GENERAL TIPS ABOUT ESSAY WRITING

Organisation of the Essay

Organize your essay into paragraphs. Each paragraph must:

• Have a topic/lead sentence to show what it is about;
• Include suitable quotations to clarify your points;
• Have link words (also known as connectives or transitional words/phrases) to linkyour paragraphs.

The introductory paragraph must:

• Relate to the question;
• Include the main words/terms that appear in the various sections of the question;
• Give the examiner an idea of how you are going to tackle the answer.

The body of the essay must:

• Consist of well-organised paragraphs;
• Deal with each element in a paragraph of its own;
• Present your line of reasoning.

The concluding paragraph must:

• Provide a summary of the main points that you have made in the body of your essay;
• Refer to the question that is being answered.

WINE OF ASTONISHMENT- Effects of the War

Narrative Style:

• Heavy use of idioms and colloquial expressions –eg. ‘breeze could cut him’ pg. 27 ‘lips curl up like the edge of a cashew fruit.’pg.28
• Use of symbols

ü  People, places and objects

ü  The church, Bolo(tradition), Prince and Ivan (power & authority) and Bee (the transition – between what was and what will be), Clem (embraces change) etc.

ü  The church -  contrast with the Richardson’s estate

• Use if images and literary devices.
• Use of repetition – ‘still black people was having dreams..’pg.36

Impact of War

• Traditional way of life – uprooted, threatened.
• Culture - being questioned – what is acceptable is no longer certain. Eg. stickfighting doesn’t hold the same sentimence. Degradation of society’s values and standards – prostitution.
• Economy – has changed – agriculture no longer revered or seen as a manly job. – consumerism – everything can be bought or has a price.
• Community members struggle with change
• Masculinity  - redefined.

 Characterization and Theme

• Bolo – representative of the traditional life – a dying lifestyle
• Traditional man -
• Refuses to accept – inevitable change – only sees the negative effect

Ivan and Prince

• Symbolic of oppression
• Disappointments – were seen as symbols of hope for the people
• Selfishness and greed
• Embody a different type of leadership

Bee

• His manhood and leadership questioned by both his family and church members
• Caught between rock and hard place – needs to show courage to son and family and church – both groups demand this in different ways.

Effectiveness of Flashback

• To provide background information to the behaviours of characters
• Understand the reason for the hope being placed in Ivan
• Allows for the readers to make their own assessment of characters and events
• Story moved from immediate past – to distant past.
• Distinction already being made regarding who is in good standing and whose character is questionable.
• Details of certain behaviour already being highlighted – eg. The Richardson, Ivan, Bee and Bolo

Suggested questions for characters in role play activity:

Ivan –

1. The people regard you as their last hope for true representation regarding freedom of worship – How do you feel about this?
2. Some people feel that nothing has changed with you as you were always aloof and distant from community members - what do you have to say in response to this?
3. Many persons have been saying that since you have been exposed to a little power and authority you no longer remember where you are from – is this true?

Bee

1. Why have you been so reluctant to openly express how you feel about what has been happening?
2. What difficulties do you face as a leader, husband and father?

Bolo

1. Why are you so upset with the fact that the Americans are here?
2. Many persons believe that you are afraid of embracing change and you want to continue with old practices that are no longer relevant – what do you have to say about this?
3. How true is it that your negative feeling towards Ivan is because of Eulalee?

Wine of Astonishment- Narrative Point of View

Narrative Point of View:
• 1st person narrative – Eva – woman, mother, church mother
• Tells what she knows and what has been passed on to her – also what is public knowledge
• To Maintain the Oral tradition  - oral historian – unifies the voices in her community
• Role of the Chantwell – singer at a stick fight – Eva is responsible for collecting the stories organize them and disseminate them.
N.P.V and N.Technique
• Affects how the story is told
• Non –linear manner – present – near past – distant past – present
• Narrates the events in regular story telling fashion  - filling in background information as the issues arise – digression frequent and relevant
• Forces the reader/listen to pay attention as the narrator moves all over the events
N.P.V and N. Style
• Personal link allows for intimacy of events being told
• Strong use of images – those relevant and familiar with the lifestyle of narrator eg. pg.12 ‘sea gulls dipping like kites’, pg 9 ‘God gone from it’
N.P.V and Characterization

• What is given about the characters  -  how Eva and her community sees them
• Distinction already being made regarding who is in good standing and whose character is questionable.
• Details of certain behaviour already being highlighted – e.g. The Richardson, Ivan, Bee and Bolo


N.P.V. and Plot
• Suspense already heightens – digression fosters this – keeps the reader in anticipation
• Suspense at end of chapter
• Conflicts already visible from Bee and Ivan
• Tension obviously brewing
N.P.V and Theme
• Racism and prejudice already evident – Buntin not getting a loan
• Manhood and Integrity (being questioned) – Bee and Ivan Morton