Look at the analysis and "Shooting an Elephant itself," and discuss how you would choose to structure your presentation, if you were to do an oral exam in the text (10-12 minutes of presentation). Feel free to include things not mentioned in the analysis, if you find them relevant. Each group posts their disposition and writes a few lines on why they included what they did, and why they chose the order in which to present it, as a comment to this blog post (include the names of the people in the group).
In short: Post your disposition and reflelctions on it as a comment to this blog post. Include the names of the people in the group.
REMEMBER: If you enter your answer directly in the comment field, copy it before you press "publish" - sometimes this can cause problems, if you're not logged into a gmail acount beforehand.
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ReplyDeleteMagnus, Yara and Johanne:
ReplyDelete1. Summary of the short story:
We’d start off with a quick recap of the story to hold the whole presentation together and to make our further intentions clear. The summary’s purpose is to wrap up loose ends before we begin to create some kind of overview of the text and our analysis.
2. Characterization:
To pick up from the summary and go further down in the text, we’d do a thorough characterization of the narrator with quotes from the text to support it, and reflect our own thoughts upon this character in the book: is he relatable or not? Is it easy to understand him? Etc.
3. Themes:
To understand the character you need to get on with some themes. The explanation of different themes is to enlighten the impact and purpose of the text, as well as the character. Furthermore it’ll show that we can create an abstract explanation beyond the obvious.
4. Discussion and conclusion
To wrap the whole presentation off, we’d set the short story in relation to another story. We’d most likely choose another text that touches the same themes as this one, to show that we understand it and can use the text and our knowledge in other associations.
If the whole presentation is delivered properly, this last bullet point can be used as a conclusion as well.
Disposition for an oral exam about “Shooting an Elephant”
ReplyDeleteBy Amire Husmani and Mathilde Jensen 3.a
• Presentation of the text and author (from 1936, George Orwell, short story/essay of an Englishman in Burma, shooting an elephant in front of a crowd of natives in Burma)
• Characterization of the narrator (1. person singular, police officer, against his own people, the European imperialism, but not accepted by the Burman people – he kind of does not belong anywhere)
• Historical background of the British Empire (imperialism, conquerors, oppression, savages, racism, status, trade)
• Prejudices (conflict of the story) – it is difficult to be accepted in the “enemy’s crowd” because of prejudices (racism again)
• Conclusion – theme (see other bullet points) of racism, imperialism, prejudice
• Putting the text into perspective to “Heart of Darkness” by Joseph Conrad (same themes – imperialism, racism, prejudices)
We start with a presentation to get an overview of the story. Then we make a characterization and a historical background because it is very relevant to the story – it is about imperialism and the narrator is representing the European side of imperialism – it is connected. We talk about prejudices and themes of imperialism, racism and prejudices because it is a big part of the story and very interesting. As a conclusion we put the text into perspective to another story about imperialism “Heart of Darkness” because they have several similar themes.
Disposition
ReplyDeleteShooting an Elephant by George Orwell
Presentation
• Title
• Author – information.
• Year
• Genre
Plot Summary
Analysis
• Setting – Situation, surroundings, introduction: imperialism
• Protagonist and antagonist
• Language – The narrator
• Conflicts
• Theme – Focus: imperialism.
• Symbols – ex. The elephant.
Perspective
• The British Empire.
Conclusion
Reflection
• Chronological
• Structure
• Presentation: Important with background knowledge and information. Help to understand.
• Plot Summary: Important to know about Shooting and Elephant. Help to understand.
• Analysis: We find it essential.
• Perspective and Conclusion: Important ;-)
- Presentation of the text - Shot summary, genre and conflict
ReplyDelete- Theme
- Symbols
- Language and setting
- Characterization
- Perspectivate
- Discussion and conclusion
We have chosen these points, because we think it's the best way to get deep into the text. We start with our presentation, because the teacher have to know that we have understood the text and what the author tries to tell us.
It's important to tell about the theme because it's a big part of the story.
You don't always have to talk about the symbols, but in "Shooting an elephant" we think there are important symbols and that we have to get around it because the story is based on them. It's always a good idea to talk about the language and setting, because we get a understanding of the author. To understand the story you have to have a understanding of the main characters. It's smart thing to do, because you show the teacher that you can remember a text you have read earlier and to see the text in another perspective. The discussion is a way to show that you can look at the text from different angles and the conclusion is to round up the presentation.
Sara og Thea 3.a
The narrator is a young British man who was working as a police officer in Burma back in the 1920s - when it was a part of the British Imperium. Serving the British Empire, he most impose the British rules upon the natives. The natives are seeing him as an imposter and a fool. He finds it hard to gain respect. He is a divided man – he hates the British Empire and hates the natives.
ReplyDeleteKilling the elephant was not his plan, but his thirst for respect and admiration made him do it anyway – you could also see it as group pressure.
I do sympathize with the author. Ever since he became a police officer in Burma, no one has treated him well. The elephant was his chance to prove himself for the natives and gain some respect. He had good intention – not killing the elephant – but (in a way ) his own life was in “danger” and he was desperate.
PRESENTATION OF THE TEXT - SUMMARY
CHARACTERIZATION
LANGUAGE/SETTINGS
BACKGROUND (BRITISH EMPIRE)
THEME/SYMBOLS
PERSPECTIVATE
DISCUS AND CONCLUSION
The summmary and characterization shows that you've understood the text. Then begins the analyze - showing that you can more than just reading the text. Background is important, as it can help you in your analyze. Perpectivation show that you can see the text from different angles - so does the discussion. Conclusion rounds it all up.
(sorry det bliver lidt sjusket, men alt det jeg havde skrevet tidligere blev slettet da jeg trykkede på "publish" - den skulle åbenbart logge på først.)