LITERATURE PAPER ONE LECTURE NINE honour AND DISHONOUR PART 1 THE AGE OF INNOCENCE CHAPTERS 23 - 28
THE Q UE S T I O N “ Honour’s always been h o n o u r, a n d h o n e s t y honesty ... and will be till I'm carried out of it feet first,” says Mrs Mingott. Comment on the ways in which this view bears out in the novel.
R U O N O H WILL ALWAYS BE HONOUR Y T S E N O H WILL ALWAYS BE HONESTY...
ways C O M M E N T O N T H E I N W H I C H T H I S V I E W B E A R S O U T I N T H E N O V E L
essay R E S E A R C H I N G T H E
Before you begin... IDEAS : JSTOR, COLAC, CJC Library EVIDENCE : E-text, Lecture / tut notes
Outline D O N ’ T G E T S T U C K . G E T S T A R T E D .
Conc e n Ch a act e STYLE l e v o n e h t n i ’ g n i t t e s f o e s u e h T ‘ trigger Style CONCERN Ch a act e ‘Honour and honesty’ in Old New York CHARACTER ‘ T h e r o l e a n d p r Style e s e n t a t i o n o f M Conc e n r s M i n g o t t ’ T H E T R I G G E R I S Y O U R S T A R T I N G P O I N T
Concerns 1. Marital dishonour 2. Familial dishonour 3. Financial dishonour 4. Honour and honesty S P L I T T H E T R I G G E R I N T O P A R T S A N D Y O U H A V E Y O U R E S S A Y S T R U C T U R E
Methods 1. Newland Archer’s perspective 2. May Welland’s inner thoughts 3. Role of Mrs Archer and Mrs Mingott 4. Role of Beaufort, Ellen and Archer 5. ‘Tribe’ motif ‘ B R A I N S T O R M ’ T H E ‘ R E M A I N D E R ’ A F T E R S P L I T T I N G T H E T R I G G E R
S N O I T C E N N 1. Marital dishonour O C 2. Familial dishonour E 3. Financial dishonour K A M 4. Honour and respect CONCERNS METHODS 1. Newland Archer’s perspective 2. May Welland’s inner thoughts S 3. Role of Mrs Archer and Mrs Mingott N O 4. Role of Beaufort, Ellen and Archer I T C 5. ‘Tribe’ motif E N N O C E K H O W S T Y L E C R E A T E S M E A N I N G A M
T O P I C S E N T E N C E Familial dishonour is judged by the collective voices of the Wellands and the Archers, underlining the ‘tribal discipline’ that one is expected to obey. S P O T T H E ‘ W H A T ’ , ‘ H O W ’ A N D ‘ W H Y ’ S P O T T H E ‘ W H A T ’ , ‘ H O W ’ A N D ‘ W H Y ’
E L A B O R A T I O N What: Familial dishonour - Topic sentence (10% of word count) How: Voices - Evidence and analysis (60%) Why: ‘Discipline’ - Your interpretation (30%) S P O T T H E ‘ W H A T ’ , ‘ H O W ’ A N D ‘ W H Y ’ S P O T T H E ‘ W H A T ’ , ‘ H O W ’ A N D ‘ W H Y ’
PAG E 2 1 9 It was the only word that passed between them on the subject; but in the code in which they had both been trained it meant: “ Of course you understand that I know all that people have been saying about Ellen, and heartily sympathise with my family in their effort to get her to return to her husband. I also know that, for some reason you have not chosen to tell me...
PAG E 2 1 9 ...which all the older men of the family, as well as our grandmother, agree in approving; and that it is owing to your encouragement that Ellen defies us all , and exposes herself to the kind of criticism of which Mr. Sillerton Jackson probably gave you, this evening.”
essay W R I T I N G T H E
Introduction 1. Don’t mention the super obvious : we know who wrote the novel, where it is set and that the writer uses ‘diction’, ‘narration’ etc. 2. Don’t give us the plot : we know what roughly happens. We want your response. 3. Grab our attention in a relevant way E.g. ‘Honour is no longer the same honour...’
Introduction 4. Formulate a relevant thesis that... - How important is ‘this view’? 5. ...addresses the overall effects of the novel - Critical or sympathetic? 6. ...and the purpose of the novel - What does it say about Old New York?
I N T R O D U C T I O N The times, they are a-changing. Old New York’s unremitting grip on honour and respect, embodied in Mrs Mingott’s declaration, slowly gives way in Book Two of the novel. The collective dishonor of Ellen Olenska, Newland Archer and Julius Beaufort’s ways in these latter chapters critically reveals the rigid ‘tribal’ code that is the target of Wharton’s social critique. S P O T T H E ‘ W H A T ’ , ‘ H O W ’ A N D ‘ W H Y ’
Conclusion 1. Restate key concerns and thesis 2. End with maximum impact ! - Provoke thought - Move your reader
C O N C L U S I O N Mrs Mingott’s view that ‘honour’ and ‘respect’ will always endure is ultimately doomed. Even if Beaufort and Ellen are expelled for their ‘dishonour’ and Archer chooses security over freedom, this conservative period of ‘innocence’ will soon pass. The New York of Wharton’s concluding chapter is one of youth and hope, too free to care for traditional notions of ‘honour and honesty’. S P O T T H E ‘ W H A T ’ , ‘ H O W ’ A N D ‘ W H Y ’
Summary 1. Essay questions can be much easier if you approach them in a structured manner. 2. The same goes for writing that elusive topic sentence and elaborating on it. 3. ‘Break it down’ and ‘make connections’ between methods and concerns 4. Collect NOTES at the end of the week!!!
Recommend
More recommend
