4Ab 03-03 Theme 2: nature vs. nurture (2)

• Engels
• Middelbare school
• vwo
• Leerjaar 4

Welcome

Today: discuss mini- essays
Practice writing a clear paragraph

Practice analysing works

Taking a look at some examples

some examples from your essays

some notes of feedback

- pay attention to your language: don't make it too informal. This is an essay, not a fiction story or email to your friend

- Structure is important! for the reader and yourself. A clear structure means points

- Try and give logical arguments with logical examples

- dont forget to explain your point, explain what each example means and how it links back.

What is a tip you have for others or one that you have picked up?

Writing practice

- Make a clear, logical short paragraph (100-200 words) in which you explain what you think is more important: nature or nurture. - Use examples from the book in your paragraph

- Write it in a document. I will randomly call a name of someone to share their work.

- You have 15 minutes

Any questions?

Analysing works

Analysing works

"Analysis is the act of explaining how and why a writer uses specific language choices."

--> your job is to explain how and why a work is written. 

“specific language choices”: We are intensely interested in the specific wording, literary techniques, punctuation, and grammar used by the writer of a given text

“explaining”: Always seek to explain these language choices rather than just stating the fact.
by addressing the two key questions:

How / in what way is technique X being used?

Why  is technique X being used in this way?

An example of advanced analysis

For example, here’s some smooth analysis that touches on all 5 steps a little bit, without the analysis sounding mechanical and dumb:

In line 5 of the poem, the poet personifies the ‘dancing hand sliding over the piano’ (LANGUAGE CHOICE). The personification of the musician’s fingers as a dancer animates the scene with energy and life, suggesting not only the pianist’s dexterity but also his musical excellence (MEANING). Furthermore, the jovial connotations of “dancing” establishes a celebratory, mirthful mood (EFFECT), a feeling that captures the pianist’s passion as well as the profound beauty of music–a beauty that is grounded in motion as much as in sound (PURPOSE).

Analysing mood and word choice

Read the poems on the next page and think about the following questions:
1. What is the poem about?

2. What is the mood/tone of the poem?

3. How does the writer establish that mood/tone

4. How are the 2 poems different?

1. What are some specific language choices fo the author related to the theme of nurture?

2. What meaning does that hold and what is the effect of it?

3. What is the writer's purpose?