‘Big Ideas’ in your Literature texts

Having pre-planned ‘big ideas’ that can function as top band essay introductions is a productive use of your time ahead of the Literature exams over the next two weeks. I sat down and had a go for ‘A Christmas Carol’ and ‘An Inspector Calls’. One of my year 11 students also came up with three superbly perceptive ‘big ideas’ for ‘Macbeth’, also displayed below. No matter the focus, knowing your concept, your way in before you enter the exam hall is excellent preparation and a HUGE time saver.

‘A Christmas Carol’ on theme of Scrooge’s transformation/change: 

Within Dickens’ festive allegorical novella he underscores the desperate need for societal change in the Victorian era which upheld a strict classist society that benefited the wealthy but bound the poor to a cyclical state of ‘want’. Through Scrooge’s transformation, from antagonist to protagonist, from miser to man of the community, Dickens teaches us of the potential that exists in all of us to remedy society’s ills.

‘An Inspector Calls’ on a  character focus question :

Within Priestley’s morality play he utilises the Birling’s Edwardian household as a microcosm for the damaging ramifications of the values rampant before the two world wars. His play explores the ills of capitalism, of the failures to assist the ailing poor, but ultimately of encouraging collective responsibility. He achieves this through the characterisation of _______  who embraces/rejects such values by the close of the play.

Macbeth and Lady Macbeth’s Relationship:

Many of Shakespeare’s critics, Bloom among them, have argued that Macbeth and Lady Macbeth may be Shakespeare’s most authentic couple out of all of his plays, this is due to the deep devotion and passion they demonstrate to each other. However, if we observe their marriage at a microscopic level throughout the play, we can see how it fluctuates and slowly decays at the hands of their unchecked ambition and hubris.

Ambition:

In Shakespeare’s eponymous play, ‘Macbeth’, our tragic hero and his wife are both riddled with unchecked ambition and often take radical measures to accomplish their ultimate goal: kingship. While this ruthless thirst for power is seemingly prosperous at first, it hastily crumbles to nothing as guilt plagues their minds full of “scorpions”. Macbeth transforms from a “brave” and noble warrior to a guilt-ridden and despised “butcher”, while Lady Macbeth’s stoic and transgressive persona deteriorates into a pitiful and anxious version of her former self.

Supernatural:

In ‘Macbeth’, the supernatural acts as a catalyst in Macbeth’s tragic fall from grace and is a vital component of the plot. The supernatural appears in many forms: the witches, Banquo ‘s ghost, and the four apparitions and serves as a manifestation of evil temptation that seduces Macbeth in to murdering his comrades. Shakespeare may have chosen to use the supernatural metaphorically to draw an audience to the fatal flaws of humanity: hubris, ignorance, and duplicity.

With a way in, and the dreaded first sentence(s) in the bag you’ll be well on your way to a BAND 5 response. Just ensure the rest of your response links back to this ‘big idea’, running through your essay like a constant thread.