Set Text: The Shoehorn Sonata
There are some excellent analyses of The Shoehorn Sonata online, but don't read them until you have your own opinions about the play - if you start with other people's opinions you will never be able to come up with your own ideas!
It's easier to essays from a personal viewpoint and it will usually get you better marks. Once you know what you think, test your ideas against other people's opinions:
(a) if they match yours, extend your argument in these directions
(b) if you they are the opposite to yours, start arguing back - why are they wrong? What evidence shows your idea is better?
The Play:
Study Guides:
Beware of many study guides and essays you find online for this topic. Most of them would get very poor marks as they simply retell the storyline without analysing the visual aspects of the text.
It's easier to essays from a personal viewpoint and it will usually get you better marks. Once you know what you think, test your ideas against other people's opinions:
(a) if they match yours, extend your argument in these directions
(b) if you they are the opposite to yours, start arguing back - why are they wrong? What evidence shows your idea is better?
The Play:
- You can watch Scrapbook Productions' opening scene at YouTube [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RS2DCEBgV5o]. Another scene can be found here [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T6encj0w1_k&feature=related] on YouTube.
- The Actress from this production, Maggie Kirkpatrick, is interviewed here [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1kRArN3v6TI&feature=related].
Study Guides:
- Currency Press [http://www.currency.com.au/page9115435.aspx] has created a study guide from a Drama perspective. While the information is useful, it focuses on plot and staging not the concept of "distinctively visual." think carefully about anything you find here, so you can relate it to your HSC topic. It is a good starting point if you aren't sure about what's been going on in class.
- HSC Online [http://hsc.csu.edu.au/english/standard/language/elect2/shoehorn/index.html] has a comprehensive study guide with detailed information about the historical context, themes, and characters as well as study questions and advice about essay writing.
- Docstoc [http://www.docstoc.com/docs/85766988/Shoe-Horn-Sonata-Module-Distinctively-Visual] has an excellent powerpoint presentation from an HSC study day which details all the main visual aspects of the play. It also analyses a picture book (Anthony Browne's Gorilla) as a related text so you can see how they both link to the topic of "Distinctively visual". They want you to pay membership to down load the presentation, but you can watch it for free online.
- Some of the materials for Andrew Jackson's [http://stage6.pbworks.com/w/page/14414375/English] online English course are useful - esp. the second set of notes. Scroll down in the second column to find links to find "Module A".
Beware of many study guides and essays you find online for this topic. Most of them would get very poor marks as they simply retell the storyline without analysing the visual aspects of the text.