4/14/13
• Bellwork:
• On the top of page 118,
brainstorm about the
four plays . Make a list
of ideas that each play
is concerned with.
• Example: Broken
Calabash - tradition vs.
modernity
• Agenda:
– 1)bellwork
– 2) paper 2 prep page 119
– 3) Study Activity Themes
Advice for the Paper 2 essay (Drama
compare/contrast)
• 1) Look carefully at the questions.
– Attack the prompts by identifying all the key terms in a
question.
– Define any ambiguous words to make clear to examiner
what YOU mean.
– If a question asks you two things, like to consider a specific
literary feature and its effect, then you must talk about
BOTH.
• EXAMPLE: ‘How have the authors of the texts that you have
studied presented characters who are outsiders or alienated from
society in the texts you have studied and what does this reveal
about the authors main themes or concerns?’ In order to do well
you will have to answer both the ‘How’ and ‘What’ parts of the
question
– If you can’t do that, pick another question.   
Advice for paper 2
• 2) Choose your texts wisely
– Remember, the questions are general, so you
need to apply the works you studied to them. You
have to narrow your focus of these questions so
that TWO of the FOUR texts are addressed.
– Brainstorm for each question and for each text.
How many examples from each text can you think
of for each question?
– Then, you can narrow down your choices and
develop the essay.
Advice for paper 2
• 3) Develop points/thesis
– After brainstorming, you should have A LOT of
material and examples. Decide on your thesis or point
you will argue in your essay.
• EXAMPLE: “Do actions speak louder than words? Discuss this
statement with reference to the how actions or dialogue are
used to convey themes in two of the texts that you have
studied.’
• Your thesis might be  You might answer “actions are more
significant in conveying theme in ‘A Streetcar Named Desire’,
but dialogue is of greater significance in The Crucible.”
Advice for paper 2
• 4) Introduction:
– A good introduction will make clear the thesis that
you are going to argue and the order in which you
will make them. This will help you structure your
essay clearly by letting the examiner know what to
expect.
– A brief ‘taste’ of your two or three main points will
be enough because you will go on to develop
those points in detail in the rest of your essay.
Advice for paper 2
• 5) The ESSAY!
– Prove your thesis by giving an example of each assertion or
point you make. (REMEMBER P.E.A.)
– Be sure to address the question and show detailed
knowledge of the text and comment on as many literary
features as possible to assist in answering the question.
– Do not make gross generalizations. Be specific.
– No two writers are the same and no two plays are the
same. Even if both plays allows you to respond to a
question in a similar manner, do point out the differences
and the distinction.
– Always write from the viewpoint of how the writer has
constructed the work in order to achieve a given effect.
– Keep key words in mind: Action, Dialogue, Theme. Try to
keep those at the front and center of the discussion so the
examiner doesn’t wonder what you are writing about.
Advice for paper 2
• 6) Conclusion
– Restate your thesis and points clearly and in a
more relaxed way, showing you are ‘resting’ your
argument.
– The conclusion should pull the entire essay
together.
– PROOFREAD.
Aspects of texts that are frequently
asked about include:
•
How dramatists present characters and communicate to the audience their
thoughts and motivations
•
How dramatists present their ideas and thematic concerns to the audience
•
The structure of the plays and the effect this has on the audience
•
The use of a particular dramatic feature – motif, dialogue, setting, etc - in the texts
and the effect that this has on the audience
•
The importance of conflict in drama
•
The beginnings and endings of the plays … or other key moments of your choice