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Broad interpretation of essay titles? Yay or nay?

  • 07-06-2011 5:00pm
    #1
    PJelly
    Closed Accounts Posts: 494 ✭✭


    I'm fairly worried about the composition section tomorrow. It's 25% of the overall grade! Eek!

    I can write an essay off the top of my head no bother, but the problem is that they tend to be in the B3/B2 region, and I really have my heart set on a B1/A2, hopefully.

    And unfortunately, I only have two essays prepared. Both got B1's from my teacher and both had a boatload of mistakes. She said that if I cleaned them up, they're A1 answers. But the only problem is that they're both HIDEOUSLY specific. One is the, "It was terrific theater" question from the 2010 paper (So its not coming up again :( ) and the other is a short story on (bear with me now), a reporter who has a morbid fear of celebrities.

    So, as they're both specific, to what extent can you mold titles to fit your essay? My short story would work for, strange characters meeting and that's about it. Questions like "Write a short story in which a photograph plays a part in the plot" or "Write a short story in which setting/location is a significant feature" would be ones that I would struggle to fit it around.
    Would I be able to regurgitate my reporter essay, but change it slightly. Like, for the photo one.... just include a photo at one point of someone he has to meet? Something that insignificant.
    Or for the location, say that where he lives, 90% of people become journalists or reporters (Stupid I know) so thats why he chose that profession? Then rip into the normal short story.
    Can such broad interpretations of titles be taken like that?


    Also, for the question that's prompted by a series of images, can you take something REALLY insignificant? Like.... say its a picture about families at a dinner table or something. And there's a PC in the background. Can you use that PC as a lead in to an essay or diary entry on computer programming or something?
    Thanks!


Comments

  • #2
    Framble
    Closed Accounts Posts: 86 ✭✭Framble


    In all the marking schemes it says "allow candidate to interpret title liberally" so as long as it has some relation to the title I think you're fine.


  • #3
    PJelly
    Closed Accounts Posts: 494 ✭✭PJelly


    Framble wrote: »
    In all the marking schemes it says "allow candidate to interpret title liberally" so as long as it has some relation to the title I think you're fine.
    You sir, have made me one happy man.


  • #4
    delousional
    Closed Accounts Posts: 14 ✭delousional


    You can be as broad in your interpretation as you like, as long as you constantly reinstate it in your essay.
    And the main things in a short story are character development, show don't tell their physical appearance, have an obvious plot, and watch sentence structure and grammar, spelling etc. You should be fine after that!
    I've only one short story prepared about the jungle and I'm just going to adapt it to whatever title comes up...:p


  • #5
    PJelly
    Closed Accounts Posts: 494 ✭✭PJelly


    delousional wrote: »
    You can be as broad in your interpretation as you like, as long as you constantly reinstate it in your essay.
    And the main things in a short story are character development, show don't tell their physical appearance, have an obvious plot, and watch sentence structure and grammar, spelling etc. You should be fine after that!
    I've only one short story prepared about the jungle and I'm just going to adapt it to whatever title comes up...:p
    My original short story had a crapload of dialogue, but its down to mostly description now. So hopefully its all fixed.
    It ends up with Demi Moore wet (As in, she gets covered in water) and a moose on fire. It'll stand out at least.


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