Learning Objective To know what the examiner wants in a passage based question
The Mark Scheme The mark scheme focuses on your ability to explain how the writer's choice of language, structure and form help shape meanings. Added to this, with an extract question, it is important that you are able to provide a detailed analysis of the passage while referring to the broader textual issues it relates to. To do this successfully, you must have a very good knowledge and understanding of the text.
Language Vocabulary, Imagery, Grammar and Syntax, and Dialogue Structure The various plots in the novel and the way the text is constructed Form The type, or genre of the novel (perhaps relevant to theme)
Some comments from your essays: Adichie's use of the word, 'Master, as the first word in the novel gives an impression to the reader from the very get-go that there is some form of respect, classdivide and poverty involved in the novel.she then moves on to describe, 'Master', by saying that he, 'spent', too many years reading books overseas'. The way studying abroad was narrated shows that the society in general was uneducated. Ugwu's aunty tells him that, 'As long as you work well, you will eat well. You will even eat meat everyday'. Ugwu did not believe that anybody ate meat every day. This shows that poverty was prevalent during that time.
"there is some form of respect, class-divide and poverty involved in the novel." This is a very general point that does not seem to be related to any specific aspect of language, structure or form. Pull People abusing positions of power is a recurring issue in the novel in the form of the European colonisers in Africa, the rich Nigerians, the politicians and the priests. When reading the opening word, 'Master', it is difficult not to think of the brutal slave trade that existed in Africa and the Master - Slave relationships of that time. This therefore, immediately establishes a conflict or difference, even though both characters are black Africans, and also creates interest in the character, Odenigbo, who is being described so reverentially.
"The way studying abroad was narrated shows that the society in general was uneducated." This is again a general point that does not really explain why this is important or how it makes the opening effective. conflict, or difference between characters, is furthered by Ugwu's mother's criticism of Odenigbo that, 'he had spent too many years reading books overseas." The fact that she clearly sees this as PullThis suspicious reflects the differing values between the villagers and the educated intellectuals that fill the towns. Odenigbo believes that it is the lack of education that makes Africans like Ugwu and his mother easy to manipulate and control and it is ironic that the one thing he believes would empower Africans to overcome dependency on Europe is what makes them mistrust him. Throughout the novel, Odenigbo is enigmatic and this mysterious aspect to his character is established right from the opening, making us want to find out more about him. The fact we never have narration from his perspective underlines this and enhances its effect.
"poverty was prevalent during that time." This point is not actually related to the quote before, which is used to summarise the story, not to criticise it. Again, it is an idea in isolation that is neither developed or part of a coherent, overall argument. Pull Another example of when Adichie establishes the differences between the Nigerians and therefore the possible difficulties in establishing their own nation is where Ugwu can't believe some people, 'eat meat everyday.'
People abusing positions of power is a recurring issue in the novel in the form of the European colonisers in Africa, the rich Nigerians, the politicians and the priests. When reading the opening word, 'Master', it is difficult not to think of the brutal slave trade that existed in Africa and the Master - Slave relationships of that time. This therefore, immediately establishes a conflict or difference, even though both characters are black Africans, and also creates interest Odenigbo, who is being described so reverentially. This conflict, or difference between characters, is furthered by Ugwu's mother's criticism of Odenigbo that, 'he had spent too many years reading books overseas." The fact that she clearly sees this as suspicious reflects the differing values between the villagers and the educated intellectuals that fill the towns. Odenigbo believes that it is the lack of education that makes Africans like Ugwu and his mother easy to manipulate and control and it is ironic that the one thing he believes would empower Africans to overcome dependency on Europe is what makes them mistrust him. Throughout the novel, Odenigbo is enigmatic and this mysterious aspect to his character is established right from the opening, making us want to find out more about him. The fact we never have narration from his perspective underlines this and enhances its effect.
When answering an extract question, you should do the following: Contextualise it! When in the novel is it from? Has anything just happened or about to happen that is important to take into account? Why is it important in the structure of the novel? Adichie's Half of a Yellow Sun has many aspects associated with social novels and the opening is very effective in establishing a number of these. Not only is it narrated by the young, impressionable and under-educated Ugwu, but he describes for the first time Odenigbo: an intellectual with a very different lifestyle to the regular village people. Through these two characters, Adichie is able to introduce not only some key issues that contributed to the disastrous fate that historically befell Biafra and its people, but also create interest in the people themselves who will shape the narrative to follow. Both Ugwu's passage from a simple adolescent to book-writing intellectual and Odenigbo's personal journey of patriotism, love and politics keep the reader gripped and the way both are rapidly established at the very beginning of the novel contributes to this.
Previous events that are important to this extract highlight and comment on any important aspects of language, structure or form Summary of key events Events that are about to happen or are later effected by this scene Comment ways Adichie presents Odenigbo and Olanna's response to Odenigbo's experience in the following passage.
Prep Write the commentary in essay form. You should aim for around five hundred words.