Dario Fo - Conventional essay coursework
An essay is an answer to a question
Use Point, Evidence and Explain
Writing is a process fo crafting so it requires shaping your words, structure and sentence
Writing should be substantive writing so you have to say something important about something that is worth saying something about.
Empathise with the reader to check if it makes sense.
Identify the task at hand
What is the question asking you
Try and establish several strands to the question.
Determine what the heart of the matter is
Inkling
Develop a rough idea outlining sections of the essay and a general idea of how you wish to conclude
Introduction: The context in which the argument is set
Conclusion: The answer to the question
Cut to the chase
Avoid lengthy introductions
Try and outline the main points in the introduction
Don't waffle!
Get up close and personal
Approach the question froma personal viewpoint to show your own thoughts
and analysis. Use phrases like "it seems to me" and "This highlights the issue for me "
Write in the Present tense
Mr. Know-it-all
Assume the reader is in the know to avoid describing events.
Instead analyse events supported by examples and quotations from the text.
Nobody wants a mouthful
Avoid chunks of texts and overlong quotations
Get your magnifying glass
Go in depth with the language and style as these are the means by which the reader gains an understanding
Conclusion
Dont just use conclusion to summarise what you have already said.
Save the main point for the conclusion and try to take the discussion forward
Use Point, Evidence and Explain
Writing is a process fo crafting so it requires shaping your words, structure and sentence
Writing should be substantive writing so you have to say something important about something that is worth saying something about.
Empathise with the reader to check if it makes sense.
Identify the task at hand
What is the question asking you
Try and establish several strands to the question.
Determine what the heart of the matter is
Inkling
Develop a rough idea outlining sections of the essay and a general idea of how you wish to conclude
Introduction: The context in which the argument is set
Conclusion: The answer to the question
Cut to the chase
Avoid lengthy introductions
Try and outline the main points in the introduction
Don't waffle!
Get up close and personal
Approach the question froma personal viewpoint to show your own thoughts
and analysis. Use phrases like "it seems to me" and "This highlights the issue for me "
Write in the Present tense
Mr. Know-it-all
Assume the reader is in the know to avoid describing events.
Instead analyse events supported by examples and quotations from the text.
Nobody wants a mouthful
Avoid chunks of texts and overlong quotations
Get your magnifying glass
Go in depth with the language and style as these are the means by which the reader gains an understanding
Conclusion
Dont just use conclusion to summarise what you have already said.
Save the main point for the conclusion and try to take the discussion forward
Exemplar paragraph
Dario Fo conveys the concept of Police force and figures of authority being undeserving od their position due to their corrupt tendencies or their foolishness or their foolishness using comedy and language. This is portrayed when the maniac informs them that a "''raptus' is a crisis of suicidal anguish exhibited by a sane person when provoked by a violent anxiety" after their failure of being aware of the accurate definition of a raptus even though the Superintendent explicitly enclosed that he had declared the Anarchist had been seized by a raptus. Thus it gives the impression that the police officers make contradictory statements and doesn't seem to be aware of what they say and so Dario Fo makes the character of the Superintendent appear to be a fool because of his lack of knowledge. Also it highlights the corrupt nature of the police as Superintendent's failure of knowing of a raptus reveals that it has been thought of, not very well, in order to cover up the truth, almost like a scapegoat so they could hold the raptus responsible for the death of the anarchist instead of confess to truth about the murder, which shows how the police would make false statements or use their authority to manipulate evidence and statements to accommodate their needs.
Similarly the Gavin Richards interpretation of the play visually delivers the same message, bringing it to life as in the play when the Maniac tests them on their statements, the Maniac directly questions them saying "what is a raptus" and they answer with silence and blank expressions. This places emphasis on the fact that the police do not know how to answer and are lost for words as there is a pause. This indicates that they do not have anything intelligent to say and shows how the Maniac is intellectually superior to them. Also their pause hints that the Maniac has caught them whilst spinning their web of lies which is why they are stumped when the Maniac interrogates them about the raptus, showing that this was an uninformed lie on the superintendent's behalf and thus it sheds light on the fact that the superintendent is not being entirely truthful about the account of the anarchist's interrogation.
Dario Fo conveys the concept of Police force and figures of authority being undeserving od their position due to their corrupt tendencies or their foolishness or their foolishness using comedy and language. This is portrayed when the maniac informs them that a "''raptus' is a crisis of suicidal anguish exhibited by a sane person when provoked by a violent anxiety" after their failure of being aware of the accurate definition of a raptus even though the Superintendent explicitly enclosed that he had declared the Anarchist had been seized by a raptus. Thus it gives the impression that the police officers make contradictory statements and doesn't seem to be aware of what they say and so Dario Fo makes the character of the Superintendent appear to be a fool because of his lack of knowledge. Also it highlights the corrupt nature of the police as Superintendent's failure of knowing of a raptus reveals that it has been thought of, not very well, in order to cover up the truth, almost like a scapegoat so they could hold the raptus responsible for the death of the anarchist instead of confess to truth about the murder, which shows how the police would make false statements or use their authority to manipulate evidence and statements to accommodate their needs.
Similarly the Gavin Richards interpretation of the play visually delivers the same message, bringing it to life as in the play when the Maniac tests them on their statements, the Maniac directly questions them saying "what is a raptus" and they answer with silence and blank expressions. This places emphasis on the fact that the police do not know how to answer and are lost for words as there is a pause. This indicates that they do not have anything intelligent to say and shows how the Maniac is intellectually superior to them. Also their pause hints that the Maniac has caught them whilst spinning their web of lies which is why they are stumped when the Maniac interrogates them about the raptus, showing that this was an uninformed lie on the superintendent's behalf and thus it sheds light on the fact that the superintendent is not being entirely truthful about the account of the anarchist's interrogation.
Narrative
Time - Can be compressed
Sequence - Chronological or Non-linear (flashbacks)
Voices- can either be directed or reported
- They direct the the narrative forward by giving information and developing characters (characterisation)
Third person narrative - Omniscient narrative
Destination- A test is designed to make you think
-It might have a purpose or moral
-It will take you on a journey and reach a destination
Author is trying to get you to believe his ideology
Time - Can be compressed
Sequence - Chronological or Non-linear (flashbacks)
Voices- can either be directed or reported
- They direct the the narrative forward by giving information and developing characters (characterisation)
Third person narrative - Omniscient narrative
Destination- A test is designed to make you think
-It might have a purpose or moral
-It will take you on a journey and reach a destination
Author is trying to get you to believe his ideology