The Purpose of this Blog

Your task on this blog is to write a brief summary of what we learned in class today. Include enough detail so that someone who was ill or missed the lesson can catch up with what they missed. Over the course of the term, these 'class scribe' posts will grow to be a guide book for the course, written by students for students.

With each post ask yourself the following questions:
1) Is this good enough for our guide book?
2) Will your post enable someone who wasn't here to catch up?
3) Would a graphic/video/link help to illustrate what we have learned?


Thursday 3 November 2011

Coursework Essay

Hi guys, really sorry for a delay on the blog.

On Monday, we started the lesson by writing which character we sympathise with the most. Although some students did feel sympathy towards Blanche to an extent as she has had a traumatic past with the loss of her husband and house in Belle Reve, this point was contradicted because she brings it all onto herself. For example, due to Blanche's husband- Alan Grey being homosexual, she told him that he "disgusts her" thus resulting him to commit suicide. Therefore, more people in the class started feeling more sorry for Stella, as she is in the middle of her husband and Blanche's clash in opinions.
Secondly, we looked at the criteria, due dates and the questions for the coursework about Streetcar. https://skydrive.live.com/view.aspx/coursework%20criteria.docx/coursework%20criteria.docx?cid=d5eff95578b22f19&Bsrc=Docmail&Bpub=SDX.Docs We analysed what "tools" we need to write a good essay, they were;
- Language analysis (AO2): zoom in on the epigraph (Mr Gall corrected that what we thought was the epilogue is actually the epigraph) include types of imagery; dichotomy (a split between two opposed parts), binary opposition (directly contrasting terms)
- Context (AO4): historical, social and cultural.
- Phrasing sentences, impressive vocabulary, variety of punctuation and correct spelling!
- Topic sentences (AO1) , powerful paragraphing.
- Theatrical devices: music of 'blue piano' every time Stanley is present in the scene, stage directions, lighting. Proximity of privacy available in the house, which builds up the atmosphere.
- Plurality (AO3): include more than one point of view of a certain aspect.
- Dichotomy between Blanche and Stanley's different opinions on morals/social values.
- Value system of Old South (AO4): mixture of social classes and patriarchy (where men has more power than women)
- Embedding critical interpretation
- Foreshadowing a conflict based on structure throughout the scenes.

We then drew a table based on writing experience. This is an example of my table;

Successes

Areas for development

Analysing language

Embed critical interpretations

Spelling and punctuation

Foreshadowing conflicts

Plurality

Value system of Old South

Powerful paragraphing

Embed theatrical devices

Weave quotes

Phrasing sentences

Thirdly, we answered the question of "How does Blanche's conduct with the 'young man' expose her sexual desire and unreasonable morality?" by including multiple interpretations.
Some people's views are that Blanche should not have exposed her sexual to a young man. due to the fact that he is much younger than her. Also, this challenges Blanche as this sort of behaviour is uncharacteristic of the Old South. However, some people think that Blanche's flirtatious behaviour is acceptable as it is typical of her own behaviour because she flirts with every male.

Towards the end of the lesson, we read through scene 6. In this scene, we see Blanche almost breaking her barrier that she puts up. When Mitch asks her about her past, she rolls her eye which is only visible to the audience. This is very unusual coming from Blanche as the audience can tell for the first time that she's playing a role.

Lisa(:

5 comments:

  1. awesome summary of the lesson Lisa :) glad you showed the plurality regarding us sympathising with Blanche

    Samiha

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  2. This is a really helpful blog, that sums up the lesson well. The different interpretations are also really good.
    Jess.

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  3. nicely done..

    eddie

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  4. A really descriptive blog :)
    I like the fact that you added a few examples for each AO.

    Mumtas

    ReplyDelete