1500 Words (+ or – 200 words)
*Choose ONE of the topics and write an essay responding to it. You do not need to research and use secondary material, but you may if you wish – BUT only as explained below. There is no inherent advantage or additional marks for choosing to research and use secondary material, but it may help you write a better response.
*The secondary research texts you may use are limited to the letters, critical notes and essays in the set version of The Metamorphosis after the story. No other research materials are allowed for this essay. You should reference and list in a bibliography any research material you use. No material from the internet is allowed. Do not read or research from the web for this assignment.
*You do need to show evidence of your reading and understanding of the primary text mentioned in the topic. You need to quote and reference quotations and paraphrasing properly. You need to list the text at the end of the essay. Do not over-quote in order to fill up the essay. No more than about a quarter of your essay should be quotations, but probably much less.
CHOOSE ONE OF THE FOLLOWING:
- Critically assess the view that Gregor Samsa in Kafka’s Metamorphosis is presented to the reader as deluded about his own family, by discussing what you think are the most important interactions and scenes in the short story that support your argument.
- The Metamorphosis shows us a fictional world in which invisible and unspoken truths are made visible. Write an essay showing how this can be accurate as a description of The Metamorphosis, and include an argument statement of your view in your introduction.
Essay Hints and Advice below …
*Make sure you understand all the words in your chosen topic, and what the question asks for. Tutorials are important for clarifying further.
*The topics might read as difficult at first, but they should give you plenty to write about.
* Format: 12-point font and double spacing are required. Leave decent margins around your text.
Answer the question – don’t just repeat or summarize the text you are discussing. We always ask whether the student is answering the question when marking
* Write a little less than the word limits and avoid repetition – that’s good.
*Proofread and edit your work. Look for grammar and punctuation mistakes, and fix them as much as possible.
*Include a Bibliography at the end, even if you just write about one primary text. Use the same rules as for the portfolio task.
Organise your points and evidence so that there is a clear progression of ideas. This relies heavily on consistent paragraphing (roughly 150 words each); once this is done, you can begin to organise what goes into what paragraph. Usually, it’s best to start with your strongest or most important points. Sometimes a bit of context is necessary early on. Other times, you need to lay down the conceptual framework first. Deciding what goes where can be an acquired skill, but it all starts with good paragraphing.
paraphrase and summarise, and broadly capture the general facts or the gist of a source text, well-chosen quotes can provide a point of focus, both in terms of meaning and in terms of structure
