Topic Summaries

Treat the marker like an alien! 👽

• Imagine the marker is an alien who has read the text (so you don’t need to summarise or explain the plot) but has no understanding of themes, how language conveys meaning, or even basic human emotions.
• Explain everything as if they know nothing. Instead of assuming the marker knows all the right answers, spell it out for them.
• Make your points abundantly clear and specific.
  • E.g. instead of writing: ‘The character changes throughout the text.’ ❌ ... you could instead write:
    • 'The author presents the character’s descent into tyranny through his increasing reliance on violence and suppression of his empathy and humanity.’ ✅
  • E.g. analysis like: ‘Lady Macbeth’s quote “Out, damned spot” shows that she feels guilty.’ ❌ ... is not specific enough.
    • How do we know this language has this effect? A better version of this would be: ‘Lady Macbeth’s desperate repetition of “out” shows her increasing panic as she attempts to erase her guilt. The word “damned” links to religious imagery, suggesting she fears eternal punishment.’ ✅
• Keep your writing logical and structured. Using linking words can help achieve this (e.g. ‘This suggests that...’ ‘Therefore, the author implies...’).
• Link everything back to the question at the end. Imagine your alien marker has finished reading your analysis and asks themselves ‘so what?’ It’s your job to answer this question by explaining the significance of this evidence and ultimately answering the exam question.

Questions to ask for word-level analysis

• What is the literal meaning or dictionary definition of this word?
• What are the connotations and implied meanings of this word? What emotions, associations, or ideas does this word make me think of?’
  • E.g. blood could connote violence, guilt, effort, family ties, etc.
• How might this word affect what the reader thinks, feels, or believes about things in the text?
• Is this placement of this word significant? Where in the sentence/ passage does it appear. Does it stand alone for emphasis? Is it closely associated with other words in the sentence/passage?
• Why would the author use this word instead of a synonym or similar word?
• Does this word/phrase belongs to a certain semantic field (e.g. death, nature, childhood)? Does this word feel like it’s in harmony with the rest of the text, or does it change the mood?
• Does the sound or rhythm of the word enhance its meaning?
• Does the sentence structure or syntax enhance the word’s meaning?
• How might different audiences respond differently to this word/ phrase? Are there ambiguities or contextual differences that could affect readers’ interpretations?
• Is this word (or a synonym or antonym) used elsewhere in the text? Does the pattern or meaning of this word evolve?