S3 - Essay Feedback

Hi everyone.

I'm sure no-one will be checking back here during the holidays, but in case you are..

Essay feedback - good examples from good pupils! Feel free to modify ideas to improve your own work!

Introductions

"Conduct Unbecoming" is a play of honour, mystery and romance. Written by Barry England, "Conduct Unbecoming" has all the potential to be a good, mysterious play. At the outset of the drama script we are introduced to two characters, Millington and Drake, who are throughout the book, contrasted with each other. Drake is made to seem optimistic, serious and very ambitious. Millington, on the other hand, is seen as slightly pessimistic, has a laid back attitude and has the desire to fail and be rejected. Act one ends with Millington being accused and arrested of a crime he seems oblivious to. - KA

"Conduct Unbecoming" is a play written by Barry England. It is set in India during the 1880s. It is about two young subalterns on probation in the army. The two main characters couldn't be more different. Milington, the son of a general is trying to make the worst possible impression on the officers of the regiment so he can get dismissed and go back to England. Drake, the son of a major wants to make the best possible impression and from the minute he and Milington arrive he is apprehensive that Millington's mocking and ironic behaviour will reflect badly on him. - AA

Linking paragraph

In this essay I aim to establish the contrasts between Drake and Millington. Firstly, I will look at the respect for tradition, then on to the differences in humour. I will look at their behaviour and manners. I will then look at their respect for women. Finally I will look at ambition of both Drake and Millington. - LJ

In my essay I aim to demonstrate how Millington and Drake are contrasted throughout act one. Firstly, I am going to do this by compparing their speech. I will go on to illustrate the differences in their actions and intereaction with other characters, and finally I will show how their backgrounds contrast and why this is important. - HI

Main Ideas

Millington is demonstrated in the play to be a troublemaker. He is a misogynist who likes to use and abuse women. - AP

Earnest Drake is contrasted with Millington's casual manner. - JM

Conclusions

Therefore, in conclusion, Drake and Millington are complete opposites. This is shown throughout Act one in their behaviour, actions, speech and thoughts towards the mess and people in it. Drake is generally earnest and formal, however Millington is generally casual and ignorant. I have proved that Millington and Drake are contrasted greatly throughout act one. Even so, they will be measured as one:
“Unfortunately, we shall be judged together” – MM

S2 - If you can't find your homework questions!

Hi S2

If you can't find your questions which you are supposed to be answering during the half term break, use the links on thr right hand side of this page. You can click on the "Merchant of Venice" link which will take you to a page with only MoV information. The questions are below the handsome photo of Al Pacino...

Enjoy the break and see you Tuesday morning.

S3 Exam Preparation: Comprehension Questions.

In today's lesson we learned how to answer comprehension questions. Comprehension questions ask you to find information about the author's feelings, attitudes and opionons in the text. These will cover tones such as angry, sad, emphatic, sympathetic. We also in the class had an example of a comprehension question which is on Mr. Sharpe's power point presentation which he will e-mail to you if you are on his school mailing list, in case you have missed a lesson or you need help with a type of question in the presentation.

Tuesday 5th & Thursday 7th - English

Tuesday 5th
We read to the end of act one scene two. We discussed with a partner & wrote in our jotters why Portia did not like any of the men from different countries that wanted to marry her, & if she was a racist.

Thursday 7th
We read to the end of act one. We completed questions that we on the board on Shylock & Antonio: the central conflict & discussed as a class the conflict between Shylock & Antonio.

cw =) x

S2 - Meeting Shylock

Act I scene iii today folks.

Look at how Shylock is presented, and the reasons why he hates Antonio. We know what is going to happen in the play, but how is the character built up from his opening lines?

We'll be answering this in class, plus looking at these questions, for today and tomorrow.

1.Why does Shylock ask if Antonio is “a good man” (12)?

2.Look at lines 38 – 48. What is the first reason Shylock gives for hating Antonio?

3.Why do you think this speech is given as an aside?

4.“I cannot tell, I make it breed as fast” (93) – what technique is this an example of, and what is being compared?

5.Look again at lines 103 – 126.

a)Write a list of the other reasons why Shylock hates Antonio.

b)Of all the reasons Shylock gives in this scene, which do you think he feels is the main reason. Give reasons for your decision

6.How does Antonio ‘sell’ the idea of lending him the money to Shylock. Quote the lines that show this.

7.Think about the bond between Antonio and Shylock:

a)Who comes up with the idea first?
b)Do you think they are serious?
c)Explain your answer with reference to the text.

8.How does Bassanio respond to the bond?

9.Explain the significance of the lines below: what do they mean, and what do they tell us about Shylock?
“A pound of man’s flesh taken from a man
Is not so estimable, profitable neither,
As flesh of muttons, beefs or goats.” (162-164)

10.“The Hebrew will turn Christian, he grows kind” (176)
Where have we heard a similar but contrasting thought before?

S3 - Exam Skills

In class today we looked at how to answer Comprehension Questions.

Comprehension questions ask you to look at the author's attitudes, ideas, opinions and feelings.

We looked at tones, such as sarcastic, angry and conversational.

S2 - Introduction to "Merchant" slideshow

For those who missed the introductory Powerpoint on all things Venicey, the show can be downloaded by clicking the link below.

Answers such questions as: What is Iambic Pentameter? What is the play about? Why is some writing in italics? Who are the main characters, and why do they keep talking when they are on their own?

My only lesson ever to get a spontaneous round of applause!

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