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All That Glisters by Anne Donovan – Critical Essay Practice

In the Intermediate 2 and Higher exam you will be expected to write two critical essays under timed conditions. (45min/ essay) The questions are divided into 4 sections: PROSE, DRAMA, POETRY and MEDIA. You will chooses which two genres you want to write about. The questions are not specific. You will need to choose which texts to write about yourselves. This means you need to read the questions carefully and decide which ones are best suited to the texts you have studied. You will not be allowed to take the texts into the exam. You therefore need to know them extremely well.

All That Glisters by Anne Donovan – Critical Essay Practice Example Question Choose a novel or short story which deals with a powerful human emotion: for example love, shame, hatred, fear, embarrassment, despair, joy, or any other strong emotion. Show how the emotion you have chosen affects one, or more than one, of the characters, and go on to show how it affects the course of the story. In you essay you must refer closely to the text and to at least two of: theme, structure, setting, symbolism, or any other appropriate feature.

All That Glisters by Anne Donovan – Critical Essay Practice

You will not have time to produce a detailed plan in the exam. However, we will plan what to include in this essay. Religious Symbolism

Symbolism

Christmas Setting

Hope

Supportive Working Class Community

Glitter Pens Characterisation: Clare Positive Outlook

Love for Father

All That Glisters by Anne Donovan – Critical Essay Practice So, your essay will be structured as follows: Paragraph 1 – Introduction Paragraph 2 – Symbolism Paragraph 3 – Setting Paragraph 4 (and 5?) – Characterisation Paragraph 5 (or 6) - Conclusion

All That Glisters by Anne Donovan – Critical Essay Practice

Introductions Your introduction to any critical essay should contain five basic elements. - Title of text - Name of author (or poet or playwright) - Summary of text (2 or three sentences)

Top Tip: Remember, throughout your essay you need to keep referring back to the task!

- Reference to the task - Excellent vocabulary to convey your personal response

All That Glisters by Anne Donovan – Critical Essay Practice

‘All That Glisters’ by Anne Donovan is a moving short story which effectively deals with the powerful human emotion of hope. The story written in the first person, through the eyes of Clare, a young school girl living in a west of Scotland working class environment. Clare has to endure the tragic loss of her father and the difficulties of living in relative poverty. However, Clare manages to maintain a positive outlook on life and she remains hopeful despite her difficult circumstances. All That Glisters is a touching and poignant and Donovan effectively conveys the idea of hope through her use of symbolism, setting and characterisation.

All That Glisters by Anne Donovan – Critical Essay Practice

The paragraphs which make up the main body of your essay should follow the PEE pattern. Point: In your point you should aim to answer the task in some way, introduce what your paragraph will be about, and put your quotation in context. Example: A well chosen quotation Explanation: Explain your point in much more detail and answer the task. Here is where your detailed analysis should be. You should use technical vocabulary such as symbolism, theme, character, word choice, structure, language, imagery etc. You should also give a personal response here.

All That Glisters by Anne Donovan – Critical Essay Practice The symbolism of the glitter pens helps to emphasise the theme of hope in “All That Glisters.” The pens offer Claire an escape from her dad’s illness and the poverty that surrounds her. When Claire first uses the pens she is instantly excited by them and says:

“It wis pure brilliant so it wis. There wis four colours, rid, green, gold and silver….And when ah’d finished something amazing happened. Ah canny explain whit it wis but the glitter jist brought everythin tae life, gleamin and glisterin agin the flat cardboard.” The colours of the pens represent hope in different ways. The word “rid” has connotations of love – the love that Claire has for her father. Claire’s unwavering love for her dad and desire to please him provides the reader with hope throughout the story as it makes us realise that love can survive in even the bleakest of situations. The silver and gold pens represent riches, luxury and money and these pens help Claire, in a way, to be rich herself. She is rich in her imagination and creativity and these are fuelled by the pens. Through the pens, Claire escapes the reality in which she does not possess money or riches. The green pen symbolises nature and life. This also provides hope in the story as Claire’s dad is losing life. Claire acknowledges the hope the pens provide her when she says “The glitter jist brought everything to life.” The pens offer Claire things she does not have in reality. The “flat cardboard” that Clare refers to could represent her life. Her life is “flat”; it is filled with poverty and death. The effect the pens have on the cardboard really represents the effect the pens have on Clare’s life. They give it sparkle and provide hope. I found this an interesting way to help convey the theme of hope and I was pleased that the pens offered Clare an enthusiasm for life.