Paper 2 - practice essay + identifying structure

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• Middelbare school
• vwo
• Leerjaar 4

Paper 2 - practice essay + identifying structure

TTO4

The paper 2 essay

• Comparative essay (at least 2 novels read in class)
  
• 500-600 words
• 5 paragraphs
• Mention stylistic features (characterisation, symbols, themes, etc.)
• You will get 4 questions - you need to answer 1 
  

Paper 2 essay structure

• Introduction: hook, introduction books, thesis statement
• BP1: Analysis book 1
• BP2: Analysis book 2
• BP3: Compare contrast book 1 & 2
• Conclusion: summary points, sweeping statement

Exercise 1: check the full essay given for structure.
(20 min)

1. Look at the printed document. Select 3 colors/markers.
   
2. First, check the essay structure: Introduction, BP1 (book 1), BP2 (book 2), BP3 (compare and contrast), and conclusion. Write the essay structure using comments. What do you notice? Where is the thesis statement?
   
3. Secondly, check the essay paragraphs for the PIE-structure. Look for:

• (P) Point (topic sentence) [mark this green]
• (I) information [mark this blue]
• (E) explanation [mark this yellow]

Part 2:
your practice essays

What question did you choose for your practice essay?

Question 1: norms, conventions and traditions

Question 2: strangers or strangeness

Question 3: the significance of social status

Question 4: context

What is your thesis statement?

Exercise 2: Check your neighbour's essay
for structure (15-20 min)

1. Go to your neighbour's document.
2. Check their document for the PIE structure. Use:

• Yellow: point (topic sentence) (P)
• Blue: information/examples from the text (I)
• Green: analysis and/or explanation (E)

3. Give feedback as a comment.
What elements were you missing? Did they have all of the needed elements? What was done well?

4. After the feedback, start working on finishing your essay!

Thesis statement 101

Remember the possible way I mentioned for structuring your thesis statement? Now, let's focus on the device part. Per paragraph, you want to talk about 1 device connected to the chosen question/topic.

In (Name of Work) and (Name of Work), both (Full Name of First Author) and (Full Name of Second Author) (use, employ, utilize, rely on) (device/strategy/technique x 3) to (show, reveal, emphasize, argue, insist, point out) that (effect/purpose/answer to question).

Examples of good thesis statements

• The Things They Carried by Tim O'Brien and Slaughterhouse Five by Kurt Vonnegut both show how soldiers struggle to deal with war and its aftermath unsuccessfully. The authors both use a disjointed and non-linear narration (device 1), the theme of pain (device 2), and motifs (device 3) to show readers how soldiers remember, experience and suffer from the horrors of war.
  
  
• A Streetcar Named Desire by Tennessee Williams and A Doll's House by Henrik Ibsen both use stage direction (device 1), music (device 2) and symbolism (device 3) to construct their social commentary and convey their feminist message.

Examples of stylistic features to use

• Themes
• Symbols
• Characterisation
• Motifs (any object, element, subject or idea that is constantly present in the literary work)
  
  

But, you can also think about stylistic features that we have discussed in class:

• Flashback
  
• Foreshadowing
• Mood (feelings evoked in readers) / tone (attitude of a writer towards a subject)
• Juxtaposition
• Narrative viewpoint (first person, second person, third person)
  

Exercise 3: Reading a new sample essay together
(20-25 min)

1. I will hand out a full Paper 2 essay. Grab a pen and a marker (two markers if possible). While we read, I want you to look out for:

• The topic sentence (that tells us what device the paragraph will focus on).
• The evidence that the writer gives (quotes, examples from the book).
• The analysis that the writer does.

2. Let's look at the first few paragraphs together. (10-15 min)

3. Now, look at the last few paragraphs in duos. Where can you find the topic sentence, evidence and analysis? (10 min)

Exercise 4: Rewrite!

1. Using the information I have just given about the stylistic devices, try to add them to the paragraphs that you have written so far. Think about themes that could apply, symbols that are connected to what you have written so far, or maybe even motifs or mood/tone.
2. Make sure to add 1 device to every paragraph + to mention them in your topic sentence.
3. The deadline for this rewritten essay is Wednesday 23:59. You will get feedback on Friday (if you asked a question and submitted it on time!)

Mistakes made in practice essays

• Thesis statement: follow the structure mentioned and do not forget the purpose of the text (last part of the thesis statement). This is the answer to the chosen question. 
• Body paragraphs - topic sentence: In your first sentence, you always mention the chosen device and what it does (topic sentence). This is just like in paper 1.  (theme of fear, etc.)
• Body paragraphs - device: only analyse 1 main device per body paragraph. Do not analyse all of the devices that you mention in your thesis statement.
• Language - titles in cursive: the titles of the books are always in cursive. So, you write The Boys from Brazil and Maus in cursive.
• Language - contractions: you do not use contractions (don't, can't, won't).
• Language - pronouns: you do not use personal pronouns (I, you, we, she, etc).