When you are asked a question about the SIGNIFICANCE OF something (a character, setting, plot element, theme, quotation, line of verse, action, visual element, camera angle etc....), you are being asked to explain its importance or meaning as it connects or contributes to something else in the text.I know, it sounds confusing. . . it is confusing because this is a difficult multi-step INTEGRATE question. You are being required to take what you know about the text (locate and cycle) and then synthesize (integrate) the found elements of the text to come up with a detailed and supported response.
Let’s take a look at an example...
In the story "The Dinner Party" by Mona Gardner the setting is significant.
So.... Your question might be:
How is the setting significant to the short story
"The Dinner Party" by Mona Gardner?
The first thing you need to be able to do is identify the elements of the setting. This is a cycle activity. You are required to cycle through the text to locate evidence of the setting: at the start of the story it says: "The country is India." (Gardner 1), later the reader is introduced to several other setting elements: dining room, dining table, evening, open windows, verandah, rafters, bowl of milk and the snake (as a natural element within the setting of India).
To answer this you will have to consider your response to the following. This is how you start to integrate your thinking with what you have found in the above locate and cycle activity.
Select one or more of the following fiction elements and state the significance EXPLICITLY by referring directly to one or more of the description(s) below. Then, you will need to use direct support from the novel to help you integrate your identify and cycle activities and answer the question fully.
Choose from the following options:
Does it (it=whatever element you chose to describe as significant) . . .
❏ reveal character traits about the main character or supporting characters?
❏ reveal the change the character has experienced?
❏ help the audience understand the character’s motivation?
❏ create a plausible character in the mind of the reader?
❏ reveal or further our understanding of relationships between characters?
❏ reveal an important contrast in characters?
❏ provide insight into the character’s feelings or emotions?
❏ establish the setting (time, time period, place, props)
❏ help us understand the character’s relationship to setting?
❏ create or maintain the atmosphere of a place?
❏ contribute meaningfully to the plot?
❏ present the introduction or motivating incident of the story?
❏ create conflict or a complication for the main character?
❏ introduce the crisis of the main character?
❏ represent the climax of the story?
❏ create humour, suspense, pathos or irony?
❏ explain necessary background information?
❏ establish the theme of the text?
❏ contribute to the visual appeal of the text?
❏ provide an important contrast or comparison?
❏ provide information about what has gone on back stage?
FOR EXAMPLE:
Here is Gia's first draft of her entry for Post #4. She has made strong ties between the list of fictional elements and her novel. The only thing that she needs to do now is add direct support for at least one of her claims. I would suggest she add support in the following places (see where I have placed the ** in her post). The other thing Gia needs in her post is to identify the novel and author, which I have suggested she place near the start of her post here ( ).
"The war (in _________________ by _________________) helps create or maintain the atmosphere of a place, contribute meaningfully to the plot, create conflict or a complication for the main character, establish the theme of the text, establishes setting, and contribute to the visual appeal of the text. It creates a sad atmosphere, it helps the plot and creates conflict or complication because it stops him from being able to see his daughter making him write these series of envelopes to her.** It's theme is the constant battles Bethune goes through the war is one of the many. Since our common sense is that the war was a terrible muddy dark dreadful thing it helps us get a visual appeal of the text.** Since the war happened we've learned where it was and helps us know time period this book is placed in and also props."
Does it (it=whatever element you chose to describe as significant) . . .
❏ reveal character traits about the main character or supporting characters?
❏ reveal the change the character has experienced?
❏ help the audience understand the character’s motivation?
❏ create a plausible character in the mind of the reader?
❏ reveal or further our understanding of relationships between characters?
❏ reveal an important contrast in characters?
❏ provide insight into the character’s feelings or emotions?
❏ establish the setting (time, time period, place, props)
❏ help us understand the character’s relationship to setting?
❏ create or maintain the atmosphere of a place?
❏ contribute meaningfully to the plot?
❏ present the introduction or motivating incident of the story?
❏ create conflict or a complication for the main character?
❏ introduce the crisis of the main character?
❏ represent the climax of the story?
❏ create humour, suspense, pathos or irony?
❏ explain necessary background information?
❏ establish the theme of the text?
❏ contribute to the visual appeal of the text?
❏ provide an important contrast or comparison?
❏ provide information about what has gone on back stage?
FOR EXAMPLE:
Here is Gia's first draft of her entry for Post #4. She has made strong ties between the list of fictional elements and her novel. The only thing that she needs to do now is add direct support for at least one of her claims. I would suggest she add support in the following places (see where I have placed the ** in her post). The other thing Gia needs in her post is to identify the novel and author, which I have suggested she place near the start of her post here ( ).
"The war (in _________________ by _________________) helps create or maintain the atmosphere of a place, contribute meaningfully to the plot, create conflict or a complication for the main character, establish the theme of the text, establishes setting, and contribute to the visual appeal of the text. It creates a sad atmosphere, it helps the plot and creates conflict or complication because it stops him from being able to see his daughter making him write these series of envelopes to her.** It's theme is the constant battles Bethune goes through the war is one of the many. Since our common sense is that the war was a terrible muddy dark dreadful thing it helps us get a visual appeal of the text.** Since the war happened we've learned where it was and helps us know time period this book is placed in and also props."
