Essay Topic Types

Purpose Post-Module Learnings Content What is an Essay Topic/Prompt?Essay Topic Types Theme-Based Topic Character(s)-Based Topic Question-Based Topic Quote-Based Topic Analytical Topic Assessing the Difficulty of Topics

Purpose

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As part of each of these modules, there will be a purpose that connects back to VCE English.

This is an introduction into essay topics/prompts in Text Response. Note that the words essay topic, question, or prompt can be used interchangeably by teachers, they mean the same in Text Response. For consistency, I’m going to refer to it as topic.

Post-Module Learnings

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Following this module, these are the following skills you should have.

I know what the definition of an Essay Topic/Prompt is for Text Response.

I am able to differentiate between types of Essay Topics for Text Response.

I am able to select what I believe is the ‘easier’ or ‘harder’ topic when given a choice of two different topics.

Content

What is an Essay Topic/Prompt?

An essay topic/prompt is basically a statement or question that is given to you which you must address in your essay.

In VCE English, you are given two topics to choose from. Generally on an exam or test, you should choose the easier one, never choose the more difficult one!

You will see, when writing an essay, make sure you underline the title of the text as well, e.g. Romeo and Juliet

Essay Topic Types

Generally speaking, there are five primary types of Essay Topics (there are sub-types, but let’s dive into that a bit after). They are:

Theme-Based Prompt

Character(s)-Based Prompt

Question-Based Prompt

Quote-Based Prompt (which has subtypes)

Analytical Prompt (they have made a comeback in recent years, the last 2 years)

Theme-Based Topic

Theme-based topics relate to a specific theme, and has an overarching theme mentioned. These are usually considered the easiest (on average) out of the five different prompt types.

Theme-based topics MUST INCLUDE one of the following at the END of the topic:

Discuss.

Do you agree?

To what extent do you agree?

OR they must START with:

To what extent do/are …

Discuss the …

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Note: Don’t be scared by topics that say ‘Do you agree, Discuss or To what extent do you agree?’ They all mean the same thing, as in you SHOULD NOT just agree or disagree, you always need to present both sides of the topic for these topics.

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If a topic does end with Do you agree? or To what extent do you agree? Ideally in your contention sentence, you should put a phrase, e.g. to a significant extent, you can put to a minor extent. Otherwise, it’s the ‘same’ topic.

Here are some examples of theme-based topics that you should familiarise yourself with. Look for common elements between each [I’ve bolded some themes to show you guys what they look like]:

The Veldt unveils the savagery that is hidden within human nature. Discuss.

‘In After Darkness, characters misuse their authority for their own gain.’ Do you agree? [although it says characters, it is NOT a character-based topic because it implies ALL characters.]

‘All the Light We Cannot See shows that war affects different people in different ways.’ Discuss.

To what extent do characters in Like a House on Fire face their problems alone? [although it says characters, it is NOT a character-based topic because it implies ALL characters.]

To what extent are the lives of the characters in Nine Days limited by social expectations?

‘Skrzynecki’s poetry explores relationships between parents and children.’ Discuss.

‘In In Cold Blood, Capote considers whether a murderer can also be a victim.’ Discuss.

Discuss the importance of hopes and dreams in Persepolis: The Story of a Childhood.

‘Pride and Prejudice shows the dangers of acting on first impressions.’ Discuss.

‘Many characters in Munro’s stories keep secrets.’ Discuss.

‘In All the Light We Cannot See, being different is an advantage.’ Do you agree?

‘The people of Annawadi are powerless to change their lives.’ Discuss. [while it sounds like a character-based topic, because it doesn’t specifically specify a type of people in Annawadi which is a city, it is a theme-based topic]

‘In Extinction, the characters find no resolutions to their problems.’ Do you agree? [while it sounds like a character-based topic, because it doesn’t specifically specify a type of character, it is a theme-based topic]

‘In his poetry, Donne looks inward to his own feelings and outward to the world around him.’ Discuss.

‘In the end, love saves the characters in The Golden Age.’ Discuss. [while it sounds like a character-based topic, because it doesn’t specifically specify a type of character, it is a theme-based topic]

‘The Lieutenant portrays a struggle between obedience to authority and adherence to personal values.’ Discuss.

To what extent does the role of storytelling in The Paper Menagerie connect the characters to the past and others?

The representation of the Chinese-American experience in The Paper Menagerie reflects the struggle and challenges faced by immigrants and their children. Discuss.

The use of magical realism in The Paper Menagerie enhances the role of nostalgia in illustrating the protagonist’s present and future.

‘The isolation and loneliness of individuals in The Paper Menagerie represents the struggle of Chinese immigrants in American societies.’ Discuss.

‘The Paper Menagerie is an understatement of the portrayal of the immigrant experience.’ Do you agree?

‘The Paper Menagerie is a direct representation of the loss and grief individuals face.’ Do you agree?

Discuss the motif of paper and its symbolism when capturing the culture and traditions of Chinese-American immigrants in The Paper Menagerie.

Discuss the influence of Chinese folklore and mythology in The Paper Menagerie’s narration of the Chinese immigrant experience.

Character(s)-Based Topic

Character-based topics can mention the name of at least one or more characters from the Text. As long as a character or a group/type of character is named in the topic, then it is character-based.

For example, if I mention Romeo in the topic, it would be character-based, if I mentioned ‘men’ in the topic, it would be character-based, but if I said, most characters, it would NOT be character-based, but theme-based.

If ‘all’ characters are mentioned or implied by the topic, it IS NOT a character-based topic, but rather a theme-based topic. For example, in Romeo and Juliet, if the topic is: Romeo is too blinded by love to see his own doom. Discuss. that would be an example of a character-based topic, but if the topic is All characters in Romeo and Juliet are too blinded by love or hatred to see their own doom. Discuss. that would be an example of a theme-based topic (because it includes or IMPLIES ALL characters).

Character-based topics, like theme-based topics, MUST INCLUDE one of the following at the end of the topic:

Discuss.

Do you agree?

To what extent do you agree?

OR they must START with:

To what extent do/are …

Discuss the …

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Here are some examples of character-based topics that you should familiarise yourself with. Look for common elements between each:

In The Veldt, Peter only views his parents as annoyances that must be discarded. Do you agree? [although this sounds like a Question-Based topic, it is not, because it contains Do you agree.]

‘In All the Light We Cannot See, Werner eventually regrets the choices he has made.’ Do you agree?

‘In their different ways, all the Bennet girls defy convention in Pride and Prejudice.’ Do you agree?

‘The female characters in Munro’s stories lack confidence.’ To what extent do you agree?

Although Frank is confined to a hospital in The Golden Age, his world expands in many ways.’ Discuss.

‘Polio was as challenging for the parents as it was for the children in The Golden Age.’ Do you agree?

‘Okonkwo becomes a success because of his father’s failures in Things Fall Apart.’ Do you agree?

‘Victor never truly understands the creature he has created in Frankenstein.’ Discuss.

‘The protagonist’s mother is the driving force behind shaping the protagonist’s cultural identity and self-understanding in The Paper Menagerie.’ Discuss.

‘In The Paper Menagerie, the magical paper animals were responsible for the protagonist’s diversion from his Chinese heritage.’ Do you agree?

‘To what extent in The Paper Menagerie does the protagonist struggle with assimilation with the American culture?’

‘The protagonist in The Paper Menagerie is an extreme representation of the individuals attempting to achieve the ‘American dream’.’ Do you agree?

‘In The Paper Menagerie, the narrator plays an important role in conveying the challenges of Chinese-American immigrants.’ Discuss.

‘The mother-son connection in The Paper Menagerie was the most impactful relationship in the protagonist’s life.’ Do you agree?

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If a topic contains a theme and a character name, it is still just a character-based topic.

Question-Based Topic

Question-based topics are generally focused on asking students ‘How’ or ‘What’ an author or director of a text does.

These are considered to be quite hard, but deceptively hard. A lot of students may think this is easy based on what it asks, but they are actually hard. This is because of how you are supposed to approach these kinds of topics, you are supposed to show ‘HOW’ or ‘WHAT’ is done in the text, and that may lead to ‘retelling the story’ a lot, which is a very bad piece of feedback to receive.

Question-based topics, MUST START with one of the following words:

What

OR they must END with:

… at what cost?

Just because a topic has a question mark in it DOES NOT make it a Question-based topic, it SPECIFICALLY needs to start with one of the words above.

It is difficult because ‘How’ specifically means you need to agree with the topic, you can’t disagree with it. That limits what you can write.

Here are some examples of question-based topics that you should familiarise yourself with. Look for common elements between each:

How does Bradbury in The Veldt contrast the savagery of human nature against the innovation of technology?

How do Marji’s innocent observations reveal the truths of her world?

How are emotions explored in Wordsworth’s poems?

Order is restored in Measure for Measure, but at what cost?

How does Nine Days explore the relationship between the past and the present?

How do Marji’s parents seek to protect her from the realities of revolution?

How does Polley’s documentary show the far-reaching impact of family secrets?

What role does love play in David Malouf’s novella Ransom?

How does Brooks develop a sense of time and of place in Year of Wonders?

How does the protagonist’s father in The Paper Menagerie reflect his struggle to understand and connect with his cultural heritage?

What role does storytelling play in the protagonist’s journey of self-discovery in The Paper Menagerie?

How does identity, belonging, and cultural heritage influence the protagonist in The Paper Menagerie?

How does the isolation and loneliness of the protagonist catalyse the diversion of the protagonist from his Chinese culture in The Paper Menagerie?

What is the impact of the father’s absence in The Paper Menagerie on the protagonist’s development?

What is the influence of Chinese culture on the protagonist’s ability to conform to American norms in The Paper Menagerie?

Quote-Based Topic

These aren’t technically a type of topic by themselves, quote-based topics are simply Theme, Character or Question-based topics but with an additional quote from the text at the start.

Quotes are represented by DOUBLE QUOTE MARKS “ “, NOT ‘ ‘, if it is single quote marks, it is just a statement, NOT a quote.

Here are some examples of quote-based theme, character or question topics that you should familiarise yourself with. Look for common elements between each:

Quote-Based Character Topic: “Why could I never do anything right?” ‘Dr Ibaraki not only fails others, he also fails himself.’ Discuss.

Quote-Based Character Topic: “Always keep your dignity and be true to yourself.” To what extent does Marji follow her grandmother’s advice?

Quote-Based Theme Topic: “This will pass. Everything passes.” ‘Station Eleven offers the hope that civilisation will endure.’ Do you agree?

Quote-Based Theme Topic: “This, we know too, cannot go on much longer.” ‘In MacLeod’s stories, the characters see change as a threat.’ Do you agree? [while this sounds like a character topic, because it doesn’t specifically a type of character, it is a theme-based topic]

Quote-Based Question Topic: “Every time you see someone, you never know if you’re seeing them for the last time.” How does Nine Days emphasise the importance of cherishing those we love?

Quote-Based Question Topic: “Without looking up, I asked for her help in tracing out the character for ai on the paper below Mom’s letter.” How does The Paper Menagerie illustrate the importance of family and appreciating one’s diverse culture?

Quote-Based Character Topic: “After a while, she tried to use more English. But her accent and broken sentences embarrassed me.” To what extent in The Paper Mengarie do you agree that the mother’s inability to speak English catalysed the protagonist’s desire to escape the confines of his culture?

Analytical Topic

These are rare, these are considered a more difficult version of Quote-Based Question Topics, way more broad and difficult to break down.

They are characterised as having a topic where the quote is the topic itself.

Here are some examples of analytical topics that you should familiarise yourself with. Look for common elements between each:

“Some things are best left in the past.” To what extent is this view supported by Piper’s After Darkness? [see how the topic is literally the quote itself?]

“You do what you can to keep an endangered animal alive.” Is this the main message of Extinction?

“Men were deceivers ever” Is this true of the men in Much Ado About Nothing? [This is actually a difficult topic, it’s not actually a character-based as it starts with ‘Is’]

“What is a family? Is it just a genetic chain, parents and offspring, people like me? . . . Or is it something else entirely . . .?” What does family mean to Obama in Dreams from My Father? [see how the topic is literally the quote itself?]

Josefina asks: “What is love?” How important is love in The Old Man Who Read Love Stories? [see how the topic is literally the quote itself?]

The protagonist’s mother says: “Haizi, mama ai ni — ” How does a mother’s love for their child transcend the typical definition of love in The Paper Menagerie?

“Or perhaps I had only imagined that these paper constructions were once alive.” What do the paper animals mean to the protagonist in The Paper Menagerie?

“We would then watch, as the crane flapped its crisp wings on its long journey west, toward the Pacific, toward China, toward the graves of Mom’s family.” How does The Paper Menagerie emphasise the importance of cherishing one’s family?

Assessing the Difficulty of Topics

This is the general order of how difficult topics are, but it’s best to use your own judgement as well once you are more familiar with topics!

As mentioned before, you should always try and choose the easiest topic, rather than a more difficult one on the exam. It is not worth losing marks because you were unable to analyse. Always go for the marks that are more secure. Consistency is more important than randomly going for a high score.

Starting from the easiest (1), to most difficult (7):

Theme-Based Topic

Quote-Based Theme Topic

Character-Based Topic

Quote-Based Character Topic

Question Topic

Quote-Based Question Topic

Analytical Topic

How can we help?

Essay Topic Types

Purpose

Post-Module Learnings

Content

What is an Essay Topic/Prompt?

Essay Topic Types

Theme-Based Topic

Character(s)-Based Topic

Question-Based Topic

Quote-Based Topic

Analytical Topic

Assessing the Difficulty of Topics