English Extension 1 2020 HSC exam pack

Students should:

• demonstrate their knowledge and understanding of the module Literary Worlds through close engagement with the given texts. This does not require reference to texts that do not feature in the exam paper, or to literary theory of any kind
• consider all aspects of the question and ensure that they address all the components as specified
• demonstrate a strong conceptual understanding of Literary Worlds, including why they are constructed (purpose) and how they interact with the reader (audience)
• demonstrate control of language and form
• communicate clearly and take care with syntax, grammar, paragraphing and punctuation.

In better responses, students were able to:

• establish an effective and sophisticated thesis showing insights into, and awareness of, Literary Worlds through close analysis of the given texts
• synthesise and make comparisons between stimulus texts in response to the question
• provide relevant textual evidence, analysed in a purposeful way to support the thesis
• be precise and concise
• select the form most suited to the question.

Areas for students to improve include:

• using the texts to develop a sustained thesis in response to the purpose of Literary Worlds, rather than simply presenting a description of what the texts are saying
• addressing the specific requirements of the question to provide a comparison between TWO of the stimulus texts
• demonstrating an understanding of the influence of purpose and audience on the construction of the literary world
• referencing the texts in a purposeful way and avoiding using extraneous texts which are not directly relevant to the question
• avoiding using module description terms, naming literary theorists or describing literary theory in a way that lacks purpose
• selecting the best evidence to support the thesis
• ensuring that analysis is focused on the effect rather than simply identifying techniques
• managing time constraints to ensure that a complete response is presented and avoiding setting up long expositions that add little to an argument or analysis of the texts.

Students should:

• ensure that they have a thorough knowledge of all aspects of the elective description, its central ideas and its directives in preparation for their own writing
• as part of their study, choose related texts that connect clearly to the key concerns expressed in the elective description and provide scope for cohesiveness, flexibility and sustained integration in responding to the requirements of an unseen question
• make judicious choices regarding related material. Material such as animated children’s films, juvenile artwork and video/online games will not allow for an effective demonstration of knowledge and understanding, particularly in relation to form
• select related texts that offer substantial and sustainable points of connection to the specific terms of the elective and some kind of conceptual compatibility (whether more ‘resonant’ or ‘dissonant’) with the prescribed texts
• consider how a recognition of the various ideological or contextual paradigms that emerge throughout their texts could potentially give greater discernment and/or added cohesiveness to their responses
• develop an understanding of the interplay between contextual values and their manifestation in terms of the author’s purpose when constructing texts
• consider how the values of the composer interrogate the values of the context and address this tension both semantically and syntactically
• consider the form of the texts about which they are writing and establish the ways in which the composer has used this form innovatively to signal the tension between their values and that of their context
• read the exam question carefully and respond explicitly to the requirements of the question, ensuring that they address all its components in the construction of their thesis
• avoid rehearsed responses that do not explicitly answer the question
• signal that they are answering the question by considering the given terms of the question in their opening sentence
• include close analysis of a range of relevant evidence from across the texts to demonstrate holistic and cohesive textual knowledge and understanding
• move beyond a simplistic or glib aesthetic analysis toward a deeper consideration of the composer’s purpose in creating the text, which is then used to frame a discussion of their representational choices, such as form, genre, structure, setting and irony, to achieve this purpose
• avoid discussing two or three texts in one paragraph. This becomes unwieldy. Synthesis is more elegantly achieved through addressing all parts of the question in every topic sentence, and by then positioning the texts against each other in the topic sentence and incidentally as the paragraph unfolds
• develop an authentic voice that uses metalanguage meaningfully
• develop an effective, sustained discussion and write with clarity and conviction to persuade the marker of their argument
• use a coherent structure that allows them to express their knowledge and understanding of the texts in a clear manner
• carefully plan their response.

Elective 1: Literary homelands

In better responses, students were able to:

• respond to the key terms of the question by addressing the nature of interrogation of contextual values that positions the audience to appreciate complexity
• construct clear introductions that effectively outline the conceptual sequence of the paragraph arguments
• frame the paragraph arguments with a clear direction that is systematically supported with carefully chosen textual evidence and analysis
• include the function of form and textual structure in support of their arguments
• address textual integrity in their concluding evaluations, as well as control the segues between paragraphs that sustain the line of argument
• include an evaluation of the previous paragraph argument in the topic sentence of a new paragraph.

Areas for students to improve include:

• forming well-crafted thesis statements that include a central concept that underpins Literary Homelands, how the ‘Homelands’ are constructed by integrating key terms from the question, and the purpose of constructing Literary Homelands
• understanding the contextual framework of the texts to meaningfully argue the function of a Literary Homelands construction
• developing a considered awareness of the roles of literary form and dominant stylistic features
• balancing arguments across the response that demonstrate in-depth exploration of the prescribed and related texts
• maintaining alignment between the topic sentences and the thesis statement.

Elective 2: Worlds of upheaval

In better responses, students were able to:

• answer the question in a sustained manner throughout the entire response, indicating a strong understanding of how a writer, particularly in times of upheaval, establishes their purpose and challenges the values of the status quo, often advocating for a new set of values
• perceptively address contextual values, what is valued in a given society, and how the composer challenges or advocates for these values
• elegantly synthesise their treatment of all three texts, showing the similarities and differences between the ways in which the composers establish their purpose with respect to the context
• support their arguments with judiciously chosen evidence, linking text to form and argument without skipping a logical step
• offer an historically accurate account of the context of each text.

Areas for students to improve include:

• providing a more careful treatment of Waiting for Godot, considering Beckett’s overall purpose rather than a more general character and plot analysis. Better responses on Beckett actually tackled the idea that Beckett refused such analyses
• developing a through line which establishes an argument for how texts operate and behave in times of upheaval rather than offering three mini-essays
• providing a considered treatment of form and its innovative use.

Elective 3: Reimagined worlds

In better responses, students were able to:

• treat each text equally by constructing a balanced argument and an insightful thesis, which was maintained throughout their extended response
• engage with all aspects of the question by not only examining how composers interrogate contextual values, but also considering how composers use these values to position their responder to consider the complexity of the world. For example, in The Left Hand of Darkness, Le Guin, through the deliberate construction of a reimagined world, interrogates the contextual values of her 1960s society to prompt her audience to rethink preconceived notions of gender and its complexities
• carefully select a sophisticated related text that allowed them to engage meaningfully with the question in light of the elective Reimagined Worlds and to demonstrate depth of knowledge of the elective
• provide close textual analysis by using a wide range of textual examples to support their ideas and arguments and reveal a holistic understanding of the texts. For example, in their discussion of Pan’s Labyrinth, candidates moved beyond discussing only iconic scenes, such as the ‘Pale Man’ sequence, to examine a wide variety of film excerpts and engaged in an exploration of form
• demonstrate sophisticated control of language by using varied vocabulary and paying close attention to spelling, punctuation and sentence structure.

Areas for students to improve include:

• understanding the difference between themes and values; themes are used to reveal, promote, critique or challenge the values of the composer and/or their context
• revealing a holistic understanding of each text rather than relying on predictable examples, such as ‘The King was pregnant’ in The Left Hand of Darkness, or drawing only from the early stages of a text, such as the opening line of a poem. For instance, some responses attempted to use the opening lines of Coleridge’s Kubla Khan or The Rime of the Ancient Mariner to drive the entire discussion of contextual values. These are inadequate in a comprehensive exploration of how audiences are positioned when composers interrogate contextual values
• considering the importance of personal context in shaping a composer’s interrogation of values. In some discussions of Life on Mars, students did not consider how Smith’s personal context shapes her poetry or made general comments regarding her exploration of grief without supporting evidence.

Elective 4: Literary mindscapes

In better responses, students were able to:

• express an insightful personal understanding of ways that the construction of texts can be used to position an audience to engage with challenging ideas
• demonstrate a deep and convincing understanding of contextual values of the prescribed and related texts and use this understanding to synthesise ideas and to frame their discussion. 

Areas for students to improve include:

• using a related text that is substantial and deeply linked to the key concerns of the elective, rather than to specific aspects of the prescribed texts. Difficulty in reframing specific ideas that connected with particular scenes, sections or issues from prescribed texts was a limiting factor for some responses
• moving beyond the interior worlds of the characters or personas in texts and considering, more effectively, ways that context, construction and compositional choices shape the response of the audience and can challenge thinking
• avoiding the use of extended descriptive passages, particularly when referring to Lost in Translation or when using a film as a related text.

Elective 5: Intersecting worlds

In better responses, students were able to:

• effectively balance the various components of the question, such as ‘interrogate contextual values’ and ‘positioned to consider’, to enable a well-focused and appropriately differentiated response
• apply evidence from the texts that was especially conducive to a focused response to the terms of the question.

Areas for students to improve include:

• using the details and scope of their prescribed texts to demonstrate a more authoritative and developed understanding
• ensuring that the Wordsworth and Winton texts, which are more ‘fragmented’ in nature, are fully and appropriately covered.