drama questions -tackling

7/29/2019 Drama Questions -Tackling

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TACKLING DRAMA QUESTIONS

GENERAL

Remember that you are writing about a play intended forstage. Call it a text, but not

a novel. Dont speak about the reader, but about the audience.

Imagine the text as a play in your head be aware ofwho is on stage, where (is thissignificant?), with whom, what is happening, what is being said as well as how it is

said tone, language, diction, imagery, pace - what impact it has and what it reveals

ofcharacters and themes.

Be aware of sound, lighting, costume, props, set, (look at stage directions,

producers notes, clues to expression and movement embedded in the script) and

how these contribute to meaning, to our understanding of the characters and

themes.

Plays are not a slice of life, of reality, even though the playwright may create the

illusion that they are. Characters are constructed by the art of the playwright to

raise important issues/themes. When you write about characters and situations,

youre analysing the art, the way the playwright engages the audience, the means

s/he uses.

All good plays engage the emotions and intellect of the audience. Theyre meant to

make us think, feel and respond.

Develop a valid reading of each play. A valid interpretation is based on the text.

For example, you can only tell what Gertrude thinks from the text ie, from what she

says, what others say about her, what she does, what the stage directions indicate.

Know the text well. Know key episodes very well so that they come straight into your

head when you need them.

Its alright to feel ambivalent about a character, to be in two minds, to be torn between

two ways of judging the character. Explain by referring to the text how this is a

result of the characters complexity as constructed by the playwright and a result of

the complex issues the play explores.

QUESTIONS

Analyse the question. Identify exactly what the question is asking.

Deal with all parts of the question.

Dont let the question push you around or intimidate you: theres no need to

slavishly agree or disagree with an extreme view that may be suggested by a

question. However, remember that the question is on your side, that its

designed to give you an entry point into the play. The question will enable you

to say the important things you need to say about the play.

All questions ask you to discuss THEMES and CHARACTERS.

All questions askWHAT as well as HOW = literary and dramatic features.

All general questions EXPECT you to discuss HOW = literary/dramatic

features, EVEN IF THEY DONT EXPLICITY ask you to do so.


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Preparation

Jot down the titles of the plays youve studied, names of characters youll mention.

Jot down the criteria in short hand: I need to:

A. know/understand works in detail

B. respond to questionC. appreciate literary/theatrical devices,

D. organize ideas into paragraphs,

E. write clearly, correctly.

THE ESSAY: Aim to write 8-10 IB pages (fewer lines per page and margins on both sides about5-6 A4 pages) Quality dont ramble on to fill pages)

Introduction

Name plays/playwrights and get straight to topic. Make clear what you see the

question is about. Dont go into detail. The essence of what youre saying is: Play a by A is aboutXX, play b by B is about YY or XY.(=WHAT) The playwright uses TOPIC to develop character and

explore/focus on issues. This is reinforced through the use of LIT/DRAMATIC features (=HOW).Check: Am I on topic?

Body

Develop arguments: dont tell story

make a point

quote briefly or refer to specific examples to illustrate what youre saying

discuss, explain, ANALYSE and EVALUATE .

Check: Am I on topic?

Write in paragraphs: a new idea = new paragraph. Create a sense of order and

connectedness in your ideas: use topic sentences (they summarise the point of the paragraph : A key feature of both

plays is the set tells the marker that this paragraph deals with the way set is important to topic)

order you points move from the most important and convincing ideas to lesser

but significant ideas

aim for transitions, linking words/ideas between paragraphs: later, further, as well

as, in contrast, while, on the other hand, however.

continue to see the TOPIC and its implications.

Check: Am I on topic?

Conclusion

Come to a clearly expressed conclusion about the topic/plays (without merelygeneralising or repeating verbatim what youve already said). Leave the examiner

with the impression of having encountered a thoughtful, intelligent, sensitive, engaged

student.

Check: Have I

A. shown knowledge/understanding,

B. answered the question

C. analysed effect of literary/theatrical devices,

D. organized my ideas logically

E. expressed myself clearly and correctly?


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REREAD your essay: the/a, agreement, run-on sentences that have lost their point,

clarity, punctuation, simple elegance.

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