like a mini Las Vegas with loads of bright flashing lights and casinos.

On our second last day we went to the Air Canada Centre to see a basketball game. The Toronto Raptors were playing Boston Celtics. Before we went into the stadium there was a place called the ‘fan zone’. There was a eight foot basket ball net there that I was able to dunk into. I thought that was really cool. The game was surprisingly quiet, nothing like a football match. There was also music playing while the game was being played which I thought would be a distraction to the players. Still, in the end Toronto won 89-77.

I thought Canada was a memorable holiday because it is the furthest I have ever been from home. It was also the first time I had ever been outside Europe. Without a doubt going to Canada was my favourite holiday.

My Comment

This would suit either a Standard Grade personal essay or be suitable for the writing section of the final exam. This piece was written by a competent fourth year. It contains a neat structure, nice description and those all-important thoughts and feelings.

Of Mice And Men Essay

Question -


Choose a novel or short story in which there is an obvious climax or turning point (1). Show how the author arrives at the turning point and then discuss the consequences of it for the final outcome of the story. You may wish to mention techniques such as characterisation, structure, description or any other appropriate feature.

(1) In this essay, I discuss a turning point. The climax of ‘Of Mice and Men’ would probably be when George shoots Lennie.


Structure -

1. Introduction
2. Curley’s wife
3. The turning point / description
4. The opening chapter / the character of Lennie
5. Animal imagery
6. The fight with Curley
7. The outcome
8. Conclusion

The turning point of the novel ‘Of Mice and Men’ by John Steinbeck is when Lennie accidentally kills Curley’s wife. [R1] The novel is set in America at the time of the depression. Two migrant workers, [R2] George and Lennie join a ranch to work. Like the other misfits they meet in the novel, they work for low wages while dreaming of a better life. After this turning point their dreams are over and George shoots Lennie out of pity before he can be lynched.

Curley’s wife is lonely and not tolerated by the farm workers, who visit prostitutes rather than having real relationships with women. Her name is not given in the book, showing that people do not really know her. Like Crooks, who is a victim of racism, she is isolated. She seeks out Lennie for friendship, but due to his strength she dies. Therefore the book shows us that people who have a low position in society lead a lonely and short life. The death of Curley’s wife [R3] is the beginning of the end for Lennie and his dream of owning a ranch with George.

The author’s use of description is vital to the turning point[R4] :

She jerked her head sideways and Lennie’s fingers closed on her hair and hung on … She struggled violently under his hands … And then she was still, for Lennie had broke her neck.

It is as though Lennie has no control over his own fingers – they are acting independently of him. Her death happens very quickly, suggesting that life is cheap in the world of the novel.

At the start, the reader is given the impression that Lennie’s strength and low intelligence will lead to tragedy. The writer’s use of word choice helps portray Lennie as an overgrown child at the start of the novel:

Lennie dabbled his big paw in the water and wiggled his fingers so that the water arose in little splashes … ‘Look George, look what I done.’

The fact that ripples in the water amuse Lennie and are seen by him as an achievement helps convey his immaturity to the reader. The use of the word ‘paw’ suggests that he is more like an animal than a man. He clearly loves animals and collects pet mice, but always ends up killing them with his great strength. This also shows his dependency on George, who is almost like a parent.

Animals are used in the novel in several ways. When he and George fantasise about having their own farm, he looks forward to keeping rabbits, showing his kind and gentle nature. Lennie is not the only farm worker who feels close to animals. The death of Candy’s dog makes him join Lennie and George’s scheme. The title ‘Of Mice and Men’ alludes the Robert Burns poem. Like the mouse in the poem, after the death of Curley’s wife, the men’s plan comes to nothing. After the turning point, the men’s ‘best laid schemes’ come to nothing.

The aspirations of ordinary people is the main theme of the novel [R5] and is shown in the scene where Curley attacks Lennie and has his hand crushed:

Curley stepped over to Lennie like a terrier. ‘What the hell you laughin’ at?’

Curley decides to pick a fight with Lennie as he hates people who are bigger than him. Curley is also compared to an animal[R6] – as though he is little better than a savage – but small - dog. He uses violence to make up for the fact none of the other workers respect him. He is a sad character like Crooks and Candy. This incident prepares us for the death of Curley’s wife in chapter five.

[The outcome of the turning point is that George is forced to kill Lennie before the other farm workers get hold of him. The reader is left with a feeling of sadness because George is a friend to Lennie to the end, and does what he has to do. I felt pity for the poor farm workers who have no control over their lives.

In the tragic world of the novel ‘Of Mice And Men’ Steinbeck [R7] uses description and characterisation to prepare us for the turning point in the novel and its pessimistic ending. He uses the story of George and Lennie to make the reader think about the hopes and dreams of ordinary people at the bottom of society.

[R1]Topic sentence, addressing the question.

[R2]Plot summary – a few sentences to give the beginning, middle and end of the story.

[R3]I haven’t mentioned the question yet in the paragraph, so this sentence is to reassure the marker that this discussion of Curley’s wife is relevant to the essay.

[R4]For this essay, I’ll write about the turning point of the novel; then the start; followed by Lennie’s fight with Curley; then a summary of the climax.

[R5]I mention theme in every prose essay. The marker will be interested in what you think the theme is; and it s likely you will get a theme question every year.

[R6]This carries on from the discussion of the novel’s title and animal imagery.

[R7]The most straightforward way of introducing your conclusion is simply to mention the full title of the novel again. I use the phrase ‘tragic world’ as this makes my summing up slightly more stylish.

Church Going Essay Plan

Introduction - ‘Church Going’ by Philip Larkin is an example of a poem …
In this essay, I will show / discuss / describe …

The title of the poem contains a pun …

• Title – ironic, as the speaker only visits churches, without worshipping
• Church’s are ‘Going’, i.e. declining
• Theme – decline of religion

The poet uses a strict rhyme scheme to tackle this subject.

• Form – the orderly thoughts of an average person
• He is able to use colloquial language – an ordinary person thinking about common things:
• ‘Brewed God knows how long.’
• Stanza one sets the tone of this poem.
• Sets the scene – a lack of respect
• ‘some brass and stuff
• Up at the holy end;’ – informal language

Sound effects are important from the start of the poem.

• ‘I step inside, letting the door thud shut.’ Contrasts with the ‘tense, musty, unignorable silence’ of the church.
• The poet speaking makes ‘echoes snigger’ – as though his presence is not welcome.

The main symbol running through the poem is the church itself.

• The church itself is described several ways in the poem:
• ‘this cross of ground’
• ‘this accoutred frowsty barn’
• ‘a special shell’
• ‘serious house on serious earth’
• -give chosen quotes some explanation.

Stanza three shows the poet reflecting on the scene and marks a change in tone for the poem.

• Through the middle and final sections the poem poses questions for the reader.
• Melancholy, thoughtful tone

The final stanza contains a note of mild optimism.

‘all our compulsions meet,
Are recognized, and robed as destinies.
And that much never can be obsolete’

- in a higher register than at the start

Conclusion – Therefore I would argue that ‘Church Going’ …

African Beggar Essay

Question – Give an account of a poem you have read and show how the poet conveys his ideas.

‘African Beggar’ is a descriptive poem written successfully by Raymond Tong. It is a poem which paints a picture clearly in words of a poverty-stricken, native beggar.

Throughout the poem Tong uses many different techniques to portray images and to control the readers’ feelings towards the beggar. The first two lines of the poem cause the reader to feel sorry for the beggar. This emotion can be sensed greatly from the first word of the poem ‘sprawled’. The simple use of this word illustrates that the beggar is lying on the ground, his limbs stretched out awkwardly because he is unable to hold himself. Though, the word also suggests that the beggar is tired and frail as a result of the lack of water and food he is receiving. He has no energy or strength left, and has become lifeless.

The beggar is also described as a ‘target for small children, dogs and flies’. This cleverly used metaphor can either attack or defend the beggar, yet I believe there are more aspects of this quote which upholds him competently. The word ‘target’ gives the impression that he is helpless and he has no energy left to prevent the situation from occurring. He is so weak that even ‘small children’ are able to annoy and ridicule him. ‘Dogs’ are urinating on him which make him seem inanimate and unimportant and ‘flies’ are also attracted to him because he is unclean. As a result of this they are feeding on his rotting flesh.

He is also referred to as a ‘heap’ which implies that he is nothing more than a pile of skin and bones, and that he has no feelings. Again he is being considered as if non-living. This further adds to the readers’ understanding towards the beggar. For these reasons the reader empathises for the beggar as no individual should have to live such a life.


However, Tong then changes the direction of the poem by repelling the reader from the beggar. He does this skillfully by using more effective techniques and by the use of proficient words. The beggar is described to the reader as if insanitary and dangerous. He is looked upon as having ‘verminous rags and matted hair’. This efficient metaphor makes the reader assume that the beggar has a disease of some type, which he may spread. The word ‘rags’ suggests he is wearing clothes which are old and tattered, as he has no money to buy any new ones. His ‘matted hair’ simply indicates that the beggar has not been able to have a wash for a long period.

Tong also describes the beggar as having a ‘noseless smallpoxed face’. This quote portrays his ugliness, and confirms the readers’ assumption of him having a disease. So, the reader feels more aversion towards the beggar. Nevertheless, Tong doesn’t stop there. He continues to ward off the reader by describing his face as being ‘creased in a sneer’. The use of negative language in this extract, and the use of the word ‘sneer’ shows the beggar’s contempt towards other individuals. Though the beggar may only have this contempt to those who are not helping him, the reader interprets it as if he is ungrateful to all.

The image of the beggar’s ugliness continues into the second stanza: ‘yellow stumps of teeth’, which suggests his teeth are discoloured and rotting. Tong then smartly uses a complex metaphor to examine this image. He generalises his ideas by describing the beggar as a ‘grotesque mask of death’. This thick-skinned excerpt continues the presumption that the beggar is not attractive to look at and that he has not long to live because of his condition, so he is virtually dead.

Tong also uses a very intelligent method of imagery to effortlessly make a comparison of the beggar. This can be described as animal imagery. This allows the reader to easily visualize the beggar. His ‘cunning reptile eyes’ is a metaphorical example of this type of imagery. Again there is a use of negative language which drives the reader further away from the beggar. The word ‘cunning’ also shows the ingenious deceit that the beggar has towards the people who are disregarding him.

Another example of the animal imagery used is ‘whines’. This word is used to describe the pain the beggar is feeling. It realistically describes both his emotions and the true torture he is feeling because of the lack of water and food he is obtaining. It also expresses clearly the way in which the beggar is creating this sound.

‘Hands like claws’ is a further simile which is also used in this style of imagery. It represents that the beggar has narrow, skeletal fingers which may be a result of being undernourished. However, this particular example is not interoperated like this. When evaluating this quote the reader understands it to be a negative feature on the beggar’s behalf.

In the third stanza of the poem Tong changes the path of the poem yet again. For a second time he decides to change the reader’s perception of the beggar by the use of word selection and technique. The discouraged emotion begins to disappear within the first line of the third stanza, and is replaced with a sympathetic feeling. The reader starts to comprehend the true emotions of the beggar and the following quote ‘lying all alone’ confirms that the beggar is lonely and isolated from everyone else, as well as frail.

Another well written metaphor is ‘trackless jungle of his pain’. This creates a sense of confusion and emphasises the amount of pain the beggar is in. The word ‘lost’ is used just before this quotation and I feel that it shows that there is no escape for the beggar.

I believe that the word ‘shadow’ shows the darkness of the beggar’s existence, and proves the unimportance of him. This quote goes on by saying that he is in the shadow of a ‘crumbling wall’. This is a very witty metaphor as it does not only raise knowledge of the decaying of the area, but it also refers to the decaying of the beggar himself.

There is also a sense of desperation from the beggar as he is ‘clutching the pitiless red earth in vain’. The reader can feel the true despair of the beggar. There is also personification in this extract. It generalises the feelings of all the population in the way that the beggar feels they see him. He believes that no-one feels sorry for him or wants to help him. However, as unsuccessful as he is, he doesn’t give up begging as it is his last hope of survival.

The last line of the poem uses a simile to clearly conclude the feelings of the beggar. He is described as ‘whimpering like a stricken animal’, which continues the animal imagery used before in a more positive way. It seems as if the beggar has been afflicted by this experience. It has made him feel genuine pain and grief. This is because he feels unloved and insignificant in a world were he is looked upon as worthless. The last stanza of the poem creates an uneasy atmosphere, as the reader is exposed to the true horrors of being a beggar.

Topic sentences and quotes - how to write an English essay which will pass

When you write an essay on a novel or a play, you can pick up marks and help make sure you pass by using strong topic sentences and good quotes.

Topic sentences

As a tutor I see a lot of essays. I used to sit down and read the whole thing but these days I usually go straight to the first sentence of the first paragraph. Although I usually try to read the essay in full, this is the bit which attracts my attention as it often tells me whether the essay should pass or fail.

The first sentence of a paragraph is the topic sentence - it tells the person marking your essay what this paragraph will be about.

Essay question -

Choose a play involving an important theme. Show how the playwrite explores this theme using characters, key scene, symbolism or any other important feature.

Topic sentence -

The theme of love and violence is explored in the key scene when Romeo first meets Juliet in act 1, scene 5.

Right away, the marker knows this paragraph is relevant to the question -

1. it uses the word 'theme', which was in the essay question;
2. it directs the marker to one particular part of the play;
3. it uses the expression 'key scene' - this is a technique.

For a Shakespeare play, it looks better to include the act and scene you are talking about. This might not be essential for every novel or play you study.

The next paragraph might start wih the following topic sentence -

The romantic theme is introduced in the first scene of the play: Romeo misses the street brawl because he is pining over Rosalind.

Instead of 'love' I use the word 'romantic' for a bit of variety. I direct the marker to the very start of the play, and I bring in the technique of characterization. I didn't use the word characterization although I could use this in the next sentence.

Quotes

You can't pass an essay without using quotes effectively. They are the next thing I look for in an essay after the topic sentence.

Introduce your quote with -

1. who said it
2. who they said it to
3. when this happens in the story

For example, this is the quote I would use for when Romeo meets Juliet -

She doth teach the torches to burn bright

This is the way I would introduce the quote -

The theme of love and violence is explored in the key scene when Romeo first meets Juliet in act 1, scene 5. At his first sight of Juliet, Romeo seems to fall in love -

She doth teach the torches to burn bright

This hyperbole helps emphasise that Romeo is a dreamy romantic. It raises the tension in this scene because the audience will want to find out what happens next. It also suggests probably behave in a reckless way after they meet. I would therefore argue that love and violence are inextricably linked to one another in the play.

After the quote comes my analysis - I explain what this line adds to the scene.

At the end of this paragraph, I added a sentence about the theme. This reminds the marker of the essay question I am answering. I have also used a clever-sounding phrase, 'inextricably linked' which I can use in any 'Romeo and Juliet' essay.