Non English Films as Related Text (1 Viewer)
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phaedrus900
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You're effectively allowed to choose anything as a related text. However, as I've said in my tutoring thread, there's a bit of a system to bear in mind, so some choices are wiser than others. Your own related text is not going to be read closely since it will be close to unique (unlike the set text on which hundreds of other students will write AND the marker will have read). So its a free hit. My question is - do you use your free hit for some abstract text that the marker definitely won't have seen nor can relate to, or do you choose a famous work, by a highly regarded author/director, which smacks of academic merit and an intelligent/inquiring mind?
If you want to guarantee yourself success, its probably better, to my logic at least, to choose something which imbues your work with merit rather than undermining it with obscurity.
Cheers and hope it helps,
Dave
If you want to guarantee yourself success, its probably better, to my logic at least, to choose something which imbues your work with merit rather than undermining it with obscurity.
Cheers and hope it helps,
Dave
I wouldn't think that the movie version of the Motorcycle Diaries would be allowed because the memoir is already a prescribed text.
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@Amorfati
No, I didn't mean the moive version of Motorcycle Diaries, which is mediocre. In fact, Motorcycle Diaries is mediocre. Of all the incredible non-English literature in the world...Borges, for example, or Rilke.
@phaedrus900
Thanks for your reply. I agree with most of what you say. I don't plan to chose something overly obscure, I just wanted to know if French, German, Italian films etc. are allowed. I've found that HSC English teachers are fairly ignorant of the history of cinema, so they probably wouldn't know half the canon anyway. I might just keep a few films up my sleeve in case the question really begs for it.
I actually think markers are sympathetic to canonical works they don't know but think they should know especially if the essay they're marking is good. In my view, nearly any text will do, except perhaps really popular contemporary works, books movies that all HSC students would know, especially if you do Extension.
No, I didn't mean the moive version of Motorcycle Diaries, which is mediocre. In fact, Motorcycle Diaries is mediocre. Of all the incredible non-English literature in the world...Borges, for example, or Rilke.
@phaedrus900
Thanks for your reply. I agree with most of what you say. I don't plan to chose something overly obscure, I just wanted to know if French, German, Italian films etc. are allowed. I've found that HSC English teachers are fairly ignorant of the history of cinema, so they probably wouldn't know half the canon anyway. I might just keep a few films up my sleeve in case the question really begs for it.
I actually think markers are sympathetic to canonical works they don't know but think they should know especially if the essay they're marking is good. In my view, nearly any text will do, except perhaps really popular contemporary works, books movies that all HSC students would know, especially if you do Extension.
Oh, yeah. That's okay then. My teacher herself encouraged the use of a foreign film. Out of curiosity, what are you considering using?
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Should be fine.
phaedrus900
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@ Obbor - Yeah thats exactly right, if its canonical then you're on the right track, but make sure canonical for a general audience rather than for an informed one such as yourself. Cheers and GL, hope you'll join the Eng Adv sesh next Wednesday, would be great to have your input. And tonight, if you're doing extension 2.
Ta,
Dave
Ta,
Dave
Good luck with your session. I don't plan to get any tutoring for English. Honestly, and I don't say this to offend you, I'm finding it a little hard to come to terms with your lack of respect for the apostrophe, but then again I'm a card-carrying grammar nazi!
Hi!
Just my two cents - I think foreign films are a great idea, provided you can do them well.
The reason they work so well is that generally, they have much more depth and meaning than films you might see in popular culture, so you can really extract a lot of meaning and symbolism and so on. So, when you have your mainstream prescribed text that is generally a product of western English literature, it's nice to contrast this with something from eastern literature (or even European) to show a bit of worldliness and sophistication in your way of thinking about literature! If you can pull it off really well, (analysing it well, understanding the deeper meaning and differing context of the foreign text), as well as pairing it nicely with your prescribed text, you will inherently have an essay that is profound and covers a wider range of philosophies and ways of thought (which of course stem from the country of origin of the foreign film.
On the other hand, if you do a poor job of analysing and understanding the foreign film, you risk coming across as naive, and not having done enough research on context and so on. It's a good idea to show and explain the foreign text to your teacher first and showing them your ideas on analysis and how it would work with your prescribed text - just to gain some insight into whether your interpretation and understanding complements the module you are studying. It's all about finding a happy balance between understanding the foreign film, without sounding naive.
Best of luck with everything!
Just my two cents - I think foreign films are a great idea, provided you can do them well.
The reason they work so well is that generally, they have much more depth and meaning than films you might see in popular culture, so you can really extract a lot of meaning and symbolism and so on. So, when you have your mainstream prescribed text that is generally a product of western English literature, it's nice to contrast this with something from eastern literature (or even European) to show a bit of worldliness and sophistication in your way of thinking about literature! If you can pull it off really well, (analysing it well, understanding the deeper meaning and differing context of the foreign text), as well as pairing it nicely with your prescribed text, you will inherently have an essay that is profound and covers a wider range of philosophies and ways of thought (which of course stem from the country of origin of the foreign film.
On the other hand, if you do a poor job of analysing and understanding the foreign film, you risk coming across as naive, and not having done enough research on context and so on. It's a good idea to show and explain the foreign text to your teacher first and showing them your ideas on analysis and how it would work with your prescribed text - just to gain some insight into whether your interpretation and understanding complements the module you are studying. It's all about finding a happy balance between understanding the foreign film, without sounding naive.
Best of luck with everything!
phaedrus900
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haha np I think good grammar has its place, but tbh im v busy and on an online forum I'd rather focus on content than perfecting every sentence for hansard