Poetry Problem!

snooleen

I have a problem, which may not seem like a problem to many, I write far too much for poetry and it takes up all my time. eg for Boland paragraph on love and marriage, I write at least 2 pages. How can I cut this down for the exam? Would it be ok to focus on two themes in great detail eg. Boland-Love and marriage, war and violence/Yeats-ageing, nationalism?

Grindylow

The only way I manage to write less is just stick to a routine! Quote/Explain/Relevance to theme. It works for me but I don't know if it would for anyone else. Should roughly take 20 lines or so for each one! Just briefly explain it, then go into detail about why its relevant for the text, then skip onto the next quote! Makes it easier for the examiner to if you quote in red, and it helps you understand how much is actual quote, and how much is your explanation!

zoom!

Are you mad DO NOT QUOTE IN RED. Using red or green pens in the exam is a big no no.

ajjmk

yeah, we were warned not to do that! seemingly its grand for the JC but reeeaaally frowned upon in the LC..

johnmcdnl

write the quotes in blue pen and the ordinary bits in black or visa versa...

when i write an answer I write about each poem individually... am i doing it wrong ???

snooleen

Snap, unless youre just planning or underlining stuff on the actual paper, but not in your script. Thanks for the advice anyway!

Pineapple123

Yeah we were told that if you have time (which you really wouldn't) you could highlight...but if you're doing that make sure it's a light colour (not dark blue) and only do it if you have lets say 10+ quotes...otherwise you're literally highlighting the issue of lack of quotes...oh and do it when you've finished the exam coz you'll disrupt your flow of writing...:)

Finical

johnmcdnl wrote: »

write the quotes in blue pen and the ordinary bits in black or visa versa...

when i write an answer I write about each poem individually... am i doing it wrong ???

Nope, I do it the exact same way. I got 6 pages on Yeats, my fav poet!

snooleen

You're supposed to do it by theme. As in, discussing two or three poems with the same theme with reference to this theme.

Finical

snooleen wrote: »

You're supposed to do it by theme. As in, discussing two or three poems with the same theme with reference to this theme.

No you can do it anyway. Well so I'm told. :rolleyes:

snooleen

And I just write quotes on a new line and start the next sentence on a new line after them.

ajjmk

about how many poems should you include in an answer..?

johnmcdnl

snooleen wrote: »

And I just write quotes on a new line and start the next sentence on a new line after them.

i was told that it's better to fit a "quote in here" and contine because it shows a better grasp for the language and also makes it look less learned off..

i dunno

snooleen

They say 6, if you can, but apparently they're really looking for a proper discussion on poems, so if, for example, you write about 4 longer poems, or the four poems that have stronger relations to stronger themes then you're all good. Eg, Yeats, what's Inisfree about except escape and nature? None of the other poems I've studied have these themes, so I'll be leaving that one out if Yeats comes up.

snooleen

johnmcdnl wrote: »

i was told that it's better to fit a "quote in here" and contine because it shows a better grasp for the language and also makes it look less learned off..

i dunno

That's why I used to do, mailny cause I wasn't arsed to neatly write out the quote on the next line, but the teacher who corrected my mocks said I should be starting a new line, unless only referring to one word. I think I'll just start a new line for the longer quotes.