Overall, the mock exam was an effective learning experience regarding time management and understanding where my weak spots in my understanding of lexical elements, and remembering which terminology to revise.

How might you create a clearer thesis statement to help organize your idea better? 

I need to make sure to capture not only the devices that I will be exploring in my text but also the overarching theme and meaning that is created through those devices and potentially point to a global issue or intent of the text.

How might you comment more on visuals and discuss how the interplay between lexical, visual, and structural elements creates meaning?

I will ensure to create a balanced essay on both lexical and visual elements, to provide stronger evidence to support my point. I will make sure to mention a range of elements in my thesis to focus and structure my essay to a greater degree.

How might you use your learnings from previous texts effectively in your actual exam?

In order to improve for my final exam, I will ensure to spread out my timing more evenly and re-read – focus on three individual elements, rather than a range, which will allow me to zoom into the literal methods used by the author and reflect on the meaning that it creates. I want to focus on multiple perspectives and bring in specific global issues to push my understanding of the text more.

Universal ideas – individuals and society – life lesson

1. How might you manage your time better to allow for a full discussion of your ideas/ thesis?
   1. I would like to improve by taking more time during the planning stage to thoroughly examine each topic using the method of point, evidence, and analysis.
2. How might you provide more examples of structure, verbal and visual language, and other stylistic features to unpack and support your claims?
   1. During the planning stage, I would like to write my chosen examples in my plan to make sure that I include evidence after every point that I will be backing.
3. How might you unpack text type conventions and connect these to themes?
   1. In the introductions I need to briefly mention the importance of the text type and the audience that it is intended for, to unpack more thoroughly in paragraphs.

Goal: Elaborate more thoroughly during the planning stage with a point, evidence, and analysis for every body paragraph. This will help me to organize my thoughts and let the essay run more smoothly.

Upon writing my practice paper 1, I got to evaluate my strengths and weaknesses. Unfortunately, I was quite disappointed with my work because it is not a strong representation of my learning and capabilities. Although, I was provided an insights on areas of improvement, such where given in the form of questions:

How might you unpack the examples provided to expand on layers of meaning and deeper insights?

In order to unpack examples, I will follow the structure of point, evidence, analysis, although add an additional step to connect it to my global issue and most importantly my thesis strand. I have to zoom out of precise details and connect to overarching themes and ideas, while maintaining purpose and focusing on my proven point.

How might you use more precise terminology and avoid simple description?

I can review the slide deck and learn relevant terminology in relation to every type of text studied. I cant use generalised terms, instead I have to use specific and precise wording to avoid simple description. My language should be very clear, effective, carefully chosen and precise, with a high degree of accuracy in grammar, vocabulary and sentence construction; register and style are effective and

appropriate to the task.

Relating it back to my HL Essay: How does Kawabata present shifts in cultural values throughout generations?

• Feedback, thoughts, realisations

Through preparation and thorough analysis, I felt before the IO that it would go with ease. When starting talking in the practice on camera, all of my thoughts disappeared and I started saying things that I myself did not even agree with. During the language Oral in IGCSE I was allowed to walk around the room, which allowed me to relieve stress and focus on what I am talking about. Unfortunately, I realised that due to my stress and overthinking, I stutter and forger not only the foundational things and basics, I loose track of the plan that I had laid out for myself. 

• Exploring perspectives – how my practice IO texts might be similar or contrasting to any of the texts discussed in class? This IO was quite different compared to class discussions because have to open and explore a topic not discussed prior in class with examples to support our points for proof. It was quite difficult to use a comic as a literary piece because instead of comparing two polar opposite texts, I was comparing to images and started focusing on the visual rather then the lexical points.

• Reflect – on my strengths and weakness

In the future, I would like to practise in front of people and layout a better plan for myself so that I will be able to continue my discussion even through the possibility of stress and stuttering.

Carefully read and annotate Norma’s meeting with Mr Hands in Chapter 13 (pg 209-229)

How does Rawle create tension in this chapter?

Consider:

– The description of Mr Hands and his home.

The name of Mr Hands describes his licentious, groping nature. In fact, the description of Norma entering Mr Hands’ building, going up the stairs, find his flat and going inside, takes up more than 4 pages; a lot of space and time for an action that could take just a few seconds and and maybe a paragraph of words.The description of the house could also reinforce gender stereotypes in the novel as the house run by women such as Norma and Mary are well kept but for a bachelor such as Mr Hands, the lack a feminine presence takes away any attempt to keep the house a home. Norma wishes to have her photograph taken by a “Mr. Hands,” a charlatan that would prove to be villainous. In rebuffing Hands’ predatory advances during a photo-shoot, Norma bludgeons him on the head with a high-heel shoe and flees, thinking that she murdered him. But Hands eventually returns, as if from the dead, to ruin the day.Graham Rowle gives the readers a chance to unpack possible deeper meanings of Mr Hands intentions, the characteristics of the unreliable narrator and the underlying tragedy and threat masked by comedy in the extract.

• On occasion, the text gets in the way of the narrative. For example, on page 319, when the suspense is high and we are not sure if Mr. Hands is indeed dead, we observe a boy carrying Sugar Puffs cereal under his arm. This is followed by, “Sugar Puffs are the tasty breakfast treat made from crisp wheat puffs glistening with sugar and golden honey! Energizing honey — to give kids extra ‘go’!”

– Norma’s narrative voice & the use of irony

Although Norma feels so pleased when the stranger complimented her and without knowing him well enough she was courageous to stay and chat with him. “Page 62 “ i began blushing and threw up my hands with a little tinkling, knowledgeable laugh” “ Hans went up to order our tea while I sat down near the window….”. Norma’s voice, is skeptical from the beginning of the chapter and this can be observed from the fact that she cannot find the right name of Mr Hands on the door as what she should be finding wherein she slowly starts doubting herself.

•What prompts Roy to admit that he must ‘give up’ Norma? Why does he find it so hard to do?  Giving the clothes away and admiring that they are not hit make it hard for roy to give up on Norma. During the police assault Roy doesn’t admit to the clothes being his until being pressured and for a minute he got to step out of his shoes and realise that they are actually not his, but his sisters that has passed away as a young girl.

•Focus on the passage where Norma explains the relationship between her and Roy. In your own words, explain how Roy’s ‘alter-ego’ came to be, and why Mary has tolerated it. Roy has dressed as Norma for many years, of his own volition. Can you explain why this incident with the policemen is so traumatic? – Essentially, Roy dressing up as Norma is in result of an incident that happened when he was younger, and an extremely personal and bitter sweet moment for him, and for the interactions with the police who essentially are representative of society to treat him like so, essentially feels like society is having a go at him. Mary’s support for Roy, is essential for him as she is the only one who more or less tolerates his behaviour and actions, however following society is not fully onboard with Roy continuing dressing up as Norma.

•Graham Rawle has been criticised for revealing the true identity of Norma so explicitly at this point in the novel. Do you think he was right to do so? – At this point in the novel I think that is right that Graham Rawle has started to reveal the true identity of Norma, in order to identify the essential problem or struggle which is arguably unclear throughout the novel until these reveals.

If the police are representative of law, order and authority, what does their behaviour suggest about society’s attitudes to gender? – Through the attitude of the police, who are representative of law, order and authority, it is safe to conclude that the police represent society and the almost distaste for people such as Roy. Through this we can identify the social hierarchy as well as gender roles and expectations.