Preparation

So, you know the plot and have thought carefully about the context, characters and themes of the story. Now it is time to think about how you might use all of these ideas in a coursework assignment.

Question: How does Dickens depict Miss Havisham in Great Expectations?

To answer this question properly, it would be wise to spend some time preparing your answer before you start writing, thinking about:

1. In your essay, you need to:

• say WHAT the novel tells us about Miss Havisham
• explain, at text level, HOW Dickens created his impression of her, and WHY he created her character in the way he did
• show that you can 'respond critically' to the effects of Dickens' technique at word and sentence level
• consider different possible interpretations, showing that you have begun to develop some of your own ideas.

2. What you know:

Spend some time reflecting on what you know about:

• 19th-century literary traditions and Great Expectations
• Dickens' style of writing in Great Expectations

to help you analyse and explain the effects of Dickens' text on the reader.

Also study:

• Charles Dickens' life
• the 19th-century social, historical and cultural setting

so you can offer insights into WHY Dickens presented Miss Havisham in the way he did.

Finally, make notes on:

• WHAT Miss Havisham does in the book from the notes on the plot.
• Miss Havisham's character.

Remember, you are advised to spend 45 minutes on this part of the paper, so divide your time up like this:

Pie chart

• Ten minutes planning your answer
• Thirty minutes writing your answer
• Five minutes checking your answer