Plan Your Answer Test

In your essay plan you should focus on a single character. In this case, most novels have a central character, so you can't go far wrong! But it's important that the character you choose to write about fits the bill. You need to make sure you've got lots of material to use. Don't forget that the question asks you to do two things; look at how the author develops the characterisation and how much you sympathise with the character. This means that your response has to say something about how you feel the author has portrayed that character. What about characterisation, narrative technique or language? Which of these or other features might you focus on in the planning stage? Can you refer to specific examples in the text to back up your ideas?

In your essay plan you are being asked to look at how the story is told. Who or what is the voice behind the plot? Is it a first person confessional narrative using 'I'? Does the narrator address another character in the second person 'you', as if writing a letter? Or does the narrator reveal the plot as an omniscient third person? Then you should consider how this affects the way you see the events unfold and your reading of the story? How would the impact of the narrative change if it were told differently? You are asked to discuss this and how the themes the author is writing about are helped by this technique. Ask yourself if you are distanced from the plot or drawn into it by that choice. What about narrative technique, theme, language or structure? Which of these or other features might you focus on in the planning stage? Can you refer to specific examples in the text to back up your ideas?

In your essay plan you are being asked to examine the role of humour in a novel or short story. Once you have decided on that text, you should ask yourself what sort of humour is being used and why. Is the tone of the text satirical or sarcastic? Is the author undermining the characters by showing them in a ridiculous light? Is the author's intention to illustrate the silliness of some tradition or event by making the story funny? Are the themes of the text best treated in a humorous way to make a serious point? Then, you should consider how this has affected your reading of the story or how it has helped you understand the author's intention. What about dialogue, key incident(s) or style? Which of these or other features might you focus on in the planning stage? Can you refer to specific examples in the text to back up your ideas?

In your essay plan you should be focusing on a central character. If the plot develops their growth or a period of change in their life this would be ideal. Think about how that character is shown to mature. Is the focus of the story on their inner thoughts and feelings or is it more generally about the way the world changes around them? Does the author combine these to build the picture of their life? What other technique does the author use to get this sense of movement over? How well does this help you engage with the character and their story? What about structure, mood, theme or characterisation? Which of these or other features might you focus on in the planning stage? Can you refer to specific examples in the text to back up your ideas?

In your essay plan you should be looking at the effects of the opening of a novel. You should be clear that the question asks you to focus on something remarkable. So make sure you've chosen your text well and that you will have enough to write about. What effect does the opening have on the rest of the story? Does it start at the end or as a flashback on the rest of the plot? How does the author make you want to read on? Are elements such as tension or surprise used? Are the themes of the rest of the story established here and how? What about structure, mood, theme or characterisation? Which of these or other features might you focus on in the planning stage? Can you refer to specific examples in the text to back up your ideas?

In your essay plan you should be focusing on your critical response to a theme within the novel. You are asked to discuss a central idea in the text that you have found interesting, so try to show your enthusiasm for this idea and the way the author deals with it. You should think about the ways the author conveys the theme and how that has engaged your imagination. Is this a universal theme that makes a general comment about life or something more specific to the events or characters in the novel? What about theme, structure, setting or symbolism? Which of these or other features might you focus on in the planning stage? Can you refer to specific examples in the text to back up your ideas?