IO planning (before break)

GLOBAL ISSUE STATEMENT: The (unintended consequences/negative impact) of advancement in science and technology on the well-being of individuals.

LITERARY WORK

–> 3 moments in the whole work where this GI is seen 

Beginning Chapter 4 & 5	During the creation of the monster, Frankenstein lost touch with everyone and did not pay much attention to his health. Immediately following the creation of the monster, Frankenstein sees his friend Clerval and falls ill.
Middle Chapter 18 & 19	Frankenstein creating the companion female monster was a very intense experience in which he isolated himself. Frankenstein travelled and researched before starting this project and put a lot of thought into making the female companion and ultimately did not go through with it as he recognized the negative consequences of the advancement in science himself.
Middle/End Chapter 21	Frankenstein gets accused of Clerval’s death and is put into jail where he is very ill.
Throughout the novel	The creation of the monster leads to a cycle of illness for people other than Frankenstein (such as his father) and many deaths (Justine, Clerval, Elizabeth).

–> signature or key techniques that present this GI

• First person POV (inner monologues) of Frankenstein
• Use of diction to emphasize the mood and atmosphere
• Dialogue with other characters (Clerval, Elizabeth, Father, Magistrate & etc.)

NON-LITERARY BODY OF WORK

–> 3 cartoons that present this GI in the whole body of work

–> signature or key techniques that present the GI

• Surrealism
• Visual narrative and metaphors
• Dull colour
• Positioning & sizing of main subject (when there is a single main subject)
• Use of repetition for emphasis of an idea

Nurses Paper 1 Feedback

You’ve made lots of good observations in this response. Using specific terminology shows you’re knowledgeable and allows you to be more concise. It was appropriate to start by analysing the image, then the headline as these are the dominant elements of the poster and the ones we notice first.
For the copy, I would focus first on the layout/form/ structure (use of repetition and listing), then on the descriptions of what a nurse is and what a nurse does. It is these descriptions that create “enthusiasm” for this career path rather than the use of repetition and inclusive language. I would still discuss repetition and inclusive language but not at the expense of the descriptions.
A = 3
B = 3
C = 4
D = 4

This paper 1 by far was one of the more challenging ones to do because I wasn’t sure how to begin, however, I was able to pull through and definitely write a better paper 1 from my previous attempts. I am now getting significantly better at picking up key choices and writing a convincing argument for how those choices help the text reach its purpose.

The Visit Discussion Notes

DISCUSSION QUESTION

In the play, how is language used to conceal as well as reveal, to distort as well as to illuminate? Comment on how and to what effect language is rarely straightforward in this play. 

• lots of irony, the words of the village people does not match their actions after Claire’s proposal
• Claire speaks in a very secretive manner when she first arrives in Guellen in the train.
• When the reporters are interviewing Mrs Ill, they twist her words

Why are Durrenmatt’s stage descriptions so specific and detailed?

• To set up a very specific scene that can be recreated from the play because words do not match the actions (as mentioned above)
• To show the contrast of Guellen from the beginning and end when the town is in very different position economically

What is the purpose in naming characters by their occupations? Who / what could be criticised as a result of this choice?

• The dehumanization of individuals that do not hold the a high socioeconomic status or power
• It is also used to criticize Switzerland for the role they played in WWII. The occupation is also used to criticize those people (e.g. political leaders(Mayor), police, priests, doctors etc.)

In Act 1, how is foreshadowing used to hint at Claire’s real reason for visiting Guellen?

• Claire questioning the different influential people about death (e.g. the doctor & priest)
• Bringing the casket
• Claire mentioning the reporters will be necessary later

How does the play show the corrupting influence of extreme wealth on an individual’s character as well as the negative effects of poverty? To what extent does this play support the redistribution of wealth from obscenely rich people (like Claire) to ordinary people (like the citizens of Guellen)?

• People’s ethics and morals were compromised as a result of them getting used to a better quality of life that was more expensive to afford.

How does Durrenmatt inform the audience of characters’ backstory? 

• Explicitly: backstories are told mostly as first person accounts by characters themselves throughout the play

What does “justice” mean to different (main) characters? Does this definition change throughout the play?

• Justice is fairness as a general concept for Guellen at first
• For Claire, it means revenge
• Later on, justice becomes twisted for the people of Guellen and is anything done to the extent of killing an individual in order for them to gain wealth

How does Durrenmatt criticise western society’s obsession with materialism?

• He emphasizes how materialism comprises morals and how it begins a cycle of greed

How do the words of the citizens contradict their actions or external appearance throughout the play? What might this suggest about being in denial or taking responsibility for one’s actions?

• Once Claire’s proposal has been offered to the villagers, they begin increasing their standard of living.
• They continue to refer to their ‘humanist’ city and people while pulling themselves further into debt showing denial.
• Even later, they kill Ill saying they did it for justice and not their greed.

How is the Schoolmaster used to comment on morality?

• Schoolmaster was against Claire’s proposition for the longest time
• Although he ultimately fell into temptation as well, his speech before the vote showed how he knew it was wrong as he discreetly reminded the people that what they should not be surprised if they have to pay for they are about to do
• Comments how often people know what they are doing is wrong, however, still go through with it

How is romantic love featured in the play? Consider Ill’s and Claire’s past, who they each married and why, Claire’s subsequent marriages, and Claire’s reasons for wanting Ill to be killed.

• Negative portrayal of love
• Ill married the shopkeeper’s daughter for money
• Claire married several times as a showcase of power, status and wealth and to fulfill her dreams, not for love
• Claire loved Ill and got betrayed, she became incapable of love and did everything for revenge yet kept Ill’s corpse and brought it with her (showing how Ill still held some importance to her)

Justice and vengeance are clear themes in the play. What type of justice does Claire represent? Does Ill’s punishment fit his crime? Are the citizens really motivated by justice?

• Claire’s justice is more revenge than it is justice
• Ill’s punishment is extreme for his crime especially considering the lengths (finding the two men that trapped her and castrating them, buying all the factories in Guellen and purposefully making them go out of business, etc) Claire went to get there after 45-50 years.
• Citizens are motivated by greed and a better quality of life rather than actual justice, justice was an excuse they used to justify their actions

Explore how Durrenmatt uses the characters and situations in the play to echo what happened in Europe in WWII. How does the play act as a criticism of Switzerland’s actions during WWII?

• Criticizes how Switzerland said they were neutral during the war but actually was supporting and actinfg bling to the actions of the Nazis. They abandoned their moral convictions in the interest of material and political gain.

Claire has always been able to use her money to solve her problems and fulfil her heart’s desires. Where does Ill fit into this? Will buying his death solve her heartbreak?

• Claire got everything once becoming wealthy EXCEPT revenge for Ill‘s scheming.
• Buying his death won’t solve her heartache as she clearly still feels something towards him to still want him with her after he dies.

The Visit

PDF of play

slideshow w/ background info

Themes to consider (for potential future assessments):

• Justice (whether money can buy it, is it the same as vengenace, can some things be too extreme to be considered justice, etc)

• Dehumanization

• Power of wealth (greed, explotation of those who are not wealthy)

IO Advice!

Earlier this week, I presented my first full IO. I think I did quite well compared to the mini IO we had to do about Frankenstein earlier.

Some things I need to keep in mind for the future with the specific text…

WNNN – refer to the purpose of the names, give more than one example

Pawel Kuczynski’s – surrealism is his main style

FEEDBACK…

CRITERION A

— appropriate “zooming out” to discuss another example of ignorance of hunger in the novel (Kate in chapter 17). Next time try to include at least 2 examples from the entire text to better support the claim that the global issue is prevalent in the whole work. 

— one suggestion (related to the “whole work”) is to think about the “signature” style of the author/creator and how these are used throughout the work to communicate the idea = global issue.

CRITERION B

— evaluation could be refined further to more explicitly and/or comprehensively show the way the author’s choices influence how the reader thinks or feels about the global issue. Example, the importance of the naive point of view in showing “ignorance towards hunger”, or the way graphic weight communicates “ignorance towards hunger”.

CRITERION C

— consider more explicit signposting throughout the oral to clearly indicate what you will be focussing on (“First I’m going to discuss XXX”, “Which brings me to my next point, which is …”, “Not only X but also Y” etc)

CRITERION D

— work on delivery: needs to seem more enthusiastic and passionate

I agree with all the feedback I got, I think after my IO I knew these were the things I needed to work on and seeing them in my feedback reinforced this fact so I will focus specifically on this moving forward.

Paper 1 Practice Reflection (Sonogram Advertisement)

I think this paper 1 went quite well. I think I did a lot better on this one compared to my past paper 1s. Some feedback I have for myself immediately finishing this paper one is…

• make thesis statement more specific (it was quite general and would be applicable to almost any text)
• potentially restructure (refer to layout, then images and finally language to gradually narrow down the focus)
• evaluate more

Grade: 15/20

Appropriate introduction that identifies text type, audience and purpose, and outlines generic features of the advert used to appeal to the target audience. Try to be a bit more precise when identifying the features next time. I like the comments you make about the expressions on the people’s faces, as well as the split structure of the copy. To extend, you could have discussed the effect(s) created and evaluated how this in turn could help the creator to appeal to/persuade the target audience. Good recognition of the different aspects of the product being ascribed to each gender, and how this reflects the gender stereotypes of the time. Appropriate conclusion.

General comments to keep in mind:

• layout should always be discussed first
• evaluating needs work – at end of each paragraph make sure to answer the question “SO WHAT?”
• leave first half of page one blank if a goof thesis isn’t coming to mind and return to write intro later on (beware of time in this tho)
• adverts always have bias and appeal to specific demographic and stereotypes so avoid making too many vague comments on that
• stay focused and concise

HELPFUL IO ADVICE!!!

Final IO Ideas Brainstorm

1.

We Need New Names by NoViolet Bulawayo is a novel that follows the journey of a young Zimbabwean girl, Darling, through her childhood in Zimbabwe and America after she emigrates there to live with her aunt in hopes of a better life and captures her experiences and struggles.

“Embarrassment of Riches” by George Monbiot is an essay that talks about how the people who become rich are only because of the poor and how a lot of the environmental issues present in our current world is because of the actions of the rich. Monbiot raises some negative traits about people who are rich and mentions his thought on the idea that money brings happiness.

Field of Inquiry: Politics, Power & Justice

Broad Global Issue: wealth gap

From “Embarrassment of Riches”:

“…Even when they mean well, the ultrarich cannot help trashing the living world.

The disastrous effects of spending power are compounded by the psychological impacts of being wealthy. Plenty of studies show that the richer you are, the less you are able to connect with other people. Wealth suppresses empathy. One paper reveals that drivers in expensive cars are less likely to stop for people using pedestrian crossings than drivers in cheap cars. Another revealed that rich people were less able than poorer people to feel compassion towards children with cancer. Though they are disproportionately responsible for our environmental crises, the rich will be hurt least and last by planetary disasters, while the poor are hurt first and worst. The richer people are, the research suggests, the less such knowledge is likely to trouble them.

Another issue is that wealth limits the perspectives of even the best-intentioned people.”

From “We Need New Names”: Pg 265 and Pg 268-269   In WNNN, the pages mentioned above contain the interaction and conversations between Kate, Darling and Eliot. In these pages, Darling\’s poverty even after moving to America is seen and it also shows the contrast of her life and Eliot and Kate’s life. We see what seems to be Eliot’s wealth and how it seems to talk away his ability to feel for Darling (like Monbiot mentions the richer you are, the less you\’re able to connect with people) as he misses his drink cap and leaves it where it is for Darling to pick up. He also wants to go hunt in Africa and wants to learn Darling’s language (which shows Monbiot\’s point of the rich can\’t help but thrash the world for their own good). Darling also mentions how Eliot has been all over Africa but has only ever seen the animals and parks which also supports Monbiot’s ideas being presented about rich people not being able to connect with others. In addition to that, although Darling invalidates Kate\’s struggles thinking her struggles have been significantly worse, the readers also see that Kate doesn’t really sympathize with Darling either.

Refined Global Issue: the unnoticed impact of wealth gap on the rich and the poor

11.

Literary text: Frankenstein OR The World’s Wife

Non-literary BOW: Liza Donnelly Cartoons

Potential Global Issue: the expectation of women to have passive/nurturing roles as a result of a patriarchal society.

111.

Literary text: Frankenstein

Non-literary BOW: Pawel Kuczynski’s Illustrations

Global Issue: the negative impact of advancement technology and science on the well being of individuals.

~Dove’s ‘Real Beauty’ Campaign~

Annotated Advertisement from ‘Reverse Selfie’ Campaign in 2021.

There are several other advertisements with different females and heading but everything else is kept the same.

OVERALL MESSAGE: the overall message in this campaign seems to be promoting positive body image and confidence within the younger generations.

GLOBAL ISSUES IN THE BOW:

• promotion of unhealthy beauty standards
• beauty playing a key role in judgement of women
• importance of beauty in shaping the personality of women

POTENTIAL LITERARY WORKS:

• The World’s Wife
  • Medusa: how her mental health decline after her husband cheating on her turns Medusa ugly and she dwells on that fact
  • Salome: she sleeps with good looking men and the kills them, men on sleep with her because she is beautiful

• Frankenstein?
  • focus on the physical appearance
  • treatment of Elizabeth or Safie

Mini IO Presentation Prep (10/08/21)

Global Issue Statement:

the prevalence of instant prejudice based on appearance in society

Extract:

page 161 in PDF, volume 2, end of chapter 7

Authorial Choices:

I. change in atmosphere through diction

beginning of extract: sincere, pleasure, serviceable, generous, kindness, innocent, best, benefactor, humanity, success

end of extract: struggled, destroyed, sobbed, cried, horror, consternation, clung, fury, torn, pain, anguish, quitted, tumult

>>> the atmosphere becomes from peaceful and hopeful to chaotic and full of desperation as soon as the family enters the cottage. The old man was having a normal conversation and seemed to be helpful but became influenced by his family and alerted forgetting completely about the conversation he just had with the monster.

II. the eloquent and poise style of speech of the monster

simile “I could have torn him limb from limb, as the lion rends the antelope”

>>>it does not line up with the monster’s appearance or even the personality of the monster yet he still gets violently beaten by Felix immediately

Other examples of GI in the Novel:

– right when the monster was created, Victor made a point to focus out his unpleasant appearance which became the reason why Victor abandoned the monster which led to the series of ill-fated events throughout the novel.

– not much after the extract, the monster spots a young girl drowning and saves her which is taken wrongly by the man accompanying the girl due to the monster’s appearance which made him shoot the monster.

– in the end, after Victor dies, the monster hangs over hiss corpse and Walton pays attention to the monster’s looks “Never did I behold a vision so horrible as his face, of such loathsome yet appalling hideousness. I shut my eyes involuntarily…”

~WHAT’S NEXT~

I feel like reading The Visit as our 4th literary work will give me enough options for my final IO.

In terms of the BOW, I prefer the first option where we spend a couple of days on each of the BOW and then can choose to individually go in more depth with ones that interest us as that’ll give us more flexibility for the final IO.