Help with the presentation of secrets in Ian Mckewan's Atonement?

[Dinosaurrr]

Has anyone read it, I'm finding it really hard to find any online analysis for it? Anyway, i need to write an essay for my English A level coursework on the presentation of secrets, can anyone help me? :)
Thankyou x

[Dinosaurrr]

bump :)anyone?

[kasie]

Welcome to the Forum, Dinosaurrr.

I'm afraid the usual (somewhat curt) response to such requests is 'Do your own homework.'

However I do have one suggestion - when you get around to writing the assignment, it would be good if you were to spell the author's name correctly. It's 'McEwan', I believe. Oh, and the book isn't very long - it won't take you long to read it, if you haven't done so already.

[Dinosaurrr]

Jesus that was rude ^
There was no need for that at all, and i'm dyslexic, thankyou very much for pointing out the spelling mistake.
Jeez.

[kiki1982]

Maybe some guidance is required here ;).

Whereas you are genuine (that's why we bothered to reply on the Jane Eyre-forum), a lot of people come here and do this kind of thing, consequently expect everyone else to do their homework.

So, the key to getting any help is to clearly state your purpose (not merely 'essay/assignment', but about what, like Marxism and feminism as you did on the other forum) and also show that you have read it and what course your are going to take, what you are thinking of in terms of arguments etc. Also maybe ask whether anyone knows of critical interpretations or something.

I would like to help, but I haven't read this, so can't comment.

[kasie]

No, it was not intended to be rude - it was pointing out to you that the Forum is not here to do your work for you and I'm surprised other members have not mentioned this before me. If you had come up with an initial idea of your own then I am sure Forum members would have been more than delighted to discuss the question with you - that's what 'Forum' means, 'a place of public discussion'.

As you are studying for A levels, I'm sure you have discovered that you are no longer going to be spoonfed with information as you were at GCSE Level . Teachers (and examiners) are no longer interested in how you regurgitate information - they are more interested in how you interpret literary works for yourself. You are now being expected to read a work and come up with interpretations for yourself. By all means look at the work of critics/assessors, on the Net if you must, or in books from the library, but ultimately you have to have the confidence to make a statement of your own conclusions.

Are you able to discuss the work in question with your fellow students, on an informal seminar basis, over a coffee or something? There's no question of 'copying' each others work, it's a pooling of ideas, you can take them or leave them as you like. There is no longer a 'right' or 'wrong' answer: you are entitled to make any interpretation for yourself but - and this is the important bit - you must be able to show from the text how you came to that interpretation. That requires close reading, maybe reading with a pencil in hand to mark significant passages (which is why it's a good idea to get hold of your own cheap copy of the texts you are studying or ask the school, if they are supplying copies, if they mind you marking them lightly in pencil so that marks can be erased).

As for your dyslexia, I'm sorry - I didn't know that. How could I? I do stand by my suggestion however, only adding that perhaps you need to make extra sure, using whatever prompts you have devised for yourself, to spell key names correctly. I speak from experience here - I once wrote a lengthy A level History essay on nineteenth century German Foreign Policy and was marked down severely for spelling 'Bismarck' incorrectly all the way through it. The teacher was being cruel to be kind - it was a salutary lesson. :smile5:

[Brock]

As if you get to study Ian McEwan at A-Level! That's awesome. I read Amsterdam not too long ago and I've also read and studied McEwan's Saturday. A brilliant author. My advice is to just get wrapped up in your novel. Love it. Live it. Learn it.

[LitNetIsGreat]

As you are studying for A levels, I'm sure you have discovered that you are no longer going to be spoonfed with information as you were at GCSE Level . Teachers (and examiners) are no longer interested in how you regurgitate information - they are more interested in how you interpret literary works for yourself. You are now being expected to read a work and come up with interpretations for yourself. By all means look at the work of critics/assessors, on the Net if you must, or in books from the library, but ultimately you have to have the confidence to make a statement of your own conclusions.

That's solid gold advice and will stand you in good stead if you listen to it.