Written Assessment English

[graceedx]

So i need to do my written assessment detailed plan, but I'm afraid my potential topics are too broad, can anyone give me any advice?

for a dolls house by Henrik Ibsen i was thinking: the way Torvald helmer is portrayed by Ibsen in the play and how he is the perfect stereotype of a man in the time the play was written.

and for if this is a man: The use of Antonio, Lorenzo and Jean and the contributions of these characters in understanding the hierarchal system inside the camp.

 

[Blackcurrant]

Your second topic is more promising, with some tinkering.   The first is prone to generalities which will be hard to substantiate without turning it into a sociological essay. Also, this play has been analyzed to death already.

 

With the second,  if that is what you plump for, you will need to decide beforehand what exactly your focus will be, and what the role or value this hierarchy (via characters) has to our literary appreciation of the work.  This is a bit tricky, and you'll need to be very careful how you phrase things in your opening statement.

 

For example, is your focus on

 

1) the hierarchical system as part of characterization? i.e. the  way these characters are defined by their place in it, through their dialogue, actions, etc...? or ... as part of theme?   

 

Or

 

2) are you looking at hierarchy in terms of "setting"? In which case, the camp hierarchy is invoked by the characters themselves and you'll want to discuss how this is done and how this is relevant to our literary appreciation of what Calvino's work.

 

One word of warning: Always and everywhere, think in terms of   *representation* -- the minute you start to talk about the camp system and the roles of these (real) inmates, then you have a sociological / anthropological essay on your hands. If, however, you do the right thing and write in terms of *Calvino's choices* ( in what to include, omit, stylize) then you'll do ok.

Edited October 6, 2014 by Blackcurrant