Question 3: 8 marks
Structure
I've often found this question really bamboozles students until they finally understand and often say "is that all it was?"
I've often found this question really bamboozles students until they finally understand and often say "is that all it was?"
The structure of something is how it's built - and so the structure of a story is about how the plot is are built. This is about the storyline, but it's also about remembering that storyline isn't just what happened because it's also about how the characters and atmosphere are created. If language analysis is all about the key words then this is all about the key moments (it's basically the same as AO1 from the literature paper.)
The structure of something is how it's built - and so the structure of a story is about how the plot is are built. This is about the storyline, but it's also about remembering that storyline isn't just what happened because it's also about how the characters and atmosphere are created. If language analysis is all about the key words then this is all about the key moments (it's basically the same as AO1 from the literature paper.)
When analysing structure you might talk about "the bit when..." or say something like "this is followed by a paragraph of description which has the effect of..." You should use quotes - and need to reference the text - but you shouldn't be analysing language here, you're really writing about how key moments are presented.
When analysing structure you might talk about "the bit when..." or say something like "this is followed by a paragraph of description which has the effect of..." You should use quotes - and need to reference the text - but you shouldn't be analysing language here, you're really writing about how key moments are presented.
Sometimes it's also useful to look at some of the things you might talk about, and see how some of these would apply to some of the stories from the site:
Sometimes it's also useful to look at some of the things you might talk about, and see how some of these would apply to some of the stories from the site:
- How are key events, themes or characters are established (that's a massive key word!)
- Whose perspective does the story take? (First person, second or third?)
- Which tense is the story told in? (Past, present or future?)
- How does the author focus our attention?
- How do sections of dialogue, description or action affect the pace?
- What information is withheld and what is given?
- How does the plot develop - and how are key moments of plot revealed?
- How is the plot is wrapped up in such a way to keep us interested?
While you read, think about:
While you read, think about:
- How does the first person perspective effect how we feel about the narrator and her position?
- How does the story establish the world within which it takes place?
- The story focuses around a pregnant woman and an ecological disaster in the future. How are these two themes connected?
- The opening line is used twice in the story - once to open it, and, later, at another key moment. What is the importance of the second use?
- The second half of the story builds up to the moment when the baby's leg is revealed. How is tension created during this build-up?
- How does the story end in a way that feels "completed"? What's the significance of the last line?
The answer below has a paragraph that deals with each of these questions so you can see how an example answer might be written up. Remember that this is worth 8 marks in the exam so you should spend about 10 minutes on it.
The answer below has a paragraph that deals with each of these questions so you can see how an example answer might be written up. Remember that this is worth 8 marks in the exam so you should spend about 10 minutes on it.
Example Answer:
Example Answer:
The story opens by establishing the narrator's journey - she is going to collect some baby shoes. Though it might seem simple, this means the narrator's goal is established straight away. The story's told in first person, which immediately makes us feel an extra level of empathy for the narrator - we're right inside her head. For the first third of the story, the writer uses the narrator's journey to reveal the world she is living in.
The story opens by establishing the narrator's journey - she is going to collect some baby shoes. Though it might seem simple, this means the narrator's goal is established straight away. The story's told in first person, which immediately makes us feel an extra level of empathy for the narrator - we're right inside her head. For the first third of the story, the writer uses the narrator's journey to reveal the world she is living in.
We get the first idea that this is a futuristic story when she describes her "self-controlling" "hover-car," and refers to an "old world rollercoaster." By the fourth paragraph, however, we can see that this future has not gone well - San Francisco is being flooded, and Hong Kong has already been pulled beneath the waves. Though it's never confirmed we would assume that this is a post-climate change world. The mention of "off-world colonies" suggests a form of escape for the narrator, but she closes that avenue down as quickly as she suggests it and we are left unsure as to how anyone will escape this.
We get the first idea that this is a futuristic story when she describes her "self-controlling" "hover-car," and refers to an "old world rollercoaster." By the fourth paragraph, however, we can see that this future has not gone well - San Francisco is being flooded, and Hong Kong has already been pulled beneath the waves. Though it's never confirmed we would assume that this is a post-climate change world. The mention of "off-world colonies" suggests a form of escape for the narrator, but she closes that avenue down as quickly as she suggests it and we are left unsure as to how anyone will escape this.
At this point, she reflects on an important issue within the story: she's having a child, despite the world falling into ruin. The presence of the unborn child immediately raises questions about possible futures, which suits a story set in a future that is currently horribly possible. Having children is the oldest thing on earth, and something that humans have always entitled to be able to do, but she is now asking legitimate questions about whether it was a responsible thing to do.
At this point, she reflects on an important issue within the story: she's having a child, despite the world falling into ruin. The presence of the unborn child immediately raises questions about possible futures, which suits a story set in a future that is currently horribly possible. Having children is the oldest thing on earth, and something that humans have always entitled to be able to do, but she is now asking legitimate questions about whether it was a responsible thing to do.
The return to the opening line of the story works as both a reminder of the story's original motivation and it places us back inside the car with the narrator. This moment effectively ends the opening section which sets up the story's world and returns us to the original journey to collect the shoes. It's also important that the narrator clearly establishes her belief that the shoes are being sold on as the child has died.
The return to the opening line of the story works as both a reminder of the story's original motivation and it places us back inside the car with the narrator. This moment effectively ends the opening section which sets up the story's world and returns us to the original journey to collect the shoes. It's also important that the narrator clearly establishes her belief that the shoes are being sold on as the child has died.
The story then moves into a section where conversation drives the plot forward and raises the tension. Principally the increased tension is driven by our assumption that the baby has died which contrasts with the parents, who seem almost proud and pleased. We work out quickly that the baby hasn't died, but what else has happened to force them to sell the shoes? When the child arrives, the line about the narrator realising with "horror" changes the tone of the story entirely. Prior to this point, the story has been reasonably light in tone, despite the apocalyptic setting. Here, however, as we are first shown the baby's "sausage-like leg" and then the flipper on the end of it we realise that this light exterior hid a darker heart. This makes the revelation of the mutation that much more horrific.
The story then moves into a section where conversation drives the plot forward and raises the tension. Principally the increased tension is driven by our assumption that the baby has died which contrasts with the parents, who seem almost proud and pleased. We work out quickly that the baby hasn't died, but what else has happened to force them to sell the shoes? When the child arrives, the line about the narrator realising with "horror" changes the tone of the story entirely. Prior to this point, the story has been reasonably light in tone, despite the apocalyptic setting. Here, however, as we are first shown the baby's "sausage-like leg" and then the flipper on the end of it we realise that this light exterior hid a darker heart. This makes the revelation of the mutation that much more horrific.
The story wraps up quickly after this, as the narrator runs out of the house and returns to her position at the start of the story: alone and in her car. Despite the "safety features," it has come with we realise that nothing can protect her from what her world has become. The story ends with a rhetorical question directed at the unborn child who will inherit her future, but also, ironically, to the audience who are her past. "What have we done?"
The story wraps up quickly after this, as the narrator runs out of the house and returns to her position at the start of the story: alone and in her car. Despite the "safety features," it has come with we realise that nothing can protect her from what her world has become. The story ends with a rhetorical question directed at the unborn child who will inherit her future, but also, ironically, to the audience who are her past. "What have we done?"
What to do if you're struggling with Structure?
What to do if you're struggling with Structure?
If you're not clear on what structure is, or how to go about answering this question just do this:
If you're not clear on what structure is, or how to go about answering this question just do this:
- Write something about whose perspective is taken (1st or 3rd person are most common) and what tense it's written in (past or present are most common)
- Write about how the author opens the text - what happens to hook you into the story?
- Write about how the author closes the story in such a way that it either feels finished (in the case of a story) or leaves you wanting more (in the case of an extract)
You can do pretty we just doing these three things...
You can do pretty we just doing these three things...