Instrument-specific marking guide (IA1): Extended response — reading and defence
(20%)
Criterion: Understanding and analysis of literary texts
Assessment objectives
1.
demonstrate understanding of the selected complex literary text in order to develop a valid
interpretation in the reading
5. analyse , in the reading, how the genre, structure and textual features of the selected complex
literary text support a valid interpretation
The student work has the following characteristics:
Marks
• discerning understanding of the selected complex literary text to develop a discriminating
interpretation in the reading • discerning analysis, in the reading, of the genre, structure and
5
textual features of the selected complex literary text in order to support a discriminating
interpretation.
•
effective understanding of the selected complex literary text to develop an informed interpretation
in the reading
•
4
effective analysis, in the reading, of the genre, structure and textual features of the selected
complex literary text in order to support an informed interpretation.
• adequate understanding of the selected complex literary text to develop a valid interpretation in
the reading • adequate analysis, in the reading, of the genre, structure and textual features of the
3
selected complex literary text in order to support a valid interpretation.
•
superficial understanding of the selected complex literary text to develop a rudimentary
interpretation in the reading
•
2
superficial analysis, in the reading, of how the genre, structure and textual features of the selected
complex literary text support an interpretation.
•
uneven understanding of the selected complex literary text, resulting in a fragmented
interpretation in the reading
•
1
uneven analysis, in the reading, of how the genre, structure and textual features of the selected
complex literary text support an interpretation.
• does not satisfy any of the descriptors above.
0
Criterion: Understanding and application of theories
Assessment objectives
2.
demonstrate understanding of relevant aspects of either the reader-centred or authorcentred theoretical approach in order to generate a reading of the selected complex literary
text and then explore this theorised reading in the defence
3.
demonstrate understanding of the relationships within relevant aspects of either the readercentred or author-centred theoretical approach in order to develop an exploration of the
reading of the selected complex literary text
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4.
apply appropriate aspects of either the reader-centred or author-centred theoretical
approach in order to generate an interpretation of the complex literary text in the reading and
to develop a theorised examination of this reading in the defence
The student work has the following characteristics:
Marks
• discerning understanding of relevant aspects of the reader-centred or author-centred
theoretical approach in order to generate a reading of the selected complex literary text and then
systematically explore this theorised reading in the defence
• discerning understanding of the relationships within relevant aspects of the reader-centred or
6
author-centred theoretical approach in order to develop a systematic exploration of the reading
of the selected complex literary text
• discerning application of appropriate aspects of the reader-centred or author-centred theoretical
approach in order to generate an interpretation of the complex literary text in the reading and to
develop a theorised examination of this reading in the defence.
• effective understanding of relevant aspects of the reader-centred or author-centred theoretical
approach in order to generate a reading of the selected complex literary text and then
systematically explore this theorised reading in the defence
• effective understanding of the relationships within relevant aspects of the reader-centred or
5
author-centred theoretical approach in order to develop a systematic exploration of the reading
of the selected complex literary text
• effective application of appropriate aspects of the reader-centred or author-centred theoretical
approach in order to generate an interpretation of the complex literary text in the reading and to
develop a theorised examination of this reading in the defence.
• adequate understanding of relevant aspects of the reader-centred or author-centred theoretical
approach in order to generate a reading of the selected complex literary text and then explore
this theorised reading in the defence
• adequate understanding of the relationships within relevant aspects of the reader-centred or
3–4
author-centred theoretical approach in order to explore the reading of the selected complex
literary text
• adequate application of appropriate aspects of the reader-centred or author-centred theoretical
approach in order to generate an interpretation of the complex literary text in the reading and to
develop a theorised examination of this reading in the defence.
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• superficial understanding of aspects of the reader-centred or author-centred theoretical
approach in order to generate a reading of the selected complex literary text and then explain
this reading in a simplistic manner in the defence
• superficial understanding of the relationships within aspects of the reader-centred or author-
2
centred theoretical approach in order to develop a simplistic explanation of the reading of the
selected complex literary text
• superficial application of aspects of the reader-centred or author-centred theoretical approach in
order to develop an interpretation of the complex literary text in the reading and then explain this
reading in a simplistic manner in the defence.
•
uneven understanding of aspects of the reader-centred or author-centred theoretical approach,
resulting in a disjointed reading of the selected complex literary text and a partial explanation of
this reading in the defence
•
uneven understanding of the relationships within aspects of the reader-centred or author-centred
1
theoretical approach
•
uneven application of aspects of the reader-centred or author-centred theoretical approach,
resulting in a disjointed interpretation of the selected complex literary text and a partial explanation
of this reading in the defence.
0
• does not satisfy any of the descriptors above.
Criterion: Evaluation and synthesis
Assessment objectives
8.
evaluate , in the defence, those aspects of either the reader-centred or author-centred
approach that were used to explore the reading of the complex literary text
English & Literature Extension 2020
Queensland Curriculum & Assessment Authority
General Senior Syllabus
ISMG v1.1 June 2018
1
9.
evaluate, in the defence, the reading of the selected complex literary text, making explicit
the aspects of the reader-centred or author-centred theoretical approach that underpins it
10. synthesise analysis of the selected complex literary text, the applied reader-centred or
author-centred theoretical approach and resultant interpretation with supporting evidence.
The student work has the following characteristics:
Marks
• discerning evaluation, in the defence, of those aspects of the reader-centred or author-centred theoretical
approach that were used to explore the reading of the complex literary text
• discerning evaluation, in the defence, of the reading of the selected complex literary text, making explicit
5
the aspects of the theoretical approach that underpin it
• discerning synthesis of analysis of the selected complex literary text, the applied theoretical approach and
resultant interpretation with supporting evidence.
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• effective evaluation, in the defence, of those aspects of the reader-centred or author-centred theoretical
approach that were used to explore the reading of the complex literary text
• effective evaluation, in the defence, of the reading of the selected complex literary text, making explicit the
4
aspects of the theoretical approach that underpin it
• effective synthesis of analysis of the selected complex literary text, the applied theoretical approach and
resultant interpretation with supporting evidence.
• adequate evaluation, in the defence, of those aspects of the reader-centred or author-centred theoretical
approach that were used to explore the reading of the complex literary text
• adequate evaluation, in the defence, of the reading of the selected complex literary text, making explicit
3
the aspects of the theoretical approach that underpin it
• adequate synthesis of analysis of the selected complex literary text, the applied theoretical approach and
resultant interpretation with supporting evidence.
• superficial evaluation, in the defence, of those aspects of the reader-centred or authorcentred theoretical approach that were used to explore the reading of the complex literary
text
2
• superficial evaluation, in the defence, of the reading of the selected complex literary text,
explaining the aspects of the theoretical approach that underpin it
• superficial synthesis of analysis of the selected complex literary text, the applied
theoretical approach and resultant interpretation with some supporting evidence.
• uneven evaluation, in the defence, of those aspects of the reader-centred or authorcentred theoretical approach that were used to explore the reading of the complex literary
text
1
• uneven evaluation, in the defence, of the reading of the selected complex literary text,
identifying some aspects of the theoretical approach that underpin it
• uneven synthesis of analysis of the selected complex literary text, the applied theoretical
approach and resultant interpretation with some supporting evidence.
• does not satisfy any of the descriptors above.
0
Criterion: Controlling textual features and conventions
Assessment objectives
6.
use appropriate patterns and conventions of academic genres and communication,
including correct terminology, citation and referencing conventions
7.
use textual features to create a theorised, extended analytical response for an academic
audience
The student work has the following characteristics:
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Marks
Page 4
• discerning use of appropriate patterns and conventions of academic genres
and communication, including correct terminology, citation and referencing
4
conventions
• discerning use of textual features to create a theorised, extended analytical
response for an academic audience.
•
effective use of appropriate patterns and conventions of academic genres and communication,
including correct terminology, citation and referencing conventions
•
3
effective use of textual features to create a theorised, extended analytical response for an academic
audience.
•
suitable use of appropriate patterns and conventions of academic genres and communication,
including correct terminology, citation and referencing conventions
•
2
suitable use of textual features to create a theorised, extended analytical response for an academic
audience.
• uneven use of patterns and conventions of academic genres and
communication, including correct terminology • uneven use of textual
1
features to create a response for an audience.
• does not satisfy any of the descriptors above.
0
English & Literature Extension 2020
Queensland Curriculum & Assessment Authority
General Senior Syllabus
ISMG v1.1 June 2018
2
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The Oval Portrait (1850)
By Edgar Allan Poe
Reader-centred reading and defence of The Oval Portrait by Edgar Allan Poe
By Millie Jaggs
St. Andrews Anglican College
Word Count: 1995
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Contents
Reading……………………………………………………………………...……………..pg.1
Defence…………………………………………………………………………...………..pg.4
References………………………………………………………………………….………pg.9
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Reading
Prior to reading, I held previous knowledge of the circumstances around Poe’s life, and having
read many of Poe’s texts including The Black Cat and The Tell-tale Heart, I possessed a
moderate horizon of expectations regarding the possible context of the story. Hence, my a
priori was that The Oval Portrait would encompass Poe’s habitual disconsolate, gothic tone,
likely exercising a certain style of writing that only his dedicated readers could perceive. I
assumed themes within the story may have included death and psychological horror as Poe’s
stories usually contain. This positioned me to engage with The Oval Portrait in a manner
somewhat shaped by his stylistic tendencies— though not excessively. Poe’s implied reader is
arguably the archetypal gothic horror fanatic; consequently, I associated with the implied
reader as an individual who enjoys unearthing my own interpretation of texts which are
generally ominous. Thus, I was enthused to determine the aesthetic significance of The Oval
Portrait.
The Oval Portrait revolves around a narrator and his servant who seek refuge in a mansion
furnished with various paintings, where the narrator discovers a volume describing each
artwork’s history. As he reads, he realigns his candle, revealing the titular oval-shaped portrait
of a young maiden. Its manuscript tells the story of an artist who became so obsessed with
capturing his wife in a portrait that he neglected her health, while she "smiled on and still on,
uncomplainingly" (pg.2). Once the portrait was complete, the artist looks up and cries, for in
his absorption he failed to notice her death. He exclaims, “this is indeed life itself!” (pg.2).
At the conclusion of my first reading, I was left perplexed by the piece’s outlandish nature.
Though I had correctly identified its genre and style, the plot was not what I had predicted,
cultivating ambiguity that served as an opening for multiple interpretations. I did not
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experience any gaps and silences other than being unable to determine how the story resonated
with me at first. Though I expected a metaphorical meaning, I was yet to discover it. My first
and second readings offered no clear interpretation, thus multiple reads were required to
produce a detailed hermeneutic. Since I was not actively evaluating within these initial
readings, the events of the narrative were purely aesthetic with my attention drawn to sensory
dimensions. Descriptions of “commingled gloom and grandeur which so long frowned among
the Apennines” (pg.1) and “a maiden of rarest beauty... cherishing all things; hating only the
art which was her rival” (pg.2) appealed to my passion for aesthetics, leaving little room for
critical judgement.
I began to piece together my own understanding and hermeneutic during my continued
exploration of the story. Following my third read, my interpretation became evident. It was
decided that I was the implied reader— despite my initial confusion, I enjoyed the narrative’s
uniqueness and theme of devotion, producing an invited reading and placing me in the
interpretive community. I set aside my suspension of disbelief to appropriately embrace the
plot; this was uncomplicated due to my tendency to read aesthetically. I did not commit
intentional or affective fallacy as I did not emotionally or thoughtfully resonate with the story
at first, which allowed fallacy to diffuse before I gained an innate understanding of the text.
The Oval Portrait was perceived as a philosophical exploration of art and devoutness. Devotion
is a key theme; the maiden proved her devotion to the artist by “[sitting] meekly for weeks in
the dark” (pg.2), and the artist proved his devotion to art by “[growing] wild with the ardour of
his work” (pg.2). The narrator himself was also encapsulated by the portrait, scrutinising its
exquisiteness for hours, for “as a thing of art, nothing could be more admirable than the
painting” (pg.1).
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In my final hermeneutic, “life itself” (pg.2) is to appreciate the relationships and motives which
provide individuals with a sense of purpose. The artist's fixation on capturing a life within a
portrait is beautifully artistic in itself, as is the maiden’s subservience and the narrator’s
appreciation of art. Whether it be with a significant other, art, or anything one cherishes, it
prompts a reconsideration of the nature of devotion and its outcomes. The story transcends its
Gothic exterior to become an introspection of the fleeting nature of being and the legacy of
artistic efforts. The Oval Portrait invites readers into a dialogue between text and interpreter,
where interpretation becomes as fundamental to the narrative as the story itself.
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Defence
Immanuel Kant (1787) proposed “a priori” which can be defined as “knowledge that is
absolutely independent of all experience” (Kant, 1787, pg.43). Similarly, Hans Robert Jauss
(1970) theorised "horizon of expectations”, suggesting interpretation is shaped by pre-existing
ideas (Loewen, 2015) as it is “formed by a convention of genre, style, or form… only to destroy
[the text] step by step” (Jauss, 1970, pg.14). Despite my enjoyment of gothic texts, I was
mindful of my a priori and horizon of expectations to limit my hermeneutic. Roland Barthes’
(1967) literary theory within Death of the Author was implemented to counter this. Barthes
states “to give a text an author is to impose a limit on that text” (Barthes, 1967, pg.147). This
reference allowed me to disregard my horizon of expectations and a priori as I realised that
attributing a fixed meaning to a text due to predictions and perceptions of its author limits
interpretation. Though I doubt my a priori and horizon of expectations would have exceedingly
disturbed my reading experience due to The Oval Portrait’s room for interpretation, my reading
was still able to develop without peripheral influence. As a result, my first and second readings
of The Oval Portrait were not guided by a priori or horizon of expectations; perhaps
interpretation took longer for this reason.
I understood that to uphold an unbiased reading, I had to suspend my disbelief. Suspension of
disbelief requires readers to set aside scepticism and accept a text’s fantastical elements
(Cambridge Dictionary, n.d.). In Biographia Literaria (1817), Samuel Taylor Coleridge
argues, “a semblance of truth sufficient to procure for these shadows of imagination that willing
suspension of disbelief for the moment, which constitutes poetic faith” (Coleridge, 1817,
pg.208). Correlating with his statement, while interpreting The Oval Portrait, I was inclined to
accept supernatural elements of the story as symbolic due to my tendency to read aesthetically.
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For instance, when the narrator enters “the chateau into which my valet had ventured to make
forcible entrance… in my desperately wounded condition, to pass a night in the open air”
(pg.1). I was initially confused on how he entered this situation, however my inclination to
immerse myself in texts meant I could automatically suspend disbelief. This allowed me to
consider that there could hypothetically be some truth to the text. The plot of The Oval Portrait
was eccentric, though not to the extent that it was impossible to suspend disbelief.
My eventual response to the text can be attributed to Stanley Fish’s (1980) “interpretive
community” theory. Fish proposes that “the meaning of a text is not a stable entity waiting to
be discovered… Instead, meaning is generated by the interpretive community through
communal practices of interpretation” (Fish, 1980, pg.325). As a typical ‘lover girl’ I
sympathised with the maiden, demonstrated within her being “humble and obedient” to the
artist while “hating only the art which was her rival… which deprived her of the countenance
of her lover” (pg.2). Identifying with the interpretive community allowed me to gain a deeper
comprehension of how the text resonated with me and reach a hermeneutic within such a
mystifying text. Fish rejects the idea that a fixed meaning exists outside of the interpretive
community because meaning is a product of the community's resolutions.
My connection with characters can be explained by Normand Holland’s (1979) “psychological
reader-response” theory in Reading and Identity. Holland expresses, “the key concept [of
interpretation] is identity” (Holland, 1979 pg.1), asserting the significance of one’s own
experiences in the interpretational process (Johnson, 1988, pg.1). I identified with the
psychological reader as I have been in situations before wherein my dedication has gotten the
better of me, therefore I find that my responses to characters are not merely intellectual but
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rooted in life experiences. My inclination to allow devoutness to destructively overcome other
aspects of my life correlates with the maiden “[smiling] on and still on, uncomplainingly,
because she saw that the painter took fervid and burning pleasure in… [depicting] her who so
loved him, yet grew daily more dispirited and weaker” (pg.2). Holland's theory demonstrates
how psychological makeup shapes the interpretative process by acknowledging the influence
of individual experience on engagement with texts, and how characters reflect the complexities
of devotion through the lens of personal history.
The philosophies of invited reading and implied reader are also prominent in my reading. The
implied reader, theorised by Wolfgang Iser (1972), is an individual who “designates a network
of response-inviting structures, which impels [them] to grasp the text” (Iser, 1972, pg.32).
Likewise, proposed by Wayne C Booth (1968), the invited reading is defined as “the author
pouring his own daydreams into dramatic form… and the reader is invited to share the
debauch” (Booth, 1968, pg.84). The absence of gaps and silences can be explained by two
means— the fact that I was at first perplexed on how The Oval Portrait resonated with me and
thus had allowed any other possible misconception to disperse, and my correlation with the
implied reader and invited reading. The text became an immersive journey for me as the
implied reader, where my interpretation was guided by my appreciation of characters and
themes. For instance, when the artist “would not see that the tints which he spread upon the
canvas were drawn from the cheeks of her who sat beside him” (pg.2), I felt for the maiden,
entertaining my enjoyment for aesthetics. This satisfaction allowed me to produce an invited
reading as I took pleasure in the tone of the text, therefore adopting the intended manner of
interpreting it. The concepts of invited reading and implied reader converge, enhancing the
richness of my interpretive experience.
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I adopted a hermeneutic approach by delving into the philosophical themes I identified within
the text. Hans-George Gadamer (1960) proposes in Truth and Method that “understanding is
interpretation, and all interpretation takes place in the medium of [the readers’] language that
allows the object to come into words” (Gadamer, 1960, pg.390), recognising that the meaning
of a text is not fixed but shaped by interactions between reader and text (Szondi et.al, 1978,
pg.17). My interpretation of the story highlights the hermeneutic arc in action; although initially
the story was confusing, a revelation of the central theme emerged as I explored the text. The
catalyst of this was how the artist “became lost in reveries… he would not see that the light
which fell so ghastly in that lone turret withered the health and spirits of his bride…Yet she
smiled on and still on” (pg.2), which assisted me in recognising devotions’ significance in the
text. Gadamer’s belief that “interpretation is a circle closed by the dialectic of question and
answer…achieved through the medium of language” (Gadamer, 1960, pg.391) reinforces that
interpretation of language is not a passive reception of meaning but an active dialogue where
the reader's insights contribute to understanding over time.
In conclusion, these theories combined to form my hermeneutic. It can be reasoned that my
reading experience in terms of literary theory was never negatively affected. Despite the
potential for my a priori, horizon of expectations, and disbelief to occlude my reading, I instead
accepted the invited reading, implied reader, interpretive community, and psychological reader
theories as key concepts in my reading to shape my hermeneutic approach. By automatically
setting aside my preconceived expectations and scepticism as I often do while reading, I
remained receptive to a diverse interpretation. This aided me to engage with the text not as a
fixed narrative but a wholly interactive space; the result was a hermeneutic valuing the richness
of ambition and devoutness. My final hermeneutic recognises the complex motivations
underpinning the human experience, finding aesthetic significance in The Oval Portrait’s
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central theme of devotion. The artists’ and narrators’ fixation on art and the maiden's love for
her husband ascertains that although devotion may sometimes have destructive consequences,
we must appreciate what gives us purpose. This is “life itself” (pg.2).
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References
Barthes, R. (1978). The Death of the Author, Hill & Wang, New York, accessed 8 February
2024 (pg.147)
Booth W.C (1968) The Rhetoric of Fiction, University Press, accessed 16 February 2024
(pg.84)
Edgar Allan Poe (1850), The Oval Portrait, Poe Stories, accessed 1 December 2023.
https://poestories.com/read/ovalportrait
Coleridge S.T (1817) Biographia Literaria, Edinburgh University Press, London, accessed 8
February 2024 (pg.208)
Fish, S. (1972). Is there a Text in This Class? The Authority of Interpretive Communities,
California, accessed 8 February 2024 (pg.325)
Gadamer H.G (1960) Truth and Method, Continuum, accessed 8 February 2024 (pg.390-391)
Holland N (1979) Reading and Identity: A Psychoanalytic Revolution, Palgrave Macmillian,
London, accessed 8 February 2024 (pg.1)
Iser W (1974) The Implied Reader, Johns Hopkins University Press, accessed 8 February
2024 (pg.32)
Jauss, H.R (1970), Toward an Aesthetic of Reception, University of Minnesota Press,
Minneapolis, accessed 8 February 2024 (pg.14)
Johnson N (1988) Reader-Response and the Pathos Principle, University of British
Columbia, accessed 12 February 2024 (pg.1)
Kant, Immanuel (1787), Critique of Pure Reason, Norman Kemp Smith, New York: St.
Martin’s Press, accessed 8 February 2024 (pg.43)
Loewen A (2015) The Horizon of Expectations, Briarpatch, accessed 14 February 2024.
https://briarpatchmagazine.com/articles/view/the-horizon-of-expectations
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Suspension of disbelief (n.d.), Cambridge Dictionary, accessed 12 February 2024.
https://dictionary.cambridge.org/example/english/suspension-of-disbelief
Szondi, P et.al (1978), Introduction to Literary Hermeneutics, New Literary History,
accessed 13 February 2024 (pg.17)
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