help! How many themes/ arguments should you have for intertextual connections essay? (1 Viewer)

[sweetalmond]

I am preparing an essay on Richard III and looking for Richard next week and I was planning on doing three themes to explain how context influences texts including the exploration of Richard as evil and corrupt by the two composers, power and ambition and the power of language. However, I'm already past 600 words without even getting to the second theme power/ ambition.
Is it okay to do 2 themes?
Also, is there an over emphasis on techniques, or is it more about ideas and context like postmodernist context and quotes from interviews in the film or characters in the play?
Also what gets you up into the band 6 category if everyone is going to do similar themes like power, ambition, iniquity?

 

[Sammy Robinson]

Re: help! How many themes/ arguments should you have for intertextual connections ess

In 40 minutes in the HSC you probably only have enough time to write fully on 2 major ideas. Often the idea (like the pursuit of power or the importance of integrity) is given in the question. Then you would analyse how 2 aspects of that quality are revealed in each text. The ideas are really important for this response-how and why are they similar or different because of (or despite) thje contexts in which they were written. Remember, you also need to be prepared for a question which asks you to discuss the value of studying both texts. Why do a comparative study? What do you learn about e.g. Richard 111 by also studying "Looking for Richard"? That is very much part of the syllabus statement for this module. Finally a Band 6 response usually has great textual detail, a flowing, sophisticated writing style and addresses the question with relevance and confidence. That's not easy to do with an unseen question in a pressure situation, but it's very possible and an impressive number of students manage to do it! Best of luck.