‘Hieroglyphics’ by Anne Donovan - Ms Kirkwood



‘Hieroglyphics’ by Anne Donovan

Practice Critical Essay

(Prose)

QUESTION

Choose a novel or a short story in which there is a character that you feel sorry for.

Explain what the story is about and show what makes you feel sympathetic towards the character.

Essay Plan

Introduction

• Name of text and writer

• Brief outline of the main concerns of the story (about one sentence)

• Reference to the key words of the question

Development (Use approx. six key points to answer your question)

• Remember to use key question words throughout the response

• Include LINKING WORDS/PHRASES to signpost that you are developing an argument.

Brainstorm reasons why you may feel sympathetic towards Mary and compose topic sentences.

My Six Topic Sentences (You may wish to make up your own)

1. Firstly, sympathy is evoked from the outset as we are immediately made aware that Mary suffers from dyslexia. The opening of the story helps to establish the impact this is having upon her.

2. Furthermore, the narrative reveals that Mary has to cope with an unsupportive mother.

3. Another aspect of the story which evokes sympathy is Mary’s recount of how she is treated by her teachers; this suggests that they are failing to meet her needs.

4. Furthermore, Mr Kelly’s treatment of her could be regarded as bullying.

5. The attitude of Kelly then leads to her fellow pupils isolating her; a fact that makes me sympathise with Mary

6. Finally, we can find much sympathy for Mary in that, in many ways, she can be considered to be intelligent, yet this intelligence is not acknowledged by anyone.

Conclusion

• Use a concluding word/phrase

• Sum up your argument using key words from the question

Sample Introductions

Your introduction should include:

• Title

• Author’s name

• Genre

• Link (explicit reference to the task using key question words)

Example 1

The short story ‘Hieroglyphics’ by Anne Donovan is an appealing and inspirational short story which shows a girl’s struggle to cope with dyslexia. While the attitude and behaviour of others at times leaves the main character of Mary disheartened or disadvantaged, we are pleased that a moment of realisation occurs towards the end of the story which shows that Mary can overcome her learning difficulty and be happy with life. Nevertheless, Mary’s journey to this realisation is filled with incidents and events which make the reader feel sympathetic towards her. Thus, Donovan’s use of such key incidents along with characterisation, imagery and mode of narration in describing Mary’s life are effective in creating a greater understanding of her circumstances and evoking pity.

Example 2

‘Hieroglyphics’ by Anne Donovan is a short story which shows a girl’s struggle to cope with dyslexia. However, the main character of Mary is not only trying to cope with this learning difficulty, but also dealing with unsupportive family, inadequate educational support and lack of understanding from friends. All of these issues are conveyed through Donovan’s characterisation, key incidents, mode of narration and use of language. This makes for an effective short story in which we have a clear understanding of the main character, which encourages the readers to feel sympathetic towards her.

Example 3

‘Hieroglyphics’ by Anne Donovan is a short story in which the main character of Mary is dyslexic. This leads to her having a difficult experience of school life. The author, through effective use of mode of narration, language and key incidents, gives the reader a clear sense of what Mary’s experience is like, and thus allows the reader to feel a sympathetic towards the character.

Development – Sample Paragraph

Your aim in the main section of your essay should be to make a series of POINTS that will help you to answer your question.

You should give some CONTEXT to establish its place in the story.

Now site some EVIDENCE to back up your point

Then ANALYSE/EVALUATE/LINK that evidence. In this section you should be showing HOW the writer uses specific techniques to convey meaning.

Remember to relate to the task throughout.

Use linking words and phrases to show how your argument is progressing.

Example

Firstly, sympathy is evoked from the outset as we are immediately made aware that Mary suffers from dyslexia. The opening of the story helps to establish the impact this is having upon her:

“Ah mind they were birlin and dancin roond like big black spiders. A couldnae keep a haunle on them fur every time ah thoat ah'd captured them, tied them thegither in some kindy order they jist kep on escapin.”

Here Donovan is making clever use of imagery in that the above simile compares Mary’s ability to read, to the difficult and frustrating activity of catching a spider. The words ‘birlin’ and ‘dancin’ convey the frenzied actions and lack of control that we have when trying to catch a spider; thus, this conveys the lack of control that Mary has over words on a page. Furthermore, the words ‘captured’ and ‘escapin’ imply that Mary is in constant conflict with the words but she can never command them. Overall, this can be considered an effective introduction to the issue of dyslexia as it gives a clear sense of the frustration that Mary has to contend with in her life. This therefore exemplifies how knowledge of Mary’s learning difficulty evokes sympathy from the reader.

You should then go on to your next main POINT (reason for feeling sympathetic towards Mary.Support with EVIDENCE. ANALYSE and EVALUATE and LINK evidence in relation to the question.

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POINT – we feel sorry for her because of her because she is dyslexic.

CONTEXT – when in the story this is shown in the evidence

EVIDENCE – note this is a long quotation so it’s isolated on a separate line

ANALYSIS

- comment on how techniques are used to convey what dyslexia is like and make me feel sorry for her

EVALUATION

AND LINK

TO THE

QUESTION

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