How do you best prepare for an Essay which you dont know the question? (1 Viewer)

[Benno222]

Hi all,

So I know that this seems to be a pretty fundamental question, but I have a prelim. extension essay in two weeks and I'm struggling to figure out how to study for a question I don't know the answer to and is likely to be quite specific.

eg. “Dante created an other-self, a persona who was to undergo a learning experience that would lead from total ignorance to total knowledge”. How has McCarthy appropriated this idea in his own map of hell?

If it is at all possible, would anyone here be able to give me some in-depth tips to answering unseen essay questions, and appropriate study methods?

Thanks.

 

[pikachu975]

I don't do extension but the top english advanced students in my grade usually memorise quotes for their topics and some analysis for each quote like essay plans. Some of them memorise stuff like general topic sentences or good phrases to use in topic sentences/intro/conclusion.

This way by preparing quotes with analysis you can shape it to the question on the day