does any one have a comparative answer on billy elliot,dancing at lughnasa and panther in the basement?
thank u in advance if u post an answer 
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AllHonours Q&A » Leaving Cert English
comparative question
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Posted 2 years ago #
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Lcxxx10,
we (RyJoLC) are holding an offer for free comparative notes for whatever texts you are studying. These notes will include notes on the three comparative genres specific to your texts, with sample answers on your texts too. Below I have copy and pasted the first set of notes, showing how to answer the comparative section in general. If you are interested in specific notes on your texts please email me at ryjolc@gmail.com to confirm.
John
http://www.ryjolc.weebly.com
http://www.allhonours.ie/notes/
http://www.allhonours.ie/lc-jc-english-grinds-online-weekly-newsletter-free-online-help-answers-to-every-question-ever/
http://www.gumtree.ie/dublin/97/47948397.html
http://schoolofeverything.com/teacher/johnryan
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100000167655740&ref=profileComparative section
In the Leaving Certificate English exam (as with all other exams), you will have to go in with material you have revised and use it to answer a question that you have never seen before in the exam, while doing so in an appropriate manner according to the marking scheme, that the marker will use to grade your answer. So how do you make sure you do this in the comparative section of the exam? We’re going to show you, by showing:
1) How to use a suitable answer structure which will always ensure your answer includes the four qualities looked for by the marker and marking scheme. This will show that you are answering the question appropriately, according to the marking scheme.
2) What are suitable paragraph topics for answering on each genre. This will ensure that when you are answering the question the material you are using is relevant to answering the question.
3) How to use these paragraph topics with the answer structure of 1) to answer any question on the exam. This will allow you to use the material you study and are used to for answering any question that arises in the exam in a suitable manner, which as said is what you will need to do in the exam.The first way to bring all of this about is to have a suitable answer structure in place. So, to start:
What are you being asked to do?
With the marker told to view each question as a task to be completed, the task here is to compare your texts under a certain mode of comparison. Regardless of the mode of comparison, the emphasis is always on you to compare your three texts (either to show the similarities/ differences between them). Looking at questions on the section from last year’s paper shows this:
2009:
‘Important themes are often expressed in key moments in texts.’
Compare how the authors of the comparative texts studied by you used key moments to heighten your awarenss of an important theme.‘The main characters in texts are often in conflict with the world or culture they inhabit.’
In the light of the above statement, compare how the main characters interact with the cultural contexts of the texts you have studied for your comparative course.You are thus always going to be comparing your three texts, using one of three modes of comparison to do so.
What do you need to have in these answers?
Regardless of the modes of comparison, the markers look for you to make eight comparisons or more in your comparative answer. As with all answers on the Leaving Certificate English exam(s), your answer must contain the four qualities of Clarity of Purpose, Efficiency of Language use, Coherence of Delivery and Accuracy of Mechanics. Since your answer will always need these, you can prepare an answer structure for the comparative section containing these beforehand, as it thus can always be used for your answer. As shall be shown, the only change that will need to be made to this answer structure in the exam are the paragraph topics you choose, based on the mode you compare your texts under.
The introduction brings about the first quality needed in your answer:
Efficiency of Language Use
This means using your language suitably for the task at hand. Included in this is your ability to structure your answer and your introduction is an important part of your answer structure. Any good introduction to a piece should tell its reader what it is about, and hence you should always place the following in the introduction to your comparative answer, to introduce your answer, in which you will compare your texts:
• What texts you are studying
• How you plan to answer the question
• What paragraph topics you will use to answer the questionWe see an example of this in the following question:
‘Exploring a theme or issue raises interesting comparisons. Discuss.’
A suitable introduction would contain something such as:
‘The three texts I am studying are the novel The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time (CI) by Mark Haddon, the drama Philadelphia Here I Come by Brian Friel and the novel Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain. Exploring a theme or issue in the above texts does raise interesting comparisons, and this is seen when looking at how differently the theme of escape is defined in the three texts, how the theme is presented humorously and tragically in the three texts, how significant characters in the texts contribute to the texts and how key moments in the text present interesting perspectives on the theme.’
Immediately the marker is introduced to the answer; he/ she will know what texts it is about, how you are going to answer the question and the paragraph topics that you will use to answer the question, in other words what the rest of the answer will contain.
As said, the marker is looking for eight comparisons minimum in your answer, so a suitable way to structure the main body of your answer is to have four paragraphs with you comparing your three texts in each. This means that in each paragraph you will have two comparisons, with four paragraphs thus adding up your eight comparisons. Such an arrangement will be a suitable structure for your answer, but also involves the second quality needed in your answer
Clarity of Purpose
This quality involves you completing the set task, which as mentioned above is to compare your texts under a mode of comparison. The four paragraphs of your main body is where you will compare your three texts, with each paragraph focusing on a different paragraph topic. A suitable way of comparing your three texts with each paragraph topic is to contain the threefold method where you introduce each paragraph topic, explain how it compares your three texts, and then compare your three texts under the paragraph topic. The effect of this is not only are you comparing your three texts, you are explaining to the marker why your three texts can be compared as so to answer the question, as well as doing this in an organised fashion, which ties in with Efficiency of Language Use. An example can be seen when continuing with the question mentioned above, if we use the first paragraph to focus on how differently a theme is defined in the three texts mentioned.
Firstly, what must be introduced is the paragraph topic that is being used to answer the question:
‘As said, exploring a theme or issue raises interesting comparisons, and this is seen when viweing how differently or similarly the theme of escape is defined in the three texts I have studied.’
Immediately, as the introduction informed the marker of what the rest of the answer contains, the marker is shown what the rest of your paragraph will contain. Next, you need to show how this paragraph topic answers the question, here how the theme of escape being defined differntly/ similarly provides interesting comparisons, perhaps through something such as so:
‘In the three texts we see how differently a theme can be defined; the theme of escape is defined as not only necessary, but also selfish, as well as cruel. The three texts show how escape can be viewed not only positively, but negatively also.’
The marker thus is shown why you are choosing this paragraph topic to answer the question; you are explaining how this paragraph topic, the definition of the theme, provides interesting comparisons. Now all that is left to do is to prove what you are saying does answer the question/ solve the task, by using comparisons to do so.
Comparing your three texts involves another quality needed
Coherence of delivery
The marker looks for your answer to consistently answer the question without disruption or interruption, hence when you are swapping from text to text you have to link them so that everything you mention answers the question. Doing so will not only keep your answering of the question consistent, it also completes the task asked of you here, to compare your three texts as the way to link your different texts together is through comparing them, with linking phrases. After introducing the paragraph topic to compare your three texts under and explain how it can do so, you then compare your texts. Sometimes there may be one text that contrasts from the other, sometimes all your texts will contrast, or they may all compare. Regardless of this, use linking phrases to link your text such as ‘Similarly’, ‘We see this again with…’, ‘There is a diffierence with..’, ‘More of the same is seen with..’, ‘In sharp contrast…’ etc.
We see an example when continuing the paragraph mentioned:
‘HF shows escape is necessary. Huck, believing his new home and surroundings are going to civilise him, leaves for fear of being changed. Already at the beginning of the book new ways are being imposed on Huck and not used to and disliking them, Huck leaves, as he is not suited to life in his new home. Similarly, PHIC portrays escape as necessary. Gar needs to escape to Ballybeg as if he does not, it is implied he will succumb to its monotonous ways, as has happened to all around him, such as his father. The extent to which Gar sees this is shown when Private Gar can humorously annotate the conversation between his father and the canon. CI differs from HF and PHIC in that escape is defined as selfish. Chris’ mother is selfish in that she leaves not only her disabled son as she cannot cope with the demands of raising him, but also leaves her husband to raise Chris alone, which we see him struggling to do throughout the text.’
As seen, even though different texts and different views of the theme are mentioned, they are all linked through the linking phrases, meaning that everything mentioned is essential to the answer; thus the paragraph is consistently answering the question and completing the task, to compare your three texts under a comparative mode.
Linking phrases also serve another function in your answer, to link your different paragraphs. All of your paragraphs will answer a question, and linking phrases ensure that the marker is reminded of their all serving the same function and thus their link to another. Like linking phrases were used above to link different texts, they can be used in the same way to link different paragraphs. For example, if we began a new paragraph for the question we have been answering, something such as so would suit:
‘Like the theme being defined differently or similarly, presenting the theme humorously or tragically raises interesting comparisons, as seen in the three texts I studied.’
The marker is thus shown that this paragraph will serve the same function as the last, and thus links your paragraphs, turning them into one answer, rather than separate paragraphs.
We need to return now to a quality mentioned earlier, Efficiency of Language Use . Throughout your answer structure (as shown above), you need to use your language suitably. As said, this involves a suitable answer structure (which has been shown above), but also includes the language you use. Several things should be noted:
• Comparative terminology is essential – linking phrases
• Short sentences – the marker prefers to read them rather than sentences which travel for a number of lines, as this makes for awkward reading
• ‘I’ needs only to be used, if asked forFollowing the main body, all that is needed to complete your answer is the Conclusion. The function of the conclusion is to sum up what has been said. Here you should mention:
• the paragraph topics you used
• your main answer, and how overall you compared the three textsSuch a conclusion for the answer we have been looking at would be:
‘As said, exploring a theme raises interesting comparisons. Examining how a theme is defined, its generic differences, its key moments and how signficant characters contribute to it in the three texts mentioned show how a theme is not only similar, but radically different in different texts.’
The final quality needed, Mechanics of Language, require that when writing the above answer structured as so your spelling and grammar have few mistakes/ errors.
Such a structure can be used regardless of whatever mode of comparison you use to answer the question. As said, you need eight comparisons in your answer, and you should be comparing your three texts in your answer, meaning in each paragraph there will be two comparisons (one text compared to answer, and the third text compared also). This means you need a minimum of four paragraphs (although you can have more than eight comparisons/ four paragraphs if you wish), which have to show that you can compare your texts under a certain mode of comparison, the second thing you need to do in the comparative section. Here are the three modes, what they are, and paragraph topics to compare your texts through them:
Literary Genre:
What you need to compare: how the stories of your texts are told.
Paragraph topics to do so:
Text type
The first way to tell a story: text type. There are three choices on the syllabus: novel, play or film. Each text will allow a story to be told
differently:1) the novel: the reader will have a lot of leeway here. Even though
he/she does not write the story, it will be the reader who will
ultimately imagine and visualize it. They will decide what
the characters look like, how things happen, what the place is like
where the story takes place etc. This is because the novel is a
prose piece of writing, with the result that the action takes place
in the reader’s mind.
2) The drama/ play: here the action takes place in front of the
audience. The story is told exactly like real life – there are usually
few special effects etc: it is as if the reader if simply watching
something happen in their life.
3) The film: a film is similar to a play – it takes place in front of
us. However, unlike the drama, a film will use special effects to
tell its story in a more elaborate way, such as quick shifts to
various locations to tell the story in a variety of settings. This
would not be as easily accessible or possible with the drama, or
the novel, which would have to make much greater efforts to
illustrate even a change in setting, whereas the film can do this
effortlessly and instantaneously.Broad generic differences
A story has to be told in a specific genre(s): this is basically
whether a story is told positively, negatively, happily, sadly etc. Some
ways to do this are:1) humorously – is the story funny? It is if there will be a
variety of comical moments to tell the story. Comedy films are a
good example of this – Anchorman, Adam Sandler films etc – they
tell a story, but use humour to do so. A sub-genre of this is dark
humour, where texts adopt a humorous/ comical viewpoint to tell
stories about negative issues such as death.
2) tragically – is the story tragic? Does it contain sad/negative/bad
events which bring about bad results for the characters which
cannot be reconciled/ remedied/ repaired? If a story runs along
these lines, it is tragic.
3) heartwarming – if a story is fuzzy on the inside it will be
heartwarming. People will fall in love at the end. Generally good
things will happen to people who deserve this. The story will
generally inspire hope and the belief that one gets what they
deserve.Setting
The setting of a text will play a huge role in the telling of a story. It will contribute to how the plot unravels and will have an impact on how the characters can and will act. These are some ways to think of how setting contributes to a story:
1) is the world hierarchical? If so, in the story there will be
certain people with more power, or holding all power, which means
that other characters must act with this in mind, or in fear of
punishment if they break the rules etc. Often characters will have to overcome this hierarchy in the story.
2) is the setting familiar and ordinary? Then the characters will be
able to act freely (obviously within reason), as they are not
severly empowered. In addition, they will act as we expect them
to.
3) is the setting fantastical/ unfamiliar? Ths will mean that normal
conventions that we would be used to do not apply. For example,
in the Harry Potter series it is only because of the setting, the
magical world, that the magic of the story such as spells,
Dementors etc, is plausible.
4) Is the setting small in size? This will mean that everyone in the
book will know or know of each other, which may impact one’s
actions. For example, in The Truman Show everyone knows each
other as the setting is a television studio, which allows them all
to maintain the allusion that it is real life the premise (main point) of the film.Narrative structure
Finally, there will be some order to the events of the story. There are various ways of arranging these:
1) Linear – the story is told chronologically, as it happens. As events
occur, they are recorded in the story, as are characters’ reactions
to these. If a story is told in this way, this is presenting it as realistically as possible, because a linear narrative
structure is how the story would occur if it happened in real life.
2) Linear, with variations – this is telling the story as it usually
would happen, but with flash forwards into the future, or delving
into the past, to provide perspective, hindsight, foresight,
foreshadowing etc.
3) Recounting an event – perhaps a character will tell the story some
time after it happened. It might focus on their childhood, which
they remember as an adult. It might be told to the audience, or
to another person.
4) More than one story teller – the story might contain a number of
stories which need to be told also. Certain characters mat tell these stories, which may mean that there will be more than one story tellers.
5) 1st person/ 3rd person – there may be someone telling
the story from their perspective, such as ‘I’, ‘me’, ‘my’ etc. Or it
could be told in the third person with an unknown person simply telling the story to the audience.Cultural context:
What you need to compare: the unique world of each of your texts.
Paragraph topics to do so:
An attitude to an issue – Usually the majority of the world of a text will hold a certain attitude towards an issue, such as education, personal freedom etc. For example, the world will agree/ disagree with one’s right to education, or will be tolerant/ intolerant of one’s personal freedom in making decisions etc. This is a defining feature of the world of the text – look for an issue present in all three of your texts and compare the various worlds’ attitudes to this issue.
Social ritual – a social ritual is an act(ion) carried out by many in the world of the text, such as isolating another person. Again this will reveal much about the world of a text – for example, if many in the world of the text isolate others it can reveal that the world is a lonely one, where there is little harmony and co-operation etc. Look for a social ritual common in all three of your texts and compare this.
Social structures – examine how the worlds are structured – is there hierarchy? Is one person ruling the order of things? Is everyone equal? This reveals whether a world is defined by equality and fairness, or power and strength: compare the structures of the worlds of your texts.
How the cultural context affects the resolution of the plot – look at how one of the three elements of cultural context you have focused on just above contributes the strongest to how the plot ends. This will show which element of the world of the texts is the strongest – compare the worlds of the texts and their most dominant feature.
N.B: You can use examples from your texts for one paragraph topic on a key moment from each text. A key moment is simply a moment you think is key to the story; use a line or two to say why.
When writing on these paragraph topics, keep the following mind:
Eight comparisons
Like with having to show evidence of studying six poems in the prescribed poetry answer, you have to make at least eight comparisons in the comparative answer. When using your four paragraph topics (minimum) make sure you compare your three comparative texts in each. Hence:Always write on your three texts
If you only write on two texts in a paragraph you will only make one comparison as you comparing them to each other – you would have to write eight paragraphs (each on a different topic) to get the eight comparisons. Writing on three means you will make two comparisons, so you will only have to write on four paragraphs.Key moments
In one of your paragraphs, you can make each of your texts focus on key moments. These moments are key because you say so and why you say so; give a line or two about what their significance to the plot, a certain character etc. Nothing too major.Use of I
Is not needed here, unless asked of in the questionParagraph topics
Writing a paragraph on the introduction of each text, showing how we see cultural context/literary genre/ the certain theme in each, then do the same with the middle, the end etc can make your answer appear like a summary of the texts which markers are told not to reward. It may be better to write on specific topics of each genre such as the ones below.Quotes
If you write good, detailed examples from each text you will not need quotes. But examples need to be well detailed.Remember
This is a COMPARATIVE question. Do not dwell too long on the elaboration (why your paragraph topics answer the question). Be concise with these – the bulk of your paragraph should consist of your comparisons.Elaborations
Do not have to be anything akin to a phD standard – just simply an extension of the point you have previously you have said you will talking about, and an indicator to the marker of what this point will feature and why it answer the question. Such an example is if you were talking about literary genre for your three texts and the broad generic differences between them:Answer: ‘Another way of telling a story is through its genre.’
Elaboration: ‘In the three texts we see broad generic differences between the three texts; there are stories which are told humorously, as well as stories which are told tragically.’Then all you do is show in your three texts which are told humorously, and which are told tragically.
Example order in your paragraphs
Very straightforward, but needs to be reminded: organisation is imperative throughout the exam. If there is a contrast in your paragraph, leave it until the end. Have the two texts you are comparing mentioned first, then the final text last. Don’t write on one text, contrast it to another and then try to compare the last text to the first text at the end.Comparisons means:
Means compare and/or contrast. You should try to have at least one contrast in your answer, just for variety.Do
Presume your marker knows about the texts you are writing about. Don’t summarize; presume they know the incident of the story you are talking about. Obviously talk about it as it is relevant to your answer, but do not summarize the story, how it got to this incident etc.Remember
Anwering the question and elaborating at the start of the paragraph should be kept to a minimum. The main point of this answer is COMPARING.So we have seen how to structure your answer regardless of question. We have listed the paragraph topics you can use to answer on each genre so that what you are mentioning is suitable for answering the question. You have an answer structure you can always use, and paragraph topics relevant to the genres that could appear on the exam – now we will show you the final thing needed to answer the comparative section, how to use these paragraph topics regardless of question.
Literary genre:
The Leaving Certificate English exam asks questions on Literary Genre in two ways:
• General – this usually comprises of explaining what literary genre is, or saying what you like/ find interesting about this
• Specific – the question might focus on something specific, such as characters in texts, and ask you to show how these contribute to story-telling etcIn any case, you are going to have to use the paragraph topics we have mentioned in a different way in the exam, because the questions on Literary Genre (and indeed every section of the exam) are never the same. This is what you need to be able to do on the exam: be able to write about your paragraph topics in different ways, and be able to say and show how your paragraph topics are able to answer the question, which we shall show in a number of examples:
1) ‘The creation of memorable characters is part of the art of good story-telling.’
You’re probably thinking what the hell? How am I going to use text type, genre, setting and narrative structure to answer on characters, a completely different part of how a story is told? All you need to do is think: how can I use my paragraph topics to answer a question? Consider this way of using your paragraph topics for the question at hand:
• text type – this contibutes to the creation of memorable characters because either i) we can imagine the characters ourselves in a novel ii) we see the characters in person, in drama iii) we see the characters in film, with a combination of settings and effects. All of these can create memorable characters. In a novel it is left up to us to imagine exactly how the characters appear and act, which means we can make them as memorable as we wish. In a drama we view the characters up close firsthand, meaning that imagination is not needed. In film we see the characters up close, but film can play with special effects to easily present them in a variety of surroundings and situations so we can see them in many different, and memorable, ways, which drama and novels would not find as easy.
• Genre – how we see and remember characters in a text – for their actions, reactions, the experiences they endure etc, is in part depended upon by the genre of the play. The characters can be memorable because of their reactions to particularly horrible situations, seen in a tragic story, or perhaps for their comic natures and actions in a humorous piece.
• Setting – the setting of a text will affect how a character acts and reacts, which can make s/he memorable. For example, the text may contain a setting such as a small town, which a character escapes from because they want to achieve their dreams which are not possible in such surroundings. This would contribute to making a character memorable.
• Narrative structure – often this can affect how we react to characters. For example, if a character is narrating a story, we may feel closer to him/her and thus appreciate their actions and opinions moreso than if an unknown third-person narrator detailed these.Okay, how about the same four paragraph topics with a different question?
2) ‘Write a talk to be given to Leaving Cert students in which you explain the term Literary Genre and show how to compare the telling of stories in at least two texts on your comparative course.’
A bit easier, but it doesn’t matter: we’re still going to show that the same paragraph topics can be used to answer any question – all you have to do is think, how can my paragraph topics answer the question? For this question Literary Genre is explained, once more, as how stories are told:
• Text type – stories are told in one of three ways: 1) novel, whereby a story is told but the audience gets to imagine the characters, the events of the story and how they occur etc 2) drama, where we see the story unfold firsthand 3) film, where we see the story presented to us as with drama, but special effects are used also, with such results as the instant changing of setting, which drama and novels would struggle to achieve.
• Genre – stories can be told in a variety of ways, such as comically, where a story is told through humorous moments, characters and events, tragedy, where sad and bad things happen to good people, for no suitable reason, or heartwarmingly, where we see people getting what they deserve, mostly with a happy ending also.
• Setting – a story depends on a setting, which provides the backdrop (a suitable location) for where events take place and characters are affected by these. Settings are therefore linked to these events: for example, the setting of the Muggle world is essential to the Harry Potter novels, as this contributes to Harry’s eager acceptance of being a wizard and his return to the world constantly. Different stories will possess different settings which will affect characters in unique ways.
• Narrative structure – a story has to be told by someone: often this is one of the characters, who talks directly to the audience, or it might be a third-person narrator, who has no role in the story.Cultural context:
1) ‘The main characters in texts are often in conflict with the world or culture they inhabit.’ In the light of the above statement, compare how the main characters interact with the cultural contexts of the texts you have studied for your comparative course.
• An attitude to an issue: focus on how usually the world of the text holds an attitude to an issue which goes against the attitude of the protaganist or central characters: this is often what the texts focus on.
• Social ritual: focus, in the same manner as the above paragraph, about how the worlds adopt rituals which go against the beliefs of, wants of, or impact etc certain characters. For example, if a character is isolated by others, it may upset them, or alienate them.
• Social structures: look at how the structure of the world is an obstacle to characters – for example, those in power in a hierarchical world may use their power to obstruct such characters in their attempts to achieve such aims.
• How the cultural context affects the resolution of the plot: look at how the characters end the texts by usually overcoming the cultural context of the world, which is usually destroyed or reversed etc.2) ‘The cultural context can have a significant influence on the behaviour of the central character/ characters in a text.’ Compare the way in which the behaviour of the central characters in at least two of your texts is influenced by the cultural context of those texts.
• An attitude to an issue: look at how the attitude of the world towards a certain issue can force a character to react – often this can lead to an (attempted) escape from this world, for example.
• Social ritual: look at how the carrying out of a social ritual on a character can cause a reaction by the same individual, or how their viewing of a social ritual affecting someone else causes a likewise reaction. Sometimes, if a character is isolated by another, this may prompt an escape/ departure from their world.
• Social structure: mention how the structure of the world allows the character(s) to act – a hierarchy may force them to act out against those in power, whereas a world where everyone is equal may allow them to act freely and easily.
• How the cultural context affects the resolution of the plot: look at how either the characters end the text by overcoming the cultural context which often stifles them, or how it controls their actions as they end the texts.(General vision and viewpoint to be included in further notes).
If you use the four paragraph topics for each comparative mode and say and show how they answer the question then the material you will be using will always be relevant to the question asked, which will ensure that you are answering the question asked of you. If you use the appropriate answer structure shown then you will also be consistently answering the question, using suitable language for the task and appropriate spelling and grammar, meaning that your answer will include all of the qualities in the PCLM method that the marker will look for. In the next set of notes to be sent we will show how to do the above (more specifically) with your texts.
Posted 2 years ago #
