Common Module – Texts and Human Experiences Syllabus

Common Module ? Texts and Human Experiences

Syllabus -

In this common module students deepen their understanding of how texts represent individual and collective human experiences. They examine how texts represent human qualities and emotions associated with, or arising from, these experiences. Students appreciate, explore, interpret, analyse and evaluate the ways language is used to shape these representations in a range of texts in a variety of forms, modes and media.

Students explore how texts may give insight into the anomalies, paradoxes and inconsistencies in human behaviour and motivations, inviting the responder to see the world differently, to challenge assumptions, ignite new ideas or reflect personally. They may also consider the role of storytelling throughout time to express and reflect particular lives and cultures. By responding to a range of texts they further develop skills and confidence using various literary devices, language concepts, modes and media to formulate a considered response to texts.

They make increasingly informed judgements about how aspects of these texts, for example context, purpose, structure, stylistic and grammatical features, and form shape meaning.

What is the Human Experience?

- Human experiences: the vast array of interactions and emotions we experience on the journey from birth to death.

- Human qualities: the distinctive attributes, characteristics and properties that make is human.

- Human condition: the characteristics, key events and situations which compose the essentials of human existence ? including birth, growth, emotionality, aspiration, conflict and mortality.

Part A ? Short Answer Questions

Strategies ?

Identify the form of the text before anything else Read the question before reading the text Annotate the text as you read Keep an eye for visual and literary techniques Analyse ? Techniques and their effect Allocate time accordingly to marks Practice, Practice, Practice

English Advanced Common Techniques in UST - Alliteration: Repetition of consonants at the start of

words or in a sentence or phrase - Allusion: A subtle or indirect reference to another

thing, text, historical period, or religious belief - Adjective: A Describing Word - Amplification: Adding more information to a sentence - Analogy: A comparison between two things to explain

a point (e.g. Life is like a box of chocolates) - Anastrophe/Hyperbaton: Reversing the normal order of

words (e.g. She looked at the sky, dark and menacing instead of dark and menacing sky) - Anecdote: A short tale narrating an interesting or amusing incident. - Antithesis: The opposite or contrasting idea ? (war, peace) often show how a character or idea may be contradictory but still whole. - Assonance: Repeating a vowel sound within a word (how, now, cow) - Asyndeton: Omission of conjunction between words, phrases or clauses (I am writing, reading, reviewing, editing)

- Characterisation: The process by which characters are

introduced, described and then fully formed through their choices, interactions, etc. If a character has strong characterisation it is easy to imagine how they would react in any given situation. It also makes it harder to believe situations where characters do things that go against their usual traits, creating audience suspicion or disbelief. - Connotation: The feelings, emotions, or ideas associated with specific words. - Colloquial Language: Words and phrases that are used in everyday language

- Consonance: Repetition of consonants throughout a sentence or phrase.

- Diction: Distinctive word choice - Epilogue: a section or speech at the end of a book or

play that serves as a comment on or a conclusion to what has happened

- Euphemism: A mild or `proper' expression used to

replace one that is harsh, blunt or otherwise offensive in order to not cause trouble or appear vulgar. (e.g. passed away instead of died) - Enjambment: A poetic technique, when a sentence or phrase runs over more than one line (or stanza). This assists the flow of a poem. - Foreshadowing: Be a warning or indication of a future event - Hyperbole: The purposeful over-exaggeration of a statement in order to create a more intense or overthe-top effect. - Imagery: Imagery is visual symbolism, that evokes a mental image in the mind of the reader. - Sensory Imagery: Sensory imagery is a literary device writers employ language in a way to appeal to our human senses of sight, sound, taste, touch, or smell. - Evocative Imagery: Imagery that creates a mental image in your mind. (e.g. words like "damp, wet".) - Irony: The opposite of what you expect - Juxtaposition: The act or instance of placing two or more things side by side often to compare or contrast. - Metaphor: A figure of speech in which a word or phrase is applied to an object or action to which it is not literally applicable. (e.g. laughter is the best medicine) - Motif: A dominant or recurring idea in an artistic work

- Onomatopoeia: Onomatopoeia is a figure of speech in which words evoke the actual sound of the thing they refer to or describe. (e.g. tick tock of a clock)

- Oxymoron: Two words are used together intentionally for effect (e.g. Happy Monday)

- Paradox: A figure of speech in which a statement appears to contradict itself, however when investigated is true.

- Pathetic Fallacy: Giving human emotions to something non-human.

- Personification: Giving human attributes to inanimate objects. (e.g. the sun smiled)

- Simile: Use of the words like or as. - Tone: The writer's attitude towards the reader and

the subject of the message.

Part B ? Essay

Sample Thesis ? All effective pieces of literature must endeavour to (suit to

question) Elaborate on Thesis Arthur Miller's 1953 dramatized tragedy, `The Crucible' is

an allegorical representation of the Salem witch trials of 1662, which works to closely parallel the era of McCarthyism in the US. Through the consistent and effective use of literary and stylistic techniques, Arthur Miller...

Thematic Concern ? Reputation/Concern For Reputation (Individual Human Experience)

Structure Sample Thesis 1 ? Reputation is the catalyst for the liberation of

humans and is the barometer of societal judgements both present and future? Sample Thesis 2 ? The desire to conserve reputation catalyses the liberation of humans from corrupt fixations. - Continuation/Elaboration ? Arthur Miller highlights the different lengths individuals can go to maintain their reputation and distinguishes between those who value their reputation and those who truly cherish and honour their reputation.

- This notion is propagated by Miller and is primarily shown through the character juxtaposition between John Proctor and Abigail William

Quotes John Proctor - "(with a cry of his soul): Because it is my name... leave me my name

Techniques - Stage Direction - Religious imagery - Anaphora - Earnest Tone

Effect The stage directions and religious imagery of "(with a cry of his soul):" allows the audience to gain insight on Proctor's deep obsession with his reputation, transcending the limitations of physicality. His personal turmoil is effectively encapsulated through the anaphora of `name' ? "it is my name... leave me my name". This also signifies the symbolic value of the virtue which proctor places on his name. Miller accentuates his perspective on how a desire to conserve reputation can extricate individuals from corrupt fixations and liberate them, through the use of stage direction and symbolism. After proctor "tears the paper (of his signed confession to witchcraft) and crumples it", he is described as "(weeping in fury but erect)". His decision to "tear the paper and crumple it" symbolises his realisation that he is setting a bad examples for his kids and is better to die as an honest man, than to live as a fraud. His "erect" posture symbolizes him being redeemed in his own eyes and liberated from his mental guilt of his adulterous affair with Abigail. As well as evokes a sense of strength, despite his forthcoming death. This is later reaffirmed by Miller, through the use of religious imagery, an optimistic tone and the lens of Elizabeth -"He have his goodness, God forbid I take it from him." This reiterates his redemption not only in how own eyes, but in God's eyes as well.

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