You will be asked to write essays in most literature classes (not forgetting exams). Writing essay is a form method to express your understanding of the prescribed text and there are four common types of literary essays that you might explore.

(Content is slightly edited and simplified for easier understanding from: http://www.uvm.edu/wid/writingcenter/tutortips/engstypes.html#top)

1. Comparative/Synergistic

• A comparative essay is one in which you are called on to draw out similarities (sometimes also contrasts) between two or more elements. Most often, this will be between texts that have been covered in class, but it could also be between authors, genres, literary periods, or even between specific passages or characters in the same text.
• The goal here is to make connections and draw conclusions based on your comparisons (i.e. you must have a thesis about whatever you are comparing that is based on looking at them together.
• It is not enough to just compare and simply describe the similarities (and/or differences)—your thesis is what really matters. That argument will be the product of your comparison and will answer the broader question of “why is it important that these texts (authors, periods) be read together/studied closely against one another?” What can we learn from these similarities or differences? How do they help us understand the text(s) more fully?
• Your particular assignment might be open to you (i.e. you can choose to compare any element of the text and craft an argument around that comparison), or  compare/contrast very specific elements (the argument around those elements is still up to you to craft).
• Note that this assignment directly cautions against straight comparing or contrasting (i.e. simply figuring out the similarities/differences and stopping there). It asks for you to demonstrate dialogue of some sort between texts—i.e. using two texts to craft an argument that is only possible if we read them together (implying that there are things about each that are inherently similar or different and that this has important meaning, which you will argue with the thesis you craft). Your goal is to create a synergy between the texts, leading to an argument about how they work together.

2. Historical/Contextual

• An analysis that focuses on the context of the text, or that views the text within its larger historical or socio-cultural framework will often call not only for close reading of the text, but it may also require some additional research that will be used to help craft and support your argument 
• The context is not the primary focus, but rather how the context affects your reading of the text and how the text is affected by its context.
• Remember that the key here is to use your research on the historical and social context of the text to describe on how the text and its context are related. This is not a history paper. 

3. Theoretical

• A paper geared towards explicitly learning and/or practicing literary theory could take many forms: applying a particular theoretical lens to a text, comparing and contrasting two different theories, an intense study of one particular theory, and so on.
• This kind of paper is designed to give you practice at studying texts using different theoretical lenses.

4. Applied

• You will be asked to use a text in a somewhat less formal kind of analysis (though no less critical). This could be called a kind of applied essay and might ask you to use a text to explore certain kinds of issues and your own, personal relation to them.
• An example of this kind of essay might ask you to explore issues of race or gender, identity, and your own experiences by using the text(s) read in class. Maybe it asks you to analyze a current event that echoes some of the important concepts brought up by a particular text that you have read in class.
• Depending on the assignment, the applied essay could also be any of the kinds of essays described above.
• The goal of the assignment is still to engage with and analyze the text as well as demonstrate an understanding of the text in light of the themes of the class.

Read more at:
http://www.uvm.edu/wid/writingcenter/tutortips/engstypes.html

Literature Essay Marking Scheme

Many of you candidates do not understand how the marking system goes, so here it is

Q: What am I sitting for in this exam?
A: Throughout the year you have three papers:
     First term, 920/1 = Poetry and Short Stories
     Second term, 920/2 = Plays
     Third term, 920/3 = Novels

Q: How will my marks be counted?
A: Each paper have three sections, three essays to write and each essay is 25 marks. The whole paper weighs 75 marks, in percentage is 33.33%. At the end of your term, the marks for all three papers you took will be added (33.33% + 33.33% + 33.33% = 100%) and you will get your finalized grade.

Q: How do I score 25 marks for all three sections?
A: Content will be 10 marks, elaboration is 10 marks and language is 5 marks. To be on a safe side, write SIX paragraphs for each section.

Introduction

{ State the question: Etc, question is on social and cultural barriers

-write author's background relation to it

- state the poem/short story/play/novel you chose to write on

-how the question affects the characters in those period }

Note: your first content point will be given on how you start 

your essay and how well you relate to the question

Content #1

{ Question posed: With close reference to any two poems, 

discuss how love is expressed through images of nature.
- write on the FIRST poem in this paragraph }

Note: your second content point and elaboration

Content #2

-write on the SECOND poem

Note: your third content point and elaboration

Content #3

-write on the FIRST poem

Note: your fourth content point and elaboration

Content #4

-write on the SECOND poem

Note: your fifth content point and elaboration

Conclusion

{ Conclude your essay and emphasize on how

 it affects/relate to our current society }

Notice: Content 1 - 2 marks           Elaboration 1-  2 marks            Language: Spelling
                         2-  2 marks                                2-  2 marks                       and Grammar

                         3-  2 marks                                3-  2 marks

                         4-  2 marks                                4-  2 marks

                         5-  2 marks                                5-  2 marks                                          

                             10 marks                                   10  marks                             5 marks 

Q: Is the marking system different for each section?
A: No, it is just the same. Each section shares equivalent marks so there are no difference.

Q: What will they look for in my critical appreciation skills?
A:  {Disclamer: content shown can be found from MPM website }

1. Language and form : Literary devices, narrative techniques, setting, characterisation, structure, themes/issues/concerns, readers response, language and style

2. History and culture : Context, themes/issues and cultural perspective

3. Gender : Gender, context ( historical/socio-cultural), themes/issues, perspective (reading as a woman or man) and cultural perspective

Q: How would I know what to pay attention to for poetry/short stories/plays/novels?

A: {Disclamer: content shown can be found from MPM website }

Poetry                                                                   Short Stories

-background                                                        - background

-verse forms                                                        - plot [development of plot]

-devices [figure of speech/diction]                        - characterisation

-metrics [rhythm]                                                 - setting [place/time/atmosphere]

-theme and interpretation                                     - narrative techniques

-atmosphere [mood/feeling]                                 - literary devices

-relevance [relevance to the present]                    - language and style

-moral concerns                                                   - themes

                                                                            - relevance [relevance to the present] 

                                                                            - moral concerns   

Plays                                                                    Novels

- background [writer/period/stage]                        - background [writer/period]

- types of play [comedy/tragedy/etc]                      - plot [development of plot]

- reading the text [language and style/devices]        - characterisation

- aspects of play [plot/structure/characters]            - setting [place/time/atmosphere]

-relevance [relevance to the present]                      - narrative techniques

-moral concerns                                                    - literary devices

                                                                             - language and style

                                                                             - themes

                                                                             - relevance [relevance to the present] 

                                                                             - moral concerns        

Q: How will my essays be graded?

A: {Disclamer: content shown can be found from MPM website }

 Grade A 

 Candidate shows a detailed knowledge and excellent understanding of text. 

 Candidate addresses all aspects of the question with sustained relevance to issues. 

 Candidate exhibits ability to identify, analyse, and evaluate tone, attitude, character, form, 

structure, and language. 

 Candidate demonstrates a critical, sensitive, and original response to text. 

 Candidate shows an informed response to text. 

 Candidate writes fluently and expresses complex ideas clearly. 

 Candidate displays logical and coherent development of argument. 

 Candidate supports argument with appropriate textual evidence. 

  

Grade C  (I don't think I need to bold the requirements to get a grade C, AIM FOR AN A)

Candidate shows sufficient understanding and knowledge of text. 

Candidate addresses some aspects of the question. 

Candidate exhibits some ability to identify and discuss tone, attitude, character, form, structure, 

and language. 

Candidate demonstrates a basic personal response to text. 

Candidate‘s answer contains a fair number of language errors. 

Candidate shows some organisation and development of ideas. 

Candidate supports argument with sufficient textual evidence. 

Candidate uses some narration. 

I wish all candidates best of luck for all your papers!

For more information visit MPM website on 920 paper:
 http://www.mpm.edu.my/documents/10156/28d2cd05-be4c-48a2-b967-bd0a14f4d24e

Discuss the social and cultural aspects related to only of two short stories that you have read

            The chosen short stories are “Ratnamuni” and “The Dream of Vasantha”, both written by the literary artist, K.S. Maniam. Maniam has explored and revealed a range of Malaysian landscapes for the people who live there. Landscape can be defined as the “living process” of the authentic Malaysian mosaic. From the aspects of landscape, social is described as the relations of human beings in a community whilst the culture of a community is an additional aspect to be examined. By means of culture, it is the behaviors and beliefs characteristic of a particular social or ethnic. Like Maniam, whose birthplace was Bedong in Kedah, both stories take place there and in terms of social and culture, the stories are heavily linked to each other.

            “Ratnamuni” highlights the plight of Indian immigrants in an unknown land. The line ‘the people going from one darkness to another darkness’ pointed out that the future of Indians during that period are bleaking. Indians are treated only as mere slaves and shall be in the low class social status. Education seems to be the way out from the oppression of low class society. Maniam himself affirms that the English education has given him a center to life. The character, Muthiah, had proven so after hours of having his nose in a book, he is placed in a comfortable spot in the society by being a clerk. But for the illiterate people like Muniandy, he had to perform odd jobs such as boat rower, a medium and cart pusher. During that era, Indians are placed to live in the rubber estates, separated from other races as well. It is a part of the reason why Indians are looked down because they are not given the opportunity to improve themselves in other areas of life.

            There is a change from the story “Ratnamuni” in “The Dream of Vasantha”. Vasantha is a single mother who wants nothing else but to achieve her dream, which is bringing up her child as an honorable person. Vasantha will go through the hardship she faced without fail just to earn some money for her son’s education. Vasantha clearly sees education as the light to escape from the grasp of society that classify Indians as the low class community. Vasantha also has to work numerous job to gain more income such as dhobi and ironing clothes service. In this story, the community in the village is also the same as the community in the story “Ratnamuni”. The people obviously like look out for other family’s affair and it had become an unhealthy norm. The news of Ganesh travel quickly among the villagers while Ratnam’s misdoings are known by everyone in the village.

            The Indian immigrants in “Ratnamuni” also face conflicts as they undergo the attempt to transplant an uprooted culture in the new land. As Muniandy says, “When my wife bent over me in the mornings.. I was too happy to see the customs from the Big Country still used in my house”. The challenge Muniandy faces, the culture shock and the difficulty to fit in are his endeavor to retain his culture in Malaya. Women are also the subjects of their husbands, as they are very submissive to their men. It is substantial for them to show obeisance by knocking their hand on their husbands’ feet in the morning, an act to show their loyalty and obedience. Malini actually took her own life because she could not bear the shame of being raped and giving birth to a “bastard”, the child of her rapist, as she feels unworthy of her husband.

            Vasantha is also quite particular to the Indian culture even though she is a widow. She told herself that she would remain true to her dead husband. The relationship between men and women are mentioned in both stories to show the importance of women being submissive to their men during that period. Vasantha vowed that she will never be with another man as she is tied to one man in her lifetime, dead or alive. In the Indian culture as well, the boys in the family seem to be more pampered and loved. Ganesh is so well treated by his mother until he starts to climb the ladder to suppress his mother. “Ratnamuni” reflects the same predicament as Ratnam became ungrateful and selfish to Muniandy after being cared and brought up by his only father. Ratnam only goes to his father for money.

            Maniam had gone to depth to tell about his experience in Bedong from his early years. These social and cultural aspects that he experienced during the pre-independence era, the plight of Indians are written clearly in both of the stories. It is understandable that their lifestyle is different from ours because of the different practices and cultures from the locals here. The inferiority among the community is caused by the division of race, that made them being looked down. Maniam stresses on these topics to make us realize the importance of peace among races and also maintaining our traditions and customs for future generations. In conclusion, these aspects help us to understand more about our country’s history and the Indian culture.

6/9/2012

Discuss the role of the uduku in the story ‘RATNAMUNI’ by K. S. Maniam

            The importance of the uduku in the story ‘RATNAMUNI’ is shown at the beginning when the author tells that Muniandy travels to Malaya, brings nothing but only a beggar’s bundle that carries uduku. It proves that the uduku is a very important belonging to Muniandy for he believes that he can survive with only the uduku in his possession. Muniandy says to the man in uniform that the Indian God, Lord Siva only danced to the music and made the world when he belittles him. It is believed that music brings an important value in their lives as the world is created from it. Muniandy also plays the uduku to pass his free time on the boat all night. Furthermore, the author is also trying to imply that the uduku is a reminder to Muniandy that he comes from the Big Land, as his identity in a stranger’s country, a keepsake to honor the Indian tradition in an unknown land.

            Muniandy is a medium. The uduku acts as a connector to the spiritual world. It allows Muniandy to go into trance and connects with the spirit of the uduku when he drummed it. To go into trance, Muniandy will first have to perform a spiritual act like covering his ears and scenting the drum with incense smoke. As a form of respect to the spirit in the special drum, Muniandy then uses the uduku and the spirit’s guidance to help the people to chase away evil spirits from their home. The uduku player soon becomes famous around the town for casting away evils. People start coming to seek for numbers and help to heal diseases from the uduku. The uduku brings out the greediness in certain people to win a fortune by misusing the purpose of the drum. The uduku’s ability to sense evil is proven when the spirit tells Muniandy about the whereabouts of a tar doll with needles is hidden. The dhobi with shoulder pain later was cured when he removed the cursed doll from his home. Muniandy is able to heal the dhobi twice with the healing power of the uduku.

            The uduku is also able to tell the truth and reveal the secrets in the houses they live. The power of the drum shows that Kali (Muniandy’s neighbor) has been raped and the daughter does not belong to Chevudon. The uduku’s tongue also reveals that Govindan’s son had been a thief and steals from people. The revelation of the secrets had made Muniandy earns people’s trust. The uduku is so powerful that men can die slowly from learning what she knows. The knowledge of the drum contains the dark secrets of people around. Muniandy claims that the uduku can take away the soul and break families into pieces. It proves that the spiritual drum is a dangerous thing to be involved with. After his wife’s death, the power of the uduku became so strong that Muniandy himself is unable to withstand it because his spirit is weak and wounded from the impact of Malini’s sudden death. He had to put away the uduku in dhobi’s house.

The uduku also plays as a sort of income for Muniandy. He was paid to perform spiritual and healing acts for other people. Muniandy clearly earns a lot as a medium because he lives in comfort after he married Malini by buying her a new cupboard and clothes, as well as rattan chairs, glass tables, tea sets and a bed of rubber. Besides that, they give out food as a form of charity. He says, ‘we take care of people we can’. He is also able to buy Ratnam a Ja-pan motorcycle. He saves the money to give to his son to achieve his dream, which is to fit in the modern society. His salary as a cart pusher cannot make him a lot of money as well as his previous job as a boat-rower. The uduku helps Muniandy financially by giving him an extra income.

The role of the uduku is proven vital as the story unravels. We learned that Malini’s soul is trapped in the uduku after her suicide when Muniandy confesses to ayah that ‘he must dispossess his heart to rid the uduku’s dispossession by his wife’s spirit’. The climax of the story revolves around the truth behind Malini’s death which was revealed by the uduku’s spirit herself. When Muniandy enters into trance, Malini showed him the true cause for her dying. She took her own life because of the shame she felt, raped by Muthiah and gave birth to his son, Ratnam.  Besides that, the dhobi also claimed that he heard Muniandy’s dead wife’s voice was in the room. The uduku became a host for Malini’s vengeful spirit, waiting for the time to confess to her husband, for Muniandy to gather his strength to touch the uduku again for the right cause. Finally, Muniandy kills Muthiah in revenge for his wife’s death and humiliation. After he was killed, Muniandy tried playing the uduku again. The uduku is very light in his hands, in other words, her spirit has left the drum. No sound comes from the uduku anymore. In the end, the revelation of the cause of Malini’s death leads to Muthiah being killed and Muniandy surrenders himself to the authority.