Written response to an extended text.
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Analyse how the writer develops a significant
idea or theme in an extended text.
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Courage
Education
Prejudice
Social status
Having sympathy for other’s view points
We fear what we don’t know
Sex defined roles and their limitations
Step one:
choose a main idea or theme the writer developed.
Step two:
Form an argument or case that will drive your essay.
Step three:
Identify how the writer develops this idea and what evidence
you will use to support your argument
Step one:
Courage is a main idea that is developed in TKMB
Step two:
Real courage is often quiet and private, not necessarily obvious and
physical.
Step three:
Harper Lee uses characterisation to develop this concept of real
courage. Evidence:
1. Atticus
2. Mrs Dubose
3. Miss Maudie
4. Jem and Scout.
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Harper Lee’s, “To Kill a Mockingbird” presents many themes and issues
relating to 1930s society in the midst of the great depression. Southern
states were plagued with prejudice, ignorance and social lies. Harper Lee
emphasises the need for courage to fight injustice and provides an
explanation of what true courage is. She reveals through such techniques
as characterisation and symbolism, that real courage is often quiet and
private, not necessarily obvious and physical.
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Goal: To be able to plan essays for NCEA
Level 2 questions.
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Analyse how the writer created impact in one
important section.
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Analyse how the writer influenced you to
think differently about an important idea or
issue.
Step one: what are the key words? What is being asked?
What literary techniques did Harper Lee use to make one scene in the novel
memorable and emphasise it’s importance?
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Step two: identify a scene in the novel that you think is important and
could write about.
The verdict scene in the novel.
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Step three: brainstorm what techniques Harper Lee uses to build
suspense and atmosphere during the verdict scene. (mind map, grid, list
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Step Four: form an argument to drive your essay and identify your
evidence.
Your turn.
Plan an essay for this question, following the
same steps as your previous essay plans.
Refer to your essays aren’t scary worksheets if
necessary.
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Show awareness of the author’s purpose or intentions.
Harper Lee uses the symbol of the mockingbird to illustrate…
Lee uses Atticus as a vehicle to explore this idea of true courage….
Miss Maudie displayed true courage when her house was burnt down…. Lee
emphasises Miss Maudie’s bravery by setting the novel in the depression, where
losing a house would have been financially crippling.
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Fluent and articulate in the expression of ideas.
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Make connections beyond the text.
You could link Scout and her views to ‘kids of today’, make connections to your
own life or the world around you.
Courage needed to defeat dictatorship in North Africa.
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Step one: what are the key words? What is being asked?
Analyse how Harper Lee made characters memorable for you in a text.
Brainstorm which characters you know well and why you remember them.
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Step two: form an argument that will drive your essay.
The most memorable characters in Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird, were
those that displayed true courage.
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Step three: What evidence will you use to support your argument?
Atticus- taking on the case/ symbolism/imagery (mad dog etc.)
Mrs Maudie- house burning down/ symbolism
Mrs Dubose- morphine addiction/ symbolism (camellias)/imagery
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Introduction: state what your argument is. (The most memorable
characters were those…) Define true courage. Briefly outline 3-4 solid
points that you will expand into paragraphs to support your argument.
(Through the use of imagery, behaviour and symbolism, Lee successfully
creates memorable characters that all display true courage.)
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State your main point. Keep it clear and simple.
Give evidence from the text that supports your point. (quote/plot
detail/character behaviour/dialogue, imagery etc. make sure you use
specific and relevant details.
Explain how the evidence supports your main point.
Develop your paragraph by commenting on the author’s intentions and
reinforce your main argument.
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S= Atticus memorable character, shows true courage.
E= addressing the jury (dialogue/ behaviour) and imagery (parallels the
mad dog scene)
E= Atticus standing up to prejudice town, aware of the consequences him
and his family would face- true courage. Parallel with mad dog scene,
one where Atticus also displays courage.
D= develop your paragraph by commenting on the authors intentions or
the wider message. Reinforce your argument at the end of each
paragraph.
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Through imagery Lee creates parallels between the mad dog
scene and the Verdict scene. Lee has done this to emphasise the
courage displayed by Atticus in both scenes and explore this idea
of true courage as being quiet and private. Scout describes
watching her father address the jury as “it was like watching
Atticus walk into the street, raise a rifle to his shoulder and pull the
trigger, but watching all the time knowing that the gun was
empty.” This creates a direct parallel between the two scenes.
Perhaps what is most significant about these two scenes is not
what they have in common, but what distinguishes them from one
another. Atticus’s gun is ‘empty’ in the court scene, symbolising
the hopelessness of his case and reinforcing the courage he
demonstrates while defending Tom Robinson. This memorable
character behaves courageously without the aid of any weapons
and is fully aware of his inevitable defeat.