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Visiting Hour. By Norman McCaig. Learning Intentions. In completing this work you are: Revising poetic techniques Learning textual analysis skills Revising critical essay writing Learning how to independently plan a critical essay. Initial Thoughts.
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Visiting Hour By Norman McCaig
Learning Intentions In completing this work you are: • Revising poetic techniques • Learning textual analysis skills • Revising critical essay writing • Learning how to independently plan a critical essay.
Initial Thoughts Read over the poem and consider the following questions. You may discuss with a partner if you wish, but make sure you write your answers in your jotter in your own words.
Initial Thoughts • In your own words, write a summary of the poem. • What do you think the relationship might be between the narrator and the woman in the hospital? • How do you think the narrator feels about this experience? Give evidence from the text to support your answer. • Are there any particular images or lines that stay with you? Explain why they are so vivid/memorable. • What do you think is happening at the end of the poem? What message do you think McCaig wants to leave us with?
Annotating the Poem For this you will need at least 3 different coloured highlighters/pens/pencils. We will make notes directly onto your poem. You may wish to use a separate sheet of paper or a page in your jotter to make more extensive notes as we go.
Textual Analysis Remember, textual analysis is part of the Literature Unit and you will sit a NAB which covers these skills. As a result, it is really important you try your hardest with this piece of work as it will help to prepare you for your NAB.
Critical Essay Learning Intentions: • To learn the process to write an essay, • To look at example essay questions and be able to identify the best question for our essay, • To look at how to plan and structure the essay, • To produce an essay on the poem.
Critical Essay Critical essays should show: • Relevance to the question • Detailed knowledgeof the text • An ability to back up your points with reference to the textand relevant quotations.
Critical Essay Copy the following: There are 5 stages to writing a critical essay.
Critical Essay Stage 1 – Reading the Question Read BOTH parts of the question. Part one gives you the theme or area of the text to discuss. Part two tells you what your essay should be arguing/discussing.
Critical Essay Stage 2 – Identifying the Key Words Pick out the specific words that tell you what to do and what to look at. Write them at the top of your answer paper.
Critical Essay Stage 3 – Planning your Essay In the planning stage you should do the following: • Consider the main points you want to make • Select the evidence you will use (quotations) • Decide on the order you will discuss your points.
Critical Essay Stage 4 – Writing the Essay Your essay must be relevant and focussed and contain references to the text (quotations) to back up the points you make. Paragraphs will follow the PEA structure.
Critical Essay The PEA Structure P = Point – the main idea your paragraph is about (topic sentence) E = Evidence – the reference to/quotation from the text to back up your point A = Analysis – an explanation of how your evidence backs up the point you’ve made.
Critical Essay Stage 5 – Checking it Over You should always check to make sure: • your essay makes sense • you have used accurate spelling and punctuation • you have used paragraphs.
Stage 1 – Reading the Question This might sound a bit obvious but it is important you read the WHOLE question. At Intermediate 1, 2 and Higher questions come in 2 parts e.g. Choose a poem which could be considered as having a powerful message. Show how the poet effectively conveys this message through his or her use of poetic techniques. (SQA 2010 Q.7)
Stage 1 – Reading the Question If you simply read the first part, you might end up just writing about the message. The second part gives you your focus for the essay – show how the poet effectively conveys this message through his or her use of poetic techniques. An essay which simply described the message of the poem would not pass as it wouldn’t have answered the question.
Stage 2 – Identify Key Words The keywords are the clues in the question that tell you what to look at and focus on. Let’s look at the question from earlier again and pick out the key words together: Choose apoemwhich could be considered as having a powerful message. Show how the poet effectively conveys this message through his or her use of poetic techniques.
Stage 3 – Planning Your Essay Most people will claim that they don’t plan their essays, they just fire ahead and write them. This is a mistake. If your essay has not been carefully thought out and considered then you will probably fail.
Stage 3 – Planning Your Essay How to Plan There are many different options: • Bullet points • Spider diagram • Paragraph-by-paragraph • A checklist of points to make Regardless of the option you go for, you MUST make sure your plan is detailed enough for you to know what you will write about. Instructions won’t help you.
Stage 3 – Planning Your Essay Let’s plan an essay together to answer the question we’ve been looking at. First, let’s establish what the message of the poem is. Then, we’ll decide what things we will talk about and in what order.
