Is it necessary to actually read Frankenstein? (3 Viewers)

[Chromatic]

Not necessarilly. Perhaps just speaking from a different experience, but by no means idiots.

Your essays are about contexts, not the story of Frankenstein. You may as well just read sparknotes for a few hours.

 

[brendroid]

Your essays are about contexts, not the story of Frankenstein. You may as well just read sparknotes for a few hours.

That may have worked for you, and it may work for some people. I know, speaking from experience, that I read the book a few times during the year and came across ideas I doubt I would have come across reading through sparknotes, mainly because some of these ideas relate to some of the quotes somewhere like sparknotes wouldn't pick up on it. However, these ideas do connect back to the context inherently; and that is the point of the essay. It's not only about the context, but how the context impacts on the construction of the text. Sure, it's not on the story of Frankenstein. That is a gross simplification of my point; it's an essay on how the context of the author impacts on their composition of the text. To understand it's impact, you need to know author context and then know the text so as to pick up which elements of that context are reflected in the text.

 

[jayy100]

^ but i thought you're meant to extract insights and then use context to explain why they're similar/different? LOL, im i doing it wrong? :S

LOL, sorry it was addressed to Chromatic.

 

[Chromatic]

That may have worked for you, and it may work for some people. I know, speaking from experience, that I read the book a few times during the year and came across ideas I doubt I would have come across reading through sparknotes, mainly because some of these ideas relate to some of the quotes somewhere like sparknotes wouldn't pick up on it. However, these ideas do connect back to the context inherently; and that is the point of the essay. It's not only about the context, but how the context impacts on the construction of the text. Sure, it's not on the story of Frankenstein. That is a gross simplification of my point; it's an essay on how the context of the author impacts on their composition of the text. To understand it's impact, you need to know author context and then know the text so as to pick up which elements of that context are reflected in the text.

You're right, but the author context isnt written in the book, thats written more or less in sparknotes. And to be fair, you can pick up elements of context in the text from having a background knowledge of the book from sparknotes - going to the book only for quotes in particular sections. My opinion though.

 

[brendroid]

You're right, but the author context isnt written in the book, thats written more or less in sparknotes. And to be fair, you can pick up elements of context in the text from having a background knowledge of the book from sparknotes - going to the book only for quotes in particular sections. My opinion though.

You can also get tips on context from Wikipedia.
*shrug*
Although, I still raise the question why this person is doing advanced if they don't like reading. Surely they would have expected to be encountering a lot of reading in this course?

 

[Chromatic]

You can also get tips on context from Wikipedia.
*shrug*
Although, I still raise the question why this person is doing advanced if they don't like reading. Surely they would have expected to be encountering a lot of reading in this course?

Its because you dont do standard, it scales so bad. My friend who was supposed to get an ATAR around what I got did standard english, topped it in our school (1st internal rank) and only got 76... leading to an ATAR of 85.55

 

[brendroid]

Its because you dont do standard, it scales so bad. My friend who was supposed to get an ATAR around what I got did standard english, topped it in our school (1st internal rank) and only got 76... leading to an ATAR of 85.55

But Advanced can scale bad if you don't do well at it either. Haha, I know someone who did Standard and I think they got an ATAR of about 95 or so. Admittedly, they did Maths and Sciences, but hey.

 

[Chromatic]

But Advanced can scale bad if you don't do well at it either. Haha, I know someone who did Standard and I think they got an ATAR of about 95 or so. Admittedly, they did Maths and Sciences, but hey.

I hate reading so I dont think results are linked to that. I didnt read anything - not frankenstein, not julius caesar, and not even the speeches for module B - only picked out techniques, and I did ok

 

[Absolutezero]

You're doing yourself a disservice if you don't read it. Really, in terms of education, you get far more out of reading the book and analysing it yourself, than using existing ntoes. The HSC doesn't necessarily reward this, and that's a failing of the specific system.

 

[brendroid]

I hate reading so I dont think results are linked to that. I didnt read anything - not frankenstein, not julius caesar, and not even the speeches for module B - only picked out techniques, and I did ok

As I said, that worked for you. It doesn't necesarilly work for everyone though.

 

[benji_10]

Seeing as this is English it would be more beneficial for you to read the book, rather than using online sources (eg. sparknotes) that *LOTS* of people rely on and source their info from. Forming your own conclusions will also help improve your own skills in English, not to mention that getting through Frankenstein will undoubtedly improve your tolerance of very boring books, which I imagine is something necessary if one wishes to get through HSC English.
Btw i'm reading the book for a second time now and it's fr'kn boring. Especially for the first half of the book.

SPOILER ALERT!!! - The second half is boring as well.

 

[Chromatic]

Seeing as this is English it would be more beneficial for you to read the book, rather than using online sources (eg. sparknotes) that *LOTS* of people rely on and source their info from. Forming your own conclusions will also help improve your own skills in English, not to mention that getting through Frankenstein will undoubtedly improve your tolerance of very boring books, which I imagine is something necessary if one wishes to get through HSC English.
Btw i'm reading the book for a second time now and it's fr'kn boring. Especially for the first half of the book.

SPOILER ALERT!!! - The second half is boring as well.

Please don't act like u know everythIng lol u haven't even gotten an atar yet

 

[Absolutezero]

Please don't act like u know everythIng lol u haven't even gotten an atar yet

Even if they haven't gotten their ATAR, they've done English before, and allowed to comment. HSC English isn't some completely new system.

 

[Chromatic]

Even if they haven't gotten their ATAR, they've done English before, and allowed to comment. HSC English isn't some completely new system.

Allowed to and should are two different things

 

[Absolutezero]

Not in this case.

 

[Aquawhite]

I'd strongly recommend actually reading your prescribed text.

 

[BoSSucks]

Sparknotes.

 

[Omnipotence]

I read it during the 1st week of holidays and made notes. Hey, 2 units of English is going towards your HSC, if you don't read it - it will disadvantage you.

 

[WEMG]

I didn't find it boring but I'm not someone that enjoys english either.

 

[Aquawhite]

Please don't act like u know everythIng lol u haven't even gotten an atar yet

In the same way, getting an ATAR doesn't mean someone knows of the HSC English system.