Sample Responding questions Condition: two texts - you Concept: generic Command: ‘must refer totwotexts, Command: show how features ~ textual compare ~ identity nt just one. You will not —_— give information, features that the similarities receive extra marks for provide examples or relate specifically and/or differences, including a third text, iltuste tothe text's genre * ‘Compare two texts to their} have been adapted to engage parlichlar i ‘. Critica: adapted ~" ——criical‘engege Critica: particular Concept: eudience — altered or modifed = attract and hold specie rather than the sroup of readers, to suit the attention of. General, audiences. listeners or viewers that the producer of the text is addressing. Concept: voice ~ the nature of the voice(s) projected in a text Command: discuss Critica: construction by an author; the personae, how ~ identity the = creation and roles or characters adopted workings of development or included by a writer Discuss how the COnstHctION of a text you have studied contributed to of its Condition: a text you have Concept: perspectives) ‘Concept: understanding Studied = you may rete to = the postions) from ~ your interpretation, any one tent you Fave studied, which things may be appreciation or inference viewed or considered insight YEAR 12 ENGLISH: WESTERN AUSTRALIA =} = ES 3 2 = 5 = = = z a s S ES = Ps “= BA Ba S s FA FsRing Taking it further: understanding command words Questions will use different command words for a reason - they require slightly different responses. Being aware of the precise nature of what a question is asking you to do can help you plan a more effective approach. Some of the more common command words used in English are explained in the table below, F Account for ! Give reasons for something Account for the differences in two audiences’ responses toa text | entity and explain the function of component parts of a text, representation, E perspective ete analyse in Text! shaped your interpretation ofthe character Sompare Show how things are similar and/or different £ Compare how texts work to represent the same idea or concept Consider: Reflect on and make a judgement about, | Consider how a text you have studied might cholenge the expectations an audience hos of Discuss! Examine the various aspe cls ofa topic Discuss how your context influenced your response tothe atitudes represented in one text Evaluate; Provide a judgement about something or appraise it carefully. Evaluate the extent to which your understanding of one text was influenced by your experience of another. Explain Identiy the why or how of something, £ Explain how a text you have sti ied subverts or challenges the conventions ofits gence. Explore investigate by show / Show how re the relationship between voice and perspective in one text. Nlusteate through examples. ‘Show how certain values are promoted through the construction of cheracter in Text 3. Phactise breaking down queations Annotate the following examples to develop your skils al deconstructing questions Use the examples on the previous two pages as models, 1 Explain how language features shaped your understanding of the character in Text 1. Analyse the role of symbolism in Text 2 ‘Show how the voice used in Text 3 reveals particular attitudes, Discuss how your personal context has influenced your response to the perspectives evident in a text you have studied 5 Explain how at least one text has blended features of different genres for a particular purpose or effect. & Compare how two texts of different modes use textual features to represent a similar idea,cia Word bank for constructing a thesis ‘When constructing a thesis, you should avoid bland phrases such as ‘The writer says ...’ Instead, experiment using the following verbs to create precision or emphasis. For identifying # accentuates ‘champions proposes | theme de or oa i. : eee ee akan oes “recmionds byte et vactes tndorses serge toe rages "pelde Foridenine attacks Tengen seme Wea or ene | iewpon reectea Sondemes amigas : | breton contradicts ciepue ree counters impugne reps F criticises E mocks F undermines i 5 ‘or identifying conveys illuminates | shows jewpen rate |CEENSUAeS | mie siete the te cere diss signifies explores E reveals signposts Create and refine a thesis statement 4 Using one of the questions you deconstructed (broke down) in the previous activity (page 98), write a clear thesis statement that summarises your position. Experiment with rearranging your thesis statement, as in the exemples on page 100, Until you reach a version that is clear and concise, yet addresses all aspects of the question. Rewrite your thesis using different verbs from the table above to add variety and nuance to your contention, WESTERN AUSTRALIA 101Explore how voice works within at least one text to represent a particular context. CUS Chasing Asylum: 2016 documentary by Eva Orner. Cae nrc es Sire eon eeu) Seen ce Voices of various aid workers. Context of asylum seeker detention centres on Manus and Nauru. Represented as contentious, shameful and horrifying, Eva Orner incorporates a variety of voices, including those of detainees, aid workers and politicians, to represent the context of Australia's offshore detention centres for asylum seekers as shameful and horrifying, ‘and contentious in modern Austral = 5 3 Ey = 5 = = = 2 = Sf 5 Fy = = Fs 3 b=] Ps SI a 8 Ce Tae uC Cera Coenen Use of emotive, desperate voices of detainees, exposed through hidden camera footage, creates sympathy and reveals their terrible conditions and abuses. nara errs Se ua Horrified and articulate voices of aid workers ot cuc) in interviews and hidden camera footage i reveal their dismay that such conditions exist eee ee in modern Australian detention centres, ete Poon ‘The aggressive and callous voices of certain politicians, justifying detention in offshore centres, reveal the contentious nature of the policy in modern Australia, . Start with construction of politicians’ aggressive fet thetoric 1 reveal the context of Manus and Nauru é detention centres, and their contentious nature. * List from (e.g,) least to eae 2. Follow with detainees’ voices, with their start to end of text. desperate tone and simple diction that creates Seer ear viewer sympathy. er aes 3. Conclude with the educated, calm yet horrified NTL LEE voices of aid workers in scripted interviews, to Se Nee suggest the detention centre context is horrifying (a! and shameful in modern Austral Pee Lee rl DOOR TCL? Cetra ney insight YEAR 12 ENGLISH WESTERN AUSTRALIA 108Comparative responses The syllabus requires you to develop your understanding of how a text works through comparisons with other texts, such as comparing their use of textual features, their perspectives or their representations of people or ideas. A comparative response requires a different approach from an essay focusing on a single text. Structuring a comparative response There are three main models for writing a comparative essay: the block approach, the alternating approach and the integrated approach. You might find that one of these works better for you than others, or that a particular structure works best for a given essay question. Whichever approach you use, aim to write at least four or five body paragraphs. This will ensure you have space to develop your argument in relation to each text, using textual evidence to support your assertions, as well as to directly compare the two texts. If you struggle to write this much in a timed situation, you may wish to consider the integrated approach. The three models are explained below and shown graphically in the table opposite. Block approach Using the block approach, you discuss the two texts separately. As you introduce your second text, you use comparative language to draw attention to the key points of similarity to and/or difference from your first text. You may include an additional paragraph that then evaluates these points of comparison, before you offer your conclusion. Alternating approach Taking the alternating approach, you alternate between your two texts, sequencing your paragraphs in terms of points of similarity or difference that you wish to highlight. Comparative language is used to signpost whether each new point represents a similarity or a difference between the texts. Integrated approach In an integrated essay structure, comparison of the two texts occurs in each paragraph throughout the essay. Each body paragraph focuses on an aspect of the main theme or issue in the given question. This can be a good approach for timed essays, as comparison begins in the very frst paragraph# Introduction ? + Engage with the question and its Key concept. + Introduce both texts by ttl, author and form. {+ Foreshadow main points of similarity and diference | BLOCK ALTERNATING Text 1 deat INTEGRATED Paragraph 1 | Text, idea } Text 1& 2 idea! E+ Explain first point of discussion. + Explain fst point of discussion. + Explain frst point of similarity / difference between the two texts, Paragraph 2 | Text i, ides 2 Text ideo Text 182. idea 2 | + Explain second pint of £ « Explainhow Text 2is = + Explain second point of discussion. ar I. lar [citferent. similarity /aitference ae between the two texts. Paragraph 3 Text, idea 2 Text 1& 2, idea 3 + Explain frst point Of similarity to / difference {rom Text 1 + Explain second point of discussion. i + Explain third point of similarity / difference between the two texts Paragraph 4 Tex! 2, idea 2 Text 2, dea 2 Tent 1&2, idea 4 + Explain fourth point of similarity / difference ‘+ Explain how Toxt 2 is + Explain secand point it similar / different, ‘of similarity 1 / + Reiterate thesis or central argument, F Conclusion + Evaluate the extent of similarity / difference between the texts, + Offer one or two implications arising from the comparison EEN once te Hopoiden an re nresy Below are two examples of comparative writing. Both compare the feature films The Proposition (2005) and The Dressmaker (2015) in terms of the generic features of the western they exhibit. The first example uses the alternating approach. The topic sentence : 1s highlights @ clear difference ‘Modern westerns typically feature between the texts. masculine, morally ambiguous heroes: outlaws who have a sympathetic or human side. As a member of an outlaw gang, Charlie Burns (Guy Pearce) conforms to this archetype. He is silent and grim, using violence to communicate. This is evident in the scene where he meets Jellon Lamb (John Hurt). The scene is shot in a dark cottage, with Burns’ face only halflit by a narrow window, symbolising his moral ambiguity. His clothes are plain and dark, and he wears a wide-brimmed hat that keeps his face in shadow. While Lamb rambles through a two- minute monologue, Burns remains still and silent, until he points his gun at Lamb's forehead and coldly says, ‘One more crack about the Irish, Mr Lamb, and I'll shoot you. Am I clear?’ ‘This suggests that he insight YEAR 12 ENGLISH: WESTERN AUSTRALIA a= oS Es z a = i > ES = =| J Pt rg a nm a xz =} m4 a ra 19The paragraph : eee However, we learn that Burns has actually focuses on aaysing left the gang, disgusted by the brutality of its leader his older brother, dete ie sition Arthur. As he himself is a violent character, this suggests a conflicted to the frst text or divided nature. Thus, Burns conforms to the Guede aeaiie who lives by violence and focuses on the same point ~ gender ~ but ae in relation to the : ‘on the other hand, features an unlikely hero in Tilly second tex has a questionable moral code. ‘Dunnage (Kate Winslet), a glamorous dressmaker who returns to her ‘ileal ness) home town to seek revenge on those who falsely accused her of murder between the texts is years earlier. SifhilaAly 08 BUBAS) Dunnage is introduced in darkness; her poy alas face is hidden in shadows until the camera tilts up to reveal her elegant ‘make-up beneath a broad-brimmed hat. Her black-and-white outfit, ‘Adds complesity by as well as the shadows that bisect her face, suggest a moral ambiguity indicating a degree of similarity between Similar to Bums’. However, Dunnage subverts the stereotypical western 4 ‘anaauananans protagonist not only in being female, but also in the fact that fashion, rather than a gun, is her weapon of choice. This is alluded to in the After indicating the shares ures ofihe we introductory scene, with a close-up of the Singer sewing machine brand oe on Dunnage’s bag. Dunnage makes elaborate dresses for the town's ‘women, setting them against each other as an act of revenge. Despite The final sentence on ‘comparison between the texts The second example below uses the integrated approach. Identifies a point of comparison between «. the two texts, Indicates initial similarities, before signposting more complex differences, as the cinematography represents Moorhouse setting to suggest the unsophistication of the town’s Eeeeaeen poet on inhabitants. Rusting iron roofs, dirt streets and stunted trees are symbolic of the crude and ignorant inhabitants. In addition, the drab olive and brown palette contrasts with Dunnage, whose red-carpet Clearly signposts the Pred he acid glamour is at odds with the rustic environment. However, the focus is the two texts .., __ often on people's houses, and their derelict nature reflects the moral ™... bankruptcy of those who blamed Dunnage for murder as a child. {8} Halfway through, the RBBB tie landscape in The Proposition plays a more active role in the eae film. There are many sweeping wide shots of an unending desert: rocky the second texhills and plains baling under an oppressive sun. The constant buzz of fies irritates the ear. Shot in rich reds and yellows, the landscape appears vast and brutal, unnerving the viewer. The impact of the landscape is particularly revealed in the instances where Burns is filmed silhouetted against a huge red setting sun, which draws attention to the impact of the brutal environment upon his character. The final sentence the comparison between the two texts Writing about similarities and differences The following word bank contains a core set of terms for discussing similarities and j differences. They will help you to make clear connections between texts and to explain the nature of those connections. Using these and similar terms throughout your essay will also enhance the coherence and fluency of your writing, Itis rare that you will find two texts working in identical ways. Conceding that your texts are similar omly to a degree can be a way of offering a more nuanced comparison 4 Words and phrases a similar idea is, also, both, equally, in the seme way, ust, in expressing similarity | comparison, so '00, likewise, similarly Words end phrases: conversely, however, in a different way, in contrast, in contradistinction expressing difference on the other hand, alternatively, whereas. Words and phrases to a degree, although, however. even though, despite this, in epite of [expressing concession | nevertheless, yet, somewhat, to an extent Using textual evidence Providing textual evidence is essential to any analytical essay. You must include clear, well-explained examples to support each point you make. Wherever possible, use specific quotations from the text or, in the case of visual or multimodal texts, clear descriptions of specific textual features. * Choose the best example: use the most appropriate piece of evidence to support your point. You have a whole text to choose from! Use only what you need: a shorter quote that directly relates to your point is better than quoting extensively and hoping that the marker can see a connection. Include (at least) one significant quote in each paragraph, as the main piece of evidence to support your point. * Use shorter secondary quotes to strengthen your point. Incorporate quotes into your own sentences, rather than having them stand alone. insight YEAR 72 ENGLISH: WESTERN AUSTRALIA a'f you wish to include a longer quote of more than three lines, itcan stand alone; the convention isto star a long quote on a new line and indent the whole quote. Explain your evidence. Why have you included it? What does it show? What are its effects? No evidence is self-explanatory; never leave your reader to draw their ‘own conclusions. Remember that quotes rarely ‘prove’ anything; you can only ever offer an interpretation of the evidence. Therefore, quotes imply, reveal, suggest, make evident, can be read as, demonstrate, indicate, challenge, influence, reinforce EIS evidence trom Get out ana the Altar of the Family’ The following examples ilustrate ways of incorporating evidence from different text ‘pes, using the horror fm Get Out, written and directed by Jordan Peele, and Michael Wilding’s short story ‘The Altar of the Family’ as the two texts Multimodal language features are used to provide a perspective on opacnvia race relations within one particular scene in Get Out. At the family dialogue, synthesised home of his white girlfriend, Chris is asked in atone of ignorant Bucent sores «curiosity i EOE can American experience is more ofan advantage oF disadvantage in the modern world’. The Clearly descrites focusing attention on the awkward question and idence that cannot be quoted directly, such as stunned response. the sudden silence or references to camera work te hear his answer, This shot symbolises Chris as belonging to @ racial minority, one that is scrutinised or even threatened by the Analyses each piece evssesee of evidence Powerful white majority. Chris’ discomfort is revealed with a dlose-up “The institutional acim in the town tnguge cares Has already been made evident eater in references othe fim's = 0 the question sounds naive even to ot also add evidence : eee see the viewer. But the ques Ameri language to construct a perspective that is empathetic to the struggles of African American people in the United States,Directly quotes the text, synthesised In “The Altar of the Family’, oxic masculinity is represented through ito the grammar the character of David's father. He is constructed as domineering and _* °! he students harshly critical of his son, who feels unable to conform to his father's lal. David is called HYSIVERAIPOOREY for being a amma) sh You shouts grown boy playing with [his sister's} dolls’, an activity at odds with much a8 possible, his father’s belief that he should be outside playitig cricket. David! ne actions are considered cowardly and effeminate: crimes against by adding words in square brackets masculin ‘masculinity in his father’s eyes. Wilding's [OReaTeHUIEES, using words Metalanguage is '© used in the analysis of evidence. response to David, highlight a scornful attitude that sees a =} ed rs a > ES > FS Fs s 5 Pt = az nm ey ef o = a m sensitivity as unmanly. As a child, David is particularly affected by his “=, Short quotes can father’s prejudices, and attempts to atone for his perceived weakness by“ eee shooting a possum. However, he fails to kill the animal and is {mmBy) Where appropri E ‘his tininahily incompetence, running away in distress, Thus the charac 7 Unnecessary words of David's father highlights the toxic effects of stereotypical masculinity, an be aubstuied with an ellipsis, as long as the integrity of the quote is preserved, suggesting it creates a narrow and brutal definition of manhood. Taking it further: using secondary sources While the English course typically requires you to offer your own interpretation of a text, you may find it helpful at times to include secondary sources to support your argument. These might come from reviews or articles about your text, or from other texts on similar topics. When quoting secondary sources, you should include the year and, if possible, the page reference for the source of the quote. In a take-home essay, you should provide a bibliography with the details of your references. MEEIUIEED tsi secondary sources The following examples demonstrate how to incorporate references to secondary sources. ‘The characterisation of Lara Croft in the 2018 reboot starring Alicia Vikander offers a less sexualised representation of the heroine. As Helen Kennedy (2018) notes, Vikander’s Croft is more of an ‘active, tomboyish heroine’ than the original film starring Angelina Jolie. In An Inconvenient Truth, Al Gore states that ‘due to declining rainfall and ever: ig human use’, Lake Chad has shrunk ‘to one-twentieth of its original size’ However, Gore's environmentalist perspective oversimplifies the science. Kare Fog (2004) argues that the shrinking of Lake Chad is ‘caused by several factors working in concert’, most of which are to do with agricultural mismanagement rather than climate change. insight YEAR 2 ENGLISH: WESTERN AUSTRALIA 123