Deciding which aspects
of the text(s) to write about
At this point in the process of
planning the essay, you need to decide which dimensions of the text(s) it
would be most appropriate to focus on in order to answer the question. You
are expected to think about literature in broader terms at this academic level
than you might have done previously (e.g. at A-level). As the course progresses
it is likely that you will start to think more about the following issues
in relation to the texts you are studying:
the form/structure
of the text and how it produces meaning
the apparent purpose or function
of certain features of the text within the overall design: how parts appear
to relate to the whole. For example, this could be how the depiction of
character, or patterns of imagery, or the occurrence of particular events
within the narrative contribute to what seems to be the overall meaning(s)
of the text.
how the text relates to other
texts. These could be texts written by the same author, or during the same
historical period, or in the same literary genre, or dealing with similar
themes.
how the text relates to the
social, cultural and historical conditions in which it was produced, and
those in which it has been read and interpreted.
the "political"
or ideological dimension of the text, and the kinds of values that it
appears to be supporting or criticising. For example, this might be the
way that the text represents women, working-class experience, etc.
The way in which the essay question
is worded will give you some indication of which aspects of the text you need
to look at and write about.
