Choosing a Related Text
- Choose a text you love. You may not like your teacher's choice of set text, but this is your chance to make the topic relevant to you.
- Choose different types of texts: Eg: if you’re studying a The Shoehorn Sonata, choose a documentary, novel/short story, poem, website, song or painting; not another play. The point of related texts is to show the marker you've read and viewed widely.
- You should also pick related texts that both reinforce and contradict the ideas in your prescribed text. This gives you more things to write about and shows the marker you have read and viewed widely, not picked the first things you found.
- Choose texts about different visual techniques. This shows the marks that you’ve investigated different concepts of belonging (eg: when it’s better not to belong!) as well as the prescribed text.
You do not need to choose texts about war or women's rights - Some students find it easier if all their texts have the same theme; other students prefer to use different themes so they can concentrate on the idea of visual texts (which is what the HSC question will be about). If you do choose texts on war (or another theme) make sure that your essay is about visual techniques, not about war (or another theme).