Module C- Powerplay (1 Viewer)

[Mazey]

Ok this sounds crazy cos i was totally prepared (or thought i was) and then i saw last yrs hsc question!

How has ur understanding of events, personalities and situations been shaped by their representations in the texts you have studied?

Aaargh factor a billion!!!

I thought module C was just looking at how power is represented and if it isnt then what the hell are we looking for?!

 

[ssj_goku]

Don't worry, most of the high scoring answers were looking at power. That q just seems to be asking how power affects the events and characters in the play.

 

[mememe]

Powerplay is my worst topic. I feel pretty stupid, i'm top of advanced and extension english but i don't know how to write about something as simple as powerplay!

With the above question, how would you go about answering it?

Do you structure your essay based on "the nature of powerplay", with one paragraph being on the power of the people, the next being on the power of individuals, following with the methods of the powerful etc etc.
OR
Do you structure it based on the HOW, like your first paragraph is about the technique of language, the next being on the use of persuasion, the next being on the power of the visual, then the technique of foreshadowing...

OR am i still completely missing the point?!

 

[ssj_goku]

mememe, both of your suggested structures should be acceptable. After all, while the elective is powerplay, the module is Representation and Text, so focusing on either is fine. Personally, I chose to structure based on the aspects of power, and use evidence for each because it seemed to have an easier to follow argument and less of an abstract nature, but its a personal choice. In fact I recall one of the exemplar or band 6 responses last year focused on techniques like oratory.

 

[tempco]

You can structure your essay anyway you want.. but I guess you would have to revolve your essay around the effects of power.

I would probably structure my essay in a domino-like fashion... Because of power, something happened, and as a result, another thing happened (due to the influence of power).. yada yada yada..

 

[Toodulu]

last year's question was the broadest possible question they could've asked, that's basically what we're asked to learn for the module.

if you mean which scenes you could talk about, then that question covers pretty much everything. but with the essay structure, i think it might be better to synthesize your essay and talk about the nature of power, backed up by the techniques, rather than talking about them in different paragraphs.

 

[mememe]

Ok thankyou i am kinda starting to get it now. So basically you need your own thesis on powerplay (like we have to have for change in the Area of Study paper) And in your essay, you discuss what powerplay is and how it is shown (ie the techniques)?

Unless of corse they give you a very specific question, like "powerplay involves the power of the people" then you are stuck with that statement to discuss

 

[HannieStar]

They were just tricking people- it really means understanding of any of those elements in powerplay. So there are events, personalities and situations in powerplay right.
Don't worry- I cried when I tried to do that one last week- then my mym was like arggghhhhh don't get caught up in convoluted questions- really- it is alwyas asking the same thing- how is power represented in text...I think

Powerplay is my worst too...

 

[tempco]

Could someone please post up an example of a thesis? Is it basically the main statement of the intro? I always have problems thinking up intros in the exam.. takes quite a lot of time.. I guess preparing one before the exam would be the smart thing to do.. d'oh...

 

[ssj_goku]

A simple sort of thesis could be something like, power is one of the fundamental forces which drives the actions of humanity. A study of the texts... can serve to illustrate the intrinsic effect that our relationship with power has on both ourselves and our environment.

 

[tempco]

Ah.. so just a generalised statement that you'll base your essay on.. that's cool.. thanks

 

[pranks85]

So are we focusing on the way events, personalities and situations are represented, or the way their representation conveys an attitude towards power on the part of the composer?

 

[Toodulu]

um, actually those two things are quite similar.. you're talking about the nature of powerplay in the text and how it's presented in the events/personalities/situations.

 

[HannieStar]

its just a convoluted questions- all it is really asking is how powerplay is represemted in the text- to do that you have to discuss personalities, events and situations- like marc antony's oration or cassius vs. brutus' nature, for example...

 

[Mazey]

Hey ive calmed down since my first post lol!
Ummm i think the question is kinda shoddy cos it had to apply to "telling the truth" and... the other course is it "memory and history"?

Anyway i structure my essays with both the nature of powerplay and how it's shown. I thought u had to, cos the 'how' bit backs up anything you say about the nature of powerplay?

 

[anastabation]

This answers my question regarding power play. Thanks guys. I would be super confident if powerplay wasn't in it! But atleast I have an idea now.

 

[Minai]

Originally posted by Mazey
Anyway i structure my essays with both the nature of powerplay and how it's shown. I thought u had to, cos the 'how' bit backs up anything you say about the nature of powerplay?

If u structure it that way, u should be fine
dont let the wording of a question throw u off - in the end, the exam is asking u to do the same thing - How has powerplay been represented in the text/s u have studied

 

[Eeko]

Hsc is annoying but it is fun

DOUBLETHINK- applied to hsc